Calling all BHP owners...

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Randallpink

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I plan to treat myself to a new firearm within the next couple months for achieving some personal goals. Big fan of the 9mm for its cost effectiveness, high round capacity, and overall performance.

I intend to buy a higher-end 9mm to enjoy at the range and also as my nightstand gun. I've always been intrigued by the Hi Power for its aesthetics and history.

Should I focus on finding an older Hi Power, or are current production models on par with the older guns?

Thanks.
 
Current production guns are of the highest quality. The BHP is one gun that through the decades have been consistently high quality.

I would stay with a 9mm. No quality issues with the 40SW or 30, just don't feel the same as a 9mm.
I also like to put in a 26 lb hammer spring. That is the standard weight pre mid 1970s, before they changed it to 32 lb.
This greatly helps the trigger pull.
 
You are fine with the current production MK III Hi Power. I've had mine since 1994 and it has been flawless. It is my most accurate centerfire handgun out of many.
 
I have a recent model (made in Belgium assembled in Portugal) and one made in 1972. I picked up the '72 mainly because I wanted one in my birth year. I think the quality of the recent one is every bit as good as the '72. In fact I think the bluing on the recent one is a little nicer having a very beautiful deep blue. I have a lot more rounds through the recent one but both function perfectly. Trigger is about the same on both as the magazine disconnect is intact on both. I didn't say the trigger was great, just about the same.

There might be some owners of HPs from the '50 and '60 that feel differently but I have no experience with those.
 
The new Hi Powers are just fine. They have better sights than the old Hi Powers and still feel just as good in the hand and shoot just as well.
 
Thanks for all the responses.

It is nice to know that it had not lost quality over the years. Unfortunately, that cannot be said for all manufacturers.
 
Well, I've got a lot of P35/BHP pistols, from 1938 Belgian Military right up to 2010 MkIII...and several dozen in between :what:. I've carried various P35/BHP pistols on/off duty, on and off...depending upon Policy/Procedure, for 40 years. And though I love my pre-war, wartime, Inglis, post-war, "T"s, "C"s, MkIIs, customs, yada-yada-yada...for the use the OP intends, a MkIII is, IMHO, the preferred choice. Tougher cast frame, ambi-safety, dovetailed high visibility sights, hollowpoint friendly feedramp and spur hammer that's less likely to bite the hand that feeds it.

For those willing to put in the time and effort to master the S/A pistol, it's hard to beat the MkIII P35/BHP...
 
The MKIII is a good platform.Older guns have teeny sights and safeties.I personally like the MKIII as it sits except for the trigger pull.
 
I have never heard a complaint about out of the box. I have an FEG and an actual Browning. I have also owned an Argentine FM 95. Wish I never would have sold it.
Just don't go goobering them up with after market parts and you should be fine.
Stay clear of cheapo Magazines too I learned that lesson from a 1911A1 but it translates none the less.
 
Just don't go goobering them up with after market parts and you should be fine.
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree with that statement. Out-of-the box BHPs have terrible triggers, but can be very easily made much better by simply removing the magazine disconnect (a 10-minute job), and better still with some aftermarket parts.

My BHP Mark III is worlds better with my aftermarket parts than when it was stock. I installed a 26-lb mainspring, which got rid of the ridiculously difficult-to-rack slide and lightened my trigger pull, a Garthwaite competition trigger, which lightened my trigger pull even more due to the added leverage I get from being able to place my finger lower on its flattened trigger, a recoil buffer, and some Hi Viz sights, which I find infinitely better than the odd stock white-bar sights. Replacing the stock magazines with aftermarket Mec-Gars gave me a nice slippery-smooth nickel-plated surface for easy reloads, and 2 extra rounds in the mag. Then of course everybody will have their own preferences as to aftermarket grips... I have some nice Esmerelda exotic hardwood grips for mine, as well as a set of Crimson Trace grips.

The BHP was originally designed as a military combat pistol, and there is certainly room for improvement/customization for other purposes such as target shooting or personal defense. That doesn't mean it's a bad pistol out-of-the box (it's definitely not, except for that trigger), just that it can be made better by anybody who is so inclined. If you're buying it strictly as a collector's piece though, then by all means, keep it stock, or at least don't lose all the original parts.
 
JTQ said:
I don't know if you found this already, but everybody going down the Hi-Power trail needs to spend some time on the late Mr. Camp's excellent Hi-Power's and Handguns site.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/
Click to expand...
Better advise could not have been spoken.
As for goobering up a perfectly good fire arm that goes for all of them, but most problems I have seen with BHP's come from people that order parts from Numrich or Sarco and have at it. Don't do it, take some time study the gun shoot it a lot and have work done buy a trusted smith or after you have done your research.
One of my pet peeves is a good weapon gone bad because someone went after it with whatever tools they had lying around instead of the proper ones. Guns Screws are not "Standard" sizes, Use Screwdrivers that fit the damn slots not ones that are "close enough"
Oh yeah if you do start replacing parts SAVE the old ones, you may need them if the new parts are't spec and need work or if the new part fails.
 
Replacing the 32lb hammer spring with a 26lb spring may make the slide easier to rack and perhaps lighten the trigger somewhat, but FN went with a 32lb spring for reason, to lower the slide velocity by forcing the slide to overcome the resistance of the heavier spring, extending the service life of the weapons.
 
Replacing the 32lb hammer spring with a 26lb spring may make the slide easier to rack and perhaps lighten the trigger somewhat, but FN went with a 32lb spring for reason, to lower the slide velocity....
Click to expand...

Actually, they went to the 32lb hammer spring because they were selling pistols to the middle east military market who were using Egyptian ammo with incredibly hard primers.

Yes, the heavy hammer spring also slows down the slide travel which probably lengthens the life of the gun.

Most people follow Steven Camps advice and replace the hammer spring with a lighter 24 or 26 pound spring, then replace the recoil spring with a heavier 18.5 pound Wolff spring. That way you get the lighter trigger pull, along with the decreased slide velocity. It's the best of both worlds.

I find the Hi Power to be the best 9mm pistol on the planet. They're great guns in stock configuration, but they can be improved with time tested modifications.

And... you can do it yourself. If you watch the 40 minute video marked "Introducing The Browning Hi Power" in the link below, you can learn how to tear down a Hi Power into its component parts. It's pretty easy of you have proper tools.

http://www.celticarmory.com/media.html
 
Another +1 for KodiakBeer's post. I left my Hi Power stock, except for the Wolff 18.5 lb recoil spring. The trigger is a little heavy, but very crisp....I like it.
 
I never said don't I said do your research first. I agree completely that changes can be made. Make them intelligently and safely is all I'm saying. I agree with Kodiak and Mr Camp completely. Just study what you are doing first and use the right tools.
 
BHPs ROCK

I love the BHP. My first pistol purchase, and it ruined me forever. :D I have pretty much zero interest in DAO guns because I spent so much time with my MkIII. I might buy a DA/SA...
I personally like buying used firearms, so if you're cool with that, then go for used. I would go with a new or used MkIII. You can buy FN or FM, but be careful because FEGs are not / may not be a true HP.
Good luck and have fun (be safe is always implied).
Charlie
 
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