FM Hi-Power -- Help w/ ID

[mikeontarget]

I just acquired a Hi-Power that's a bit of a mystery. The box says "FM HI-POWER, Caliber 9x19mm, FN Belgium License, Serial Number: 304xxx. All serial numbers (pistol and box) match. But the slide is stamped "F.N. Browning, ARMSCORP, SILVER SPRING MD, MADE IN ARGENTINA". The front sight is a blade (no dovetail), but the rear sight is an adjustable unit in a dovetail. The hammer is a spur style and the safety is the (old) tiny style.

What have I got?

Mike

 

[rellascout]

FM Hi Power....

Argentine clone.

 

[ByAnyMeans]

Yep, sounds like an Argentine clone. I have one and it has never had an issue and more accurate than I can shoot it. I did remove the magazine safety and it really helped the trigger pull.

 

[NMGonzo]

argie ....

FM - Fabricaciones Militares.

 

[jonnyc]

The FN/FM confusion stems from the fact that FM made them via an FN license. Great pistols.

 

[mikeontarget]

FM Hi-Power

Is it possible (easy? inexpensive?) to replace the tiny safety with the newer style and the spur hammer with the newer style?

Mike

 

[Rittmeister]

Mike - I replaced the safety on my FM with a Cylinder & Slide safety and sear. The safety has a nice shelf for your thumb. You must replace the sear at the same time, as the C&S safety is harder steel and will wear the factory sear. Several years later I also wound up replacing the hammer, for the same reason - the new sear was wearing the notch in the hammer to the point where the hammer would follow the slide forward when the action cycled, and end up on the half-cock notch.

That also precipitated replacement of the hammer strut and spring. It has to do with the pivot hole in the hammer being drilled in a slightly different location on the older guns vs. the newer ones. I don't remember all the specifics but the result with the C&S hammer/sear/safety was that even with the mag safety removed the magazines would not drop free. With the replacement hammer strut everything works right and the mags drop out with no trouble.

Were I to do it again, I'd either do everything at once or leave it alone.

That's not to mention the Novak sights, the Uncle Mike's checkered grips, or the refinish in satin black Gunkote, but I digress...

 

[mikeontarget]

Great info. All those mods sound a bit pricey... Since I have an FN, I might just leave this one alone and see if I can wear it out. If that safety just wasn't so puny...

Mike

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

I just have the safety in mine, I may get around to replacing the sear and hammer but I think I'm going to just get a more accurate gun/something I'm accurate with.

 

[HorseSoldier]

Mike - I replaced the safety on my FM with a Cylinder & Slide safety and sear.

+1 -- do this. The C&S improved safety is a major ergonomic improvement over the factory safety.