Karl Sokol Browning Hi Power Build

[USBP379]

Back about five months ago I sent a used pistol to Karl Sokol of Chestnut Mountain Sports. I asked him to complete his $750 Hi Power package with a few additions. The 1st special request was to blue the gun rather than paint it. The other option I wanted was to have an extended safety fabricated as opposed to buying something like the C&S extended safety.

The pistol came back to me today and I wanted to share these pics. Overall, I am pleased with the gun. The work is nice and clean. No frills but rather sensible and practical mods that should yield a pistol suitable for general carry, IDPA, plinking, etc. The trigger is crisp and smooth and measures just a bit over six pounds. Not shocking since we're still running factory FN trigger springs.

One thing I noticed with the gun, not related to Mr. Sokol's work, is the slide markings on the right. The slide shows "Made in Belgium" and nothing else. Other MKII guns I've seen have been marked with "Assembled in Portugal." But this is the first MKII style pistol I've seen that was not the matte finish plastic grip version.

This particular pistol, prior to sending off, was polished blue with the small sights. It has the MKII firing pin safety but does not have the flat rib on top nor the hole under the muzzle in the recoil spring housing.

Anyway, here are the pics:

 

[horsemen61]

Nice!!!!!

 

[USBP379]

Nice!!!!!

Thanks.

The gun was in pretty decent condition prior to sending it off. It seemed mechanically sound but had some pretty good holster wear. Biggest issue, which went unnoticed at time of purchase, was a stripped grip screw hole.

One thing not photographed is the muzzle. It has been crowned and polished. I will try to remember to snap a pic later today.

If all goes well I should get it to the range this weekend.

 

[Lucky Derby]

Beautiful

 

[mgmorden]

Looks nice. I don't care for the stippling on the front (I tend to prefer checkering if anything is done there), but still overall it looks great.

 

[USBP379]

Looks nice. I don't care for the stippling on the front (I tend to prefer checkering if anything is done there), but still overall it looks great.

Checkering certainly looks cleaner.

From what I'm told, checkering is pretty hard to go on a Hi Power. Front straps are not thick enough to support the work and the backstrap is hard to work on with its curved and sloping shape. There are 'smiths that'll go it but they seem to be few and far between.

 

[drobs]

Not a fan of the stippling either. Otherwise looks nice.

 

[USBP379]

Not a fan of the stippling either.

Yikes! Tough crowd around here...

I put about 300 rounds through the pistol this weekend. Stippling worked well. Provides good texture but is not so aggressive that it created hot spots, etc.

 

[R_P_K]

It looks great man. Congratulations

 

[WVsig]

Checkering certainly looks cleaner.

From what I'm told, checkering is pretty hard to go on a Hi Power. Front straps are not thick enough to support the work and the backstrap is hard to work on with its curved and sloping shape. There are 'smiths that'll go it but they seem to be few and far between.

Not only are BHPs hard to checker do to their thin front grip strap many smiths don’t do it because you also have to border the serial number on most guns because it is on the front of the grip strap. This takes up a fair amount of real estate on the front strap.

T series, practicals and hard chromed frames are required by most smiths if they will even consider checkering. Also because if the thin grip strap most have to do fine LPI checkering which results in less grip texture.

Your gun is almost certainly a surplus handgun most likely from Israel. It is a Browning rollmarked slide which was originally intended for the US market but then used for a contract gun that went outside the US. The Made in Belgium roll mark tells you that. It is what some refer to as a MKII 1/2 because it is a late year MKII with dome transitional MKIII features. This is often seen in contract guns because FN used whatever parts were readily available to fulfill orders.

Nice looking gun enjoy it.

 

[HPJeep]

I actually like stippling better. I know if the HP frame is cast or forged will determine if front strap is a good candidate for checkering. Very nice job that the smith did on your gun!

 

[USBP379]

Your gun is almost certainly a surplus handgun most likely from Israel. It is a Browning rollmarked slide which was originally intended for the US market but then used for a contract gun that went outside the US. The Made in Belgium roll mark tells you that. It is what some refer to as a MKII 1/2 because it is a late year MKII with dome transitional MKIII features. This is often seen in contract guns because FN used whatever parts were readily available to fulfill orders.

Nice looking gun enjoy it.

Don't the MKII 1/2 guns have that funny little rib running along the frame in front of the trigger guard?

I assumed it was a surplus gun when I bought it but it isn't drilled underneath the grips for a lanyard ring nor can I find any import stamps on it. Those two things together or by themselves probably don't mean anything. Some of the import stamps are very lightly done and easily polished off. And there are several surplus Hi Power pistols on gunbroker currently that don't appear to be drilled for the lanyard. None of this really matters anymore now that the gun has been worked over. It likely had zero collector interest prior to being send to Karl.

Frankly it was pretty ugly when I bought it. Some pretty good holster wear and some pitting underneath the grips. I bought it with the single intention of having work done on it. I wouldn't have bought it for more money and/or probably would have left it alone had it been in nicer condition.

Surplus or US import, I would do it all over again in a second. I'm pleased with the gun and the way it turned out. Got a silk purse from a sow's ear!

So far I have about 300 rounds through it. More is required as is a variety of stuff. JHP, LSWC, etc.

 

[USBP379]

I actually like stippling better. I know if the HP frame is cast or forged will determine if front strap is a good candidate for checkering. Very nice job that the smith did on your gun!

The nice thing about the strippling is that it looks like it was done by hand. It isn't flawlessly executed but it shows a level of comfort and familiarity with the technique. I hope that makes sense. Something akin to a skilled painter leaving a brush stroke or two in a portrait or landscape. Evidence of small human errors that sort of add to the uniqueness.

 

[TikkaShooter]

Very nice and thanks for sharing..

I have a "thing" for all Browning design firearms and yours is a beautiful example.

 

[USBP379]

With leather from Privateer Leather out of Utah.

 

[WVsig]

Don't the MKII 1/2 guns have that funny little rib running along the frame in front of the trigger guard?

I assumed it was a surplus gun when I bought it but it isn't drilled underneath the grips for a lanyard ring nor can I find any import stamps on it. Those two things together or by themselves probably don't mean anything. Some of the import stamps are very lightly done and easily polished off. And there are several surplus Hi Power pistols on gunbroker currently that don't appear to be drilled for the lanyard. None of this really matters anymore now that the gun has been worked over. It likely had zero collector interest prior to being send to Karl.

Frankly it was pretty ugly when I bought it. Some pretty good holster wear and some pitting underneath the grips. I bought it with the single intention of having work done on it. I wouldn't have bought it for more money and/or probably would have left it alone had it been in nicer condition.

Surplus or US import, I would do it all over again in a second. I'm pleased with the gun and the way it turned out. Got a silk purse from a sow's ear!

So far I have about 300 rounds through it. More is required as is a variety of stuff. JHP, LSWC, etc.

Like all things FN not always. Not all contracts required the lanyard loop ring. Either way it is an insteresting example. The "Browning rollmark" says North American gun but then other rollmark "Made in Belgium" screams European market. My guess is that the "Browning" rollmark was the initial intent and then the gun was used for a contact which needed the "Made in Belgium" mark. t. It has to be a secondary import of some kind. It doesn't matter because you have built a winner.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Very nice! Classic with a few modern improvements. The Hi-Power is one of my favorites.

 

[USBP379]

The "Browning rollmark" says North American gun but then other rollmark "Made in Belgium" screams European market.

Since neither the barrel nor slide are serialized I suppose the top end could have come out of the spare parts bin. If the gun could only talk...

I actually didn't notice that the gun didn't have the "assembled in Portugal" mark until I got it back from Mr. Sokol. I guess it was more noticeable once all the holster wear had been taken care of.

 

[bannockburn]

USBP379

Just the right amount of modifications done to your Hi-Power to make it work for you. I like the extended safety, the rounded and bobbed hammer, the new sights, and the stippling too.

 

[bannockburn]

USBP379

My Mk.II was an early production one and while it does have the "Made In Belgium" rollmark it does not have the "Assembled in Portugal" rollmark.

 

[USBP379]

USBP379

My Mk.II...does not have the "Assembled in Portugal" rollmark.

Interesting. Thanks for muddying the waters...

Your gun does have the slide that I think we associate with MKII guns. The raised rib and bigger sights. Also the small hole under the muzzle in the recoil spring housing.

What's your serial number letter code? I assume the gun has the firing pin safety?

 

[Ironicaintit]

ah beautiful. Nice, subtle upgrades.
I like the stippling....how's it feel?

 

[USBP379]

I like the stippling....how's it feel?

Feels good. Provides a sure grip but isn't so sharp that it becomes uncomfortable while shooting.

 

[bannockburn]

USBP379

I remember I read an article about the new and improved Mk.II Hi-Power in "Combat Handguns" sometime in August or September 1985. Then a couple of days later I found one at a large dealer/distributor and bought it. The serial number letter code on it is PV.

 

[USBP379]