Browning Hi Powers, I know that there are...........

[lawandorder]

.......at least a few of us around here that hold these pistolas near, and dear. This one has been with me for many years after an exciting acquisition. Decided it needed a facelift.

As my friends down Georgia way say, I am right proud that some of the great custom gun Folks have an address in these old Ozarks. One of the best is just down the road, and when I saw they were adding BHPs to their line up I contacted them to see if they would work on my old gun.

Yes they would, so I dropped it off and can only say that the entire experience with everyone at Nighthawk was great, some of the best customer service I have encountered in my old life.

They installed Heine Slant Pro rear sights with a gold bead front.
Picked it up Monday and hope to get to the range soon.
Further enhancements and embellishments percolating in my mind.

[younggun22]

thats a great looking Hi Power!

[rwt1405]

She came out beautiful lawandorder, I'd be proud to own her!

Oldster, I can't wait to see your safe queens, the two you posted look great!

[lonestar57]

Love the looks of these guns. Nothing feels and points better in my opinion like a Hi Power. Too lazy this morning to post any pics of mine so I'll just sit back and enjoy yours.

[ColbyBruce]

I am also a BHP fan, having owned eight of them. Here is a photo of number eight, a .40 S&W; and number two, a Belgian made 9mm. A few years ago I gave the .40 and a Bianchi Askin's Avenger holster to my son. I will keep the 9mm until I die.


The three brand new MecGar mags in the packages were stolen by the illegitimate son of a female dog who burglarized my home in February 2011.

[03hemi]

Have to admit, 9mm being a wimpy round and all, I'd still love to have one of the Belgian made one's. I know a gun shop that has "several" Belgian made, some with adjustable sights, new in the box for like $1,200 and "several" assembled in Portugal, new in the box for around $1,000. Overpriced, but easily available. Anybody interested, comment and let me know and I'll steer you in that direction. South GA.

[ColbyBruce]

#8 above is a "Made in Belgium, assembled in Portugal" BHP that has never skipped a beat. Tolerances are tighter on later production guns, many seem to shoot better and eat HP ammo with ease, which some of the older Belgian built guns do not do. My first BHP was a "T" series that only ate FMJ ammo reliably. The round hammer from #1 is in #2.

[steamloco76]

I've purchased and then sold far too many 9mm pistols over the years, Smiths, Sigs, CZs, Glocks, and others, however my 1980's target sighted HP-35 is not leaving! She runs like a champ and is more accurate than I can hold most days. Wearing Herrett's grips.

[moralem]

It was only recently that I came to acquire a Belgium made 1975 HP. I am pretty much a SW and Colt accumulator and never got around to the HP. Well one appeared on my local gun board and after some negotiating because the wear on the gun was greater than what the seller thought, I came away with my first HP......not sure I need to have several but I do like this one with some honest wear, you can see the wear marks in the last picture. The back of the stocks looked to be painted red......not sure what that is about but they do look original.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[JayFramer]

Very wimpy round indeed. All of NATO, countless Western and Eastern armies and police forces around the world, the U.S. military, and 55% of U.S. police departments should know better to use it.

I love my Mk III:

[cmansguns]

The only 9mm I own (sold the 41byf Black Widow years ago).

This one's staying in the stable.

Don't know what the blue lights are in the take-down photo. Probably flash reflection somehow, if not....then alien 3 dot sights installed by some bubba who thought 13 shots meant that old sour mash stuff out of the holler near Lynchburg before working on a gun.

[welldoya]

I bought one the last year they were made (and assembled) in Belgium. Sometime in the mid 80s.
A friend bought one at the same time. I never got around to shooting mine before I acquired his in a trade.
So, I have mine still NIB and have his as a shooter.

[03hemi]

Originally Posted by JayFramer

Very wimpy round indeed. All of NATO, countless Western and Eastern armies and police forces around the world, the U.S. military, and 55% of U.S. police departments should know better to use it.

I love my Mk III:

That's because its cheaper to make and shoot. It's all about the Benjamins.

[fyimo]

Here's mine

[ISCS Yoda]

I am not sure about 9mm being a wimpy round considering the havoc that caliber has accomplished - good and bad from our point of view - for 100 years or so.

I have always loved Browning Hi-Powers and I finally acquired a nice one just a couple of years ago. Assembled in Portugal doesn't bother me. I don't use it often but I did use it last year for a Close Quarter Pistol Craft course where it performed flawlessly.

I never took its picture. I owe y'all a picture.

[Darkenfast]

Moralem: the red paint on the back of the High Power grips was a feature for many years. Its purpose is to resist moisture getting into the wood.

[shottist]

ALLHi Powers are made in Belgium and later models are assembled in Portugal under FN supervision and quality control. Further the newer guns are stronger and have better tolerances than the older guns. Forged frames were changed to cast as the weaker, forged frame broke when chambered for the .40

[moralem]

Originally Posted by shottist

ALLHi Powers are made in Belgium and later models are assembled in Portugal under FN supervision and quality control. Further the newer guns are stronger and have better tolerances than the older guns. Forged frames were changed to cast as the weaker, forged frame broke when chambered for the .40

Sides can argue that one is better than the other.......and so when I said my was Belgium it was not to denigrate the newer models. I happen to like the old school methods and techniques and results. That's just me.....just like I don't like MIM and IL S&Ws......just a preference and yes all Browning parts were made in Belgium some just happen to me assembled out of Belgium......I prefer Belgium made parts and assembly......I make no assertion one is better than the other just that I prefer the Belgium assembled versions.......

[moralem]

Originally Posted by Darkenfast

Moralem: the red paint on the back of the High Power grips was a feature for many years. Its purpose is to resist moisture getting into the wood.

I learn something new everyday.......thanks.

[WVSig]

Originally Posted by moralem

Sides can argue that one is better than the other.......and so when I said my was Belgium it was not to denigrate the newer models. I happen to like the old school methods and techniques and results. That's just me.....just like I don't like MIM and IL S&Ws......just a preference and yes all Browning parts were made in Belgium some just happen to me assembled out of Belgium......I prefer Belgium made parts and assembly......I make no assertion one is better than the other just that I prefer the Belgium assembled versions.......

Some BHPs have been assembled in Portugal since about 1973 some even say as early as 1971 in small independent shops. In 1973 FN bought the factory in Viana Portugal.

By the 1980s all assembly of the BHP was moved to Portugal. Browning rollmarked guns got the rollmark somewhere in the early 80's due to an misinterpretation of the US import laws.

The FN rollmark guns which were assembled in the same plant on the same lines never bore that rollmark. In all honesty there is no way to know where a BHP past 1973 was made because FN views record keeping as an art form vs a science.

[WVSig]

Originally Posted by shottist

ALLHi Powers are made in Belgium and later models are assembled in Portugal under FN supervision and quality control. Further the newer guns are stronger and have better tolerances than the older guns. Forged frames were changed to cast as the weaker, forged frame broke when chambered for the .40

Tolerances aren't any better on the newer guns. The cast frame is stronger than the original forged frames. FN when cast because they could produce a stronger frame for less money using cast than they could using forging. Forging could produce a frame just as strong but it would cost more so they went cast.

I personally believe that the early T series guns are the best of the breed it terms of fit, finish and looks. For a long term hard duty use shooter, I am talking about 25,000 round count type guns, my preference is a MKIII.

Different tools for different roles.

[WVSig]

I like BHPs.

Garthwaite Custom MKIII



Wild West Guns Custom C72 1972



MKIII Practical



Israeli Surplus FN rollmarked MKII & 1/2



Factory Nickel BHP MKII



Novak Custom



1969 69C Beater with a Bomar sight



Don Williams The Action Works Alloy FN Custom



APW Cogan T series Custom w/ S&W rear sight



Pre T Internal extractor 1962

[JohnRippert]

WVSig,

Love that Practical. The others ain't bad at all.

[WVSig]

Originally Posted by JohnRippert

WVSig,

Love that Practical. The others ain't bad at all.

The practical is a great gun. I bought it intending to send it to Yost to have him do a full house custom including checkering the grip but I love it so much as it is I have never sent it. Practicals don't have a serial number on the front of the grip strap and tend to be thicker in the front of the grip so they are easier to checker. Yost is one of the few smiths that will checker them. Most will only stipple them.

[walkinghorse]

Originally Posted by steamloco76

I've purchased and then sold far too many 9mm pistols over the years, Smiths, Sigs, CZs, Glocks, and others, however my 1980's target sighted HP-35 is not leaving! She runs like a champ and is more accurate than I can hold most days. Wearing Herrett's grips.

Interesting grip, is that something you did to accommodate the LH safety?

[rwt1405]

Wow WVSig, now THAT is a collection!

[Triathloncoach]

There is a cool write up in Firearms News (formally Shotgun News) Feb 2017 Issue 4 on the best hand guns of WW2 that includes an interesting commentary on the history of the HP and why it's an excellent weapon. Definitely worth a read if you like HP.

I don't think I am allowed to post a link, so I am going to continue my long stretch of violation free posting and just give people a heads up.

[PALADIN85020]

I'm also a fan of the Browning High Power. I have had one of the nice FEG Hungarian clones customized by Cylinder and Slide. Most of the modifications take care of my concerns with the original design - the tendency for the hammer to "pinch" the web of the hand, the tiny safety, the trigger letoff, and the inadequate sights. The forward serrations were thrown in by C&S gratis when they re-blued the slide.



I also have a couple of Canadian Inglis HPs, this one from 1944, with the paint finish:



...and this one is the adjustable sight model, made in 1945, with its matching shoulder stock holster.



By the way, there is no magazine safety on any of these - another feature of the original I did not like.

John

[erics]

First one i bought was 1968 brand new. Sold it a year later for some reason I no longer remember. About 3 years ago a lgs got one on consignment in very good condition. I would visit it about once a month so work on the price a bit. but eight months later, the seller had dropped the price by $100. Still a little high I thought but time to move on this. Out the door for $600 no box or papers but had the Browning rug. Got it home and stripped and was shocked to find this was virtually an unfired gun!

[Xfuzz]

Here is a FN marked Hi Power I bought
a couple weeks ago.
Dates to 1991 and is slick as a pin.

[robvious]

timely thread... just had my late father's Belgium HP out of the safe... according to the Browning website it was never made... it is a 76C serial number instead of the 245 serial number that was supposed to start in 1976... my father shot IPSC with it back in the day... and Bill L. at Cylinder & Slide worked on it back then... he used to shoot and compete at the same range with my dad... I have known him since I was a little kid, great guy.

[les.b]

Well, I let it go years ago in a trade, but my one and only High Power was a tangent sighted, shoulder stock slotted pre war version with nazi proofs and waffenampts?sp? Or whatever the correct name is, stamps on it. This was before I adopted my "always buy, never sell" philosophy. Traded it to one of my police buddies...the same one who ended up with my Browning 1955 .380, but that's another story. Wish I had both of them back after seeing the beautiful specimens above.

Edit: just reread the above posts...mine looked just like the bottom one in Palidin's post, but I never had the shoulder stock... Nice, John!!

Best Regards, Les

[Old Corp]

Do love a good BHP. Mine is from a customer/friend I made while working p/t at the last LGS I was at. A near perfect Belgian he made me pay $450 for, with about 8 magazines. Aftermarket Millet target sight, ramp front, Hogue wood grips. It shoots so good. An El Paso Saddlery scabbard I had for a Colt Commander fits her fine.
Sadly, she shoots so much more accurately than my Colt Commander 9mm, it makes the Colt look bad.

[jdlii]

I am lucky enough to have one for each hand!

[Mike, SC Hunter]

Mine....Belgian....Purchased early 1972($114.00) by me for my HS graduation........Still have it......Added Millett adj. sights sometime in the 80's.......

[Glashaus]

I have had a few BHP's over the years, this is the one that I kept and made the journey to Texas with me.

[Walter Rego]

Back in the late '90's a bunch of 1950's vintage P35's that were Austrian Gendarmerie issue were imported. Most came with two matching numbered mags and had stampings on the front grip strap indicating the district and issue number. This one was from the Salzburg district. I found the correct holster rig shortly after purchasing it.

[Big E3]

Picked up my used 1975 Browning in 1984. It was the second pistol I ever owned behind a S&W 59. I already had a Python I bought new in 1978. The Python and Smith are long gone.

I picked up this FEG about three weeks ago, for $150, couldn’t pass for the price.

[Frank46]

Cannot post pics but Browning High Power was purchased from CDI sales and picked up about October 2016. Gunsmith got it around 28th of december and he tore it down,cleaned everything even removed the white paint on the sights and repainted it orange. Who makes a good holster for it?. Frank

[US&S 1911]

My first full sized pistol was a Belgian Hi Power, 245 prefix, civilian market Mkii, bought at a police auction. The magazine was rusted into the magwell, but the gun cleaned up well, where it counted. I shaped and polished the feed ramp, polished out & throated the chamber, and she fed, shot, and ejected any ammo I put into the factory magazines. I got very adept at making P35s function flawlessly. I also had a tendency to disconnect the magazine safety and clean up the trigger action, a bit more with some extra polishing, hand filing & fitting. Little did I know it, but at about 19:39 Hours on 3rd October, 2003, one of those Hi Powers would save my life, and the life of another person, when a methamphetamine user went on a drug fueled rampage with his pickup truck. My Hi Power was impounded, for about 8 months, until the court case (criminal) was over. In the mean time I bought a S&W 5904. Uhm, not exactly one of my favorite guns, but it worked. I was sure happy to see my Browning again, and the letter signed by The Chief of The Phoenix Police Department was a nice touch too. The icky brown oil they stored my gun in, was slightly less appreciated, but it was nicer than letting it rust. I moved on to Sig Sauer. Wow, a big step from Browning, as the BDA & BDM were both made by Sauer at some point. Sarcasm alert.

[Guevera]

Ted Yost at Heirloom Precision did this one for me, now long gone after the recession of '08. Oh well...
Sure was a beautiful pistol and the quality of work done on it (like that checkering) was incredible.

[WVSig]

Originally Posted by Frank46

Cannot post pics but Browning High Power was purchased from CDI sales and picked up about October 2016. Gunsmith got it around 28th of december and he tore it down,cleaned everything even removed the white paint on the sights and repainted it orange. Who makes a good holster for it?. Frank

I like the Milt Spark VM2. That is what my BHPs ride in.

[Richard Simmons]

Originally Posted by fyimo

Here's mine

Couldn't help myself I just had to to say this is by far the best looking photo of this type I can recall seeing any where. If you never considered owning an HP you will now. Great looking HP!

[HARDWARE]

just 2 in the herd right now. my preference is for the early post war guns with the deep rust blue finish. the classic look

[HARDWARE]

80's sumthin..

[WVSig]

Originally Posted by Guevera

Ted Yost at Heirloom Precision did this one for me, now long gone after the recession of '08. Oh well...
Sure was a beautiful pistol and the quality of work done on it (like that checkering) was incredible.

What was the base gun you used for this build? I love Yost thumb safety. His and Garthwaites are the to best I have ever encountered.

[45Wheelgun]

Here are a couple of my favorites...both FN P35s

A Japanese Contract gun from the 30's. Used and refinished multiple times by Japanese Government. With proper reproduction (with BATF certificate) stock/holster.







Here is a target shot at 35' with stock attached:



Here is a 1964 vintage FN:





Love me some Herstal goodness...

[SC_Mike]

A lot of beautiful shooting irons there, which means I'm compelled to post my stuff now.

1994 IDF trade in weapon before:



After:


Refinished it with my very own ten thumbs. Had to have the epoxy finish blasted off but didnt turn out too bad.

[Taj]

Originally Posted by 03hemi

Have to admit, 9mm being a wimpy round and all, I'd still love to have one of the Belgian made one's. I know a gun shop that has "several" Belgian made, some with adjustable sights, new in the box for like $1,200 and "several" assembled in Portugal, new in the box for around $1,000. Overpriced, but easily available. Anybody interested, comment and let me know and I'll steer you in that direction. South GA.

03hemi,

The 9mm is not so wimpy anymore. There was a time you couldn't give me one but that's not the case today. I do ballistic shoots and workshops for for a major ammo maker and can tell you that a lot of energy and design talent has gone into the 9mm round(bullet design) in the last few years. We regularly see 15-18 inches of penetration and expansion of .900 and larger. The diff between the .45acp and the 9mm has shrunk considerably, with feed back from agency involved shootings bearing out our ballistic "jello" results. I carried a 1911 for almost 40 years but due to the "climate" of the world now, I think round count has become an important issue. I now carry a 9mm hicap with a spare mag and have 35 rounds of 147 grain Fed HST available to me. I have complete confidence in the 9 as it exist today.

Taj

[45Wheelgun]

Originally Posted by Taj

The 9mm is not so wimpy anymore....have complete confidence in the 9 as it exist today.
Taj

Get info. How well does it feed in vintage Hi-Powers? Mine have always been rather finicky.