I would like to apologize in advance for the sacrilege in advance, but I need some opinions.

I have always had a fondness for the Browning Hi Power, but they were always financially beyond my reach, but now that I am a disabled single parent, the Browning will most likely never be within my reach.

I have recently learned that F.E.G. makes/has made a clone of the Browning Hi Power. The pictures of the clones I have looked at show rough finishes, but the finish can be dealt with. I am more concerned with the quality of manufacture and durability of the arm.

Can anyone share their opinions or experiences with the F.E.G. Hi Powers? Can the vital parts (springs, hammer, sears, extractor, etc.) be exchanged with parts for the Browning Hi Power? I realize parts may need to be fitted. Should I purchase a F.E.G. clone, will I ultimately be purchasing an orphan that won't be able to be kept in service?

Thanks in advance!

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Judge control not gun control!

I've checked on FEG and Argentina hi powers. I settled on the Argentine one because it was a copy of a browning. Browning parts fit and if I'm not mistaken they were manufactured under FN licenses. The Hungarian FEG is not a good copy and parts don't interchange. At least that's what I've read. I've no personal experience with FEG.
I currently have an Argentine browning and it has browning parts on it. It's a great copy I bought NIB for $400.


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Don't rule out the Arcus. Out shoots most Browning HP,s and can be picked up for $300.00 or less. Uses HP mags. Many parts interchange. FM from Argentena another good choice. Made on FN tooling. Alot of FEG's had soft parts in them.

The FEG Hi Powers are all over the place here in Canada. I had one briefly that I never even fired, sold it to a buddy who had nothing but problems with it. That being said, there are many who say they are a good bang for your buck copy.

Beyond that I can't help. I hope to have another HP some day, but I will hold out for the real deal even though prices have risen over the last few years.

Good quality. There are two types. One is a hipower and the other a combination of hipower and S&W 59. Israelis used Hungarian hipowers.

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The second worst thing about FEG Hi-Powers (I forget FEG's model names) is that, as reflected in this thread, they get minimal respect and friends at the range who own more expensive pistols will not want to shoot your FEG. Early ones had a rib on the slide. I'm not sure but I think it was ventilated. Later ones did not have the rib. I bought one without the rib new for about $250 in the later 1990s. At 25 yards it grouped tighter than I've seen Browning Hi-Powers group and it was reliable. Likely part of the reason for grouping tighter is that Brownings have .358" grooves and FEGs have .355" grooves. Like most FEGs mine needed a trigger job. Through the time period when mine was made FEG Hi-Power parts were 100% interchangable with Brownings. Mine had a very nicely polished bright blue. Back in the 1990s they were popular to use as base pistols for building custom Hi-Powers on a budget. The worst thing about FEG Hi-Powers like the one I had is shared by most Hi-Powers. The original 1935 style hammer eats flesh off the web of my hand. There were two fixes. Either grind metal off the spur creating an ugly gun or buy a Browning hammer for over $50. That was over a 1/4 of what it was worth as a used gun so I parted company with it. I doubt that I put over a thousand rounds through it so I can not from personal experience refute the claims of short service life made above but they contradict all that I read.

A few years before buying my FEG Hi-Power I bought what Arik called FEG's cross between a Hi-Power and a S&W Model 59. It uses different magazines than Hi-Powers and probably no parts interchange. It has nicely polished bluing, pretty checkered wood, groups tighter than the vast majority of pistols, hits to point of aim and is reliable. It's single action is a bit heavier than most owners set their 1911s up to but not bad at all. Its double action is such a challenge that I do not fire the gun in matches. I mostly do not use its DA. I only use the pistol for casual target shooting. Its value for that is higher than the peanuts it could be sold for so I still have it. I fired thousands of home cast lead bullets and a few hundred Wolff FMJ cartridges through it with no signs of wear.

By the way, FEG made shorter barreled versions of both pistols.

I'm no expert on Hi-Powers but I hope reading my experience with two FEGs helps you decide.

What he said. I have one of the DA/SA models based on the Smith 59, but it looks just like the SA HP clone. From a distance, it has been mistaken for a Hi Power, but up close, is obviously not finished as nicely. It is a decent enough gun, though, has always been reliable, and is more accurate than I am.

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Not in jail.

FEG Hi-Powers varied in build quality widely. Some were very well finished and would take Browning parts. Others were rougher and were hit or miss on parts. Steel quality usually wasnt an issue, it was fit and finish. There are some good articles on FEH Hi Powers, google is your friend.

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Who watches the watchers?

IMHO, if you really want a BHP, save up and get one. Otherwise you won't really be happy.

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Isaiah 41:10

Like you, I had wanted a Browning Hi-Power for a long, long time, but lack of enough "recreational" funds prevented me from buying one. Then I found one at a nearby Cabelas - looked like it was unfired since it left the factory. Still with the original box with all of the factory goodies - price was $800.00. I noticed a small spot of rust on one of the rails - yes, I asked the clerk to field strip it for me. The clerk struggled and struggled with it, and I finally stepped in and field stripped it for him. Immediately, he started treating me like I was some kind of expert. I asked him what was the absolute best price he could make me on it, and he said "...how about $500.00?" I restrained the urge to fast draw my wallet, and said "out the door...right?". Yep, I got a (appears to be) a NIB Browning Hi-Power Mk III with factory box and goodies for $500.00 OTD. I don't have any experience with a FEG, and if I were in your position, I'd probably look at one of the Hi-Power Israeli turn ins, or an Argentine FM (made under license from FN) than a FEG.

Good luck,

Dave

Interesting FEG variation. If it weren't for the oddball alpha numeric serial number and lack of Belgian proof marks, it looks pretty much like a military contract FN, and is often mistaken as one. The history of these guns is not entirely clear. Hungarian made guns, but marked as FN High Powers. One story is the Communist regime, wanting hard currency, made them for one or more Arab countries, most notably Iraq, in order to get around various arms embargoes in the 1970s.

These guns have come into the U.S. as a part of a large number of High Powers that were sold as surplus by Israel into the U.S. market in the past decade. Some of them are very nice and very well made, if you got a good one you have a VERY good gun.

The FEG HP clone to look for is the P9M. Although the finish varies over production runs, virtually all Browning or FN parts are interchangeable. But, as with those Brownings and FNs, replacing parts sometimes requires a little fitting, same as with a S&W revolver.

The biggest part of a "trigger job" on these pistols (including Brownings and FNs) is the removal of the magazine safety. This will get rid of virtually all of the gritty feeling in the trigger and will allow the magazine to eject freely when hitting the release. (Sorry, I won't argue with any of the barracks lawyers out there who will want to demonstrate their acumen concerning the legal ramifications of this "modification".) There may be a little creep, but the trigger should break nicely.

I have owned a number of Hi Powers and currently own two FEG P9Ms, one with a deep-blued finish and machining equal to any of the Brownings, and another recently acquired, which is obviously a well used import, that I am planning on soda blasting and Parkerizing. They are both as accurate as any I have owned, and at a much friendlier price. And... they are the most natural point shooting pistols that I've ever handled. I'll buy any of them when I run across them... at the right price, of course.

I've had two of the FEG clones of the HP. The actual clone, not the P9 SA/DA variation, which is not a clone.

I liked them both. The first one I traded to my dad, the second one I traded off after I bought an actual FN.

At the same time I had my first one, my friend had an Argentine HP and the parts interchanged.

The finish was as nice as I've seen on a clone (although still below FN quality), and they both shot flawlessly, as does my FN. I saw one recently at my LGS, and have considered getting it, just because.

I have a FEG Hi Power clone, it is the PJK 9HP and was purchased in the early nineties. Looks exactly like the FN Hi Powers. Finish was not bad and is a decent copy of the originals. Hate the magazine safety and no matter how much pounding on the pin will not move. My father had one of the earlier models with the vent rib which ran between the front and rear sight. Someone did a lot of work milling off the rib on it and they removed the magazine safety. Kinda ugly but it shot nice and was reliable.

I have a FEG, and recently gifted another to my brother.

The statement I quoted is proof of a misunderstanding on the part of some internet readers;
FEG is (was) a large company, and they made multiple models of guns.

They did make a true HP clone, and it IS a clone. Parts DO interchange with the Brownings.

They also made a near-HP, and those don't interchange, no more than parts from a CZ, HP, and S&W would with each other.

The key to it is simple- go research the HP as much as you can, so you know exactly what it looks like. Then, go find a FEG if you can, and examine it... if it doesn't look right, it isn't. If it does, then ... it is.

As for quality and such, FEG made fine guns. They made Walther PPs and Walther near-clones, they made perhaps the most desired Tokarev.

Mine


Here's a tip to help in your search: notice the oval (a slight discoloration) above and slightly behind the trigger, on the frame? Have to look close... that's a cross bolt or whatever you want to call it. Piece of metal, tightly fitted into the frame. That's your "true Hi Power" design, and FN and Browning labeled guns have it too. If that's there, you're good to go. If it isn't, you don't have the true clone. It's very faint, but it's there.

I own a 1960's Browning HP, and a FEG PJK 9HP. The quality of fit and finish is about equal. This is the model that is a true Browning HP copy, with complete parts interchangebility. I have put at least several thousand rounds thru my FEG with complete reliability and very good accuracy, and would highly recommend one.

As others have said, FEG made several versions of the HP. Some had a locking system similar to S&W, some were DA/SA, some had the vent rib, etc. Finish could vary, depending on the importer and specific model. Mine was imported by KBI, about 1997, and the bluing is as nice and polished as my Browning original.

If you want an exact replica of the real HP, the PJK 9HP is the model you should be looking at. I would just make sure I either physically looked the gun over first, or looked at detailed pictures, as the quality of bluing could vary, with the KBI imported models starting with "B" prefix serial numbers usually having the bright, high polish blue.

Larry

There are those who disparage the FEG as a "cheap copy", made in a "****** Commie country" (Hungary was Communist). They say there's an inherent lack of quality...

Those who do, should go look up the Walther PPK/E. Walther apparently thought enough of FEG's work, that they contracted with them to make that pistol and slap Walther stamps on it.

Also- if you do a little research, you will discover that "Hi Powers" from Charles Daly were actually FEGs, as were Hi Powers sold with the Mauser label. Additionally, there are Hi Powers coming out of Israel that have Kareen stamps; these ALSO carry the same FEG serial numbers, and have the FEG swell at the magwell. That's because they were FEGs, and Kareen first imported them complete, then imported and assembled them, before eventually moving on and making their own (which aren't as close to the FN as the originals were).

The FEG is a quality clone of the Browning Hi Power. Not a "licensed-by-FN" version as is the fine Argentinian FM, but highly respected by Hi Power folks ( over on the 1911/Hi Power forum you'll find all kinds of threads and posts regarding all three -FN-FM-FEG)

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John

Ditto......... I've owned 2 of the FEG HP clones....... great guns IMO.... after I got my 1st Browning I sold the 2nd FEG...... wish I'd kept them both.


As an aside...... I don't carry cocked and locked so they were/are range toys..... sold the 1st one and regretted it ....... came across another and bought it...... Browning introduced the Mk III w/ better sights and safety.......so I upgraded to one....... currently have 2 HPs Mk. IIIs.

Thanks for the info. You've got me looking closer at FEG now.


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I thought about picking one up but I'm kinda meh on HiPowers. Had one, very nice, great condition FN, but.....it was only good as a paper weight. Could never get through a full mag. I got rid of it and lost interest in them.

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Sort of off topic.
I carried a BHP Commerical model off duty back in my early career. About the only Hi Cap available at the time. I sold it decades ago but always liked the feel of the P 35 grip.

Recently I bought a Mark III from Aim Surplus. It had the painted on finish with pock marks. It had a weak extractor spring. I ordered all new springs and pins from Browning. Cerakote and new grips and it shoots everything I have feed it. HP and FMJs. It's more pride of ownership and the resurrection of an old workhorse today. But if another crossed my path at a good price I would jump on it. It's like my 1911 it has a place in my world.

I have two FEG PPk clones. They work they feed the hollowpoints and I have found aftermarket grips that enhance the appearance. One is 380 and the other is 9mmmak. Good quality they work the price was good.

After running into trouble with the FEG my brother has, it seems that a weak extractor spring is a common problem, you end up with double feed jams.
This is the Hi Power design, not exclusive to FEGs, but across the board for all HPs, including the "real" ones.

Cheap and pretty easy fix, even for the mechanically disinclined.

And then the FEG's lower cost comes into play- under $300 easy to find. You almost feel obligated to own one, if you accept the FEG as a HP (nobody challenges the RIA as a 1911, it's the same concept).

I had an FEG PJK 9HP that was every bit as nice as a genuine Browning at about half the price.

The late HP guru Steve Camp also had nice things to say about the FEG.

That is MY experience with the two that I own....total interchangeability of parts so far.

Randy

Back in the 90's after my divorce.I couldn't afford to replace a hi power that had been stolen.I bought a feg for about two fifty.It was a good running gun.But first chance I got I sold it and bought a bhp that was finish challenged but sound mechanically.I later turned that into a bbq gun as I could afford the work.If I were you I would look at cole distributing on gunbroker.They still have a few bhp's for four hundred and I would also watch aim surplus they have hi powers quite often.I wish you good luck with whatever you do.

One is a F.E.G, two are Belgian Brownings. Little to no difference to me.

Here are some pics of my FEG. You can see the faint cross bolt above the trigger as previously stated. I also included a pic of my FN Browning showing the same cross bolt. And the FEG slide lock is slightly different. The Browning parts are interchangeable with my FEG. The FEG is very well made. I would not have known about these if I hadn’t found this one for $150 about six months ago, sounds like I stole it.

Attached Images

	FEG left.jpg (93.0 KB, 47 views)
	FEG right.jpg (105.1 KB, 42 views)
	Browning HP right.jpg (43.2 KB, 35 views)

I've heard far more good about FEG's than negative.
Had a chance to get one once fairly cheap, didn't and later ended up with a near-perfect BHP 70's model adjustable sight version for $450 with about 10 magazines.

Another clone that has supposedly been a bargain is the Israeli 'Kareen' models. Might be worth looking in to....

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

I hold the FEG High Power in respect. Although I have a couple of Inglis war-time High Powers, I wanted one I could carry. There are several features of the stock FN models that I do not like, so I looked for one that was not too expensive that I could customize with no worry over modifying a classic.

I found an FEG for a good price, and on inspection it looked like a very satisfactory clone. I sent it off to Cylinder and Slide for the mods I wanted, and they had no problem with it; aftermarket parts such as the safety fit and function fine.

Here's the result: Beavertail to prevent hammer bite. Trigger job. Better sights. Mag safety removed. Extended manual safety. Forward retraction grooves added at no cost by C&S when sandblasted on top of slide and re-blued.

It's given me complete reliability with everything I feed it. Belgian mags work fine. It's quite accurate. It doesn't annoy me with hammer bite. What's not to like?

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I hear you on the high cost of an actual FN Hi Power.

I carried an FN SFS Hi Power for about 10 years and it was a great pistol. But it's my only Browning/FN made Hi Power, due to their cost relative to other options.

I have a few FEG made Hi Power clones and the commercial blued models are nicely finished, for about a third the price of an FN Hi Power. I've found them to be as accurate and as reliable as my FN Hi Power:



The FEGs come in a few different variants:

The FEG "Hi Power" clones

The FEG P9 is a near perfect clone of a pre-Mk II Hi Power and it has 100% parts interchangeability with the pre Mk I Hi Power. I fitted one of mine with an SFS system to match my carry gun, and it required no more fitting than the average Hi Power.

The first generation P9M:
- eliminated the Hi Power's half moon shaped slide release lever for a 1911 style release lever;
- had a different profile on the slide stop with corresponding differences in the cut on the slide,
- had and extended safety lever; and
- had larger 3 dot sights.

Otherwise it shares the same parts commonality as the P9.

The FEG "Hi Power" look alike:

The second generation P9M looks like a Hi Power on the outside, but isn't really a Hi Power at all as it uses a S&W based locking system. Part commonality with the Hi Power is low. These can be identified by the lack of a visible oval from the cross pin in the Hi Power's frame. if you can't see an oval on the left side of the frame just above the trigger, it is a second gen P9M and not a Hi Power clone.

The FEG "Not a Hi Power at all" ( a S&W Model 59 clone):

The P9R is more or less a S&W Model 59 clone, developed by FEG around the same time that 9mm DA pistols were becoming popular with law enforcement.

Importers and model numbers for the P9, 1st gen P9M, second Gen P9M, and the P9R.

KBI imported a larger number of them and called the P9, 1st gen P9 and 2nd gen P9 all the "PJK-9HP".

Tennessee Guns Inc, also imported the P9 and P9Ms and called them all the "P9M", so you can't base what you have or what's for sale based on the model number stamped on the slide.

FEG doesn't make it much easier as they made the P9 and P9M for both military and civilian markets and configurations varied. The military pistols are matte blue finished or parkerized while the commercial pistols are highly polished. The military pistols were finished per contract specification while the civilian models vary a bit based on the parts that were on hand and/or based on the specifications of the importer.

For example, the commercial P9 in the photos above has the traditional P9/Hi Power half moon slide release lever, but has the extended safety and larger sights of the first generation P9M.

Ring hammers seem to be more common on the commercial FEG pistols, but they also shipped them with spur hammers, and both hammers are found on military contract pistols.

The P9R (the DA Model 59 clone) is also sometimes referred to as an FEG "Hi Power" even though it clearly is not a Hi Power because of the similarity in the model number. Apparently it's hard for some people to get that P = Pistol, 9= 9mm Luger, and M, R, etc are different models of FEG 9mm pistols.

The FEG "counterfeit" Hi Power

FEG also made P9s for a couple of middle eastern countries that were subject to arms embargoes. In order to avoid making it obvious they were selling guns to these countries, they roll marked them as FN made Hi Powers. These are identifiable by the B prefix and 5 digit serial numbers found on them.

The "Kareen" Hi Power

FEG also sold fully assembled P9s to Israel to augment the FN Hi powers Israel had obtained, from both FN and surplus sources. When Israel wanted to develop it's own indigenous production, FEG started selling the P9 parts to Israel that were then finished and assembled by the Israelis and were marked "Kareen".

Interestingly the Israeli surplus "Hi Powers" coming into the US include FN made Hi Powers, FEG made P9s, FEG made counterfeit Hi Powers and Israeli assembled Kareens. The counterfeit Hi Powers suggest that Israel captured a number of them, and put them to good use before surplussing them with the others.

The Charles Daly Hi Power

KBI also bought P9 parts from FEG that were then finished and assembled in the US. They sold them under their upscale "Charles Daly" banner as the "Charles Daly Hi Power" (CDHP for short) and these were excellent Hi Power clones. CDHPs with an "HP" prefix were from the early production batch of 500 assembled by Dan Wesson, while CDHPs with a "HPM" prefix were the balance of the pistols assembled by Magnum Research. The Dan Wesson assembled pistols had slides milled for Browning pattern Novak dove tails, while the Magnum Research assembled guns had the slides milled for 1911 pattern Novak dove tails.

Note that all of the above pistols are FEG made or made from FEG supplied parts.

All of the FEG "Hi Power" pistols use a humped feed ramp that is reported to have issues feeding hollow points. That however has not been my experience with the three I've owned. They are all very reliable with the hollow points I've used (mostly Golden Sabers and XTPs). Worst case you can have a gunsmith remove the hump, or you can replace the barrel.

There are also Argentine "FM" Hi Powers

They also come in a couple different flavors, with various degrees of fidelity to the Hi Power.

Between 1969 and 1989, Direccion General Fabrications Militaries (commonly shortened to "FM") in Argentina made licensed copies of the 1965 Mk II Hi Power. These were assembled on FN tooling, with FN inspectors and were fully licensed Hi Powers.

In 1989 when the license expired FM started making a Hi Power clone (since it was no longer a licensed Hi Power), but with some changes:
- the scallop at the front of the slide was eliminated, giving it more of a 1911 look;
- the slide serrations were wider and fewer in number;
- the top of the slide was matte finished; and
- it used 3 dot sights with a low sight rail.

FM called it the "FM90" and sold them both to the Argentine military and on the civilian market. The later FM 95s incorporated many of the MK III Hi Power design changes as well - including the firing pin safety and ambidextrous thumb safety, although they still use the humped feed ramp of the earlier Hi Powers.

The FN licensed FMs are excellent Hi Powers, while the FM 90s and FM95s are very serviceable weapons, but were made for military use and don't have the same level of finish.

The Arcus Kind-of-a-Hi Power.

The Arcus Model 94 is a Hi Power derived pistol that shares the same magazines and grips as the Hi Power and shares parts commonality with the Hi Power for some of the internal parts. The Arcus Model 94 has a square cut trigger guard and other squared lines on the slide and frame that I suspect was done to give it a more contemporary similar to the Sig Sauer pistols.

The slide is a little heaver and it's a little larger over all, so it won't fit a hi Power holster and while the operating principles are the same and some of parts are interchangeable, it's not really a Hi Power. It's still a decent pistol however, and it's too bad CAI stopped importing them about 10 years ago.

Fantastic info posted, BB57!

I surmise that my own FEG is a P9, and the one I gifted to my brother (a Kareen) is an early, completely assembled variant.

I believe the only difference in specs from the FN- both ours have a slight flare at the base of the magwell, instead of the completely straight grip.

If you compare these two images, you can see the difference:



Both images show the oval (the desired feature, indicates internal parts compatibility).

There are LOTS of FEGs floating around, for not a lot of money. If you like the platform, these are fantastic value...
To compare to the 1911 platform, consider the FEG to be like a RIA (inexpensive, 100% compatible), and not like a Llama (looks like a 1911, but not truly compatible).

My FEG was parkerized before I got it, cost me just a hair over $200. There is evidence of some pitting on the left side of the slide near the muzzle, but the parkerizing has addressed that.

Mine is not a Grande Puissance P 35 made by Fabrique Nationale in Belgium; but I have zero hesitation in calling it a High Power. I have no doubt that I could strip my frame and slide completely, and replace all parts with the FN/Browning ones, and they would fit and work.
FEGs are made with good metallurgy as far as I can tell, and they weren't cast frames or slides, they were made exactly the same as the Belgian guns.

People say that the $400 Brownings coming out now are good deals, and I'm sure they are- but I wouldn't pay $200 more for a different roll mark, and a lesser finish (a lot of those Brownings are painted). I'm completely satisfied with mine, just as it is.