I've had my eye on a BHP in my LGS Browning case for a month or three. Beautifully blued Standard with some fancy grips, sweet trigger, no mag safety, and some "mousetrap" mags.
Last week I finally made the decision and sold twoguns (Sig 229E2 and S&W 640) and paid most of the price he had on the tag.
I was a happy guy.

Then on Armslist in WA state, mon Wed night, there was a BHP Practical for sale for $650 (a bunch less than I paid for the Standard) with two barrels. I called the number, said I didn't want the threaded barrel and we agreed on $550.

I picked it up today and it's darn near perfect and the grips were marked "Spegel" and worth about $80.00. Now I'm an even happier (but poorer) guy.

'Course I now have a Beretta PX4c on sale on Armslist and may put a Beretta 92s up for sale as well.

But I have 3 HPs!....an Israeli surplus I duracoated and had a trigger job done on it, the Standard and Practical. Enough?

Nah....now I'm wondering which HP is next. These things are almost as addictive as S&W K frames.

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I'm down to two ATM, but you never know when lightning will strike. They still fit my hand better than any other semi auto I have hefted, especially with Spegel grips on them.

3 is about the right number. Certainly no less.

I bought one last week too. A Mkll Israeli FN HiPower. I was quite surprised when shooting it. Not what I expected

Great guns you got there. Love the BHP! It is the made the way a good combat pistol should be.

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"lets be careful out there"

I just got my first HP about a month ago, it had a grinded down hammer which I didn't like the looks, but it was cheap and came with 4 extra 15 shot mags. Its shoots excellent so I ordered a new hammer from Numrich arms and just installed it 20 minutes ago, it looks much better and will try it out at the range tomorrow. It's supposed to be a beautiful sunny and 62 degree day.

Wondering if the experience was better or worse than you expected.

I know some suffer from hammer bit (which is why god made dremel tools); if the mag safety is still attached the trigger can be less than perfect; and early model sights are adequate for a combat pistol but ain't made for bullseye shooting.

But there are fixes for all of that and a little time (the mag safety is fairly easy to remove and some grind down the hammer just a tad) invested turns a really, really good pistol into a great pistol.

I highly recommend the late, very-much-missed Steven Camp's "A Shooters Guide to the Browning High Power" as must reading for any BHP owner.

(I too bought an Israeli surplus FN Mk II....it's the one I had duracoated and trigger work done on it. The pistol now sports a crisp, crisp 3.5 lb. trigger and VZ grips, looks great, and shoots like a $1500 gun. Alas, there isn't much one can do with the front sights on those, except take a bit more care and practice, practice, practice.

Is this book still available in print?

I have the same crew...
Standard with adj. sights
Practical
Shooter-grade MK II that does the heavy lifting.

All in 9mm.
My favorite pistols.

I'd like to find one more. Maybe an older surplus, or something like the Detective model.

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Because of the metric system?

HPs are one of my favorite pistols by far- congrats!

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Some Might Say.

Don't worry, and you are right to be selective, I would think some more nice ones could be in your future to help get that average back up.;-)

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Certified Curmudgeon

I only got one. But it's a classic.

Edit. Even dogs dont bite me.

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I have 2 Mk III mat and bright blue........ 3 is better!!!!!!

The experience was worse but not in the sense that it was a bad gun or had some sort of issues. Gun itself ran fine. Hammer was not a problem which is surprising since i hold real high up and don't exactly have bony, skinny hands.

Here was my problem. I was shooting all over the place. Frag grenade pattern at 15 yards. I had with me this HiPower, a 5906 and a G19 which is my carry gun so it was already with me. What surprised me was

1) the sharp recoil. Not so much sharp in hand but muzzle flip. My G22 40sw has noticable less muzzle flip. Every time it would go high and to the right. I would have to search for the front sight afterwards. When shooting my carry gun (G19). It's just a gentle movement up and back down. Front sight stays visible and on target. I thought maybe because the HiPower has a higher bore axis than the Glock but then again so does my Sig 226 and I don't have this problem with it

2 ) accuracy. I was shooting off hand using Aguila 124gr fmj. My shots were all over the place. I'll post pictures on the bottom. If i really really really concentrated, being very deliberate and slow I could group them well at center mass. Soon as I relaxed just a bit shots opened up all over the target. Because of this I don't think it's an accuracy or mechanical issue with the gun. The trigger is missing the mag disconnect so it's light(er) and smooth(er) and I suppose an argument can be made for not being used to the trigger but I shoot my 1911 often without issue and it's a similar feel.

I was thinking it was the grips. I'm not a fan of narrow/thin grips and I'm sure that played a role but again...I shoot my G43 a lot better and that thing has none existent grips and totally uncomfortable.

Here's the HiPower at 15 yards. What you see in the center is real concentration.

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Here's the G19 shot from 20 yards and much faster. Using the same HiPower target and then a fresh target. Had a few fliers that were totally my fault

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Here is the 5906 target at 20 yards shooting slower but not nearly as slow as the HiPower. (All the low shots was DA only practice)

Nice HP grabs. As for the Spegels... $80 is what they cost new (actually $90 - I had a pair show up in the mail this week), if you are willing to wait a year to get a set. On ebay his HP grips will easily bring $150-$200 depending on wood and condition.

I got my first 2 this month and now looking at another. If I buy this one I'm done. Just ask my wife!
Nice HP's Redcoat!

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Mike, AmVets Member, Navy Vet

I think you need at least ONE WW II military marked Hi-Power to round our your collection.
Jim

Welcome to the world of Browning HP's and here's my Browning HP with a set of Spegal Grips.

I have 2, a inglis surplus that I bought at a pawn shop in Fayetteville NC, when I was at Bragg, and a more recent, nighthawk custom. I love the hi power, it fits me well, and as reliable as sunrise

To my eyes, the HPs seem more elegant than any other autopistol ever made. I have fired several and fixed several, but never owned one. Maybe I will one of these days. Not that I really need another 9mm.

Beautiful!

I got my first BHP about a month ago. Mine is a surplus MKII with many, many miles on it.

I have to say I am even more impressed than I expected. I used to the think the G19 was pretty much the perfect size semi-auto handgun for use as a CCW, but for me the BHP has taken over as #1. The grip size and ergos are just perfect. I just need to get a couple of more mags and
I replaced the worn out recoil spring so I need to retest it with my carry ammo before it enters the CCW rotation.

My one complaint is the thumb safety lever, which is surprisingly a step in the wrong direction from the 1911. I know there are aftermarket options for the safety, and I may end up with one because the stock safety stinks IMO.

Wow That is very surprising, and the first time I've seen that type of target from a BHP. Mine is a tack driver at those distances.

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Stay protected my friends.

I'm down to the bare minimum number of Hi Powers myself

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NRA Life, COTEP 640

I love the Hi-Power, it feels great in my small hands. Neat pistols guys, I wish I had three!!! Arik, I would change the recoil spring and try out your pistol on the range again.

Another HP fan here. Finest 9mm pistol ever made; sadly no longer made.



This one is may favorite "shooter"

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John

I like the Hi Power. That, is a fact.

But the best 9mm pistol ever made was the very first one. IMHO.

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Here's another pic. This is 3 different guns in 3 different rows. The far right is the HiPower. It goes from top down. 1st attempt, 2nd attempt and 3rd attempt was careful, slow, deliberate. Which is why I'm confused. If it was mechanical issue it wouldn't matter how many attempts I made. I think the issue is me and the gun.

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I've found similar to Arik when it comes to shooting my FEG HP clone- it's very mechanically accurate, but I tend to spray it around unless I really bear down.

added- Arik, you mention shooting some other pistols too. I have a P226, a S&W 915 and a CZ 75 that I shoot a lot. Like you, I'm more accurate in a more relaxed shooting manner with these other pistols.

I've watched as I dryfire- the way I squeeze the trigger, I'm able to keep the muzzle aligned on these other pistols (a Beretta also), whereas with the HP, the muzzle will drift. I think I'm squeezing my entire hand some, which doesn't seem to affect the other pistols nearly as much.

Have you had anyone else shoot your gun with the same accuracy results? Also how is the recoil spring and hammer spring? If the springs have become soft then the gun will kick more, my gun has a very stiff hammer spring and recoil spring but the recoil is quite mild.

Only have one BHP. A few years back bought one from an acquaintance - a near-new adjustable sight model that had had the rear 'beer can' sight replaced with a Millet adjustable, which I like better anyway.
That, with 9 magazines for $450 I figured was OK.

I radiused the corners on the Millet rear, popped out the mag safety and it was about perfect. Had hardwood Hogues on it that are Speigel-ish.

Now, I'd really like an Israeli version to have cerakoted and it serve as a beater stand-in.
The Browning is almost too nice.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

That is pretty much what I did. All my HP's have come from cdisales(Cole Distributing) on Gunbroker. I sold my E Series a couple years ago but kept my first from him, a Browning badged internal extractor model, and my beater that is my shooter.



The Browning with Spegel's.





The beater.

I've said it before and I can't resist the urge to say it again. That is, IMO one of the best looking Hi-Powers I've seen and arguably the finest firearm photo ever taken. Every time you post it I think it should be on the cover of Guns & Ammo! Well done!

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BCCI Life Member #2068

Thank You Very Much as besides being a hunter, shooter, and old retired guy I'm also a Photographer with excellent Canon Camera Equipment.

I just bought another one. I'm going to get it recrowned before I shoot it. Also had lots of copper fouling, soaking right now.
Just a thought.

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Mike, AmVets Member, Navy Vet

I never thought of foiling as a detriment to accuracy....at least not in my case. But it couldn't hurt. I'll also look into spring changes. No re crowning here. I like to leave my surplus as is. Worst case I'll buy a new barrel

Redcoat, sorry, wasn't meant as a thread hijack

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I have a dent on the crown so no choice there. Also, what appears to be fouling near the crown. I'll know soon.
Or a new barrel.

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Mike, AmVets Member, Navy Vet

Any chance you were a truck driver?

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Got the crud out, now will get crowned and see how it does.
No, I was a technician.

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Mike, AmVets Member, Navy Vet