Looking at one of these till I chase down a Browning. Anyone own, or shoot one on a regular basis? Opinions? (In the $375-500 price range)

Since you really want a Browning, wait and chase one down. Copies seldom hold much in the way of resale value (unless you really get them cheap) and are harder to sell than the real thing. If you're pretty sure selling or trading somewhere down the road won't happen, copies are fine and they may even shoot better.

Don't trust the model number to tell you exactly what you are looking at since some of the FEG's aren't real FN/Browning clones, but have an entirely different, and somewhat deficient, fire control system. What you want is one with "the oval", seen in this picture. If you get one, they are pretty decent clones.

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Only a cold warrior

Yep, what he said ^^^^
I like mine just fine. But I'm not worried about resale - I got it for under $300 a couple of years ago...

Attached Images

	RtSide-s.JPG (65.0 KB, 39 views)
	LftSide-s.JPG (65.6 KB, 35 views)

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

What Sistema posted. You can always get your money out of it in that price range.

If you want a clone of the BHP that is going to be as close to a Browning as possible without being a Browning, I'd look at the Tisas BR9/EAA Girsan MC P35 or Springfield Armory's SA-35. Some FEG's were good and close copies of the P35, some had metallurgy issues, some looked like a P35, but many parts would not interchange.


I did a little checking, seems the reports of FEG being made of "soft" steel are more rumor and myth, owners report they hold up very well, at least as well as a BHP. Still, FEG is out of business and if you have one that requires unique parts, well...

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

I've owned a couple of the FEG's in the past and liked them. They usually look sort of rough, but that's about the worst thing I can say about them. Of course they were priced accordingly.

I've got a Girsan MC P-35 that I've had for six months or so. I've only got a couple hundred rounds through it, but it shoots fine. Has worked with FMJ and some limited HP ammo. Not bad for about $500 out the door at Sportsman's Warehouse.

About the only thing I don't really like about it is the FDE color. I'd have rather had the black/silver, but the FDE was all they had. It's sort of grown on me though.

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John 3:16 .

I bought this one years ago.





It is a very good copy of the Browning Hi-Power. It shoots as well as I can shoot a self loader. I need more range time with it but somehow, spend more time with my revolvers.

My brother has a couple of Brownings. So far, all the parts swap. So if something breaks, use Browning parts.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Thanks for all the input especially the photo of the "oval" the FEG I'm looking at has it. I have also found a "T" series Browning, but unfortunately negotiations aren't progressing well on it...lol

IMHO

Endeavour to Persevere for the Browning,
and skip the clone.

It’s complicated but let’s run through what is what FEG Hi Power pistols, the ones that are not H Power clones at all, and why it can be confusing.

1) The FEG P9:

The P9 is an FEG made pre Mk II Hi Power with 100% parts compatibility with the FN/Browning Hi Power pistols.

It will have the half moon shaped slide release lever, the small safety and the humped feed ramp and the smaller sights of the older FN/Browning Hi Power pistols.

The FEG P9 is as close as you can get to a FN/Browning Hi Power, short of the Argentine FN licensed “FM” Hi Power pistols (not to be confused with the post 1989 unlicensed FM “Hi Power” pistols that saw a decrease in quality followed by some design changes).

2) The second model of the P9, the 1rst generation P9M:

These are the same P9 pistols with a few modifications:
- a 1911 style slide release lever and matching smaller cut in the slide;
- an extended safety lever; and
- larger 3 dot sights.

With the exception of those parts it has 100% parts compatibility with the pre Mk II Hi power, and of course the sights and safety lever are interchangeable.

3) The third model of the P9, the 2nd generation P9M;

FEG really should have called it something else as it isn’t a Hi Power at all the even though it looks like one.

The 2nd Gen P9M uses an S&W style locking system and parts compatibility is significantly reduced. As others have noted above, you can identify these externally as they do not have the oval shape of the cross bolt visible on the right side of the frame.

4) The fourth model, the FP9:

This was a P9 or P9M with a ventilated rib intended solely for the civilian market in the mid to late 1970s.

——

Now for the confusion:

- KBI imported all four of these pistols as the PJK-9HP. The PJK stood for Pamela J. Kassanar, the wife of the owner of KBI, and the 9HP denoted a 9mm Hi Power pistol.

So you’ll find KBI imported P9, 1st Gen P9M and S&W operating system 2nd Gen P9M pistols all marked “PJK-9M”.

- TGI also imported the first three types of pistol, and imported them all marked as “P9M” pistols.

- For it’s part FEG made pistols to whatever specification the particular military or importer wanted. As such you’ll find them with spur hammers or round hammers, wood grips or plastic grips, small or large sights, and short or long safeties, and on P9 or either generation of P9M pistols.

In the case of KBI, KBI wasn’t picky so FEG made the KBI imported pistols with whatever parts were on hand.

For example here is one of my KBI imported “Hi Power” pistols, a P9 with the larger 3 dot sights and extended safety lever from a P9M. I’m not complaining however, as I think it’s the best configuration for an FEG Hi Power.






Here’s a P9 with the small safety and sights (with non original Hogue grips that I almost immediately replaced):





- FEG made a lot of Hi Power pistols for a large number of military and civilian customers with a lot of variations. Most of the civilian contract pistols are blued. The KBI imported pistols are very nicely polished and blued, while the TGI imported pistols have a less glossy and slightly grayer blued finish. Many of not most of of the military contract pistols were parkerized.

FEG also made what are called “counterfeit” Hi Powers as they sold P9 pistols to a couple middle eastern nations during an arms embargo. FEG made them with FN Hi Power markings to give themselves some plausible deniability. They do however use the FEG serial number format and the counterfeit Hi Powers will be found with a B prefix and a 5 digit serial number.

- FEG also provided P9 pistols to Israel first in completed form and then later in parts form, where they were assembled and finished in Israel and marked as “Kareen” pistols.

The Israelis surplussed a bunch of pistols several years ago and they were imported in substantial numbers to the US. This added some more confusion as some of them were FN made pistols, some purchased directly, and others captured from their neighbors on the battlefield during various wars, as well as P9 pistols purchased from FEG or captured from neighbors, and then finally the Kareen assembled FEG pistols. From many sellers, you don’t really know what you were going to get until it arrived. The one semi-constant was that most had been heavily used and some were basically worn out.

—-

Then there are the DA/SA FEG P9R pistols that are often mistakenly called “FEG Hi Powers”, apparently by people who just see the “P9” portion of the model number and can’t tell a Hi Power from a S&W 59.

The FEG P9R was in fact based heavily on the S&W Model 59. However there isn’t significant parts compatibility and the magazines do not interchange.

—-

5) The Charles Daly Hi Power:

KBI also imported parts from FEG for the Charles Daly Hi Power, intended as an upscale “made in the US” Hi Power.

The first 500 were assembled by Dan Wesson and have “HP” serial number prefixes. These pistols were milled with Novak slide cuts with Hi Power dimensions.

The last 3000 or so were assembled by Magnum Research and have “HPM” prefixes. These pistols were also milled with Novak slide cuts, but they used the 1911 dimensions.

The CDHP pistols were very well made with matte frame and slides, but with highly polished flats on the slide. I had an opportunity to buy a new one in a gun store way back in the day but declined as I wanted a “real” Hi Power. It was a stupid mistake made in ignorance.

——-

Which is a good segue to talk about FEG quality.

Based on what I’ve seen on FEG pistols intended for commercial import and the KBI examples in particular, FEG made very good quality pistols. They were not making gun art or extreme high end market pistols, but then FN/Browning wasn’t only making high end Hi Powers either.

As seen in the photos above, FEG doesn’t owe any apologies to anyone for finish on the KBI imported sample.

Owning three FEG and two FN/Browning made Hi Power pistols I can state based on my experience with them over the last 20 years that the FEG pistols are just as reliable and nearly as accurate as their FN/Browning made siblings. I found the reliability surprising given the humped feed ramp. Both my FEGs feed hollow points just fine, despite the humped feed ramp.

The hard core Hi Power fans generally denigrate the FEG pistols just on principal. But the fact is FEG didn’t start making the P9 until after all of the FN/Browning patents expired. They were fully above board and made a true copy of the pre Mk II Hi Power to a high quality standard. Those P9s are worthy of being referred to as “Hi Power” pistols, just not FN or Browning Hi Power pistols.

The 1st Gen P9 pistols with the modified 1911 style slide release lever are more correctly called “Hi Power style” pistols, but the same can be said for the current crop of clones.

The Tisas Regent Hi Power clone also uses updated sights as well as a larger sear pin, rendering it less than 100% parts compatible before we even start digging into them.

The Springfield SA-35 also departs from the original Hi Power with a different hammer contour, updated sights, and extended safety. Parts interchangeability still remains to be seen - and SA is still working out bugs in its iteration of the design.


In summary, I’ll stand on my earlier statement that with the exception of the FN licensed (from 1969-1989) Argentine FM Hi Power pistols you can’t find a better or closer to original copy of a Hi Power than the FEG P9.

But…the caveat is that you have to know the variations that occurred and personally inspect any “PJK-9HP” to see which of the four possibilities you actually have. Of the four, I’d jump on numbers 1&2 assuming they are in very good to excellent condition.

Since I have a penchant for 'inventing a niche' in obtaining hardware - this is what I did....
Already have a very nice Browning, bought used for a great price. Someone had replaced the rear-adjustable sight with a Millett offering.

Then - I heard about the discontinuance of Browning carrying the HP line anymore.
That made me think I 'needed' (<see what I did there?) a stand-in shooter/beater for my BHP. A decent clone was the answer and by the time I got serious about it, even the clones were climbing in price.

Was working outside CONUS and surfing GB and found a deal on a weird FEG variant - the FP-9. This is the one with the strange vent rib atop the slide.
Got it, had wife pick it up at my FFL.

Once I got home and began evaluating it - I just couldn't go with the vent rib. Made the fixed sights sit way too high and in fact - it looked awful.

I sourced a P35 stripped slide from Numrich, swapped most of the FP-9's internal slide parts to it and fitted it to the frame. Pretty easy.
Removed the mag safety. Polished ramp and chamber.
Had my 'smith install a set of Novak type carry sights.
Put on some VZ grips since I didn't care for the black plastic that came on the pistol originally.

Pistol runs great, 100% with everything I've tried.
Will say I was almost PO'ed when it was discovered it was just a bit more accurate than my Browning......- that shouldn't be!

Anyway, it was a fun project and I don't worry about a ding or dirt on it at all.......carry it quite often.

Oh - I'll add - that 'ring/rowel' hammer did tend to bite the web of my large hands - I really didn't wanna spend any more cash on this econo-project, so just removed metal via Dremel from the back of the hammer, smoothed the affected ground spot with a stone, cold-blued it, and it bites no more.

Attached Images

FEGwNumrichSlide.jpg (132.2 KB, 59 views)

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

I've had an original Browning, two FEGs, and currently the SA35.

One of the FEGs was almost factory new. Neither one had the "feel" of the Browning but shot and functioned as well. I've shot and carried the SA more than the others.

BB57, holy cow, did you write that? That's one heckuva collection of information you've presented! Most excellent and thank you!

If anyone is interested in the FEG Hi-Power, there is a book available on Amazon, "Decoding the FEG Hi-Power" by Jerry Paregien. It's available for 0.99 for Kendle or about 5-6 bucks as a paperback.

Nothing earth shattering, but I found it to be an interesting read, and well worth what I paid for it on Kendle.

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John 3:16 .

Let's not forget the "R9", am FEG knock off that used P35 magazines but not much else. I bought one maybe 25 years ago for $199. Took it to the range 1 time. S/A trigger had to be 30#, almost took 2 hands to pull. Traded it off quick for a 2" SB Model 10 that I still have. Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

I have FN, FEG and Tisas HP's.

The Tisas required that just about every component except frame, slide, and barrel (even though I did replace the barrel) needed to be replaced before it was GTG.

My FEG (with the "oval", see above post) is every bit as good, functionality wise, as the FN, even though the finish wasn't quite as good.

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Only a cold warrior

The P9R pistols are a whole new topic. Interarms imported the FEG P9R as the “R-9” and some websites states it’s a P9 derivative when it’s not, as it’s basically an S&W 59 based pistol. KBI also imported them as the MBK-9HP.

FEG did a lot with the design and there were a several P9R pistol derivatives including:

- P9RC, a modernized P9R with a squared off trigger guard, which was the civilian version of the P96M issued to the Hungarian Army;

- P9RA, a P9RC with an aluminum alloy frame;

- P9RK, a compact version of the P9RC with a shorter barrel and slide;

- the P9RZ, a micro version of the P9RC with an even shorter barrel and a very short grip;

- R-9, the Interarms imported version of the P9R;

- MBK-9HP, the KBI imported version of the P9R; and

- B9R a more or less P9RK sized compact version in .380 ACP, made in both steel and alloy frame versions.

I currently own 4 versions of the Hi-Power. A Mark III, a SA-35, an FM and a FEG.
I picked up the FEG at a gun show a few years back to save wear and tear on my Mark III after hearing the Brownings would be discontinued. I gave $325 for it. No regrets at all. Maybe not as pretty as a Browning, but it shoots just as well and is completely reliable. Absolutely nothing wrong with these guns at all.

However, If I was looking to buy a Hi-Power today. I'd recommend the Springfield SA-35. Its the classic Hi-Power at a reasonable price PLUS it already has all the most desired upgrades.

FEG is bottom left

I agree with Sistema 27 about looking for oval above the right hand side of trigger guard. Mine is reliable, beautifully finished and accurate, slightly over 2 inches for five shots at 25 yards with preferred ammo. Today, probably hard to find/test for such good ammo.

If you buy it, please share a range report if and when possible.

I handled a Girsan today, and I was surpised to find it had the firing-pin safety ala MkIII.

@Golddollar,

Even if it had gone off with the mag removed, that would probably have been due to someone removing it after manufacture and sale. It certainly wouldn't have been a problem on the part of the manufacturer.

I have removed the useless magazine "safety" from every HP I have ever owned. To me, it is not needed, and it's only function is to get the owner killed.

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Only a cold warrior

I can't quote sources but I have heard of instances where a firearms owner was able to eject the magazine during a struggle for his firearm thus preventing the miscreant from shooting him when he lost control of the gun.

That said, I have removed the magazine safety from my firearms where it was possible, including a Hi Power and an FEG. And I appreciate that my SA-35 doesn't have it.

I don't believe its intentional function was to get the owner killed.

As far as I’ve ever been able to determine magazine safeties have been intended to address one or both of these issues:

- prevent a negligent discharge when the shooter improperly clears the weapon by just removing the magazine, or improperly clears the weapon by racking the slide to eject the round in the chamber *before* removing the magazine. Some people are stupid. Some stupid people, or their victims, or survivors of their victims, sue the company that made the gun.

And/or

- allow a shooter to eject the magazine during a struggle to render the pistol inoperative. For example a law enforcement officer who has not successfully prevented a suspect from getting his hands on the officers duty pistol, may potentially be able to eject the magazine to prevent the suspect from shooting the officer with it.

- of course ejecting the magazine works both ways. If an assailant is struggling with you, ejecting the magazine renders your pistol inoperative and levels the playing field.

——

In all cases it’s a crutch for inadequate training. But that’s the low bar that companies are trying to address.

When we had little ones in the house, the FEG stayed on top of the fridge, one in the chamber and no magazine. I kept two magazines on my belt, the first wife kept one in her pocket.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

A line straight out of my favorite movie of all time!

Sam

I had a long buried memory of reading something like that, and thanks to the internet and my habit of packrattery of old gun magazines I found the reference you might be thinking of. This came from the July/August 2003 issue of American Handgunner, and was written by the gunwriter and expert witness Massad Ayoob in the column "Cop Talk" on page 36 (the magazine is in my lap as I am writing this). He referred to two members of the Illinois State Police over the span of 1967-1977 who were losing a struggle for their guns and probably survived because they were able to press the magazine release and prevent the perpetrators from being able to fire the issue weapons.

Not expressing an opinion either way, just confirming that the story possibly being referred to actually existed.

When I swore out the affidavit where I said that the magazine safety on the FEG pistol at issue worked perfectly, nobody challenged me and the plaintiffs' case went kind of downhill from there.

My FEG Hi Power clone is an adorable rattle box. It's so loose you can see the slide lift a touch as you squeeze the trigger. I detest the square original pattern grips. Removing the mag safety resulted in reset issues so it went back in. Couldn't really detect any difference with it removed anyway.

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Release the Kraken

I replace the trigger spring with a double coil design when removing the magazine disconnect. This ensures proper reset.

2 Coil Trigger Return Springs 3Pack | BHSpringSolutions LLC

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Only a cold warrior

I personally knew 4 of our guys who lived by dropping the mags out of their S&W autos. One wasn't a Troop but a code employee who worked as a part time cop.
I don't know if there were more than 4 of our Troops, just 4 guys that I knew.
In the 32 years we carried S&W autos I don't recall ever reading an after action where the mag disconnect caused any of our people harm.
The reports of mag disconnects causing cops to be injured are more often reported on the internet by those who were not there, have not read actual police reports, get all their knowledge reading gun rags, or imaginations.

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183rd FBINA

"An adorable rattle box." I am adding that to my lexicon of historical autoloader technical terms!

I assume those Grips didn’t come on the SA. Did you not like the stock grips? I hear they are a bit thinner than the old HP grips and pretty comfortable.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Since the issue of grips came up.......my BHP, bought used from a friend I made while working p/t at a LGS.
It had the now-discontinued Uncle Mike's checkered Walnut that are all but a direct copy of the Speigels (sp?)

Really like them.
Long ago, on a prior BHP I owned, I had the then-popular Pachmayr grips on it. Actually, didn't care for how thick they made the overall grip, but back then there weren't many choices.
On the Pachs, the rubber backstrap connected the two grip halves.

I dissected the Pachs and retained that rubber backstrap. It now is on my BHP's backstrap secured by it's forward 'flaps' by the U.M. Speigel grip knock-offs.

It's a combo that works well for me.

My FEG beater workhorse (above - #12) has.........I'm sorry - very utilitarian VZ grips and <gasp> skateboard tape on the frontstrap.
Not much for looks, but works well.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

For my Argentine FM90, I ditched the stock finger groove rubber grips for a set of Pachmayrs. I performed some surgery to remove the front strap from the panels and combined them with the Pachmayr back strap. Fills my hands wonderfully and quite grippy.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Although I have elected to keep my BHP grips stock, I love the examples above of how people have made their High Powers personal to them by customizing the grips!

No. Those are Hogue grips. After 42 years as a mechanic, my hands are rough and hard. Smooth grips just work better for me. The originals are a bit aggressive for my tastes. But I do believe they are Hogue as well. The shape is exactly the same. And yes, they are thinner than original Browning grips.

Actually I love the grips on the Mk III. They fit me perfectly. Found those at a gun show many years ago and have never seen another set since. Wish I could find some for the SA-35.

My favorite Hi Power grips are the Uncle Mikes grips designed by Craig Spegel.

I have Spegel Delrin grips ( overruns from the FBI HRT order), Hogue checkered Wood, and "factory" SA35 grips....... don't see/feel a great deal of difference.............. all are better than FN/Browning wood grips.

Best HP grips ever, and I like the SFS as well. I have it in both my FN and my Tisas.

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Only a cold warrior

My FN SFS Hi Power came that way from the factory and I got it dirt cheap when FN discontinued them.

I also converted one of my FEG 1st Gen P9M pistols to SFS operation. I did the conversion after an armorer friend of mine did a trigger job on it, and removed a bit too much metal, getting under face hardened surface on the hammer and sear and into the softer metal underneath.

Rather than install traditional replacement parts from
FN or Cylinder and Slide, I got FN SFS parts from cylinder and slide and installed them instead.



The fire control parts fit just fine with only a normal amount of hand fitting. The slide release lever is optional as it’s just a cosmetic change.

However I opted to use it on my FEG, with its smaller 1911 style slide cut.



The smaller cut required some re-profiling of the of the slide release lever.

I had the S&W type P9M and a friend had one of the HP clones. Both shot fine as far as reliability was concerned, but both had triggers that were so sharp edged we both had blood on our guns by the time we were shoving the second magazine into them. My gun had a very stiff DA trigger, and CRUNCHED when DA fired, but SA was just fine, and my friend's gun had a less crunchy, but still crunchy trigger. We ended up taking the guns nearly totally apart to clean up some of the internals, which had a lot of chips and grit, and smooth the trigger edges. A lot of shooting later, both guns shot great and were plenty accurate. My neighbor, who had a huge $$$ gun collection, fell in love with my gun, and bugged me until I sold it to him for what I paid for it. I just thought it was odd as he had both HP's and S&W 2nd and 3rd gen guns.