This post will focus on a way to use a Hi-Power style pistol for EDC.

I just acquired this pristine Browning Hi-Power made about 2015 (a short time before FN/Browning announced the end of the run of these beautiful guns). I have mentioned before that I was actually issued a confiscated BHP in 1974 when I was assigned to an undercover detective team. If I remember correctly, we simply carried them stuck in our belt with no holster. Fast forward to this BHP, and there is no way I would want to mark up this gun carrying it like that,



Thanks to Girsan, they have recently brought to us an almost perfect sample of what an edc BHP should be in the form of their compact “PI” model. I have had this for several months and it just keeps getting better and better, really smoothing out.





This photo shows my favorite carry magazine with the “mouse trap” eject system. This original Browning 13 round magazine is also coated which really smoothes out the trigger pull (I am leaving in the mag disconnect system). The back up mag is the 15 round MecGar mag that came with the gun.



The Girsan grips that came with the gun were replaced with wood Hogue grips as shown above. The really nice stock Girsan grips now reside on my FEG recently purchased. They feel great and are a big help in dealing with the non-stock safety lever a prior owner installed.





The compact Girsan High Power™ MC P35 PI, to me, is the solution for actually using a dependable Hi-Power for every day carry.

Any thoughts or comments will be appreciated.

Trooper Joe

Cool gun. Been thinking about picking up one of the OPS versions of this (beavertail, accessory rail, mag safety delete, optic ready).

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I bought the Girsan MC P35 last year. It’s the no frills version. Swapped out the grips for some black thin Navridex. They’re supposed to be similar to the Delrin Spegels, obviously not as nice as Craig’s but they serve my needs. Also swapped out the factory sites for Trijicon Tritium. Pistol has been absolutely reliable although the trigger could be smoother. I do own a the real McCoy Browning MK3. I wouldn’t hesitate to carry mine for social purposes.

Been thinking about one of these… but you know, with the 13r mag, you’re only one up on the CSX, which even works for pocket carry. (But who wants just one gun!

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Uvidíme se později, aligátore.

Or the Springfield Armory SA-35, which was my choice.

With 15rd flush fit Mec-Gar mags......

Mec-Gar makes reliable 15 rounders. Like the OP I prefer the mousetrap style but any mec gars I’ve owned have been reliable, to include the now discontinued 20 rounders. I like the Nickel finish mec gars as they feel slicker to me. I should just go ahead and remove the stupid mag safety from mine.

^^^^ That immediately improved the trigger on my MkIII in 40.

I have an FEG, that I shoot a bit. Not something I would carry daily but I am comfortable enough it stays in one of my shops. Revolvers are too ingrained in my core to ever be replaced by a self loader.

It is a comfortable shooter, accurate and a lot of ammunition. I wish I were more knowledgeable of it.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

I have one of the PI basic models and it is a fun gun to shoot.

Had the mag disconnect removed and that smoothed out the trigger a lot.

Had an issue with the sights walking out of the groove and had to have them put back in place.

No feeding issues with RN but have not tried HPs.

Grips need to be replaced and I have a set of UM rubber that will be going on.

As far as out of the box carry for EDC, I would say no.

Invest in having the "right" gunsmith make it EDC ready and the weight would still deter me from EDC.

I will stick with the SIG 365 series. Same round count, lighter, reliable and easier to conceal.

But I do love shooting the PI!

I’ve been interested in the compact Girsan Hi Power, it’s reminiscent of the FM Detective Hi Power:



I carried this SFS Hi Power for the better part of a decade:



I liked it so much I converted one of my FEG 1st Gen P9M pistols to the SFS configuration. The fire controlparts required no more hand fitting than the average Hi Power hammer and safety.



The SFS slide release lever isn’t required for the conversion, it’s just a style change, but I enjoyed the challenge of re-profiling it for the 1911 style slide cut on the P9M:



I also have an FEG P9, which is a near perfect Pre Mk II Hi Power copy with 100% parts compatibility.



This stainless Mk III is my newest and most recently acquired Hi Power.




Besides the SFS Hi Power, I also have the other two unsuccessful efforts to update the Hi Power, the Browning Dual Mode (BDM) (top) and the FN HP-DA double action Hi Power (middle):

I’ve been interested in acquiring one of their FDE Girsan HPs, they’re so ugly they’re cool IMO and I’ve heard good things about the quality.

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Some Might Say.

I have had a love affair with the High Power since I was a young man. In particular I have a very good buddy I met in college. He had his dads back up piece that he carried with Chicago PD, a T series Browning High Power. Yep it reminded me of Serpico.

They had beautiful hunting property in Klickitat Washington. We spent a lot time out there shooting long distances with pistols. I made shots I had no business making. That gun it felt like an extension of my soul.

I acquired a cosmetically challenged but functional MKIII via a Seattle PD copper that the aforementioned buddy knew. I keep telling myself I need to send it off to Bob Cogan for a hard chrome finish and other magical touches.

My Girsan does great range duty and if someone wants a faithful hi power clone without dropping a lot of coin I think it’s great. I’d carry it without hesitation since it eats Federal HST without issue. I initially was going to buy the SPringfield clone but couldn’t find for less than $1400. For that price I’ll buy a used Browning. If I stumble across a Springer a retired cop can afford it’s coming home though.

Mags are 15-rounders...

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Pisgah

I just tried to install the complete slide assembly (with barrel, recoil spring system and the Girsan slide lock) from my Girsan PI onto the frame of my Browning Hi-Power Standard. It fit perfectly and dry functioned very smoothly.

I also installed the Browning slide lock into the Girsan system and it also fit perfectly.





It should be noted that I previously swapped slides between my Girsan PI with my full size Girsan P35 and both guns functioned as if they were made that way.

Trooper Joe

I have a beautiful hard chromed BHP with S&W Sights purchased from a friend who was best friend and roommate of Stephen A Camp the BHP guru ( High Powers and Handguns) It is exactly like his #1 on the opening page of his website but with the original barrel instead of a Barsto. I also have an Austrian Police FN, recently purchased from a now deceased friend.
I've just been reading about the new EAA MCP35 PI Ops. That one interests me even more than the one above. I think the beavertail, light rail and mag disconnect are all positives on that model. Love BHP's and 1911's and have owned and carried both. I think Girsan's are pretty solid from what I have seen. Many think that they are better than the SA.

I've had a long time love affair with the Hi-Power and currently own 5 versions of it.
I've owned a FM Detective for several years and often though of carrying it. However, these are hard to come by and getting very expensive. So I never did.
When Girsan came out with their PI model, it immediately caught my eye and I bought one. Nice gun, seems very well made. But the trigger was awful! It was gritty and heavy. I removed the magazine disconnect and did a bit of polishing. This smoothed up the trigger greatly, although its still a bit heavy. But I can live with it.
I do plan to carry this gun. So far I haven't carried it much, but it looks very promising.

..” . I think Girsan's are pretty solid from what I have seen. Many think that they are better than the SA.”..

I agree Marshal Tom,

Several years ago, I had two FM Hi-Power guns. Sort of wanted their Detective model but could not find one. If I remember right, they did not have the best reputations (can’t remember what the issues were). However, I think this Girsan PI is a better gun than the Detective and currently at a much better price.

I did have a Girsam MCP35 which was flawless but after I got my PI model, I sold it to a friend.

I still like the original Browning Hi-Powers as well as the FEG models for my collection (love FEG pistols) but, this PI model really rocks and can certainly do duty as a carry gun.

Tried to get an SA35 when they first came out but, after experiencing these Grisan guns, I am no longer looking for one. I could seeing myself buying a good used one someday but the price would have to be lower than my Girsans. I was lucky and got my Girsan PI for less than $500 shipped.

Trooper Joe

Funny you should mention this.....

I have a full-sized BHP and it's replica, made in Israel, called a Kareen. Admittedly, I have loved the BHP since 1973, after I saw Al Pacino obtain one in the movie "Serpico". But these guns are too large for me to conceal although others are very good at it.

Thus, I recently acquired a CZ75 Compact which looks to me to be about the same size as that Girsan compact BHP. I know I can carry that concealed!

It's similar in some respects to the BHP. It is a TDA, not strictly a single action pistol, but it doesn't have a decocker so, once you load it and rack the slide, you're really expected to carry it cocked and locked like the BHP. BUT, if you're brave, you can lower the hammer, carefully, to get back to traditional double action.

Still, it greatly reminds me of the BHP.

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Come and take it!!

I have a full size 75B that was practically given to me by a local gun shop and a .22lr CZ75 Kadet.


The CZ 75 BD has the decocker feature
The CZ75 D PCR is a alloy frame [27oz] w/ decocker

Not heard of Girsan til now. Glad to see they & SA revived the HP. Bought a new Belgium BHP in late '60s. Put nice checkered thin grips, 3dot sights & larger slide safety in 80's. Got several Browning mags including 20 rd'ers before the '94 ban just cause could. Classic...good to see copies revived. Good thread...

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

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And so it goes...

Let’s talk about this a minute.

If a Hi Power fits your hand a CZ 75 will probably fit it well too.

The CZ 75 comes in a couple different flavors in terms of operating systems the pre-B and B models were DA pistols with a manual safety. It can be argued they were meant to be carried cocked and locked, but it isn’t correct.

In the first place it defeats the purpose of a DA trigger. The only advantage it would give if carried cocked and locked would be another attempt to fire a reluctant cartridge.

Secondly, the ergonomics of that manual safety are wrong.
It’s too low profile and too far forward to consistently and cleanly disengage. Just compare the 1911 and Hi Power safety levers to the CZ 75 and the difference is clear.

Finally, the original pre-B CZ 75 was one of the early “wondernines”:

- Heckler & Koch VP70 (1970);
- Smith & Wesson Model 59 (1971);
- CZ-75 (1975);
- Star Model 28 (1975); and
- Beretta 92 (1976).


This is a pre-B CZ 75:



And here it is again with a a much later alloy frame CZ 75D Compact PCR. Note the manual safety on the pre-B, compared to the decocking lever on the later CZ-75D compact PCR:




Here is a steel frame CZ 75B compact with the manual safety and a decocker equipped CZ 2075 RAMI. As you have noted the CZ 75 “B” models both full and compact, can be carried cocked and locked, but you need a pretty long thumb to reliably disengage the safety without shifting your grip.



Interestingly, when you decock a D model, the hammer ends up resting in the same position as a B model with the hammer on the quarter cock notch, and they also then have essentially identical trigger reach. Since the B and the D variants have firing pin safeties I have no issue carry a B on the quarter cock notch in DA mode to get the same short trigger reach as a decocked D model.




——


That’s all back ground for the statement that there isn’t any big risk to manually de cocking a CZ 75 and no bravery is required, just a reasonable amount of care.

The Pre-B and similar clones such as the AT-84 and other Tanfoglio made copies of the pre B CZ 75 are no less safe than de cocking a 1911 or Hi Power. On any of the pre B or B CZ 75s you just control the hammer by lifting it off the sear with your thumb, then pull the trigger, lower the hammer just past the sear, then release the trigger and lower the hammer the rest of the way to the quarter cock notch, which will catch the hammer if it slips with the trigger released,

In the B and D models it is safer still given the incorporation of a trigger activated firing pin safety, which adds another level of protection as long as you have released the trigger.

S&W used a de cocking lever on the Model 59, just like it did on the Model 39 but it was by no means a universal feature on DA pistols, and CZ still sells models that use both the B or D system.