A Hi-Power (or clone) is something I've always wanted to give a try. People seem to love them. I've been looking for a FEG or a Kareen for sale for the right price. If I ever found one, I'd probably pick it up in a heartbeat.
Any love for Hi-Power clones?
- Thread starter Old Corp
- Start date
HardToHandle
Member
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2016
- Messages
- 624
- Reaction score
- 883
The Regent/Tisas imports seem to be promising. I know Brownells sold out much faster than they expected and have not been able to restock as of last month. I am keeping my eyes open.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
I found an FEG at a police supply place, and got it for my oldest son last Christmas.
It is a very nice gun. The finish isn't quite on a par with my Browning, but it sure ain't far behind.
The safety is actually better than the one that came on mine, which I had to replace with one from Cylinder and Slide. This is the FEG:
The sights are nice, too.
If I ever run across another I'll keep it for myself.
It is a very nice gun. The finish isn't quite on a par with my Browning, but it sure ain't far behind.
The safety is actually better than the one that came on mine, which I had to replace with one from Cylinder and Slide. This is the FEG:
The sights are nice, too.
If I ever run across another I'll keep it for myself.
OLDSTER
Member
OLDSTER
Member
Try to find the FEG; it's a true high quality clone. The Israeli Kareen, although a great pistol, is not really a clone of the Belgium HP. Just my opinion based on discussions over on the 1911/HP forum
I currently have three of them, after selling one to a friend.
I'm a big fan of the FEG P9 (a near perfect pre-MK II Hi Power clone with 100% parts compatibility) and the first generation FEG P9M (a P9 with a 1911 style slide stop, an extended safety lever and larger, 3 dot sights, and otherwise 100% parts compatibility).
There is however a great deal of variation as FEG made the military pistols to whatever spec the customer ordered, so you'll see some P9s with extended safety levers and larger sights as well as both round and spur hammers on P9s and P9Ms and some blued examples although most were parkerized. The civilian market pistols were also made to specification, but were also made to a less costly, "whatever parts you have on hand" specification, so you will again see some mixing of P9 and first gen P9M features along with both round and spur hammers.
The second generation P9M used a S&W style locking system and they are not true Hi Power clones - and they have significantly less parts compatibility with a Browning/FN Hi Power or a licensed Argentine "FM" high power.
The FEGs are very well made guns and the civilian examples had excellent polish and blue. The flats are not quite as flat as those on a polished and blued FN Hi Power, but then again they cost half as much in comparable condition before they Hi power was discounted and they are about 1/3rd as much now.
True to military roots, the FEGs are biased toward reliability and have a slightly looser fit than the FN Hi Powers, but there is little difference in accuracy and the FEGs tend to be less picky about ammo. I've heard for years that pre Mk II humped feed ramp used by FEG can cause issues with hollow points, but I've never found that to be the case with the 4 I've owned. All of them shot 124 gr and 147 gr Golden Sabers and 124 gr XTPs with 100% reliability - and those are vary different hollow point designs with the GS having a rounded flat nose shape and the XTPs having a truncated cone shape.
I modified one of my first Gen P9Ms to the SFS configuration to match the FN SFS Hi Power I carried at the time. I got the parts (hammer, sear, safety, slide release) from Cylinder and slide and hey were drop in, with the exception of the safety, which required the normal amount of hand fitting common to any Hi Power.
This is one of my FEG P9s, which in this case has the first gen P9M's extended safety.
-----
I also have an interest in some of FNs less common (and less successful) Hi Power derivatives, a Browning BDM, a Browning BDA, and an FN SFS Hi Power (a modification/variant of the standard FN Mk III Hi Power):
I'm a big fan of the FEG P9 (a near perfect pre-MK II Hi Power clone with 100% parts compatibility) and the first generation FEG P9M (a P9 with a 1911 style slide stop, an extended safety lever and larger, 3 dot sights, and otherwise 100% parts compatibility).
There is however a great deal of variation as FEG made the military pistols to whatever spec the customer ordered, so you'll see some P9s with extended safety levers and larger sights as well as both round and spur hammers on P9s and P9Ms and some blued examples although most were parkerized. The civilian market pistols were also made to specification, but were also made to a less costly, "whatever parts you have on hand" specification, so you will again see some mixing of P9 and first gen P9M features along with both round and spur hammers.
The second generation P9M used a S&W style locking system and they are not true Hi Power clones - and they have significantly less parts compatibility with a Browning/FN Hi Power or a licensed Argentine "FM" high power.
The FEGs are very well made guns and the civilian examples had excellent polish and blue. The flats are not quite as flat as those on a polished and blued FN Hi Power, but then again they cost half as much in comparable condition before they Hi power was discounted and they are about 1/3rd as much now.
True to military roots, the FEGs are biased toward reliability and have a slightly looser fit than the FN Hi Powers, but there is little difference in accuracy and the FEGs tend to be less picky about ammo. I've heard for years that pre Mk II humped feed ramp used by FEG can cause issues with hollow points, but I've never found that to be the case with the 4 I've owned. All of them shot 124 gr and 147 gr Golden Sabers and 124 gr XTPs with 100% reliability - and those are vary different hollow point designs with the GS having a rounded flat nose shape and the XTPs having a truncated cone shape.
I modified one of my first Gen P9Ms to the SFS configuration to match the FN SFS Hi Power I carried at the time. I got the parts (hammer, sear, safety, slide release) from Cylinder and slide and hey were drop in, with the exception of the safety, which required the normal amount of hand fitting common to any Hi Power.
This is one of my FEG P9s, which in this case has the first gen P9M's extended safety.
-----
I also have an interest in some of FNs less common (and less successful) Hi Power derivatives, a Browning BDM, a Browning BDA, and an FN SFS Hi Power (a modification/variant of the standard FN Mk III Hi Power):
Last edited:
I like "pedestrian hardware". I don't like to worry too much about marring the things.
Isn't there some connection between the Hungarian FEG and the Israeli Kareen? Seems like I heard that once.
And I do have a BHP and a Kareen, pictured together and separately below - the Kareen came to me filthy but turned out to have a pristine barrel:
I have changed the stocks on these but I have no pictures. Yet. The Kareen is a fine handgun. Pedestrian, but fine.
Isn't there some connection between the Hungarian FEG and the Israeli Kareen? Seems like I heard that once.
And I do have a BHP and a Kareen, pictured together and separately below - the Kareen came to me filthy but turned out to have a pristine barrel:
I have changed the stocks on these but I have no pictures. Yet. The Kareen is a fine handgun. Pedestrian, but fine.
Yes there is.
FEG initially sold P9s directly to Israel, but Israel being Israel was also interested in having it's own internal production capability. In that regard, FEG also sold parts to Israel that were then finished and assembled in Israel and these are the Kareen marked pistols.
FEG also sold some P9s that were roll marked like FN pistols to mid eastern nations during an arms embargo. The FN markings were intended to avoid the appearance of FEG selling arms to those nations during the embargo, although all of them have FEG format serial numbers with a B series and 5 digits, which is the best means to identify a counterfeit "Hi Power" made by FEG.
Israel has been exporting surplus high powers for the last few years and they are an interesting mix of pistols as Israel acquired Hi Power pistols directly from FN, P9s directly from FEG, P9s as parts from FEG, P9s finished and assembled as Kareen pistols, and both actual FEGs and FN Hi Powers, as well as "counterfeit" Hi Powers" captured from the nations it's fought over the years. Examples of all of these can be found in the imported pistols, as well as parts guns assembled from parts taken from all of the above.
I swear, you guys are a really bad influence.
I've thought about one of these several times, but this thread pushed me over the edge and I done went and bid & won an auction on this FEG this afternoon. $300 delivered to my FFL. Probably not a bargain, but not a terrible price in today's market either, I'm thinking....
I've thought about one of these several times, but this thread pushed me over the edge and I done went and bid & won an auction on this FEG this afternoon. $300 delivered to my FFL. Probably not a bargain, but not a terrible price in today's market either, I'm thinking....
Attachments
sigp220.45
US Veteran
That sure sounds like a bargain to me. Congrats!
OLDSTER
Member
I have joined the Hi-Power clone club!
A couple of weeks ago I was perusing the used handgun case at my local sporting goods and pawn shop. This caught my eye.
Sticker price $400, I was able to get it for $350 including taxes and background check fee. It's a hard chromed FM-90. Based on the serial number, it may be among the last before the introduction of the FM-95.
Fired 20 rounds of American Eagle 124gr FMJ after giving it a good cleaning. 7 rounds for function check, 13 for accuracy check. Magazine failed to reliably activate the slide lock after the last round fired and ejected cases landed a full 8 feet away, so the springs are a little weak. Accuracy, it dumped all 13 rounds into a 4 inch circle at 25 yards.
It's a keeper!
A couple of weeks ago I was perusing the used handgun case at my local sporting goods and pawn shop. This caught my eye.
Sticker price $400, I was able to get it for $350 including taxes and background check fee. It's a hard chromed FM-90. Based on the serial number, it may be among the last before the introduction of the FM-95.
Fired 20 rounds of American Eagle 124gr FMJ after giving it a good cleaning. 7 rounds for function check, 13 for accuracy check. Magazine failed to reliably activate the slide lock after the last round fired and ejected cases landed a full 8 feet away, so the springs are a little weak. Accuracy, it dumped all 13 rounds into a 4 inch circle at 25 yards.
It's a keeper!
DWalt
Member
One of the relatively few types of common handguns I have never owned has been the BHP or any of its clones, although I have fired several BHPs over the years. And it's not like I need any more 9mm pistols than the four in that caliber I already have. Nonetheless, I do have the urge to buy a FEG if I can get a good deal on one. I came close to buying a FEG, as-new in the original box for, as I remember, around $300 several years ago and wish I had. I am sort of priced out of the market for any original BHP I have seen for sale. The closest 9mm pistol to a BHP I have is an EAA Witness (full sized steel frame) which is a very dependable and accurate fun gun, except that it weighs a ton.
Last edited:
I attended the gun show in Richmond, VA. this past weekend. I did see one blued FEG, appeared to be in new or like new condition, with a box, for $350, so they are still out there.
Oh, and I too have a CZ clone. Mine is an FIE TZ-75 Series 88. Quite accurate, feels good in the hand, and also quite heavy.
Oh, and I too have a CZ clone. Mine is an FIE TZ-75 Series 88. Quite accurate, feels good in the hand, and also quite heavy.
Just for clarity, perhaps only because I think it matters and I offer it to you as I figure you might also...
FIE never made anything (that I know of...), much like EAA today. Your pistol is absolutely a Tanfoglio, always was, before FIE existed, and the Witness pistols today are as well, long after the demise of FIE.
These are very good handguns!
FIE never made anything (that I know of...), much like EAA today. Your pistol is absolutely a Tanfoglio, always was, before FIE existed, and the Witness pistols today are as well, long after the demise of FIE.
These are very good handguns!
daglockman
Member
Hello. Curious if anyone has a opinion on this FEG PJK 9HP. I am new to the FEG game, but they seem to be great pistols. Is the one I am looking at, one of the "Better" ones that I hear about? I hear some websites saying that you need to stay away from this one or that one, and some websites are saying as long as they have the Browning lockup system, you are good to go. One way to look for the Browning system I understand is to look for a oval on the right side of the frame above the trigger guard. Does this pistol seem to have the markings I am looking for? Any and all info would be greatly appreciated. Gun could be mine in the $350 range with one 13 round magazine.
Attachments
Last edited:
Yup, as I understand it that should be one of the good 'uns.
Same as mine.
From what I have read, the only significant difference between these and the genuine article in terms of design and parts interchange is the 1911 style slide lock vs. the original BHP "half moon" style.
Grayfox
US Veteran
I stumbled across this one at a gun show just a couple of weeks ago. The price was so good, that I just had to buy it. 
I stumbled across this one at a gun show just a couple of weeks ago. The price was so good, that I just had to buy it.
Now that you have piqued my curiosity, how much is a price "so good I just had to buy it"?
That's a pretty decent looking one BTW.
Similar threads
- Locked
