Assembled in Portugal Hi Power

[BE Mike]

My local shop has a used Browning Hi Power in 9mm. It is polished blued and in 95% condition. It says it is made in Belgium and assembled in Portugal. I believe the serial number is 245NMXXXX. Should I be concerned about the "Assembled in Portugal" part? Will this gun hold it's value? What is it worth, with box and three mags?

 

[max]

The guns were made in Belgium and then assembled in Portugal to save on labor costs. I have had one for several years and it works just fine. I wouldn't worry about it. They are great classic guns.

 

[BE Mike]

The guns were made in Belgium and then assembled in Portugal to save on labor costs. I have had one for several years and it works just fine. I wouldn't worry about it. They are great classic guns.

I've never had a pistol with a magazine disconnector. When I was in the shop I removed the magazine and with the slide forward and the hammer back the magazine couldn't be inserted. I had to lock back the slide to get the magazine to seat. I suppose that is normal...right?

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I can't tell you anything about value, but I would hold onto that gun. IMO, the assembled-in-Portugal HP's were BETTER than many of the Belgian-assembled guns. I never saw an HP with a usable safety until the Portuguese-assembled ones started hitting the stores. I was not able to get one until just a few years ago. Mine, although a Mk II, was actually assembled in Belgium, 245PRxxxx, but all the Portuguese I have handled have been the same. Check Hi Powers and Handguns for general info. Mas Ayoob has, as I recall, also said positive things about the Portuguese-assembled ones.

Nice gun.

 

[max]

Doesn't sound normal to me. The magazine disconnector is very easy to remove and will slick up your trigger also. Check youtube for directions.

 

[NFrameFred]

There are those who cling to the notion that a "Belgian made" Browning is superior to one that was assembled in Portugal - mostly those who want to sell theirs that were made in Belgium. No denying that like S&Ws that some of the older Brownings exhibit a care to fit and finish not found in newer offerings but that cannot be counted on universally in my personal experience.

I have both, like both, and would not hesitate to purchase another of the newer ones if I decided another was to be had.

 

[cowboy45]

No. Magazine is able to be inserted on a closed slide. Hammer can't be dropped without magazine in.

 

[cmort666]

My local shop has a used Browning Hi Power in 9mm. It is polished blued and in 95% condition. It says it is made in Belgium and assembled in Portugal. I believe the serial number is 245NMXXXX. Should I be concerned about the "Assembled in Portugal" part? Will this gun hold it's value? What is it worth, with box and three mags?

I've had one since the late '80s. It's a transitional gun with the ambidextrous, enlarged safety and the old style sights. It's been 100% reliable and very accurate. After the magazine safety was removed, the trigger pull is tolerable.

 

[cmort666]

I've never had a pistol with a magazine disconnector. When I was in the shop I removed the magazine and with the slide forward and the hammer back the magazine couldn't be inserted. I had to lock back the slide to get the magazine to seat. I suppose that is normal...right?

No, not all.

My "Assembled in Portugal" gun isn't that way. Neither was the Belgian gun that my best friend had in college in the '70s.

 

[Beemerguy53]

I have two "Assembled in Portugal" Mk. III Hi-Powers, one in 9mm and one in .40 S&W. They are fine pistols, accurate and reliable.

 

[Rule3]

Kinda like the made in US and Made in Italy Berettas.

Some think the Italian ones are better but can not give a definitive answer.
Same gun, same specs.

 

[Dennis The B]

I own two, both in .40 S&W. I removed the trigger disconnect on both.

I've put over 1k rounds through each, reloads and factory, and have never had a failure to feed or failure to eject.

Work for me.

 

[310Pilot]

I've owned a number of High Powers over the years, my current one (a keeper, not to be replaced) is a Mk III (I'm pretty sure) which is "Made in Belgium, Assembled in Portugal." It is a fine weapon, excellent fit and finish, completely reliable (over the two or three years I've owned it, no failures or jams of any sort), and has adjustable sights, which I prefer. As to quality, I find it to equal or exceed the quality of most of the Belgium made High Powers I have owned, with the exception of a Renaissance High Power (of course, that fancy gun never was shot). There were only two things I didn't like about it - the mag disconnect and its impact on trigger pull, and the ugly plastic/nylon factory grips. Both are easily remedied. Removal of the mag disconnector from the trigger assembly (or fixing it in place, but inoperable, actually a bit better from the standpoint of over-travel) is, generally, easily accomplished, although getting the trigger pin out of the frame on some of the late production guns can be a bear. The grip situation was remedied by the purchase of a set of checkered Cocobolo grips by Herrett (CDNN has a great price on them), which fit my hand a whole lot better, and are absolutely beautiful, as a bonus.

I recommend going for the gun, I've had excellent experience with mine. Oh yes, one other thing. I also recommend obtaining several Mec-Gar magazines for the gun. I have several Mec-Gars, as well as some factory mags (actually, Mec-Gar made most of the Browning HP mags), ranging from stock 13 rounders to extended 20 rounders, all have been completely reliable, and the price is right. Most recommend staying away from the Argentine 15/17 round mags, with a lot of reports of poor reliability - cheaper, but not many good reviews.

 

[BE Mike]

I'm probably going to give the Hi Power a second look. I'll try to find out to what extent the problem (the magazine only going in halfway when the slide is closed and the hammer is back) seems to be. The price seems right, but this problem with the gun might be a deal breaker.

 

[cowboy45]

Could it possibly be the wrong magazine?

 

[BE Mike]

the problem is the hammer is cocked. the mag lip is contacting the magazine safety. because the weapon is cocked and in battery, this normally-retracted plate is trying to find the magazine body, upon which it slides when the trigger is pulled.

open the slide and normal function will be restored.

hth
robert w.

Ok, so one cannot do a magazine change with the High Power when the hammer is back and the slide is forward? This, in addition to the fact that the pistol cannot be fired with the magazine out. This pistol sure has it's idiosyncrasies. I can see why folks would remove the magazine disconnector.

 

[sub-moa]

With the hammer cocked and the slide fully forward (regardless of thumb safety position) the magazine disconnect/safety should NOT prevent insertion of the magazine.

With the hammer cocked and the slide locked to the rear the magazine disconnect/safety should NOT prevent insertion of the magazine.

With the hammer down on a fully forward slide the magazine disconnect/safety should NOT prevent insertion of the magazine.

 

[sipowicz]

MY Belgium Hi-Power was assembled where it was made..as all things should be!

 

[cowboy45]

With the hammer cocked and the slide fully forward (regardless of thumb safety position) the magazine disconnect/safety should NOT prevent insertion of the magazine.

With the hammer cocked and the slide locked to the rear the magazine disconnect/safety should NOT prevent insertion of the magazine.

With the hammer down on a fully forward slide the magazine disconnect/safety should NOT prevent insertion of the magazine.

Correct sir! Again, I ask whether it is the correct magazine? If it is, it's got a serious problem.

 

[sub-moa]

No doubt Cowboy, just commenting upon the idiosyncrasy allegation ...



BTW Mike, 245NMXXXX indicates a commercial 9mm (245) made in 1990 (N=9/M=0) with a forged receiver and MkIII features such as the ambi-safety, HP friendly feedramp and FP safety introduced with the earlier MkII as well as the newly introduced larger front and rear sights dovetailed into the slide. Fixed sight versions were called Vigilante Models, adjustable sight versions were called Sport Models.