BHP w/tangent sights?

[loutent]

I've been wanting a nice Hi-Power for a long while now - wanting to get one of the T series blued beauties for a "reasonable" price, but today I checked out an early 90's one in excellent condition for a reasonable $600, but it had the tangent sight - I was really wanting the target or even fixed sight, but this was a nice piece - yeah, assembled in Portugal, but nice none the less.

Anyone have one with tangent sights - what can you tell me about them?

This will be a range gun.

 

[DGT]

I have both a Practical Model with fixed sights and a WWII vintage with tangent sights. They're both great pistols. When shooting, I don't even notice the tangent sights.

 

[mkk41]

The tangent-sighted BHPs were originally meant to be used with the shoulder stock the slipped into the backstrap groove. Meant to be used like a carbine , handguns with detachable shoulder stocks (sometimes doubling as holsters) were quite popular with Europeans , mainly the Germans going back to the 1896 Broomhandle Mausers and 1903 Lugers.
Wildly optimistic them being adjustable to 800m , yeah?

 

[Bat Guano]

Have a WWII tangent sighted Inglis. They work fine as an elevation sight, but always were something of an affectation. I think mine is graduated out to 600 yards, which is wildly optimistic. Very high cool factor, though...

 

[mkk41]

Tangent sighted Hi-Power with holster/shoulder stock.

Shoulder stocked and tangent-sighted 'Artillery' Lugers.

artillery luger - Google Search


Broomhandles

mauser broomhandle - Google Search

 

[perrazi]

i have one in the era you mentioned. it shoots great. never tried it past 100yds,but was close with the 100yd setting on the rear sight. those were called "capitan" models. came in a grey plastic box with two mags. you may want some goodyears for it,if you shoot it lots. mine likes the 124-5 gr. bullets better than 115s. seems to be what the sight is regulated for. at that price,in good shape, it is a deal. look on gunbroker,they usually sell in the 750-900 range.

 

[Cyrano]

I checked out the 'Mauser broomhandle - Google Search'; wonderful stuff there, but on page 4 one of those 'Mausers' is a Bergmann!

 

[El Biblioitecario]

Last summer I fired my Inglis High Power with tangent sight with holster stock affixed at 100 yards, then fired my 8 3/8" Model 27 at the same target. I found the .357 was just as accurate, if no moreso, and a lot easier to tote.

In all fairness, my Inglis High Power is a loose, worn piece. I'd expect the commerical Capitan to be more accurate. But if memory serves me, the Capitan isn't milled for a shoulder stock, which to me negates the whole point of such a weapon--and even if it was, I'm not sure the Capitan is old enough to qualify for C&R status, to obviate the business with the 1934 NFA. But that's another issue. My sense is that tangent sight pistols might have a theoretical advantage, but in reality the main thing they have going for them is their jazzy appearance.

 

[beemerrider]

I owned a very nice one I received when my father-in-law passed away. It had the tangent sights, which were a little too fine, and was made in Belgium, as I recall. It functioned perfectly with most brands of ammo. I sold it to the parents of one of my Boy Scouts when I was the scoutmaster. They wanted it for their son as a congratulatory present for sticking it out, and attaining Eagle rank. I had let him shoot it on a gun safety and marksmanship weekend our troop ran, and he fell in love with it. At the time, I was used to shooting a Colt Series 70 Goldcup I had further accurized by Jim Clark, the noted Bullseye pistol competitor and gunsmith. The sights and trigger pull of the Hi-Power were just too far off from what I was used too, so I was OK with selling it, and the young man deserved to own it. If I were to buy another one, I would have it worked over by a good "High Power" gunsmith, and definitely would replace the front sight with a gold bead and replace the rear sight with one offering a larger sight window. There are a couple of the Nation's top smiths who do wonders on these, and while their names escape me, anyone who wants find them could contact the American Pistolsmiths Guild.

 

[AKAOV1MAN]

In addition to the wartime editions there have been a couple of "reissues" of the tangent sight HPs over the years. The most recent was about 8 years ago, and of course I bought one. The sights were not the V type on the original but square front post and square notch rear. Of course it was adjustable to 500 meters as were the originals. Kind of optimistic I thought. The last ones had a slot for the buttstock but no stocks were ever made to fit-at least not available in the US.
Haven't shot it yet, but will probably get around to it as they have not gone up in value all that much.

 

[mkk41]

I checked out the 'Mauser broomhandle - Google Search'; wonderful stuff there, but on page 4 one of those 'Mausers' is a Bergmann!

Might even be an Astra in the mix!

And if ya look thru the Luger pics , you'll find a Borchardt with shoulder stock.

Ain't it wonderful?

 

[perrazi]

capitans do not have a slot for the stock and are a class three item if you put one together. has to do with the age of the pistol. the sights on the capitan guns are much better to use than the older small notch rear and pyramid front. from the bench, 1 liter bottles are not safe at 100yds.
to me they remind me of k frame target sights as far as the sight picture.