Browning Hi-Power as a carry gun

[Sportsterguy]

I have found the HiPower to fit very nicely in almost all 1911 leather, making finding a good holster pretty easy.
As for carry: Hard to find a better suited 9mm pistol in the world for that purpose.

Excellent advice there Chief! Long time no see. IF I were to carry a 9mm my BHP would be the weapon in my holster, stoked with 124 gr. Speer Gold Dots. I had a GS remove the mag safety and set the trigger at a sweet 4.5 lbs.

Lobo holsters makes a great Inside Waist Band holster for your BHP. Get yourself a good gunbelt fom the same man (Ray) and you have a very comfortable rig thats good for all day carry for around $110.00 (great price for a custom rig) if you don't have large love handles. Packed a 5" 1911 Springer for over 20 years that way and never had a single problem comfort wise. Rode with it in a Galco shoulder holster on my 40 day trip around the USA and up to Alaska on the Harley when I retired from the Coast Guard in 02. The best trip I've ever made and going to do it again on my Tour Glide when I retire permanently in 2016. This time it'll be my 2.5" model 66 in a Galco Miami Classic shoulder holster. As I've came full circle and I'm back to packin a six shooter.

Here's my 82 vintage that I bought when I made E-5. Installed a C&S extended safety and slapped on a set of Spegals I found at the Va. Beach gun show for $30.00 in the bag. Carried it for a few months but didn't want to ruin the finish and love my 1911's with 230 gr. Speer Gold Dots power more. The trigger was at a horrendous 8.20 lbs. before I had the work done on it. Improved my groups BIG TIME and was able to get it back on target much faster.

By far the Sexiest semi auto EVER made and a darn good SD weapon to boot IMO.

 

[OIF2]

Another nice one in the new, emerging BHP thread!
Bob

 

[Sportsterguy]

Another nice one in the new, emerging BHP thread!
Bob

Thanks Bob! Some real neat and good looking HP's on this thread. Love my S&W's and 1911's but my BHP is my favorite pistol. I still take mine out a couple times a year and it's 100% reliable. Wish they made one in .45 ACP. Truly think it would sell better than 1911s and know I'd be at the beginning of the line to buy the first one!

It is THE most natural feeling and pointing weapon I've ever held in my hands. I can put up a target at 3 yards, get a good sight picture and stance, close my eyes and hit the target COM 12 times on a regular basis. I only load 12 in the mags to keep the spring tension up.

R/

Roger

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Browning Hi Power as a carry gun

Isn't that what they were originally made for??????

 

[tenntucker]

I got a 40 for Christmas.

I've bought or sold over 100 1911's in my life. In the 100th anniversary of the 1911, the 1st gun I got this year was a 75th anniversary BHP. I got it the 1t week in Jan. The last gun I got this year was a BHP in 40. got it the last week of the year.

I did manage to sneak in a few 1911's though.

 

[BCDWYO]

I do not like a single action weapon for CCW ie- Browning P-35/Colt 1911
as I don't feel comfortable with Condition One or Condition Three.
Thus with Condition Two I don't like the addition step to cock the hammer to fire the first round.

That is certainly a viable opinion. It all comes down to what your are comfortable with and what you TRAIN with! I personally carry 1911s in condition one routinely, as that is how it was designed. As for BHP I recently got a .40S&W BHP with a .357 Sig conversion barrel. It is currently getting a custom carry makeover (stippling, dehorning, night sites, trigger job and reliability package). After all that I damn well HOPE I can carry it!! I intend to carry it in condition one, in a Kramer IWB holster.

 

[BluesHarp]

It's not a HP, but I have a Browning BDM that I have carried and I love it. The BDM is slimmer than the HP, and it's an unusual gun--it has a switch that converts it from full DA to SA. I don't like carrying it cocked and locked, because it confuses me when I carry my 1911. The Browning BDM safety mechanism is backwards from the 1911. I find the best way to carry it is in SA mode with a round chambered, lower the hammer, so your first shot is DA and then it's SA from then on. Great gun. I haven't shot the HP, but they seem quite similar. I've had this gun a long time, so it's hammered, but never fails me. It has a long trigger pull, which I may be able to get fixed, but there isn't a full size 9mm auto slimmer than this baby.

 

[BluesHarp]

Those guns look like they just came out of the box!

 

[Darkenfast]

I have no need to carry, but I have to confess that in spite of being a long-time member of the S&W forum, my ONLY firearm is a nice 76C. It's completely stock, and I'm happy to leave it that way. Still like looking at all that S&W gun porn on here, though!

 

[Arik]

Always wanted one. Finally bought one about a year ago. It was a 1994 model based on the S#. Overall I liked the gun but, I didnt like the trigger pull or the mag not falling out (i know the safety thing) It also choked on few different HP and FMJs. I ended up trading it. I know a lot of that stuff can be fixed and really are a non isue but I didnt have the money at the time. Still looking to pick one up some day.

 

[38-44HD45]

I sometimes carry one of my BHPs, loaded with either WW RA9TA or +P 124gr. Gold Dots, and feel most comfortable when I do. I am baffled by anyone who is "not comfortable" with Condition One carry. Right now, I am in Glock mode, carrying a Gen 4 G-31 with grip frame cut down to G-32/19/23 length. The chopped frame gets me closer to 1911 grip angle.

Before that, for several months, I was mostly carrying 1911-types in 9x23, occasionally interjecting a BHP in the rotation. My G-31 .357 Sig gives me the same ballistics as the 9x23, and lots more rounds, but I'll likely revert to the 9x23 1911-types at some point, just because I'm such an old 1911 lover and their thinness is so appealing. The BHP, with its ultra-thin slide, is incredibly easy and comfortable to conceal, too, especially because its grip frame is so short.

 

[bennettfam]

Remington 115+P JHP

These weapons are designed for FMJ, so be sure the magazines and weapon will run with JHP.

I followed the lead of some PDs that only issued Remington JHP ammo due to their more conical shape that feeds like ball ammo. My Browning HP loves 'em.

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

I also use a BHP for a backup carry gun,I have a mark III 75th anniversary W/fixed sights.As long as you stick to mec-gar mags you will be fine,I like the flush fit 15rd.I carry the Winchester Ranger T-Series in 147gr,With 16 shots of those bad boys you can stop almost anything.

 

[AlwaysUp56]

Waiting on my first BHP from Gunbroker auction. Won't sleep good til it gets here!

 

[PALADIN85020]

I own three High Powers - two of them military issue, and one "clone" that I've optimized for defense work.

This is a Canadian "type 1" Inglis High Power, made in August, 1945. Inasmuch as that was the last month of WWII, I suspect it never saw action. Condition is excellent. I have the matching shoulder stock for it.

And this one is a "type 2" Inglis gun, which was definitely issued and has seen some use, probably with airborne or commando units. It was made in December of 1944, in time to see plenty of action with the British. It received a U.K. military "factory thorough repair" in 1962 before being released from service.

And this is my custom gun, an FEG High Power made in Hungary in 1993. It's a high quality piece that I had customized by Cylinder and Slide. The trigger has been worked over, an extended safety installed, a beavertail applied to prevent hammer bite, and a custom hammer. Novak sights were installed. As there was a scratch in the top of the slide due to my own malfeasance, I had the slide refinished with a matte upper surface and polished sides. As there was no extra charge for forward retraction grooves beyond that for refinishing , I had them go ahead, although the utility of that feature is doubtful. At any rate, this is as slick a 9mm combat gun as could be asked for.

At one time I had owned another commercial Browning, but foolishly traded it off in my younger years. No matter, the design is enduring, and whether military or commercial, few 9mms can match it. Not bad for a gun that entered the market way back in 1935 and which has seen very few changes. John Browning and Dieudonne Saive did themselves proud.

John

 

[szuppo]

I used to carry this 1971 vintage BHP in a TT Gunleather holster on a Milt Sparks belt. Was very comfortable. Loaded with 124 gr. Gold Dots.
Trigger is set to 3.5#.

Here is a 15 yard target with a magazine full in each one. Great gun!

 

[ACP230]

The latest issue of Shotgun News has a long article about the BHP.
It's dated March 20, 2013 and showed up in my mail this afternoon.

 

[Malpasowildlifer]

Go for it! I love HP's and am in search of my first....hopefully a T. I'd carry a HP for duty over the G22 any day of the week!

Holster selection might not be the greatest, if you don't use Lobo Gun Leather or Milt Sparks.

I've read a few times that they don't like 147 grain bullets, but who knows.

And there is the whole mag disconnect issue. Do you open yourself for liability by having it removed? Even by a gunsmith? I'd say so, in this super liberal and litigious age. I'd talk to some of the guys on here who carried it on duty, like Loggunleather or an attorney like DougM.

 

[loc n load]

Browning HP's

I have carried and shot BHP's since the early 70's, always liked the fact that I could carry it the same mode as my 1911A1. I have worked the federal side of the fence most of my career and had to smile at post #25's (George Minze) comments on that area in Ky, it hasn't change a whole lot George,I was part of a multi agency task force that operated in there back in the mid 90's and we were not at all welcome. The BHP has a long history with many military units, especially the elite British units. The FBI HRT used this pistol back in the late 80's early 90's, Novak still modifies BHP's to that same format that they used. I had a cohort of mine who was on the Quantico training cadre and was also a HRT operator, he carried a BHP that had over 100,000 documented rds thru it. Great guns, good thread.

 

[Tuna1]

I have had my vet return Inglis for about 35 years now. I carried it off duty for over 20 of those years in a shoulder holster and an old pancake hip holster. It never failed to fire and never jammed and is reliable today as it was when I first got it. I prefer the Federal 115 HP
+P+ rounds as they are accurate and expand nicely. Can't do better then a Hi-Power.