Hi Power MkIII Refinished in Cerakote

[Dennis The B]

A couple of months ago, I found a MkIII Hi Power which the previous owner had tried to remove the magazine safety. The area around the sear pin hole on the right side had been marred, so I bought it as a project gun. I test fired it and the pistol exhibited the usual grit, so I took it to a gun smith, and we discussed a refinish. He recommended a Cerakote finish, and I picked a color that I thought would be functional and nice looking. The gun smith showed me a couple of his examples, and they looked very nice. I chose the SOCOM Blue, and off it went.

It took him a couple of weeks, mainly because he was working with a forged slide and cast frame. He finally got them well matched, including the controls and hammer. I got it back yesterday, took it to the range, and ran about 100 rounds through it for function (perfect feeding and ejection/extraction). The trigger is still like new, and will need the usual break in, but it's very crisp. I added a set of Hogue slim cocobolo stocks instead of the black nylon originals.

The finish is somewhere around 3-5 mils, so the magazine chamber needs a bit of wear so the mags will drop a bit easier.

 

[Richard Simmons]

That is beautiful!

 

[Protected One]

Simply beautiful.

Perhaps consider replacing the flat head screw with a hex head?

Not that it's necessary, but it might be a nice finishing touch.

 

[Texas Star]

I'd stay with a screw that I could turn with the small screwdriver on a std. size Swiss Army knife. Never know when you may need to tighten a screw, and I don't want to carry a special screw turner.

Anyone know how Cerakote holds up, compared to that epoxy (?) finish that CZ uses on standard grade CZ-75B pistols? It seems surprisingly tough. I think Fallkniven uses Cerakote on their black blades, and it does wear off in Kydex sheaths. In a leather sheath, maybe much less of a problem.

The Browning is reported to break slides if shot a lot with hot ammo, like that made in Sweden and the UK, mainly meant for SMG's. I think it'd fare well with Federal's No. 9BP load, a 115 grain JHP that has a good street rep. It's a standard pressure load. That may be a good idea for the Beretta 92 series, too, although one can load Plus P like Gold Dot or Fed's HST 124 grain loads. I do use that when I think the risk is elevated. My son found 9mm NATO FMJ to work well on humans in Iraq. But he'd have preferred to use JHP ammo, had that been allowed. After Army service, he went back as a security contractor and carried a Browning MK III instead of a Beretta. He found both to be reliable and accurate and they saved his hide several times.

The MK III has a slide beefed up over older versions and maybe different steel and heat treatment. It's certainly the model I'd choose if I bought a Browning. Congratulations. Let us know how that gun shoots and how the finish holds up.

 

[Dennis The B]

...
The Browning is reported to break slides if shot a lot with hot ammo, like that made in Sweden and the UK, mainly meant for SMG's. I think it'd fare well with Federal's No. 9BP load, a 115 grain JHP that has a good street rep. It's a standard pressure load. That may be a good idea for the Beretta 92 series, too, although one can load Plus P like Gold Dot or Fed's HST 124 grain loads. I do use that when I think the risk is elevated. My son found 9mm NATO FMJ to work well on humans in Iraq. But he'd have preferred to use JHP ammo, had that been allowed. After Army service, he went back as a security contractor and carried a Browning MK III instead of a Beretta. He found both to be reliable and accurate and they saved his hide several times...

I bought a copy of the late Stephen Camp's book on the Hi Power. Although it's now around seven years old, it's a very handy reference to the pistol. He seems to be neutral, writing that +P and +P+ can be used without damage. He does add the caveat that wear will be accelerated by any +P or +P+ ammo.

With the standard 9mm yielding @ 35K PSI; +P running @ 38K PSI; and +P+ running @ 42K, you can see where there are concerns. However, I wouldn't hesitate to carry +P, and use standard ammo for practice.

 

[loknload]

Nice,,,,very nice!

 

[fyimo]

Wow, that is beautiful and those grips are killer.

 

[rog8732]

Dennis, that finish looks excellent to me. Any way you could prop a blued S&W beside the H P to demonstrate the SOCOM blue comparative color; and post the picture ?

It doesn't appear the color of your H P has the brilliance of a mdl. 19 or 27; maybe a mdl.28 ? Or is the shine in person even more "flat" than either of those standards ?
Thanks

 

[WVSig]

The Browning is reported to break slides if shot a lot with hot ammo, like that made in Sweden and the UK, mainly meant for SMG's. I think it'd fare well with Federal's No. 9BP load, a 115 grain JHP that has a good street rep. It's a standard pressure load. That may be a good idea for the Beretta 92 series, too, although one can load Plus P like Gold Dot or Fed's HST 124 grain loads. I do use that when I think the risk is elevated. My son found 9mm NATO FMJ to work well on humans in Iraq. But he'd have preferred to use JHP ammo, had that been allowed. After Army service, he went back as a security contractor and carried a Browning MK III instead of a Beretta. He found both to be reliable and accurate and they saved his hide several times.

The MK III has a slide beefed up over older versions and maybe different steel and heat treatment. It's certainly the model I'd choose if I bought a Browning. Congratulations. Let us know how that gun shoots and how the finish holds up.

The MKIII has a cast frame which is stronger than the original forged frame. This was done because the 40 S&W round caused premature wrapping. The cast frame was chosen I believe due to cost and speed of production considerations over a forged frame of similar hardness. They also increased the hardness of the slide by increasing heat treatment of the slide.

The grip circumference of an MKIII is slightly larger. It is hard to notice until you hold a MKII, T or C series back to back with an MKIII. MKIIIs also have a FPS which was not present in early guns.

The durability or lack of durability of the BHP comes from 2 major sources. IMHO First is the story of hot sub gun ammo used by everyone from the Sweeds, Great Britain to the Israelis turned BHPs to dust in ones hand. The second is an article by Massad Ayoob who stated that even a few rounds of +P ammo would damage the frame rails on a BHP. Most seasoned BHP shooters take both with a grain of salt.

The British SAS used the BHP for almost 60 years before starting to retire them in 2013. Prince Harry carried one in Afghanistan.

Over 60+ years of service with the British should tell you something about their real world durability. Anyone who has owned several BHPs, like me have shot +P ammo in various vintages and have not experienced the instant warping Ayoob alluded to. My first BHP which is a 1972 C series which was customized by Jim West of Wild West guns has seen more than 250+ rounds of +P with no signs of excessive wear.



That said I limit my BHPs diet of +P ammo. Today with the improvements in 124gr and 147gr 9mm JHP like the HST, Ranger-T, Gold Dots etc... there are plenty of solid choices in standard pressure ammo. If you choose to shoot a steady diet of +P I would stick to the MKIII frame but sending a box or 2 a year down a MKII or early BHP is ok too in my opinion.

 

[Dennis The B]

Dennis, that finish looks excellent to me. Any way you could prop a blued S&W beside the H P to demonstrate the SOCOM blue comparative color; and post the picture ?

It doesn't appear the color of your H P has the brilliance of a mdl. 19 or 27; maybe a mdl.28 ? Or is the shine in person even more "flat" than either of those standards ?
Thanks

The finish is even flatter than that of the Model 28, and nowhere near that of a S&W Blue. The original Hi Power black epoxy does have some gloss to it, but the Cerakote is extremely flat in finish. I saw one gun finished in their Armor Black, and the finish is so flat, that you actually have trouble seeing sharp edges. It looked like a gun shaped black hole.

 

[WVSig]

Dennis who did the work?

 

[Protected One]

I'd stay with a screw that I could turn with the small screwdriver on a std. size Swiss Army knife. Never know when you may need to tighten a screw, and I don't want to carry a special screw turner.

Somehow I don't think he is planning to make this gun anything more than a "fun at the range gun", so carrying a hex head driver won't be necessary.

 

[Texas Star]

Somehow I don't think he is planning to make this gun anything more than a "fun at the range gun", so carrying a hex head driver won't be necessary.

Okay for HIM, but a heck of a lot of other people read these posts and some carry those guns for deadly serious business. I have, and my son used one in Iraq, under desperate battle conditions. He wasn't shooting paper targets with it.

BTW, the Browning is a nice size and weight for a full size service pistol and the 9mm ammo is light and compact. It may well appeal to a backpacker, who'd want a std. screwdriver if he had a loose screw happen on a lonely trail.

 

[Texas Star]

The MKIII has a cast frame which is stronger than the original forged frame. This was done because the 40 S&W round caused premature wrapping. The cast frame was chosen I believe due to cost and speed of production considerations over a forged frame of similar hardness. They also increased the hardness of the slide by increasing heat treatment of the slide.

The grip circumference of an MKIII is slightly larger. It is hard to notice until you hold a MKII, T or C series back to back with an MKIII. MKIIIs also have a FPS which was not present in early guns.

The durability or lack of durability of the BHP comes from 2 major sources. IMHO First is the story of hot sub gun ammo used by everyone from the Sweeds, Great Britain to the Israelis turned BHPs to dust in ones hand. The second is an article by Massad Ayoob who stated that even a few rounds of +P ammo would damage the frame rails on a BHP. Most seasoned BHP shooters take both with a grain of salt.

The British SAS used the BHP for almost 60 years before starting to retire them in 2013. Prince Harry carried one in Afghanistan.

Over 60+ years of service with the British should tell you something about their real world durability. Anyone who has owned several BHPs, like me have shot +P ammo in various vintages and have not experienced the instant warping Ayoob alluded to. My first BHP which is a 1972 C series which was customized by Jim West of Wild West guns has seen more than 250+ rounds of +P with no signs of excessive wear.



That said I limit my BHPs diet of +P ammo. Today with the improvements in 124gr and 147gr 9mm JHP like the HST, Ranger-T, Gold Dots etc... there are plenty of solid choices in standard pressure ammo. If you choose to shoot a steady diet of +P I would stick to the MKIII frame but sending a box or 2 a year down a MKII or early BHP is ok too in my opinion.

Thanks for the photo of HRH. I've seen other pics of him, wearing that gun is various ways. He also had a SAR-80 rifle in his helicopter and carried one around base. There's a BBC profile of him on YouTube that showed him in his quarters and walking around base. He kept the rifle by his bed.

I think the Browning is a good gun and a lot like the S&W M-19/66 revolvers. They're fine, if used mainly with .38 Special ammo, inc. Plus P. But Magnum use should be limited to when you really need .357 power and for occasional familiarity firing. But some of that foreign SMG ammo probably shouldn't be fired in 9mm pistols, except in emergencies. Member Q-Ball has posted that the Swedish stuff ruined Lahti pistols if I recall right. (He's a Swede.) It'd be interesting to see how the Lahti fared in Finnish service and with Danish cops. But we'd need to know about their ammo, too.

I don't like the holster on this particular vest of Harry's. It leaves the gun too exposed to the elements, inc. fine sand and to finish wear. My son wore his MK III in a vest holster, but it was more protective of the gun. He liked it there because it was easy to draw from in a hurry if a Jihadist was running toward a vehicle, to throw in a grenade or Molotov cocktail. One of those worthies walked over to his truck and stabbed his machinegunner, too, when the vehicle was stopped. That Peshmerga gent had to leave the service of the security company, although he lived. But the stab wound to his leg was severe and partially disabling. I presume that the man who stabbed him is now enjoying eternity in his concept of Paradise.

 

[alwslate]

I have two BHPs, a standard blue one that I bought new in 1977 and
a MK III that I bought used in new condition at an estate auction
several years ago. The magazine safety is removed by removing the
small pin in the trigger so I don't see why the gun whole gun would
require refinishing. I removed the mag safety on both of mine. The
BHP does seem trim compared to most of today's 9mm autos but I
was unaware of it's weaknesses until I read Camp's website several
years ago and I now limit my older gun to std pressure ammo. The
slide on the MK III has a slightly different ejection port and is said
to be stronger but I plan to limit my use of +P in it. In my ignorance
I have fired some pretty warm ammo in my 1977 gun over the years
but it has no signs of any damage whatsoever including any frame
warpage. The BHP is one of my favorite autos and the newer guns
should be able to handle a modest amount of +P ammo so that's
good enough for me. Mine aren't for sale.

 

[BAM-BAM]

If I carried cocked & locked..... the BHP would be the gun for IWB... with Meg-Gar 15rd magazines. Standard 9mm and a fast double tap...... vs a +P or +P+ for me......

Both of mine have the broad stripped front sight from the Practical model....drawing a blank on the maker....... but they are great for 60+ eyes.

Millett......is the sight maker.

 

[Pig Hunter]

That thing is NOT a safety! It was put in so all the French armorers had to do was remove the magazine to deactivate the handguns when they were racked for storage. Like a certain lock, but no key to loose, just the magazine.

 

[WVSig]

That thing is NOT a safety! It was put in so all the French armorers had to do was remove the magazine to deactivate the handguns when they were racked for storage. Like a certain lock, but no key to loose, just the magazine.

FN/Browning has always referred to it as a magazine safety. That may have been the reason for its existence but it does not negate what it is and what it is referred to.