Hi-Power

[Walkin Horse]

Yesterday I went to the LGS again. I found a steal on a 10-5. Waiting on the paperwork I was looking around and found a pinto Hi-Power. Couldn’t Resist it. I’ve never owned a two tone one. SN is 245NW52389. The original price tag was in the box $529. How old is it do you think?

 

[max]

I believe that is what they called their Practical model.

 

[Patrick L]

I think those were 90s era guns. Maybe late 80s??

 

[sodacan]

"NW"=1994 DOB. What is its caliber? You can check serial numbers on proofhouse.com.

 

[Wyo]

I have one just like it that I bought new in about 1993.

 

[minconrevo]

I once owned one of those, the identical model. Browning didn't do a good job on removing the sharp edge hard chrome buildup. That I carefully fixed. What persuaded me to send it down the road was the not too durable cast frame and slide Browning used in that era. I was experiencing peening on the slide stop notch of the slide. I did not run hot ammo and only a few thousand rounds.

 

[kraynky]

I had one that looked just like that in the mid 90's, and it was a .40 caliber Practical Model. Really good shooter, but my chunky hand kept getting in the way of the hammer. Hammer bite hurts, so I traded it off.

I think you'll like it, if it doesn't bite you.

 

[sodacan]

If it is a 40 caliber, that would contribute to the low price.

 

[Walkin Horse]

It is a 9 mm with two mags and the box.

 

[Hair Trigger]

If it is a 40 caliber, that would contribute to the low price.

He mentioned that was the original price tag. I imagine that was a 1994 price. The NW in the serial is 1994. The first three digits, 245 show it is 9mm, if it were 2W5 it would be .40S&W

I've got a 1995 Silver Chrome in .40S&W. I paid a bit more than $529 for it three years ago, like almost twice as much. I would not have bought it if it had been 9mm.

 

[CHARLIE699]

Hi-Power's will always have their following. Look at the resurgence since FN stopped production. Many copies that cover most price ranges.
I had not owned a HP since 1980. But the bug bit again a couple of years back. Now there's four in the herd. A Belgian 9, a 9 Practical along with a .40 Practical and a 9 w/ factory Low-mount sight. These will need to share range time but they'll probably be around for my Grandson.

 

[jframejoey]

Exact same gun with only one mag and no box was for sale at a LGS here in Mass. $1,199 plus tax. By the time I made up my mind to grab it someone had snagged it.

 

[Bullet Bob]

"What persuaded me to send it down the road was the not too durable cast frame and slide Browning used in that era. "

They went to a cast frame, but not slide. And the reason was to handle the increased recoil of the .40 S&W, so it must have been pretty durable - they used that method until the end of their production of this classic.

Shown here with a Girsan version, my Practical has Spegel grips and is a wonderful handgun:



Since I've evidently been violating forum protocols left and right lately, I'm a little gun shy about posting links, or anything else. But if you'll google Stephen A. Camps's Hi Powers and Handguns, you'll find a site with all sorts of good information about these firearms.

 

[LittleAugieMo]

Practical/Tactical Dual-Tone. IIRC they were offered in .40& 9mm. Think they were available w/ two different styles of adjustable sight & fixed sights. Generally command the best money w/ factory box& mags.