I've had everything but a Browning Hi-Power and don't understand why I don't have one or have never had one..
Tell me all about the one I need to have, it will be a shooter, but I would like to have a nice one too.
I'm thinking of a 9mm with adjustable sights and open minded as what the finish should be.
I've been told to get the one made in Belgium but the reason was not discussed and I would like to know why.
I know they are accurate because I shot one yesterday and realized I needed to get one after I lost $40.00 in a shooting match my Para Ordnance.
Anybody have one for sale, now is the time, but I want a good one.
Tell me which one I need and why. Thanks.
My Dad always said the same thing get a Belgian. He told me that the Belgian made was with better steel and machined to closer tolerances and was a high quality hand gun. The other ones weren't "up to par" in his words and had "problems" according to him. I listened because he collected German or Belgian hand guns and pretty much knew what he was talking about. A Sgt I worked with had one, Belgian made, and it was great to shoot, another guy had a non Belgian and it just didn't "feel" right to me. I have an older M35 Belgian and wouldn't part it with for nothing.
Only thing I ever found objectionable (and then not very) about the Browning High Power was its dinky thumb safety. My partner carried one for twenty some odd years, and I had the chance to fire it many, many times. Great handling and pointing pistol.
Swifty, I've got a Hi_power made in Belgium, and I wouldn't trade it for anything less than Sandra Bullock.
It is reliable, accurate, easy to point and utterly delightful to shoot. It's only drawback is that it's too darned big for me to conceal. Just for giggles, I've consistently hit 12" targets at 200 yards with it, after a couple of ranging shots. Closer in, it's an easy pointer. It's heavy enough to absorb a lot of recoil, but light enough that it's not a burden on a long hike.
As for being made in Belgium, once upon a time that part of the world was known for fine machining; it still is, as far as I know. But they're all made by machine today, no matter what country owns the machines. The best quality will be determined by which factory changes out the bits and dies most often, and holds the closest tolerances thereby. Japan is making fine guns, as are many other countries once considered only good for junk.
Regardless of the country of origin, I think you'll be well satisfied by whichever Browning Hi-Power you eventually own. I'm surprised you don't already have one, and no, mine's not for sale - ever!
I don't know why I've not owned one but I will soon, I'm between a satin nickel or a blue/black one and leaning heavy on the blue side.
I'm going to try to wait a few days to see if any members have one they would like to sell. ( no ugly one's please)..guns lol
I have a new windows 8 computer and still getting used to it, so as soon as I can I'll put some pictures of the new FNX 45 tactical and Para 13 I just bought and the Hi-Power I'm getting...last call gang, if you have one for sell you need to let me know because I'm a little excited.
Thanks for the help gang.
I've not shot or handled a Belgium Hi Power (HP) but I own a Charles Daly clone from new. That pretty much was a mistake. The cost differential was huge between the current Browning Hi Power and the Charles Daly High Power (CDHP) so I fell to the lower priced CDHP. The gun is finished nice but the sights were those three ball sights which I changed out and the trigger was terrible. I attempted to install a "drop-in" Browning after market match barrel and it absolutely did not fit as the locking lugs were totally in the wrong places. The cloning effort was flawed!
The biggest trigger problem HP's have is the magazine safety. It totally screws up the feel of the trigger pull. I installed an after market single action trigger (for target work) and that disabled the magazine safety (YEA!!). Thinking that was a CDHP only problem, I handled a new Browning HP at the SHOT Show a few years ago and its trigger was also terrible (Mag safety again….you can feel it operating). The trigger includes an arm that has to touch and slide on the magazine body itself and the feel of that is very off-putting and rough regardless that the surface on the lever and the magazine were polished totally smooth.
If offered a highly polished blued early Browning HP made in Belgium I'd snap it up immediately. I would only wish that its mag safety was better done that a new Browning HP or my CDHP.
After my mods (including a hammer spur reduction to minimize the hammer bite my smallish hand was suffering) I like the gun. But I still wish I had the real thing from Belgium.
I'm not sure what a "magazine safety" is, LD, but mine doesn't have one that I know of. The trigger and hammer don't care whether there's a magazine installed or not, and the trigger pull is very smooth and light. So if you find an old Belgium model, grab it; you'll love it!
All the new ones for at least the last 15 or more years have the magazine safety. For some years Brownells offered a trigger conversion to eliminate it so it is real. In fact I put that conversion in my Charles Daly clone. But I have no idea when it was added.
It is a stupid idea. California demands it in all semi-auto's sold in the state through a dealer (private sales and listed Olympic style 22 guns exempted). If I find a Belgium version without the mag safety I'll be sure to pick it up in a flash.
LDBennett
EDIT: From a Hi-Power forum it says all commercial Hi-Powers have the safety (over all time) except: During the NAZI era and on some special orders from FN (not documented). But it is not un-common to remove it. If your gun was purchased used it may be someone along the way removed it. Some are easy to remove and some require the conversion trigger.
A couple'a year back (giver or take) a came across a Belgium Browning FN HP, but a West German Military contract 9mm HP that was up for sale.
I let it "slide" by me till this past late fall. I got a call and they guy still was wondering if I was interested. This go-around, I snatched it up immediately.
Sad but very true, I have not taken the time to actually get it on a good rest off a bench and take the time to see what it's full potential is as far as accuracy.
I have fired right around 50 rounds through it with Winchester ammo just as "plinking" , if you will and the feels in the hand and the way it performs as far as recoil (IMO), is second to none.
Since then, I cleaned it up and have it in the safe till I get the time to get it out on a good rest and see what it's real potential is with the right ammo. Wouldn't part with it for nothing...Very well made pistol!
A couple'a year back (giver or take) a came across a Belgium Browning FN HP, but a West German Military contract 9mm HP that was up for sale.
I let it "slide" by me till this past late fall. I got a call and they guy still was wondering if I was interested. This go-around, I snatched it up immediately.
Sad but very true, I have not taken the time to actually get it on a good rest off a bench and take the time to see what it's full potential is as far as accuracy.
I have fired right around 50 rounds through it with Winchester ammo just as "plinking" , if you will and the feels in the hand and the way it performs as far as recoil (IMO), is second to none.
Since then, I cleaned it up and have it in the safe till I get the time to get it out on a good rest and see what it's real potential is with the right ammo. Wouldn't part with it for nothing...Very well made pistol!
It sounds like to me like you need to set that bad boy free. Life in a safe with the possibility of shooting it someday is not fair for a Browning, they're made to shoot often. It sounds like you have too many guns.
With that being said, I will take it off your hands and give it a good home where it can get out an shoot and be happy. LOL
It sounds like to me like you need to set that bad boy free. Life in a safe with the possibility of shooting it someday is not fair for a Browning, they're made to shoot often. It sounds like you have too many guns.
With that being said, I will take it off your hands and give it a good home where it can get out an shoot and be happy. LOL
That's a mighty generous offer, Swifty! Zane should certainly take you up on that, as it's clearly the only humane thing to do. The Browning deserves to be fired, often and well.
It sounds like to me like you need to set that bad boy free. Life in a safe with the possibility of shooting it someday is not fair for a Browning, they're made to shoot often. It sounds like you have too many guns.
With that being said, I will take it off your hands and give it a good home where it can get out an shoot and be happy. LOL
That's a mighty generous offer, Swifty! Zane should certainly take you up on that, as it's clearly the only humane thing to do. The Browning deserves to be fired, often and well.
EDIT: From a Hi-Power forum it says all commercial Hi-Powers have the safety (over all time) except: During the NAZI era and on some special orders from FN (not documented). But it is not un-common to remove it. If your gun was purchased used it may be someone along the way removed it. Some are easy to remove and some require the conversion trigger.
That's very possible, LD. The guy I bought this from wasn't a gun expert, but his best friend was a bit of a shady character who knew his guns, and had a very secret history. Whether he was on our side, or some other I never found out, but he knew a few things that I only knew because of some special access security clearances I was issued at the time. At the very least, someone put Pachmeyer grips on it, and I'm glad they did!
I just tore the thing down tonight for cleaning and didn't find anything resembling a magazine safety, nor does any such thing appear in the parts diagram published in the NRA Firearms Assembly book, but it certainly sounds like something the PRC would demand. The magazine that came with the gun is blued, but there's a small shiny area on the right side about 1" from the top which suggests that something used to rub against it. Interesting bit of history - Thanks!
In the picture it is the protrusion on the right side of the trigger. That shoe part slides on the front of the magazine to determine the mag is in the gun. The trigger is disconnected from the sear (eventually) unless that lever can push and slide on the magazine. (the picture is not mine but off a parts supplier site)
I think that when the Germans forced the FN plant in Belgium to make Hi-Powers for them during World War 2, they required that the magazine safety be omitted. IIRC, there was an external pin that was NOT present on the German guns because of this.
I'm not sure what a "magazine safety" is, LD, but mine doesn't have one that I know of. The trigger and hammer don't care whether there's a magazine installed or not, and the trigger pull is very smooth and light. So if you find an old Belgium model, grab it; you'll love it!
The shiny part on the magazine is were the magazine safety once rubbed. Kits are available and easy to install. It smooth's up the trigger pull somewhat ( actually quite a bit ) because the safety is no longer rubbing on the magazine when the trigger is pulled. The magazine safety simply locks up the gun when the magazine is removed to prevent the novice, those who are unaware the gun is not empty just because the magazine in remove, from blowing away their friends while playing cowboy. This sad event has happen many times and will keep happening. It is very hard to make something idiot proof. The reason it was designed with such a device is because the French wanted it, the gun was designed for a French contract { which never took place }, no matter, over 80 countries at one time used the High Power as a military and police issue. :
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