The P35/Browning Hi Power in 2017?

[Nephrology]

As someone who often fantasizes about buying into a blued steel and walnut secondary pistol family to supplement my collection of Glocks, I have on more than one occasion entertained buying a P35. This is distinctly unlikely to happen any time in the foreseeable future, but I was poking around the P35 gallery thread and realized that even though they sure look nice, I don't actually know very much about them at all.

What are people's experiences here with the P35/BHP? Why do they seem so relatively uncommon? What are some of their strengths/weaknesses vs similarly mature designs (i.e. the 1911, CZ75s)? How do they fare in terms of reliability, durability, ergonomics, aftermarket support and ease of maintenance?

It surprises me that they aren't a little more popular but my only experience with them has been putting a magazine through one many years ago. I recall the trigger being distinctly unimpressive but that's about it. Very curious to hear more from people who have experience with these guns.

[JTQ]

Here's a good place to start, the late Stephen A. Camp's "Hi-Powers and Handguns"

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com

[Paltares8]

I have thought the same things and would be curious to hear some perspectives as well. Every time I see those beat up trade ins floating around I consider picking one up and having it be my project gun.

[ca survivor]

I carried some type of BHP years ago, I still own one, all were 100% reliable with HPs and fit my hand perfect, the one remaining with me now has a supper light trigger and no trigger work done to it, go figure, why I don't carry it ? can't think of why LOL, the BHP as the 1911 every body should have the experience of owning one, maybe I'll carry mine today ;)

[Robinson]

A few things that have been considered issues/negatives with the P35 are that until a couple decades ago they were made with weak forged frames and that they really need a flat bottom firing pin stop with matched springs. Once they switched to cast frames with better hardening the first problem went away. At least that's what I understand from things I've read right here on the forum. Then of course there's the issue with the magazine disconnect safety and how affects the trigger pull.

I think they are cool guns and wouldn't mind owning one but have just never set aside the cash to buy one. And I don't think I would choose one over a good 9mm 1911 that runs. But the blued version with wood grip panels is a really nice looking gun.

[JHC]

In the '90's I had two MK III BHPs and shot them a LOT and they were superb. They ran as reliably as the best Glock 9mms I've owned. I thought their triggers perfectly decent WITH the mag safety in place and I was very happy with my performance with them.

I only parted with them after starting to bring up two sons shooting and expanded the Glock 9mm battery and I discovered my own software conflict with the respective trigger resets.

If I knew then what I know now I would have trained around it and kept them but I went all in Glock instead. I sold one to a traditionalist friend and then gave him all my extra mags and a Milt Sparks Executive Companion for it. He still has it all. I fear the psyche anguish if I were to return to one so I tilt 1911 for steel.

[That Guy]

Why do they seem so relatively uncommon?

That would due to your geological handicap. :) The P35 is much more common in Europe/Africa.

My only experiences with the platform are the local military issue variant and the Argentine copy I own, aside from pawing newer FN's in gun stores, so I'm perhaps not the best to speak of its pro's and con's. But a few quick notes: in my very limited experience the guns tend to be extremely reliable but from what I understand not necessarily quite so durable (at least older models). If you intend to shoot the gun a lot, buying an FN Mk.III would probably be your best bet. The ergonomics are otherwise bloody great but hammer bite is a very real possibility (dremeling the hammer spur helps but is not necessarily very visually appealing), ambidextrous safety options are few (and at least the Cylinder and Slide ambi safety places thumb when shooting left-handed into less of a comfortable position than standard right handed safeties), and stock grip panels are often unnecessarily wide (and ugly). Aftermarket grips from VZ, Pachmayr or others will sort that last problem out in a hurry though. Trigger pulls on the older and cheaper models are not anything to write home either, despite being single action. Newer FN Mk.III's seem to have okay triggers. Aftermarket support is limited - there are a bunch of cheap, reliable magazines around (Mec-Gar makes flush fit 15 rounders, opinions are divided as to their reliability - my eight have never given me any trouble unlike my single Argentine 13 round magazine) and recoil springs are easily ordered from Wolff Gunsprings, Brownells etc, but options for customization are much more limited. And the dang gun seriously ought to have a beavertail. Maintenance is easy as long as you don't mind actually doing so occasionally. Field stripping the gun is simple, the gun likes plenty of lube, and just to be on the safe side change the recoil spring often (every 2000 rounds or soonish after that has been my rule of thumb).

Edit: Oh yes, and at least with my Argentine slab side, just about any holster for a 5" 1911 works. I don't even have to change the retention setting in my kydex holsters when going from a 1911 to the P35 or vice versa.

[Doge]

I had a Hi-Power MkIII a when I first started shooting. Felt great in the hand and used it for a couple IDPA matches. I removed the Magazine safety which lightened up the trigger pull and replaced the front sight with a fat fiber optic one. I traded it later for a P30S.

Pros
- Ergonomics are awesome (No hammer bite for me)
- Reliable
- Metal Gun feels great
- Easy to maintain
- MecGar Magazines ran fine

Cons
- Didn't have a beveled magwell
- Had to remove the lanyard loop to install my VZ Grips
- Limited aftermarket support
- Limited trigger work

While it is a doublestack I found that the recoil impulse on my current Wilson Combat 9mm 1911 CQB is much more flatter.

The Hi-Power is a nice gun and I enjoy seeing some skilled people work on them. Maybe I'll get another one but a CZ SAO Shadow or even a 9mm 1911 probably makes more logistical sense in terms of aftermarket.

[TiroFijo]

As someone who often fantasizes about buying into a blued steel and walnut secondary pistol family to supplement my collection of Glocks, I have on more than one occasion entertained buying a P35. This is distinctly unlikely to happen any time in the foreseeable future, but I was poking around the P35 gallery thread and realized that even though they sure look nice, I don't actually know very much about them at all.

What are people's experiences here with the P35/BHP? Why do they seem so relatively uncommon? What are some of their strengths/weaknesses vs similarly mature designs (i.e. the 1911, CZ75s)? How do they fare in terms of reliability, durability, ergonomics, aftermarket support and ease of maintenance?

It surprises me that they aren't a little more popular but my only experience with them has been putting a magazine through one many years ago. I recall the trigger being distinctly unimpressive but that's about it. Very curious to hear more from people who have experience with these guns.

They are very good, elegant, iconic guns, accurate and realiable and with an excellent grip; but in other areas nothing really spectacular...
I don't like the mag safety.
The mag is 13 rounds, a bit less than more modern designs.
The forged frame models are a bit less durable than more modern designs.
The original sights were tiny, the trigger meh to bad, and the safety nearly useless for cocked and locked carry. Sights and safety have improved a lot on later models.
The ring hammer bites badly. The spur a lot less.
Older models don't have a passive FP safety.

If style and history matters, and perhaps you are willing to modify/pimp the gun, it may be worth it.

If practical considerations are more important, I would choose a CZ 75 if you want a SA capable steel wondernine; or even better a glock/beretta/sig or something like that depending on you preferred trigger and taste...

[OlongJohnson]

I always liked the way it feels in the hand, but haven't shot one. Always had a placeholder for "going to add one to the safe one day." Not a fan of the trigger, though. Long, mushy, creepy out of the box. After handling one again at the LGS, I thought to myself, what I really want for concealed carry would be an aluminum frame, TDA or DAO, single-stack compact version of that with a better trigger, in 9mm. Went home and started googling, and that's when I found out about the S&W 3953. Eventually, I tried a P226, which I like for non-concealed-carry uses, and its ergos haven't left me thinking very much about the FN/Browning lately.

[jc000]

Timely thread. I've recently been drooling over the Nighthawk Hi Power. Looks beautiful (IMO) but I don't know too much about Nighthawk quality and have no 1st hand experience with them. If it looks like a solid option, I could certainly see picking one up as a fun gun.

I'm sure a Wilson (in edc, 1911, or beretta) or custom CZ wondernine might be more "practical" but the historical context of the Hi Power draws me to it.

ETA: pic added.

14900

[psalms144.1]

As heirloom guns, every safe should have a nice BHP, a nice 1911, a P7M8, and a sweet blue steel round gun (or four or five of each of the above).

From a practical perspective, the BHP is large, heavy, capacity challenged, has a magazine disconnect safety this can be a bit of a PITA, and has the most "meh" SAO trigger I've found. But, since Brownings are on my agency's authorized personal weapons list, I'd LOVE to show up to a Field Office "all hands" meeting some day sporting a matched set of BHPs in a double shoulder rig - just to watch management's collective head explode.

Of course, I'd need to win the LOTTO to be able to afford a pair of duty-ready BHPs, so it's VERY unlikely to happen...

[ca survivor]

Nighthawks have good quality, there was a time it was hit of miss, that's when it was discovered that their CS is terrible.

[oldtexan]

I have never owned an HP; my only use of one was a familiarization fire with a Saudi-issued piece almost two decades ago. I have a buddy who was a British Royal Marine and who runs a range/training company here in Texas. I asked him one day why he doesn't favor HPs, knowing he used them heavily while in Her Majesty's service. He told me that the slide stop is not compatible with his thumbs-forward high grip. Makes sense to me.

[jeep45238]

I've had a real browning and a feg copy years ago. There was a big difference between the two.

That said, my issues was getting the thing to reload in a hurry was difficult, and there was practically no reset with a longer trigger travel. So, weak 1911 reset with much longer than 1911 trigger travel.

I really want one again, and find a pro smith to do some work with the sear lever to make the reset more tactile, and blend the magwell.

[newt]

I have 4, all of them customs. For me it's sorta "why does a dog lick it's balls." But they DO get carried and shot a lot. They work hard. Out of the box, the biggest advantages are in ergonomics, the grip size and feel, sight radius. But out of the box, I consider them insufficient. The trigger sucks, particularly with the disconnect, mags don't typically drop free with the disconnect, and the safety is a miserable bitch. Every one of those problems is easily solveable, but it's going to cost you. I've now got guns by Ted Yost, Jim Garthwaite, Don Williams, and I'm waiting on one from Karl Sokol. So to make them really good

- Trigger job
- Stipple/Checker the front and back
- Sights
- Bevel the magwell
- Remove disconnect
- Safety

So owning and managing the platform base doesn't get you much. But doing up a gun is fun, and then they're really fantastic to shoot. The trigger can be just great. The grip is amazing and concealable. It IS 13 rounds, but it's an incredibly efficient 13 rounds because the grip is small and comfortable. Pick up a P228/9 which is a platform I like, but the grip is considerably smaller than the P228. My only continued complaint is ironically the other side of the small grip. You've got VERY little leeway on mag reloads even with the bevelled magwell. Even with loads of practice and some IDPA time on the platform, I still catch the edge more than any other gun.

Still, my BHPs are sorta my 9mm 1911s to me. If you want a good hard-use gun, I'd check with Karl Sokol or Don Williams. They build great, simple BHPs that'll last you for life and take a lot of abuse

[newt]

Also, I'd recommend against the 15 round mags. A lot of people use them, and for range purposes they are fine. But they don't have the legs below the follower, so the follower will tip sometimes. I don't consider them reliable enough for real use.

[1986s4]

I've owned three BHP's, I liked them all but not enough to keep any. I don't get hammer bite, close but never a problem. My last one had an acceptable trigger too. But the recoil impulse is outsized to the 9mm and an all steel gun IMO. A better alternative for a all steel, double stack 9mm, SAO or DA/SA is a CZ 75. I have a Pre-B 75 converted to SAO that runs great, it has at least 20,000 rounds with just spring replacements and a new sear. Better recoil characteristics, after market support and higher capacity for about the same size. BHP's are very svelte. A 75 compact can be converted to SAO.

[Padwan]

I had two: an older Belgian gun with the tangent adjustable rear sight, and a later MkIII. Grip frame felt good and I appreciated the ambi safety and better sights on the MkIII. Easy to carry concealed. The MkIII was the one I short and carried for a short while.

My gripes:

1. Hard to get a consistent trigger on the gun. The fire control group is kinda complex vs a 1911. My trigger pulls would vary from shot to shot by about a half pound up or down the average weight of 5.25 lbs. I had my smith fit a C&S hammer and sear kit into the pistol, but these only minimized the variation rather than eliminated it. I'm guessing a lot more detail work with the sear lever and the slide channel where the lever resided, may have helped things.

2. Accuracy was ok but more modern guns grouped better. At the time, I could put a gun's load of ammo into a cloverleaf at 15 meters, with either a 5" 1911 or a 4" K-frame. With a BHP, I could do no better than 4". I figured it was the trigger so I asked a retired Army guy who frequented the range to shoot it. He knew and carried a BHP while in the service and was able to shrink the groups by an inch but no more than that. I asked him if this was typical and he said he and his company were happy to get 4" groups with service ball.

3. I find the metal to be soft. I dehorned the bottom of the slide and found that the needle file would take a lot of metal off. I did the same thing to my 1991A1 and it took a lot more effort to dehorn that slide.

4. I found the muzzle "whippy." Sights took a longer time to settle back on target vs the other guns I had at the time.

It a significant piece of gun design history and deserves a place in a reference collection. But I think many of the choices we have today will easily outperform the gun.

[nwhpfan]

When I started in LE in the late 90's they were everywhere on patrol and in detectives. Prior to their being as many options as their is today there were really only a few choices. Glock, Sig, Beretta, 1911, BHP. So a lot of people carried them. Although I had plenty of choices I liked them so much I bought one myself and carried one for a number of years on patrol and then when I went into Detectives. It's a little heavy for one and the trigger isn't that great. I had a reduced hammer spring which made it much better. The design of the trigger has a lot of take up then a significant wall.

But....with a just a few things the BHP can be THAT perfect metal hi cap pistol. Bob the hammer spur or get a rounded hammer because hammer bite. Reduce the hammer spring (or get a trigger job) and you'll have a very, very nice and shootable trigger, and finally take a file (or pay a smith) to round and open up the mag well because it's very square.

So why doesn't everyone do this? Well, they used too...but now their are just too many great options that do all the HP did. And FN/Browning really see's the HP as a Legacy product so they don't make a bunch and they cost over 1k.

The good news is you can buy a Israeli surplus from gunbroker for less than $400 to get you a shooter to start.

[bofe954]

I had a browning practical model briefly. I read all kinds of raves about how thin and great to carry they were, got caught up in the JMB mystique. Had the ring hammer and I still got hammer bite. Trigger was terrible especially considering it was single action. Sights on the practical still were not that practical.

If I wanted one now I guess I would either buy the nighthawk, or more likely scour gunbroker for someone else's customed out safe queen done by a well known high power smith. Or maybe just buy a traditional looking one to look at and not really use for anything.

I was told (but have not seen or experienced) that they were not reliable long term for high round counts. Probably wouldn't matter for what I would use one for anyway but... It made me disinterested in the thought of buying a fairly expensive pistol that needs all kinds of work. It's kind of the same as the perpetual 1911 debate. Spend 3K, get a nice one, it'll be great, but it's utility is only marginally better than your $400 G17 when it comes down to putting holes in paper.

If I really had money to burn, maybe. As it is there are too many other things I'm more interested in.

[serialsolver]

I like the hi power. I had 8, currently 4. They have all been good pistols. Some random thoughts.

The triggers are different but like a glock they have take up then a wall. Like glocks different parts help you tailor the trigger. I have hp's with triggers measuring from 5 3/4 pounds to 3 3/4 pounds without gunsmith work.

Only use factory or mecgar magazines and the 15 round magazines work.

Hp's are 32 oz empty. In today's alloy and poly world that is heavily but back in the day when guns were steel they were light. A loaded hp weights the same as a unloaded steel full size 1911. An alloy version of the hp was made. It weighs 23 ozs unloaded.

Follow mr camps advice in the above posted link. A wealth of information gained from years of use.

All my hp's have been accurate including my current surplus hp's. my worst worn out abused hp still has acceptable accuracy.

Parts are available, cylinder and slide, Novak, brownells.

My mkiii browning with Novak sights, birdsong black-t, vz grips.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee179/serialsolver/IMG_0053_zps5183738a.jpg (http://s233.photobucket.com/user/serialsolver/media/IMG_0053_zps5183738a.jpg.html)

My alloy fn hp. When I carry a service pistol this hp is it. Cylinder and slide hammer and sear, flat bottom firing pin stop. I need to decide on sights before refinishing or maybe just let it be.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee179/serialsolver/A43CA931-0BAE-492B-BF41-1A17DCC2B249_zpsyx3kzxyr.jpg (http://s233.photobucket.com/user/serialsolver/media/A43CA931-0BAE-492B-BF41-1A17DCC2B249_zpsyx3kzxyr.jpg.html)






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[Jeep]

For their first thirty to forty years the BHP's were military/cop guns for militaries and police (mainly European) that don't shoot their pistols much. Most of the ones I saw were not high-round-count kind of guns and a lot of them broke after very moderate use. They were also popular house guns for guys in the Army who bought them in Germany or Japan, and more than a few were taken to Vietnam for use as a secondary weapon, but again they weren't shot all that much as a general matter.

Browning has improved them over the past thirty five years or so, but in the end there are better designs out there. BHP's are still very thin in the frame and slide and still are one of the more ascetically pleasing pistol designs of the last 100 years, but for an actual fighting pistol I'd take a Glock, SIG, Beretta, H&K, or S&W any day. I wouldn't feel disarmed carrying a modern one, however.

[luckyman]

Anyone have any data on reliability of CA-compliant 10 round magazines?

[MK11]

Anyone have any data on reliability of CA-compliant 10 round magazines?


I've got a bunch of CT-complaint :p HP mags that I first bought under the Clinton ban. No issues with reliability and they've got a spring that makes them drop free from the mag well.

As noted above, I've also had issues with a thumbs forward grip engaging the slide stop while shooting which is a far bigger problem that just riding the slide stop on a SIG. But as long as I'm mindful of my grip, the HP runs and runs. I agree there are many guns better suited for defense or competition today but the HP isn't some delicate relic, either.

[JAD]

I have had three. The first, a .40, I really didn't care for. It seemed clunky and oversprung. The second was a modern mk3 that I had extensively customized by C&S. it was a nice gun that got carried a lot and shot in IDPA quite a bit. I lost it in a divorce. The third is an izzy that got a light treatment from MARS. I own it because I feel like I should but I don't carry it much.

All three guns have been completely reliable.

The mag safety has to go. They're kind of dumb anyway and they make the trigger suck. That said, I don't love carrying a pistol which has a disabled safety.

The tang is sharp even after some dehorning. That means getting a perfect master grip is critical, or it beats hell out of my knuckle. I do not get hammer bite.

For what it's worth, Harrison's retro 1911 rear sight is awesome on a hp, the Watson is a great holster for it, and mars does damn fine work.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170317/6f8305e5b1a7797346ef9f76e71b4ece.jpg

[okie john]

The ring hammer bites badly. The spur a lot less.

Depends on the hand. A ring hammer on a BHP will eat holes in the web of my hand, but the spur hammer is fine. It's the opposite with a 1911.


Okie John

[Palmetto]

I always liked the way it feels in the hand, but haven't shot one. Always had a placeholder for "going to add one to the safe one day." Not a fan of the trigger, though. Long, mushy, creepy out of the box. After handling one again at the LGS, I thought to myself, what I really want for concealed carry would be an aluminum frame, TDA or DAO, single-stack compact version of that with a better trigger, in 9mm. Went home and started googling, and that's when I found out about the S&W 3953. Eventually, I tried a P226, which I like for non-concealed-carry uses, and its ergos haven't left me thinking very much about the FN/Browning lately.

You should try the Sig P225A1 with SRT. Very nice in hands. Sig quality.


"Gun control is hitting what I aim at...not someone infringing on my 2nd Amendment Rights."

[SteveB]

I carried and competed with Hi-Powers in the early '90s. Back then, it was the choice for a single-action 9mm pistol. The thing about the Hi-Power was the way it fit most folks' hands; it had a comfortable, custom feel to it, and pointed beautifully. Milsurp guns were plentiful, but rough and even the new guns needed trigger work, sights and smoothing of sharp edges, on the mags as well as the guns. Novak, and, before he went off the rails, Kurt Wickmann, did great work on my guns. Until I picked up a CZ 75, I never had a pistol that felt as good in my hand.

14912

[OlongJohnson]

You should try the Sig P225A1 with SRT. Very nice in hands. Sig quality.

I love the 226 and 229, but for some reason, the 224A1 and 239 just feel weird to me. Unbalanced and top heavy, with too small a grip. Haven't gotten far enough past that to shoot either of them.

[JSGlock34]

I picked up a Practical with a low bid on Gunbroker and sent it off to The Action Works. Don Williams installed Novak 1911 sights, a C&S hammer, and performed a trigger job. With a set of Craig Spegel grips, it was one of the prettiest guns I owned. But I never really connected with the pistol on the range. The trigger could never compete with my Brigadier Tactical and the accuracy was unremarkable. I sold it to fund my Wilson 1911 with no regrets.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x131/JSGlock34/P35/P35-13_zpswtys05u8.jpg

[H&KFanNC]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170317/538f52185130094f9e65fdff64cf3a39.jpg

Was a normal MkIII before I sent it off. No mag safety, trigger was worked a bit. I love it.

I bought my HP because one of the main characters in a series of books I read as a teen carried one. I have about 300 rounds through it since the work. I don't shoot it much or often but it does get some use.

This thread reminds me that I need to shoot it more.




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[H&KFanNC]

Double post


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[serialsolver]

The op asked about reliability, durability and ease of maintenance. Here's an old thread about my abused surplus hp.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?18699-A-discard&highlight=discard

[That Guy]

I guess I've just seen too many poorly maintained or overused CZ75's, but they haven't really impressed me with their reliability. I could not recommend one in lieu of a P35.

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[jeep45238]

So...what would it take, work wise, to get a p35 to 1911 mechanical accuracy?


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[JSGlock34]

So...what would it take, work wise, to get a p35 to 1911 mechanical specs!?

https://www.wilsoncombat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/X9Scenic2.jpg

[jeep45238]

Booze has been talking - mechanical accuracy is what I meant to address. Not looking at another platform, but enhancing this one. Is there a barrel company that redoes the calming surface for a tighter pickup to the slide, for example?


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[serialsolver]

So...what would it take, work wise, to get a p35 to 1911 mechanical accuracy?


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I think that's a question best answered by the hp gunsmiths. If I had a hp that I didn't like the accuracy of it I would try a fitted bar-sto barrel.


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[serialsolver]

https://www.wilsoncombat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/X9Scenic2.jpg

I see the hp as the poor boy edc x9. The hp is a couple ounces heavier and about a half inch longer. The controls work the same. The hammer bite can be corrected. Yes the trigger is different but it's a different design. That doesn't mean a good trigger can't be had on the hp. Add your choice of sights, grips and finish at half the cost.


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[El Cid]

KC approved! Lol! ;)

http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/0/0e/Body8.jpg/601px-Body8.jpg

Even works with your eyes closed.
http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/5/55/Bodyg_18.jpg/600px-Bodyg_18.jpg

*images courtesy of IMDB

[theJanitor]

I've had several custom HP's. All were accurate, but barrels weren't stock either. All were reliable, but I'd expect that from stock HP's. All had great triggers, but you'd expect that from a high dollar gun. I regret selling mine (to fund more 1911 stuff), and have quite the urge to get back in them. Part of that desire is Newt's Garthwaite. And part of that is my tolerance/hate of the glocks I own. And recently, the debut of the new wilson gun.

The custom HPs did EVERYTHING I could ask for, for less money than the new X9. I've been trying to figure out how to afford the new Wilson, but time and again, I think I'd rather commission another custom HP.

ETA: Your dollar at the gunsmith goes WAY farther on an HP, than it does on a 1911. For example, Karl Sokol's HP package, with stippling, is $750. Add a surplus gun to that and you're out the door for a VERY reasonable price

[Edwin]

I just want someone to make a Mark IV version. Different or updated mags, beaver tail, magwell.

[JAD]

My GP mags work well. What would you have be different about them?

[Edwin]

More taper at the front-top rather than the sharp corners.

[Clobbersaurus]

A Browning Hi Power Mk III was the first pistol I ever bought. I knew virtually nothing about shooting in those days, but I felt I shot that gun better than anything I had ever shot......until I learned how to shoot. I sold it for a Gen 2 G17.......stupid, stupid, stupid.

I'll own a Hi Power again someday. Threads like this just make me want one more.

[pastaslinger]

As someone who often fantasizes about buying into a blued steel and walnut secondary pistol family to supplement my collection of Glocks, I have on more than one occasion entertained buying a P35. This is distinctly unlikely to happen any time in the foreseeable future, but I was poking around the P35 gallery thread and realized that even though they sure look nice, I don't actually know very much about them at all.

What are people's experiences here with the P35/BHP? Why do they seem so relatively uncommon? What are some of their strengths/weaknesses vs similarly mature designs (i.e. the 1911, CZ75s)? How do they fare in terms of reliability, durability, ergonomics, aftermarket support and ease of maintenance?

It surprises me that they aren't a little more popular but my only experience with them has been putting a magazine through one many years ago. I recall the trigger being distinctly unimpressive but that's about it. Very curious to hear more from people who have experience with these guns.

pretty poor trigger for a single action
most are not dovetailed
narrow frame so checkering is tricky but people are doing it now
beavertail is tiny
magwell is very small
grip size is almost as short as a g19 but the weight of the gun is immense
safety isn't nearly as good as a 1911
recoil impulse is actually pretty rough compared to a glock

I still like them but would rather have something more modern. I would love to see say a CZ P-09 with steel frame kitted out to be sao

[JAD]

the weight of the gun is immense

Come on, buddy.

[pastaslinger]

Come on, buddy.

They weigh 35-36 oz that is pretty substantial compared to most other compacts. A p228 is 29 oz and a G19 is 24 oz which are significantly lighter even with the extremely narrow Hi power frame.

[serialsolver]

A steel hp weights 32 oz empty. A loaded magazine is 8 more oz.


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[rbmcmjr]

Better recoil characteristics, after market support and higher capacity for about the same size.

Funny how things have changed. Up until about 20 years ago, the reverse of this statement was equally true.

I've long felt that the HP was the sveltest of all major service pistols. While it and the CZ have very similar ergonomics, I have always perceived the Browning as the more delicate of the two (in appearance, not durability).

[Wondering Beard]

They weigh 35-36 oz that is pretty substantial compared to most other compacts.

The P35 is a compact? You may want to give a definition of what is a compact for you.

[pastaslinger]

The P35 is a compact? You may want to give a definition of what is a compact for you.

If we consider the P228/229 a compact then the Hi Power should be considered one too since it is shorter, thinner, and has the same mag capacity.

Maybe you judge based on barrel length. I judge based on frame size (and capacity to an extent).

[Wondering Beard]

I don't have measurements to compare the P228/229 (which I would consider barely compact) to the Hi Power in terms of height, but aside from capacity and thinness (I think the 1911 is thinner, at least for the slide, than SIGs), I don't consider the Hi Power to be at all compact. A better comparison can be made to the P226, P38, 1911 Gov't Model and G17.

The Hi Power is an old design, perfectly workeable, size wise, for duty and CC, but like a 1911, I believe it needs the attention of a smith to run best.

I keep saying that I will send mine to Jim Garthwaite for his tender ministrations, but I never get around to it.

[M2CattleCo]

The Hi Power is dainty .

I carried one for awhile a long time ago. Rode really well in a Sparks VMII. Everything on it was too little, but it was heavy and chewed my hand up.

I got rid of it for a Gen 2 17 that I shot so much the slide cracked through the ejection port.

[Joe in PNG]

I came thaaaaat close to trading away my old 5946 for one. Turns out the price difference was just a touch higher than I wanted to spend.
However, they did have a very lightly used Beretta 92FS in the case for about $150 difference, and I already had a 92D, and extra parts, mags, holster, D Spring... so I went with pizza instead of waffles.

[pastaslinger]

The Hi Power is dainty .

I carried one for awhile a long time ago. Rode really well in a Sparks VMII. Everything on it was too little, but it was heavy and chewed my hand up.

I got rid of it for a Gen 2 17 that I shot so much the slide cracked through the ejection port.

I agree, my points exactly

[JAD]

More taper at the front-top rather than the sharp corners.

Got it. Those of us with 3.5 second reloads might miss that problem.

[BN]

I have a HiPower I bought used and sent to C&S for the works back in the early 1990's. I shot it pretty hard in IDPA for a year. At some point after that I noticed the barrel locking lug was loose in the frame. I called C&S to see if they could fix it. They said yes and wondered how many rounds it had fired I said around 20,000. They said they liked to see high round count guns come back in so they could see how they held up. :(

Here's a cell phone picture. 14940

I remember that C&S built up a HiPower to shoot high capacity major in USPSA before 1990 or so. That was before there were STI's etc and everybody was still shooting still shooting single stack 1911's. They said it wouldn't hold up to major ammo.

[45dotACP]

I like a Hi-Power as "the real 9mm 1911" if you want a gun that is easier to carry than a 1911, holds more BBs, and can be found on the surplus market. I got one a while back, shot it a bit, carried it a bit, and ultimately found I have no use for one for the following reasons:
1. The trigger in a surplus HP is distinctly unimpressive, even after removing the mag disconnect
2. You have to remove a mag disconnect or the mags won't drop free
3. The sights on mine (a MKII) were just terrible and IMO the greatest limit of the gun.
4. The magazine/magwell interface made reloads at speed difficult.
5. The slide bite, rather than the hammer bite.

Now, putting a something like 850-900 bucks of custom work (mill a new set of sights, bevel the magwell, better grips, new hammer, trigger job, disconnector, refinish job) into a 400-900 dollar pistol might make the gun more better, but then again, putting 850-900 bucks worth of glocks/berettas on top of 400-900 dollars of their magazines/holsters and ammo seems a better choice. I have not fired many 9mm guns more accurate than my Beretta 92 Compact personally, and that includes my Hi-power. Granted mines a kicked to shit surplus gun...so there's that.

That said...once your residency/fellowship is over, you'd be hard pressed to find a classier looking gift to yourself than a fully decked out Hi-Power because...and here's the kicker

Not every gun is meant for jumping out of helicopters with a knife clenched in your teeth. And there is something to be said for having a gun that is "classy as fuck".

[Doc_Glock]

Is there a preferred safety replacement because the stock safety is probably my main complaint with the gun?

[BN]

Is there a preferred safety replacement because the stock safety is probably my main complaint with the gun?

I have C&S on mine. I don't know if anybody else makes one or not.

[JAD]

C&S was the only option that Steve at mars discussed a couple years ago.

[pangloss]

When I was buying my first pistol, I narrowed the choices down to a Browning HP or a Gen2 G17. I went with the Glock, but about a decade later, I lucked into a very lightly used MkIII BHP for $400. I've not shot it a great deal, but I'm glad that I own it. As for how the pistol feels in hand, I agree with the "dainty" characterization. It feels more refined to me than the CZ 75. I'd love to send it off for some work, but there are too many other things ahead of that on the list right now.

[newt]

Going back since I was on airplanes for a couple of days. I find the stock gun gets pretty good accuracy. I have one C-Series stock, one that's been tightened up, and one with an aftermarket barrel. You CAN tell the difference with the barrel, but not by much.

For safety: I'd pick the C&S or have Sokol do one up. Sokol's safety is my favorite.

[JonInWA]

A bit late to the party, but here are some of my thoughts and experiences:

I've had 3 Hi Powers; all obtained BNIB, all .40. My first was a Standard (bright blue finish, wood grips), the subsequent ones were both MK III (matte epoxy finish). The first two received some customization; the first had sight and cosmetic upgrades from Novak; they recommended leaving the action alone as it possessed literally the best triggerpull out of the box that they'd experienced, and felt that any action work would result only in a very marginal improvement, and not really worth the money spent. I appreciated their forthrightness. The second on had an action job and some cosmetic work (polishing trigger, rounding the spur hammer edges). The third, and most recent, one of the FN-roll-marked ones that were sold at fire-sale pricing when FN decided to get out of the Hi Power market in the US (leaving it exclusively to Browning) has been left just as it came, with the exception of replacing the grips with a set of Hogue rubber finger groove grips. It possesses a slightly heavy, but crisp and excellent triggerpull out of the box.

The magazine safety was retained in all of my Hi Powers.

The first one was sold at the 6K-8K round point; the sear failed, I had Browning repair it (which involved replacing the action components); it was completely repaired when returned, but the previously magnificent triggerpull was lost, so rather than subject it to further gunsmithing/expenses, I sold it.

The second one I sold to a friend, who still uses and enjoys it the last time I checked. Kurt Wickmann performed the work on it after he left Novak's; the triggerpull was better, but not as exceptional as my first one.

Mine have all been used for carry, IDPA and steel plate competition, as well as for home defense.

Pros of the Hi Power:

-Size, compactness and relatively light weight (for a duty-sized handgun);

-Basic ergonomics;

-Single action trigger easy to use and master;

-Excellent accuracy;

-Reliability, within forecasted lifespan (and assuming replacement of springs at specified recommended intervals);

-Easy to field-strip (but the .40 variants have a very heavy recoil spring, making replacing the recoil spring in the slide a bit of an acquired taste-I believe there's even an after-market tool to help ease this);

-Quite decent OEM sights, with good light-bar characteristics (I overpainted the front white paint insert with neon green, and the rear white rectangles with neon orange to speed up acquisition).

Cons of the Hi Power:

-Square mag well makes speed reloads difficult to achieve, and without a very skilled gunsmith, it's difficult to add a decent magwell;

-OEM spur hammer can bite the hand that feeds it, and poke into your side when holstered (a common fix for this is to round/bevel and/or slightly shorten the spur tip)

-The epoxy finish is good, but nowhere near as weather-impervious as some of the current-generation finishes that bond to metal; normal use and holstering will wear the finish off at high points;

-While production pieces that I've handled over the past fire years or so have had much improved triggers than previously, a Hi Power is often a gun that owners feel needs an immediate action job to clean up and lighten the trigger. The somewhat convoluted mechanics and components involved can make an action job somewhat difficult/expensive to achieve, especially without changing the sear's pivot pin location;

-The reset is relatively long-and the trigger needs to move all the way forward to accomplish it; mastering a fast double-tap is an acquired skill;

-While not intrinsically difficult to detail disassemble and reassemble, it's a quantum magnitude more difficult than that of a Glock, and a bit more difficult than a 1911-but easier than most HKs.

-More lubrication-intensive than most polymer-framed handguns;

-Magazines are relatively expensive and can be difficult to find, especially late/current production ones with the "mousetrap" spring (which jets the magazine out very expeditiously);

-Lifespan is considered to be more limited than that of many contemporary guns; barrels seem to be good for 12K - 15K rounds, and the frames for about 35K. There's a cost to having a relatively svelte, light profile-and that's that the guns are battered more, and more quickly by use, especially extended use. The ne plus ultra for achieving higher durability for a 9mm Hi Power is to get the .40 variant, and have a custom Bar-Sto 9mm barrel fitted, as the .40 is stronger, with a heavier slide and increased locking lugs on barrel and slide. The 1994 and later receivers are cast and thorough-hardened, making it considered to be much more durable than earlier forged receivers. The later guns are reputed to have more thorough-hardened small components as well.

-Magazine baseplate edges are fairly sharp; the Hi Power was conceived as a duty gun, and while it's basic edges are relatively user-friendly (other than the spur hammer), the magazine edges require a pouch that shields them from contact against your body.

-While effective, the slide release's finger pad isn't quite as ergonomic as on other guns for use as a slide release to bring the slide into battery (and it's an expensive part to replace-over $100 last time I checked)

-There is a correct, and an incorrect way to install the recoil spring guide in the barrel lug slot. Installing it incorrectly can look "right," but will inevitably result in breaking the recoil spring guide in short order.

-Parts replacements, like on a 1911, are likely to necessitate a gunsmith to achieve proper fitting;

-Cocked-and-locked carry at least potentially exposes the action components to debris and foreign elements that could hinder performance;

-The safety levers (the current OEM "banana" shaped ones are far better than their predecessors, but considered to be ergonomically inferior to many contemporary levers. Additionally, the safety levers tend to have a mushy feel when activated, as opposed to the more crisp feel of those on 1911s.

-Current new guns are fairly expensive (at or around $1K), and seem to be of very limited production; reputed to be in the vicinity of 1,000 units per year. They're available, but don't expect them to be common, or with huge discounting.

-Despite being an all-steel gun with a double-column magazine, the Hi Power is actually pretty slim-framed. I have medium/medium small hands, so I need the grip to be bulked up a bit to properly naturally index my trigger finger on the trigger-Hogue's rubber fingergroove grips are just the ticket for me for this; they're a bit ugly in appearance, for for me, it's a necessary case of form following function. The OEM nylon grips, and magnificently carved and grained Craig Spegel grips are just a bit too slim for me in my empirical experience; my trigger finger just protrudes too far on the trigger for me; YMMV.

-In my experience, I believe that the .40 guns tended to come with the lighter 9mm recoil spring from the factory, which can increase battering and decrease both overall and specific component durability and longevity. If you obtain a .4 Hi Power, I strongly counsel immediately replacing the recoil spring with a correct 20 lb one for the .40 guns. They are easily obtainable from Browning or a recent Hi Power aftermarket spring and parts outfit that seems to a=have earned an excellent reputation; https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=497276

With all that said, I consider the Hi Power to be an eminently viable handgun, with classic looks and quality. The newer production guns of the previous several years have wider triggers, and the adjustable rear sight versions have a much reduced-profile adjustable rear sight which aesthetically is a better match to the gun, in my opinion. I believe the newer guns' magazine safety shoe that presses against the magazine face is now polymer as opposed to steel, so that might be a point in favor of having the magazine safety components removed (although I've never actually heard of one breaking in use).

A Hi Power is almost a cult gun at this point. As others have mentioned, a visit to Stephen Camp's website is well worth a visit, and his still-available book, "The User's Guide To The Browning Hi Power" is superb and should be considered a mandatory purchase for Hi Power owners. The site also has a set of coated detailed-disassembly/reassembly cards, well worth the price. While Stephen sadly passed away several years ago, his widow has graciously kept the site and items up and available.

Best, Jon

[Nephrology]

thanks for the info all!

[1986s4]

Funny how things have changed. Up until about 20 years ago, the reverse of this statement was equally true.

I've long felt that the HP was the sveltest of all major service pistols. While it and the CZ have very similar ergonomics, I have always perceived the Browning as the more delicate of the two (in appearance, not durability).

I should clarify my statement to say that CZ's now have aftermarket support, enough IMO to do what one wants with them. CZ Custom is modding and hot rodding these guns into almost anything one wants. BHP's have had support for some time now, longer than the CZ.
If I were looking for an all steel, high capacity, medium to smallish SAO pistol I would go to a CZ75 compact converted to SAO.
I have always liked the BHP, my first ever semi-auto was a BHP.

[K.O.A.M.]

I purchased one of the Israeli trade in pistols last year. I bought a Bar-Sto barrel for it sight unseen, which turned out to be unneeded as the thing had a mirror bore. I replaced the trigger, extractor, slide catch, hammer, extractor, and safety with the Cylinder and Slide parts. I purchased Heine sights and had Jo Jo's Gunworks in Connecticut do the install. I had Mike at Rampart Firearms Cerakote it and put on a set of VZ grips. It looks like a really fancy custom job, but I probably don't have $1k in the gun. I'm still looking for the right holster, but I'll get around to that sooner or later.

[JonInWA]

I purchased one of the Israeli trade in pistols last year. I bought a Bar-Sto barrel for it sight unseen, which turned out to be unneeded as the thing had a mirror bore. I replaced the trigger, extractor, slide catch, hammer, extractor, and safety with the Cylinder and Slide parts. I purchased Heine sights and had Jo Jo's Gunworks in Connecticut do the install. I had Mike at Rampart Firearms Cerakote it and put on a set of VZ grips. It looks like a really fancy custom job, but I probably don't have $1k in the gun. I'm still looking for the right holster, but I'll get around to that sooner or later.

Sounds like a great project gun that came out exceptionally well. Holster-wise, I've been pretty satisfied with my Galco Royal Guard horsehide IWB that I've used for years-mine is their RG213, which works perfectly for both the Hi Power and a 5" 1911.

Best, Jon

[JonInWA]

Sounds like a great project gun that came out exceptionally well. Holster-wise, I've been pretty satisfied with my Galco Royal Guard horsehide IWB that I've used for years-mine is their RG213, which works perfectly for both the Hi Power and a 5" 1911.

Best, Jon

Quick semi-corrective note: Apparently the Galco Royal Guard has slightly different order numbers for right- and left-handed models; a Right-Hand model is RG212, the Left is RG213. The 2013 and later Generation 2 Royal Guards (which now have a sweat shield and slightly modified, reportedly more aggressive cant) have a "B" suffix to the model number. Still rough-out horsehide. I've had several of the original "Gen 1" Royal Guards, for Beretta 92, SIG P225/P228/P229 and for 1911/Hi Power. They've all been quite good, comfort-, concealment-, and operatically-wise.

Best, Jon

[Super77]

I'm no expert but here's my 2 cents anyway. I'dkeep an eye on gunbroker for a decent Isreali Mk III which can be had for $400-500. Check the date codes to get one with a forged frame. A lot of them have fresh parkerizing which I find appealing and appropriate for a classic military sidearm. Slap a set of Trijicon sights and Spegel checkered grips and see if that setup doesn't scratch your itch. If you end up not liking it you can easily get your money back out of the Hi-Power and parts (you haven't paid for any labor), and if you want to go all out you're only a few hundred bucks away from an upgraded trigger, safety, and maybe barrel.

[JonInWA]

I'm no expert but here's my 2 cents anyway. I'dkeep an eye on gunbroker for a decent Isreali Mk III which can be had for $400-500. Check the date codes to get one with a forged frame. A lot of them have fresh parkerizing which I find appealing and appropriate for a classic military sidearm. Slap a set of Trijicon sights and Spegel checkered grips and see if that setup doesn't scratch your itch. If you end up not liking it you can easily get your money back out of the Hi-Power and parts (you haven't paid for any labor), and if you want to go all out you're only a few hundred bucks away from an upgraded trigger, safety, and maybe barrel.

Especially in a parkerized, matte, or epoxied finish Hi Power, why would you want a forged frame instead of a cast one? Most Mk IIIs (except for relatively early production 9mm ones) will be cast anyhow, which is harder and considered to be significantly more durable. The impetus for the stronger cast frames came about due to the development of the .40 Hi Power, where the forged frames were found to possess insufficient durability; concurrent with .40 production, FN standardized the cast frames (and more thorough-hardened components) throughout the Hi Power production line-up.

Best, Jon

[Lost River]

So this thread reminded me that I had a C series Belgian beauty sitting in the back of the safe, in a classy purple evening gown, with gold accents (aka Crown Royal bag).

I decided I had better undress her and take a look.

For a piece made in 1969, it has aged fairly well, and it appears that it was carried more than shot. An old trooper buddy hit me up, when he was needing some cash, and I helped him out. This thread reminded me of it, so I decided to snap a couple pics.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/IV_Troop/Handguns/Belgian%20HP2_zpsnzl5lm5r.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/IV_Troop/media/Handguns/Belgian%20HP2_zpsnzl5lm5r.jpg.html)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/IV_Troop/Handguns/Belgain%20HP_zpsg5wqplk5.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/IV_Troop/media/Handguns/Belgain%20HP_zpsg5wqplk5.jpg.html)



At the time I remember him talking about "C series" and "red grips" like they were supposed to mean something (to me). I have never really been into BHPs and was just helping him out, so I only half listened. I should have paid better attention in retrospect.

I have heard a couple different stories/versions about the red plastic grip inserts, but never from anyone I know as an SME.

I looked on GB today and was surprised to see what a C series went for . The one on GB is a little nicer than mine though.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/606510657


I really should not participate in threads like this, as they usually end up getting the "Project" monkey firmly attached to my back.

[Malamute]

Looks like about all that gun needs is to be shot some.

Very nice.

[Doc_Glock]

Okay wow I checked the safe because my dad had an unshot Hi Power that looks just like your C series. Turns out it is a T series HP in perfect condition.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170330/996cc9e69c35683ef7bcd49be22ee6d4.jpg

I am also shocked at what these are going for on Gunbroker.

[JAD]

They're so damn pretty.

[Lost River]

Okay wow I checked the safe because my dad had an unshot Hi Power that looks just like your C series. Turns out it is a T series HP in perfect condition.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170330/996cc9e69c35683ef7bcd49be22ee6d4.jpg

I am also shocked at what these are going for on Gunbroker.




Yeah I was pretty surprised myself.

I guess it is a perspective thing.

When I think of BHPs, I think of the cardboard boxes full of 1951 Helwans, CZs, P35s and other frankenguns that I have cobbled together overseas for various people/reasons. Literally sometimes making rear sights with the file from my leatherman, and other such nonsense. It is not until these threads that I get reminded of the fact that there are a bunch of ones that don't look like they came off the set of "The Road Warrior".

[entropy]

I always seem to be a few days late to the picnic on these great threads.... Lots of good info here as usual. When on my own time, I carried one pretty exclusively a few years back. Now maybe more to laziness, I tend to either stick a snub in my belt or strap on something more substantial revolver-wise in the woods. No doubt that the BHP, in all its forms, is perhaps THE sexiest autoloader ever made. We're talking "Grace Kelly sexy" here of course. (Some of the younger guys prolly googling the name now...lol) Currently, there is a stock Practical (minus the lost Pachmayr wrap arounds) and a slightly Novak modified MKII sitting in the safe.

Personally, I dont see a difference in the out-of-the-box abilities of the BHP vs the 1911. Both are designs from a different era that while certainly able to run stock...really require a bit of TLC to be treated as a 21st Century defensive handgun. Ive found both my triggers to tune quite easily. The Practical has the mag safety still installed, while the MKII has it removed. A bit of polishing on the magazine face and the shoe does wonders. Same with a bit of Flitz and patience on the rest of the trigger and transfer bar components. Folks seem to want the reset to mimic the 1911 or the Glock, but the geometry of the components make that next to impossible. Both of mine have the "tactile click" but its subtle and van be easily blown thru. Muscle memory here. Same with the safety. The older teeny stock ones are next to useless (kinda like to old teeny 1911 safetys) but a newer MKIII or a C&S solves that. Clean out the frame detent divot CAREFULLY with a pin drill, and give a bit of attention to the spring and detent ball tension and you can get a quite satifying result.

The older sights just stink if you're over the age of about 25. Better off just using the entire slide as an index point. The MKIIIs arent too bad, better if you black out the rear bars. My MKII has a set of Novak's and a "Ray Charles" fiber front and wide notch rear that matches my own middle aged wide notch rear. Makes hitting possible even when I loose my cheaters.

Like my lovely wife, they can be finicky and require subtle observation to tune into. Theres a lot of information out there on spring weights that I found confusing but very important if you want a happy relationship. Pay attention to the bullet weights too. There are a few 'smiths that recommend the 115s exclusively for the older forged frames, and certainly not +P in those.

There is a gentleman out of Toole, UT named Wes who runs an outfit called Privateer Leather. He's a BHP diehard himself and makes some really nice rigs for the gun. I cannot recommend him enough. I have several, including the "Navigant" that actually came about after a bit of discussion with me on a high ride rig. Check him out for holsters.

Here's the all day/workaday MKII:




https://s30.postimg.org/ljbh14u2p/image.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/ur3phu14t/)screen capture (https://postimage.org/app.php)

[fatdog]

There is a gentleman out of Toole, UT named Wes who runs an outfit called Privateer Leather. He's a BHP diehard himself and makes some really nice rigs for the gun. I cannot recommend him enough. I have several, including the "Navigant" that actually came about after a bit of discussion with me on a high ride rig. Check him out for holsters.



+1 for Wes, he is the first holster guy I have ever found who completely gets the HiPower. He built his "Cutthroat" models (very similar to Sparks VM2) for both my full size and compact (Argy Detective) BHP's. His work is absolutely as good as Sparks in terms of quality and durability, and I frankly find his Cutthroat design a better fit for me than the original VM2 I have. Add to that his work is about half the cost and half the wait time.

[JTQ]

He built his "Cutthroat" models (very similar to Sparks VM2) for both my full size and compact (Argy Detective) BHP's. His work is absolutely as good as Sparks in terms of quality and durability, and I frankly find his Cutthroat design a better fit for me than the original VM2 I have. Add to that his work is about half the cost and half the wait time.
I own neither, but for clarity ...

Sparks current delivery time 12 - 18 weeks. Pivateer delivery time 9 - 10 weeks.

Sparks VM II $125. Privateer Cutthroat $115

[fatdog]

I own neither, but for clarity ...

Sparks current delivery time 12 - 18 weeks. Pivateer delivery time 9 - 10 weeks.

Sparks VM II $125. Privateer Cutthroat $115

I paid $250 for my old VM2 and it took 6 months, glad they finally got their act together...

[JTQ]

I paid $250 for my old VM2 and it took 6 months, glad they finally got their act together...
Whew, $250? What special options did you order? The most expensive option Milt Sparks lists, horsehide with shark trim, tops out at $163.50.

http://www.miltsparks.com/products-versa-max-2.php

[fatdog]

Whew, $250? What special options did you order? The most expensive option Milt Sparks lists, horsehide with shark trim, tops out at $163.50.

http://www.miltsparks.com/products-versa-max-2.php

You are not quoting 2005 prices, which is when I bought mine. They have come down drastically and become more commercial than their old MO, custom, order it, and wait.

[Super77]

Especially in a parkerized, matte, or epoxied finish Hi Power, why would you want a forged frame instead of a cast one? Most Mk IIIs (except for relatively early production 9mm ones) will be cast anyhow, which is harder and considered to be significantly more durable. The impetus for the stronger cast frames came about due to the development of the .40 Hi Power, where the forged frames were found to possess insufficient durability; concurrent with .40 production, FN standardized the cast frames (and more thorough-hardened components) throughout the Hi Power production line-up.




You are completely right, I actually meant to say cast but mistyped. Thanks for catching my mistake.

[Robinson]

Personally, I dont see a difference in the out-of-the-box abilities of the BHP vs the 1911. Both are designs from a different era that while certainly able to run stock...really require a bit of TLC to be treated as a 21st Century defensive handgun.

Heck the gun riding in my holster at present is a recent manufacture 9mm Commander and all I've done to it is ditch the plastic MHS for a metal one. The only TLC so far is some lube and a bunch of ammo, so I'm not sure I agree as far as the 1911.

Nice pistol in your pic, by the way.

[entropy]

Heck the gun riding in my holster at present is a recent manufacture 9mm Commander and all I've done to it is ditch the plastic MHS for a metal one. The only TLC so far is some lube and a bunch of ammo, so I'm not sure I agree as far as the 1911.

Nice pistol in your pic, by the way.


I probably didnt do the best in explaining that statement.

I guess what Im trying to say is that there isnt a whole lot of difference in the basic design. The 1911 has had a huge following for a long time. All the little refinements have found their way into the gun you now carry. The BHP just hasnt had the degree of modern era tweaking and development.

Thats really not what I mean either...but I hope you get the general jist.

[Robinson]

The 1911 has had a huge following for a long time. All the little refinements have found their way into the gun you now carry. The BHP just hasnt had the degree of modern era tweaking and development.

That part I follow. :)

[Wobblie]

never mind, too much beer.

[entropy]

never mind, too much beer.

Nothing wrong with THAT!:cool:

[Jaywalker]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v226/Jaywalker1/713b6040-8b3b-45fd-878d-e79ffd9a4b75_zpsa182929f.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Jaywalker1/media/713b6040-8b3b-45fd-878d-e79ffd9a4b75_zpsa182929f.jpg.html)
I bought this one new in 1980 and never plan to sell it. I added Spegal grips, occasionally grip tape, and after 30 years finally paid a gunsmith to clean up the trigger. I guess the only thing I don't like about it is the mushy feel of the safety.

When I carry, though, I carry something that I can stand to know is in an evidence locker. This is a range piece, but over 37 years, if it will feed the first one into to the chamber (some 147 gr will not) it will fire, eject and feed everything.

ETA: I don't shoot +P in it due to concerns over the older forged frame.

I've had one breakage over the years - the recoil spring guide. It has a ball bearing detent and I failed to lube it properly, and I managed to reassemble it once with the disassembly pin not through the recoil spring guide hole; the hole was crushed, though it continued to function until I got it home and discovered it. Home repair job: $20.

[Chuck Whitlock]

Well this thread was mighty timely.

I'd been drooling over the Wilson EDC X9, but that is way out of budget. Then along comes this thread, and I was reminded of my first duty gun....a MKIII Hi-Power in .40 in a Ted Blocker duty holster.
Then, I get to thinking that a Hi-Power would make a perfectly acceptable BBQ / Sunday-go-to-meetin' gun. And I started digging on that Privateer leather.

As luck would have it, my LGS had a polished blue MKIII in the used case that looked pretty good for about 6 1/2 bills. My wonderful wife gave the go-ahead for my birthday, so I went to check it out before breaking out the card. I went and inspected it after work. No wear on the frame rails, lugs sharp and square...I couldn't even see any brass marks on the magazine followers. Came with the box, 2 mags and all the accessories. Date on fired case is 10/15. I am one happy camper!

Now, I've got to find some slim grip panels. Looking at Altamont and VZ. Texas Grips has a lot of custom options, as well. Maybe some upgrades down the line.

It's good to have this classy classic back in the stable.

(One of these days I'll figure out an easy way to get pics up.)

[JAD]

I like my VZs but they're not super pretty. Esmeralda makes P35 stocks, you might give her a call and see how slim she can make them.

[newt]

Go to brownells and look for the navidrex grips. Those are pretty slim as well. I also like the VZs. I have one browning with the slim VZs on them. they are pretty thin.

[entropy]

Pics a must! I just use postimage as its free and easy to use. Just remember to keep the postimage site windo open when you click and copy the link here. Dont ask me why...but thats how it works...

I have a set of Spegals I got off another forum NIB on the MKII. Ive often been temped to hit flea-bay for a set from Thailand. Price is right and they seem to be reliable with good reviews.

[newt]

When you're right you're right. Need some pics. The

https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14907132_10154797340103115_882362564631417476_n.jp g?oh=3d4f6ed8079fd314ab3cd4b0a385ec77&oe=5955118E

Top is my Yost signature grade. And I carry and shoot it. Although it was newer looking when I took that pic.

On the next one you can see the rounded "palm swell" profile of the Spegels. It's a Garthwaite C-Series

https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14993357_10154829506553115_1180317075457570640_n.j pg?oh=0f46ffbb5a81d5e6d866c76426ada432&oe=5988E285

Here you can see the flatter profile of the VZs on a Don Williams MKIII

https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15056237_10154829505828115_8867481124901412853_n.j pg?oh=0bf9a31f3077377f6625a849e67576e1&oe=598FC036

Close up of the palm swell on the Yost.

https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14915169_10154797339878115_9085393648028360372_n.j pg?oh=647a8099a62db6873e9429f3070c864b&oe=594DADFA

[Duelist]

Yost welded up and shaped that beaver tail?

[newt]

Duelest: Yeah. Gotta admit, it blew me away. I thought he probably had a mostly prefabbed, machined beavertail that he welded and fit almost like buying/fitting a grip safety for a 1911. Nope. He welds a block of steel then shapes it. He sent me pictures:

https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14963326_10154797340473115_7981067947449537259_n.j pg?oh=a934e08888d5bc5c2652931c4017297a&oe=59984DB5

After, with hand checkering on a compound curve, which is why Yost, I think, is considered so good.

https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14937318_10154797340333115_3007729146392518921_n.j pg?oh=52e683f98e7f942b03d99ec9bc037ec9&oe=59976173

[newt]

Random thought. If you're going to own and run a P35/BHP platform, the BEST tool you can buy is Garthwaite's tool for installing the hammer/ejector/sear/sear pin. Save you a lot of swearing as you look for a third hand.

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/handgun-tools/tool-kits/browning-hi-power-armorer-s-tools-hammer-sear-installation-tool-sku100-007-008-42635-80353.aspx

[BillSWPA]

When you're right you're right. Need some pics. The

https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14907132_10154797340103115_882362564631417476_n.jp g?oh=3d4f6ed8079fd314ab3cd4b0a385ec77&oe=5955118E

Top is my Yost signature grade. And I carry and shoot it. Although it was newer looking when I took that pic.

On the next one you can see the rounded "palm swell" profile of the Spegels. It's a Garthwaite C-Series

https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14993357_10154829506553115_1180317075457570640_n.j pg?oh=0f46ffbb5a81d5e6d866c76426ada432&oe=5988E285

Here you can see the flatter profile of the VZs on a Don Williams MKIII

https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15056237_10154829505828115_8867481124901412853_n.j pg?oh=0bf9a31f3077377f6625a849e67576e1&oe=598FC036

Close up of the palm swell on the Yost.

https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14915169_10154797339878115_9085393648028360372_n.j pg?oh=647a8099a62db6873e9429f3070c864b&oe=594DADFA

I really like the beavertail, and am surprised that this was never incorporated into the standard design for the gun.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Chuck Whitlock]

I had adorned my old Hi-Power with the Uncle Mike's rubber copies of the Spegel grips. Really good grips for a good price. I see that Brownells also has old-school Pacs as well as the navidrex, but I'm envisioning something a little more visually striking than plain black. I'm kind of digging VZ's black cherry or black desert sand pro slims. The ones in the pics on the Privateer Leather site look good.

Newt,
Those are awesome pics!! I'll see about getting some up after the weekend.

[Trooper224]

I really love the P35, I just wish it loved me back. It's just too small for my big mitts. About once every ten years I forget that and buy another one. Maybe I subconsciously hope they've made them bigger. This thread reminds me I need to acquire an old classic blued or nickeled model just to have and admire. A sexier pistol has never been made. Thanks for the photos guys, beautiful stuff.

[JonInWA]

I really love the P35, I just wish it loved me back. It's just too small for my big mitts. About once every ten years I forget that and buy another one. Maybe I subconsciously hope they've made them bigger. This thread reminds me I need to acquire an old classic blued or nickeled model just to have and admire. A sexier pistol has never been made. Thanks for the photos guys, beautiful stuff.

I was in the same boat, until I switched to a set of Hogue rubber fingergroove grips, which sufficiently bulk up the grip for my hold, index and trigger finger placement. And it looks like Craig Spegel has an increased palm-swell variant which may accomplish the same.

Best, Jon

[Suvorov]

A Browning Hi Power Mk III was the first pistol I ever bought. I knew virtually nothing about shooting in those days, but I felt I shot that gun better than anything I had ever shot......until I learned how to shoot. I sold it for a Gen 2 G17.......stupid, stupid, stupid.

I'll own a Hi Power again someday. Threads like this just make me want one more.

I would think the fact that it was your country's military sidearm probably influenced your decision?

Similar to you - the first gun I ever purchased was a Browning High Power Mk III. At that time Beretta's were a lot more expensive, Glocks were the new kid on the block and kind of odd, and all my buddies got Ruger P85s cause they were cheaper. I didn't know anything about guns but everyone said that if you were going to buy a puny 9mm then you should buy the BHP - heck even Colonel Cooper liked it OK (CZs were still not widely available). The fact that it was the chosen sidearm of the majority of our NATO allies cinched the deal.

I cut my teeth on the BHP and still have a real fondness for the design. Along the way I have acquired up a couple more including an Inglis Tangent Sight model, Inglis British Surplus (which I gave to a friend - kind of stupid of me), adjustable sight blued model and prompted me to wander into the funky world of the BDA and the personal money pit that is my HP-DA....

Now they just sit in the safe to be brought out an fondled occasionally.........

[Clobbersaurus]

I would think the fact that it was your country's military sidearm probably influenced your decision?

Similar to you - the first gun I ever purchased was a Browning High Power Mk III. At that time Beretta's were a lot more expensive, Glocks were the new kid on the block and kind of odd, and all my buddies got Ruger P85s cause they were cheaper. I didn't know anything about guns but everyone said that if you were going to buy a puny 9mm then you should buy the BHP - heck even Colonel Cooper liked it OK (CZs were still not widely available). The fact that it was the chosen sidearm of the majority of our NATO allies cinched the deal.

I cut my teeth on the BHP and still have a real fondness for the design. Along the way I have acquired up a couple more including an Inglis Tangent Sight model, Inglis British Surplus (which I gave to a friend - kind of stupid of me), adjustable sight blued model and prompted me to wander into the funky world of the BDA and the personal money pit that is my HP-DA....

Now they just sit in the safe to be brought out an fondled occasionally.........

I think I fell in love with the Hi Power before I even knew it was used by our military. I remember seeing custom Hi Powers in old magazines as a kid and I think that kinda stuck with me. I've always liked the clean lines business like appearance of the Hi Power. Soon after I got my firearms license, I found a great deal on a Mk. III and I couldn't pass it up. Back in those days money was much tighter than it is now and the purchase price was a bit of a stretch for me, so I think it meant more to me overall.

[JonInWA]

Despite the list of "cons" that I enumerated on my earlier posting to this thread, I still consider a Hi Power, regardless of vintage to be an eminently viable defensive pistol (of course, I'm slightly prejudiced regarding my Mk III .40, but hey, that's me). Hi Powers are magnificently constructed of high-quality materials (especially the latter-day cast framed examples), and are very nicely fit and finished-even the "entry level" epoxy finished ones.

I view a Hi Power much as a vintage classic sports car-while it may not have anti-lock disc brakes, or the plethora of technology provided for safety and performance, it is still enjoyable and capable of being appreciated and esteemed for being just what it is (and still capable of excellent performance).


In that sense, appreciation of Hi Powers transcend purely objective analysis and critique. While that may be off-putting to many, those of us who have and enjoy them know what they're about.

Best, Jon

[Chuck Whitlock]

Testing...

15541

Well, hell. Once I figured how to get them from my iPhone to my PC, t'aint nothin'!

[Suvorov]

Testing...

15541

What is the consensus on the newer "mouse trap spring" magazines? Since all my legacy magazines will soon be illegal in the eyes of Jerry Brown, I am wondering if it is worth the extra $$$ to invest in the mouse trap 10 rounders?

BTW - Beautiful Pistol! But you knew that....

[Chuck Whitlock]

15544

15545

[Chuck Whitlock]

I love this page in the owner's manual:

15546

[Chuck Whitlock]

And I'm getting the rotation thing others have.
FWIW.....I took the pics directly from my computer without hosting them on another site.

[Chuck Whitlock]

What is the consensus on the newer "mouse trap spring" magazines? Since all my legacy magazines will soon be illegal in the eyes of Jerry Brown, I am wondering if it is worth the extra $$$ to invest in the mouse trap 10 rounders?

BTW - Beautiful Pistol! But you knew that....

They came out with the ten round .40 magazines. One of the gripes against the BHP was that the magazine safety prevented magazines from freely releasing. These literally eject them with authority! They are more expensive than the Meg Gar magazines, though. Personally, it's worth it to me, for my uses, but YMMV. You will certainly not get a mag hung up.

[Chuck Whitlock]

BTW - Beautiful Pistol! But you knew that....

Thank you. Really, the iPhone pic doesn't do it justice. Reminds me of the deep polished bluing on old Smith and Colt revolvers. It looks so good that I cringe a little when I think about sending it off for stippling and a refinish. But with the salt/humidity down here, that may be the way I have to go.

[JonInWA]

What is the consensus on the newer "mouse trap spring" magazines? Since all my legacy magazines will soon be illegal in the eyes of Jerry Brown, I am wondering if it is worth the extra $$$ to invest in the mouse trap 10 rounders?

BTW - Beautiful Pistol! But you knew that....

All but one of mine (for my .40) are the "mousetrapped;" OEM magazines with what appears to be NP3 finishing (or something very like it)-silver and very slick, with blued baseplates. They're excellent, as Chuck mentioned. I have one MecGar, which is glossy blue/black, without the mousetrap spring.

Apparently the "mousetrap" magazines were produced for FN/Browning by MecGar-but with 2 proprietary features limited to the FN/Browning production and aftermarket sales: The obvious, the mousetrap spring, and the not so obvious, a different follower, which is more stable than on MecGar's non-mousetrapped MecGar rollmarked magazines. The lack of follower stability can lead to some operational cycling issues; because of that, my MecGar is limited to range-only use, and often is only utilized to de-activate the magazine safety show in the "showing clear" process after a scenario is completed in IDPA.

I'd strongly recommend sticking with the OEM mousetrap magazines. I believe that later-production ones no longer have the NP3 finished tubes, and are more of a matte finish. They used to be available from FN USA's site store, but haven't been for some time, which is unfortunate, as their pricing was significantly less than that on the Browning site store (but it's been awhile since I've checked either site-might be worth checking both).

Best, Jon

[Chuck Whitlock]

All but one of mine (for my .40) are the "mousetrapped;" OEM magazines with what appears to be NP3 finishing (or something very like it)-silver and very slick, with blued baseplates. They're excellent, as Chuck mentioned. I have one MecGar, which is glossy blue/black, without the mousetrap spring.

Apparently the "mousetrap" magazines were produced for FN/Browning by MecGar-but with 2 proprietary features limited to the FN/Browning production and aftermarket sales: The obvious, the mousetrap spring, and the not so obvious, a different follower, which is more stable than on MecGar's non-mousetrapped MecGar rollmarked magazines. The lack of follower stability can lead to some operational cycling issues; because of that, my MecGar is limited to range-only use, and often is only utilized to de-activate the magazine safety show in the "showing clear" process after a scenario is completed in IDPA.

I'd strongly recommend sticking with the OEM mousetrap magazines. I believe that later-production ones no longer have the NP3 finished tubes, and are more of a matte finish. They used to be available from FN USA's site store, but haven't been for some time, which is unfortunate, as their pricing was significantly less than that on the Browning site store (but it's been awhile since I've checked either site-might be worth checking both).

Best, Jon

https://www.midwayusa.com/s?targetLocation=%2F_%2FN-11602%3FNo%3D0%26Np%3D2%26Nr%3DAND%2528p_visible%2 53A1%252Ccustomertypeid%253A1%2529%26Nrpp%3D96%26N s%3Dp_metric_sales_velocity%257C1%26Ntpc%3D1%26Ntp r%3D1&userItemsPerPage=48

The top row has MecGar and factory magazines with or without the rubber bumper.

The two that came with mine look to be parkerized. After getting a 3rd one, I very well may send them off for NP3 treatment.

[Chuck Whitlock]

Update:

VZ grips in black cherry

15610

15611

[Nephrology]

Update:

VZ grips in black cherry

15610

15611

Beautiful. I knew there was a reason I started this thread.

[jeep45238]

I miss my Browning.

[Jaywalker]

I had my first BHP grip stippled. I sold it when I learned I couldn't really keep those little holes rust-free. My current one sports grip tape when I shoot it; works like stippling but I can take it off and clean and protect under it.

[entropy]

Yea, one of those things that is so much better in theory than practice! The grip tape is a great solution and can be found is several grades of "grippiness". Plus, you can have hours of enjoyment trying to cleanly and evenly punch out the area around the serial number!

[JonInWA]

Update:

VZ grips in black cherry

15610

15611

Very nicely matched-aesthetically and functionally, Chuck. Thanks for sharing. The grips really both blend and highlight the polished bright blue/black steel.

Best, Jon

[Doc_Glock]

Single Action Saturday. Shot a 1969 Hi Power, and a newer CZ 75 with total Cajun package installed. This CZ is new to me.

Did some bullseye work figuring out zeros. On both I needed to aim near bottom of the B8.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170415/27d911be2c78e01d1c4bdde13ba2e31c.jpg

Sight picture drawn on target. BHP was hitting slightly right as well.

Did some ready to 3x5s and rapid fire at 15 yds untimed just getting a feel for it.

The BHP sights are hard to be fast with, I get occasional hammer bite, and the safety sucks. Otherwise I like the gun.

The CZ 75b was a pretty shooter and amazingly heavy compared to the BHP

I shot my best ever 25 yard 50 round drill with the CZ. Outstanding bullseye pistol. Up close, if the sights are anywhere on the target a 3x5 card at 5 yds is no problem as fast as that front sight settles. The weight really covers over flaws in fundamentals. I don't need to grip as hard or hit trigger as carefully. Not that that is an excuse, but it is an easier to shoot gun than the Plastic pistols, or the BHP. Of course it it loaded up with CGW go fast tuning as well so not really an apples to apples comparison.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170415/fe4dd3dd33b83e18997c121c7a97786f.jpg

[Chuck Whitlock]

Very nicely matched-aesthetically and functionally, Chuck. Thanks for sharing. The grips really both blend and highlight the polished bright blue/black steel.

Best, Jon

Thanks, Jon.
That's precisely what I was going for....great functionality with subdued good looks. These grips delivered in spades.

[entropy]

I thought I had commented on the grips but guess I was too overwhelmed by their awsomeness and neglected to do so. Ik such a sucker for anything cherry, mohagany or cordovan colored. Good balance on the texture?

[Chuck Whitlock]

Good balance on the texture?

Yes. Good purchase without being too aggressive or abrasive.

[BN]

I remember that C&S built up a HiPower to shoot high capacity major in USPSA before 1990 or so. That was before there were STI's etc and everybody was still shooting still shooting single stack 1911's. They said it wouldn't hold up to major ammo.

By chance, I ran across this C&S ad in the match booklet for the 1987 Ohio IPSC Sectional Championship. This was still in the era of almost everybody shooting single stack comp guns in IPSC. A major caliber high capacity gun was a big innovation and would have been a game changer back then.

74158

[MDFA]

Some Guns Just Have Soul... Despite any other Pro's and Con's...

74171

[Chuck Whitlock]

My companion as I drove a desk over the 4th of July holiday weekend.

74210

[Stephanie B]

The Israeli Mk.III, right out of the box:

74212

I had a C&S extended safety installed and, when I moved, bought a bunch of 10-round mags. The lanyard ring fell out in an outdoor club match and I didn't notice it was gone.

I shot it in an IDPA match a few years back. I had to have a discussion with the RO that yes, I have to insert an empty magazine in order to drop the hammer.

If ammo prices continue to fall, I'll stock up with some 9mm and shoot it more often.

[M2CattleCo]

If your finger is long enough you can stick your finger in the magwell to depress the mag safety to ‘slide forward, hammer down,

You will get looked at a perv though.

[entropy]

Accessory popsicle stick.

Paint it black if you want “the tactical look”.

[Suvorov]

The Israeli Mk.III, right out of the box:

74212

I had a C&S extended safety installed and, when I moved, bought a bunch of 10-round mags. The lanyard ring fell out in an outdoor club match and I didn't notice it was gone.

I shot it in an IDPA match a few years back. I had to have a discussion with the RO that yes, I have to insert an empty magazine in order to drop the hammer.

If ammo prices continue to fall, I'll stock up with some 9mm and shoot it more often.

Very nice! The stories this gun could tell…..

I had one just like this one that I loaned to my friend though an FFL (since we were living in different states at the time) like a good rule follower. Now he no longer wants it but I can not import it into California because of the BS laws in this state.

Oh well, that’s what I get for following rules, enjoy yours for me.

[TheNewbie]

Very nice! The stories this gun could tell…..

I had one just like this one that I loaned to my friend though an FFL (since we were living in different states at the time) like a good rule follower. Now he no longer wants it but I can not import it into California because of the BS laws in this state.

Oh well, that’s what I get for following rules, enjoy yours for me.


Rules that obviously protect the country from mayhem.


A Hi-Power MK III with one of the improved thumb safeties would be a neat carry option for me.

[Suvorov]

Rules that obviously protect the country from mayhem.


A Hi-Power MK III with one of the improved thumb safeties would be a neat carry option for me.

Yeah, us law abiding citizens are really a threat to society - just ask those technocrats who are running uncle joe. :rolleyes:

If I end up moving out to your neck of the woods I have a MK III (a commercial one - actually my the first firearm I ever bought) that you are welcome to take for a whirl. It would be happy to get some rounds down its pipe.

[Willard]

My companion as I drove a desk over the 4th of July holiday weekend.


Chuck, is the gun leather Kramer? Thanks.

[Stephanie B]

If your finger is long enough you can stick your finger in the magwell to depress the mag safety to ‘slide forward, hammer down,

You will get looked at a perv though.

I can barely reach it with my middle finger. It does feel pervy. I sometimes think about removing the magwell safety, but that would mean it becomes a range toy.

[M2CattleCo]

The mag safety is not an issue IMO.

The trigger pull is much better with parkerized magazines than with blued or nickel for some reason.

[OlongJohnson]

Parkerizing is basically a porous, fairly soft sponge grown on/into/out of the surface of the metal. Fill it with oil and it becomes an excellent grease-like substance that stays put. Would make it a heck of a good finish for steel firearms - someone should try that...

When I thought about getting a Hi Power, I also thought quite a bit about polishing the shoe of the disconnect mechanism, as well as polishing the mags where it rubs against them.

[TheNewbie]

Yeah, us law abiding citizens are really a threat to society - just ask those technocrats who are running uncle joe. :rolleyes:

If I end up moving out to your neck of the woods I have a MK III (a commercial one - actually my the first firearm I ever bought) that you are welcome to take for a whirl. It would be happy to get some rounds down its pipe.


And that is reason enough for you to move here. My pond has decent trees you can temporarily use for shelter, and thought nasty, water you can use for whatever.


How is the standard safety on a MKIII compared to other gun safeties on the market?

[Suvorov]

And that is reason enough for you to move here. My pond has decent trees you can temporarily use for shelter, and thought nasty, water you can use for whatever.


How is the standard safety on a MKIII compared to other gun safeties on the market?

Nothing my Katadyn can’t handle!

The safety lever on my MKIII in fairly soft compared to a crisp 1911, more like a CZ75 but more surface area so it feels easier to move. The same holds true for another 1980 produced gun I am familiar with. I don’t think there is much chance it could easily be accidentally brushed off but it might give some people some concern.

[M2CattleCo]

Parkerizing is basically a porous, fairly soft sponge grown on/into/out of the surface of the metal. Fill it with oil and it becomes an excellent grease-like substance that stays put. Would make it a heck of a good finish for steel firearms - someone should try that...

When I thought about getting a Hi Power, I also thought quite a bit about polishing the shoe of the disconnect mechanism, as well as polishing the mags where it rubs against them.


Polished mags make the trigger feel gritty. Parkerized makes it slick. For some reason.

[Chuck Whitlock]

Chuck, is the gun leather Kramer? Thanks.

The holster is Kramer. The magazine pouch is Privateer.

Cuff case is some general cop-brand paddle job...Gould & Goodrich, I think.

[theJanitor]

What do we know of Mk3 Firearms in Las Vegas? They seem to do alot of Hipower work, and Richard Heinie frequently mentions them in his IG posts

[Tokarev]

What do we know of Mk3 Firearms in Las Vegas? They seem to do alot of Hipower work, and Richard Heinie frequently mentions them in his IG postsSeem well regarded on various boards/forums.

Heinie mentions them is probably a good sign.

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