Karl Sokol Browning Hi-Power. A silk purse from a sow's ear

[Tokarev]

As many of you have seen, I have a thread going about a Browning Hi Power that was worked over by Karl Sokol of Chestnut Mountain Sports. Based on my experience with Karl and that first gun, I decided to send him another.

The original thread is found here: https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?39002-Karl-Sokol-Custom-Browning-Hi-Power

The handgun that's the topic of this thread was a "gunsmith special" purchased via GunBroker from Mach 1 Arsenal. It had quite a bit of finish wear and other cosmetic stuff like a crunched/rolled front sight. It also had some sort of crude job of de-horning done to the slide. The flat edges of the slide were roughly beveled by what I believe was a ball peen hammer. The right paddle of the thumb safety lever had been broken off at some point leaving a “fork" at the end of the safety lever shaft. The worst of the abuse was a bent trigger guard. It was bent up slightly in the middle and actually rubbed against the trigger.

Despite the external damage the pistol has a clean shiny bore. Frame to slide fit is decent but the gun was just plain ugly. Mach 1 had appropriately named this a gunsmith special. To me it made perfect sense to send the gun to Karl for a bit of magic.

Before I sent the gun off to Karl I sent the frame to Pullman Arms in Pullman, MA. Pullman Arms straightened out the trigger guard. After this, I put everything back together and then sent the pistol off to Karl along with an EGW hard sear and a set of Navidrex grips.

I asked Karl for his $750 package which is pretty inclusive. To this I requested a Heinie rear paired with a gold bead front. I asked Karl to round off and clean up the broken safety shaft and to dimple the end of the slide stop axle. I also requested a blued finish rather than the painted finish that’s part of the $750 package.

Overall, a spectacular transformation. The gun has truly gone from a sow’s ear to a silk purse!

Here are a few photos of the pistol as sent to Karl:



https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210112/0ac7b73da26511b857f7e3bb4bb3dd3a.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210112/e7c4a966d3e86eadabf4e74e02fd31b0.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210112/20926d5a2fab310698aa26f479221ecc.jpg

[Tokarev]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210112/fda7cdf2fbc4320e7e30ba478ccca697.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210112/a114034462afa81b280f465ddcc649fb.jpg

[Tokarev]

Both Sokol guns together. The second pistol is on top:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210112/306c208fe713d5b3c7ec53b1bb4cf075.jpg

[Tokarev]

With Privateer Leather and Mec-Gar 15 round mags:

https://www.1911addicts.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,onerror=redirect,width=1920,height=192 0,fit=scale-down/https://www.1911addicts.com/attachments/psx_20210109_004203-jpg.685188/

[Oldherkpilot]

I know what you're up to and my checkbook does not think its funny! Instead of the Oscar Mayer Wiener song stuck in my head, I have a Karl Sokol makeover bouncing around!

[Duelist]

The only custom HP I’ve ever had my grubby paws OB was the one you brought to Gabe White. Very nice pistols.

[Tokarev]

I know what you're up to and my checkbook does not think its funny! Instead of the Oscar Mayer Wiener song stuck in my head, I have a Karl Sokol makeover bouncing around!

I'm kind of thinking about Sokol Hi Power Number Three. A T Series made in 1960s with some "retromod" stuff. Maybe a S&W adjustable rear and an old school ring hammer with the bottom of the ring shaved and cut to help prevent hammer bite. Stippling to the front and back strap areas but with small military safety. Maybe polished blued flats.

[Tokarev]

The only custom HP I’ve ever had my grubby paws OB was the one you brought to Gabe White. Very nice pistols.

Thanks!

[Inkwell 41]

Very nice, Tokarev. Very, very nice.

[Tokarev]

Before and after. The front end of the slide was one of the areas I was concerned about. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210114/9cd9726040c1db1c4ebfc4e5aa4c31a6.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210114/86da3bdc4a65632fcf4ffca6ddd9c509.jpg

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[jeep45238]

You're making me miss my HiPowers - and work has a mousetrap mag just calling my name.

I hate you. Sort of.

[Tokarev]

You're making me miss my HiPowers - and work has a mousetrap mag just calling my name.

I hate you. Sort of.If you can provide me so info on that mousetrap mag I'd like to have it. PM with info if you don't mind.

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[MattyD380]

Beautiful guns. Congrats. I’d like to do a little work to my MKIII. But not necessarily a full makeover. Sights, basic trigger work. Maybe a hammer that’s not shaped like a medieval weapon.

[Tokarev]

Beautiful guns. Congrats. I’d like to do a little work to my MKIII. But not necessarily a full makeover. Sights, basic trigger work. Maybe a hammer that’s not shaped like a medieval weapon.I'm sure Karl would be happy to do that stuff.

Here's a link to this website. Scroll down for Hi Power stuff.

https://chestnutmountainsports.net/cmsprices.htm

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[Oldherkpilot]

I'm sure Karl would be happy to do that stuff.

Here's a link to this website. Scroll down for Hi Power stuff.

https://chestnutmountainsports.net/cmsprices.htm

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Thanks for the link, or maybe not.😀

[JonInWA]

Very nice results-thanks for sharing. How does it shoot?

Best, Jon

[Tokarev]

How does it shoot?


That's an excellent question and one I hope to answer soon. In the meantime, I'll provide a picture of the sights...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210114/a1c713ed55cb494c8a646501e64ed3a1.jpg

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[Tokarev]

Thirty-one rounds fired. Two mags and the one chambered round.

Nothing noteworthy to report. The gun fires, extracts, ejects, feeds and chambers as it should.

More testing is needed to include benched testing at 25 yards but that's going to be aways off at this point.

Saturday pics:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210116/77539c575f4250748ccf651a31251a48.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210116/eb7cdc68719b1204bcfe02e1fa9cec6e.jpg

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[Tokarev]

Additional views of the hammer. I wasn't sure how well it would "fit" with the pistol but it has grown on me.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210116/512e1d20102f13cf322c5e6c29604482.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210116/3e121d7e2f3d0be893583693318ae41c.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210116/05951d2a0e54c2f43434a4505d446b23.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210116/807400a8aa12f3362ae45aedeb85ef6a.jpg

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[03RN]

Nice, looks like our guns were worked over at the same time by Karl.:cool:

[MDFA]

I don't need a Hi Power.... I don't need a Hi Power.... I don't NEED a Hi Power..... But on the other hand, I've never had one....

Very NICE Pistols.

[Shorikid]

I don't need a Hi Power.... I don't need a Hi Power.... I don't NEED a Hi Power..... But on the other hand, I've never had one....

Very NICE Pistols.Get out of my head! This is where I am. That and I've realized that I love metal pistols and polymer doesn't do it for me.

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[Tokarev]

I don't need a Hi Power.... I don't need a Hi Power.... I don't NEED a Hi Power..... But on the other hand, I've never had one....

Very NICE Pistols.

The Hi-Power is a nice gun but probably not worth the effort in the current market. Clean guns are getting fairly hard to find and they are expensive when they do turn up. Plus there are any number of 9mm 1911s at various price points that arguably are a better pistol. Or at least a pistol with more support.

I guess the ideal "Hi Power replacement" is probably an STI/Staccato or maybe the Wilson Combat EDC X9L. Too bad both of these are so expensive.

[jc000]

I'm about to send one off to Karl. What do you think of the bluing versus his mountaintuff finish?

[Tokarev]

I'm about to send one off to Karl. What do you think of the bluing versus his mountaintuff finish?

I haven't seen Karl's Mountain Tuff but I haven't generally been pleased with painted finishes. Most seem to rub off very quickly.

You doing the $750 package?

[Tokarev]

I haven't seen Karl's Mountain Tuff but I haven't generally been pleased with painted finishes. Most seem to rub off very quickly.

You doing the $750 package?One caveat on the above. I had a DSA FAL some years ago that was finished in AZ Response Systems' MetaCol III. That seemed to be very durable. Much more so than KG Gun Kote or Cerakote. I don't know if it was Mark's curing process or what that made it different.

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[MDFA]

The Hi-Power is a nice gun but probably not worth the effort in the current market. Clean guns are getting fairly hard to find and they are expensive when they do turn up. Plus there are any number of 9mm 1911s at various price points that arguably are a better pistol. Or at least a pistol with more support.

I guess the ideal "Hi Power replacement" is probably an STI/Staccato or maybe the Wilson Combat EDC X9L. Too bad both of these are so expensive.

My Hi Power Replacements.... which I already have. Thanks for your wisdom on the Hi Power.

6645666457

[jc000]

You doing the $750 package?

Not quite… :cool: have a couple cool details to add to it.

Your threads definitely put me on track to Mr. Sokol so… thank you for that! I'll detail the project when it gets done.

[JonInWA]

The Hi-Power is a nice gun but probably not worth the effort in the current market. Clean guns are getting fairly hard to find and they are expensive when they do turn up. Plus there are any number of 9mm 1911s at various price points that arguably are a better pistol. Or at least a pistol with more support.

I guess the ideal "Hi Power replacement" is probably an STI/Staccato or maybe the Wilson Combat EDC X9L. Too bad both of these are so expensive.

I'll freely admit that High Powers are a bit of a niche, and how relevant the niche is depends upon how badly bitten you are by the High Power bug.

I will say that a High Power can be nicely updated and made significantly improved for EDC by the ministrations of BH Spring Solutions, Karl Sokol, Heirloom Precision, and others skilled on working the platform.

The most inexpensive way to get your foot in the door currently seems to be by going the surplus Israeli, Tisas, FM or FEG routes (or by getting lucky with a local find or the auction sites).

Best, Jon

[fpnunes]

I moved away from my Hi-Powers many years ago but every time I see one wearing cocobolo or rosewood grips I tear up just a little bit. I miss my Novak Hi-Power something terrible.

[Chuck Whitlock]

The Hi-Power is a nice gun but probably not worth the effort in the current market. Clean guns are getting fairly hard to find and they are expensive when they do turn up. Plus there are any number of 9mm 1911s at various price points that arguably are a better pistol. Or at least a pistol with more support.

I guess the ideal "Hi Power replacement" is probably an STI/Staccato or maybe the Wilson Combat EDC X9L. Too bad both of these are so expensive.

I'm hopeful that the DWX Compact will be a worthy successor, at about 1/2 the price of the EDC X9.

https://danwessonfirearms.com/product/dwx-compact/

[MDFA]

The Hi-Power is a nice gun but probably not worth the effort in the current market. Clean guns are getting fairly hard to find and they are expensive when they do turn up. Plus there are any number of 9mm 1911s at various price points that arguably are a better pistol. Or at least a pistol with more support.

I guess the ideal "Hi Power replacement" is probably an STI/Staccato or maybe the Wilson Combat EDC X9L. Too bad both of these are so expensive.

I really do appreciate your imput and have studied your various posts regarding the Hi Power. But I'm in the process of trying to get a MK III. I'm a 1911 guy so this is the next logical or illogical step in the journey. I hope you don't mind me picking your brain from time to time on the subject.
Thanks

[Tokarev]

I hope you don't mind me picking your brain from time to time on the subject.
Thanks

Nope. I don't mind at all.

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