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.