Another Turkish Hi Power Clone on the Market

[Tokarev]

NCAGE codes of HP clones are shown below:
T0620 = Tisas (LKCI, LLC - Regent BR9 - not currently imported)
T6368 = Girsan (EAA Corp - MC P35)
TK245 = Celik Arms (no importer identified - FP14)
TK817 = Ozerbas (SDS Imports - Inglis - L9A1)
TL111 = Alpharms (TR Imports - Alpha 14 -AND- Century Arms - Centurion 14)

Just to sort these, here's what partly differentiates these from each other:

SA-35. Wood grips, matte finish, extended safety, Tisas sight cuts. Sort of like a lightly customized gun from about 1982.

EAA P-35. A good variety of different features depends on the model. Available with beavertail and railed frame. Flat trigger, adjustable rear sight. Also, a compact model is not seen as a factory offering since the FM Detective

Inglis. It's more of a MKIII copy but with a rowel hammer. It's supposed to be FN BHP sight dovetails. Available in several finishes

Alpha / Century appears to be a copy of a standard military gun from the 1960s with the exception of the sights. They appear very close in shape and style to the sights used on the LKCI Imports.

Prices vary. The Century guns are on the low end at $400 or less. The SA-35 and some of the fancier EAA guns are at the top at about $700.

Nighthawk will reportedly work on the SA35s. I don't know about these others. And then I'd assume Novak will work on these also.

Anyway, it would seem there might be a market for higher end guns in here somewhere? Maybe the FEGs, if they can do nice wood grips, clean polished lines and nice blued finish, might fit into this bracket? Would people want a gun with classic 1960s or 1970s looks for $800 and would the FEG label be recognized as worth that kind of money?



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[billt460]

From what I've read about the new FN Hi-Powers, they won't accept standard Hi-Power magazines, and are type specific and hard to find.... And expensive. when you do. The takedown procedure is also different. It doesn't have the familiar, "takedown notch" on the slide. Which was / is one of the features so many people liked about it

If I were in the market for a new Hi-Power I wouldn't bother with the FN model. The Springfield SA-35 is very appealing for the price... Which is about half of what FN wants for their model.

[Chuck Whitlock]

My only issue with the SA-35 is that it does not incorporate the MKIII firing pin safety. I believe that the EAA and Inglis copies do.

Although I don't sweat this feature on my 1911's, it's one that I'd rather have than not.....and on the Hi-Power, it doesn't add parts, just a re-design of one part and some extra slide milling.

[awp_101]

The only gun my wife has any real interest in shooting is my MKIII Hi Power. That's not to say the BHP is a gun for women or whatever... but... the design has a universal appeal that's just very easy for anyone to appreciate.

Absolutely. I’ve spent a little time the past few range sessions getting reacquainted with Dad’s MKIII. I’ve always held it up as the best feeling handgun in my hands but it had been so long since handling a BHP that I’d forgotten just how true that is.

I’m having a serious internal conflict whether my next purchase should be a 9mm Commander, SA-35 or L9A1. The first world struggle is real my friends. 🤨

FWIW I added the information from post 4 to the budget BHP thread.

[Tokarev]

My only issue with the SA-35 is that it does not incorporate the MKIII firing pin safety. I believe that the EAA and Inglis copies do.

Although I don't sweat this feature on my 1911's, it's one that I'd rather have than not.....and on the Hi-Power, it doesn't add parts, just a re-design of one part and some extra slide milling.

Yes. I believe that's correct. I know the Inglis has the MKIII firing pin block and am about 95% certain the EAA does as well.

I wonder about the Century / TR / Alpha. Does it use the firing pin block?

I don't know if there's a serial number range for this stuff but from my observations it seems the FN guns had essentially three versions of firing pin. Or, more correctly, firing pin spring. The original was a fairly standard spring and no inertia block. Then sometime during the MKII pattern FN dramatically increased the firing pin weight in an effort to improve drop safety. Then with the MKIII the transfer bar was modified to include a physical lock for the firing pin. Interestingly FN kept using the super strong firing pin spring even with the firing pin lock.

Accompanying the heavier firing pin spring was a stronger hammer spring. Probably a necessity when using subgun ammo, etc.

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[Timbonez]

Late-80s Mk II BHPs also incorporate the change to the sear lever making it also perform firing pin block duties just like the Mk IIIs do.

[Tokarev]

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[oss117]

Just to sort these, here's what partly differentiates these from each other:

SA-35. Wood grips, matte finish, extended safety, Tisas sight cuts. Sort of like a lightly customized gun from about 1982.

EAA P-35. A good variety of different features depends on the model. Available with beavertail and railed frame. Flat trigger, adjustable rear sight. Also, a compact model is not seen as a factory offering since the FM Detective

Inglis. It's more of a MKIII copy but with a rowel hammer. It's supposed to be FN BHP sight dovetails. Available in several finishes

Alpha / Century appears to be a copy of a standard military gun from the 1960s with the exception of the sights. They appear very close in shape and style to the sights used on the LKCI Imports.

Prices vary. The Century guns are on the low end at $400 or less. The SA-35 and some of the fancier EAA guns are at the top at about $700.

Nighthawk will reportedly work on the SA35s. I don't know about these others. And then I'd assume Novak will work on these also.

Anyway, it would seem there might be a market for higher end guns in here somewhere? Maybe the FEGs, if they can do nice wood grips, clean polished lines and nice blued finish, might fit into this bracket? Would people want a gun with classic 1960s or 1970s looks for $800 and would the FEG label be recognized as worth that kind of money?



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That's a nice summary. Do you know which are equipped with a firing pin block safety?
Thanks

[Tokarev]

My only issue with the SA-35 is that it does not incorporate the MKIII firing pin safety. I believe that the EAA and Inglis copies do.

Although I don't sweat this feature on my 1911's, it's one that I'd rather have than not.....and on the Hi-Power, it doesn't add parts, just a re-design of one part and some extra slide milling.

In one of Throwing Copper CRA's videos we can see that the Girsan does have the active firing pin block. So the FEG and the SA don't have a block. The Inglis and Girsan do.

[Chuck Whitlock]

My only issue with the SA-35 is that it does not incorporate the MKIII firing pin safety. I believe that the EAA and Inglis copies do.

Although I don't sweat this feature on my 1911's, it's one that I'd rather have than not.....and on the Hi-Power, it doesn't add parts, just a re-design of one part and some extra slide milling.

In one of Throwing Copper CRA's videos we can see that the Girsan does have the active firing pin block. So the FEG and the SA don't have a block. The Inglis and Girsan do.

I don't know if there's a serial number range for this stuff but from my observations it seems the FN guns had essentially three versions of firing pin. Or, more correctly, firing pin spring. The original was a fairly standard spring and no inertia block. Then sometime during the MKII pattern FN dramatically increased the firing pin weight in an effort to improve drop safety. Then with the MKIII the transfer bar was modified to include a physical lock for the firing pin. Interestingly FN kept using the super strong firing pin spring even with the firing pin lock.

Given the bolded part of the above quote, and having recently watched this video:



I'm wondering if the firing pin safety is that big of a deal or not. Given the choice, I'd rather have it than not, but at about 11:50 in the video, Bill mentions that the firing pin spring is very powerful, and will hurt you if you try to stop it with your thumb.

I recall a Hi-Power be one of many guns used in a drop test (I think in the Stacatto thread) which passed. IIRC, it was dropped with the safety off, and the hammer fell to half-cock. I don't know if this example had the firing pin safety or not.

Even so, one could infer from Bill's comments in the video that the spring is likely strong enough to prevent inertial firing.

ETA:
Found a video of a drop test with an FM Hi-Power: