What should I know about Browning Hi Power 9mm?

[CindyE]

I kinda think I want one. I know some are manufactured in Belgium, some in Portugal, etc. Do I want one? What should I know? It would be a range gun. I have small hands. I have not shot one. I've held a couple of them, they feel good in my hand. The one i'm looking at right now is in good/very good condition. The slide is a little hard, but manageable. Unsure of the year, seller thinks 90s or early 2000. I have read that the trigger is kinda gritty and the gun is not so pleasant to shoot, that the backstrap "bites", so that kinda concerns me. Priced at $700 with 2 magazines, pachmyr grips and original grips. I do not "need" another gun, I am always looking for a quality firearm to add to the collection and have fun shooting, at the right price. I have also looked at CZs, but the HP feels better to me. Why do I torture myself by looking at these tempting firearms?!
Thanks!

 

[M67]

Triggers are HPs can be fixed, first, take the damn magazine disconnect out. Polishing the slide of the trigger lever helps too.

If you get super involved in one, you can get a sear from C&S, but it'll need a new sear pin hole since the leverage point is different.

As for bite, if you have small hands, you're not going to notice it, you probably don't have enough webbing to get pinched.

If you do, you can always have the hammer bobbed. Hi Powers being designed for cocked and locked carry, it doesn't matter if the spur is on it. I've seen a couple and done right, a smooth rear HP looks slick.

I got my HP down to about 4 pounds and crisp. But I prefer the spur hammer over the rouled, so I ended up putting a different hammer and sear (both factory) and the trigger got down to 3.5 pounds.

They're great guns. But IMO HP adjustable sights suck since they're only black across, they really needed to have 3 dots.

A production HP from Browning with a beavertail would rock too. Be a better option as a factory standard than a gunsmith add on

 

[blue2golf]

Don't know much about 'em. I do know that both the Krauts and the Allies issued them to their troops during the Big One. Can't go wrong with that.

 

[8th SPS USAF]

I have owned several. Bought my first stock one in 1970 ,from Merrillville Sports ,before Shema's, Bought new for $115. I owned the target model ,with the long bbl, adjustable sights, bbl wt. Many things you can add to improve it as you shoot it more. Can't miss with a "Real" HP

 

[Birds Away]

BHPs are very fine guns. I had a "real" BHP and a couple clones and, once the trigger is improved, I really enjoyed them. I was never bitten but I don't have large hands. If I were you and uncertain if you will like it you might buy a clone for half the price and then decide later whether you want to invest in the real thing.

 

[45fan]

They are awesome. As far as your concerns, the trigger can be addresses by removing the mag disconnect. That alone makes it as good or better than just about any other trigger I have felt on a handgun.

As far as the Hi-Power being a biter, I have been accused of having oven mitts for hands, and mine has only bit me once through a few thousand rounds. Honestly, that was all my fault too, as I had my grip up way too high to begin with.

At that price, in great shape, its not a terrible deal, and you will most likely love it, especially after removing the magazine disconnect. Nothing wrong with bringing a new friend home to keep your other pistols company.

 

[Leadeye]

Great pistols, any issues I've ever had were magazine related so I stick with the best ones I can get. Have three old ones from the 60s. Carried one for years but quit as the old style sight became hard to see as my vision worsened with age.

 

[red_zr24x4]

I love Hi-Powers. They are sleek, shoot great..
But they bite, you will bleed

 

[VERT]

I love Hi Powers! Have a soft spot for them since it was the gun I was carrying the only time I may have needed a gun. I have shot them in local IPSC matches and carried a couple different models. They have always been accurate and reliable after thousands of rounds. They did bite me pretty badly, I referred to them as love bites. The one I had in .40S&W about chewed my darn hand off, I mean bloody hamburger after shooting the silly thing. The gun is really best left in the 9mm format. Trigger modification is as easy as removing the magazine disconnect. The 18-20 pound recoil spring requires a bit of muscle to overcome.

As much as I would to replace my old Brownings, there is just no rook in my small collection. That spot is now filled with 9mm 1911s

 

[jbombelli]

I've been carrying HiPowers for a long time and I've never been bitten, even with the spur hammer. But in case you do, you can get a no-bite hammer from C&S. HiPowers primarily bite people with bigger, meatier hands who use a high grip. If you have smaller hands you're likely to have no problems.

As far as assembled in Portugal goes, don't worry about it. They're legit HiPowers and good to go. All of mine have been marked that way. The parts are made by FN, in Belgium, and sent to Portugal for assembly.

If you can find out the serial number, Browning's website has a page where you can look it up to figure out what year it was made.

They are very nice shooting pistols.

 

[zoglog]

I own several and live near Eagle Creek Pistol Range. If you are ever in this area I would be glad to let you fire them!

 

[Fullmag]

HP's are probably the most produced pistol ever made, John Browning's improved version of the 1911. HP is for High Power, 10 rounds back then was high capacity. I say try it you are very probably going to like it and if you don't I guarantee you won't have any trouble getting rid of it because they are desirable and don't go up for sale often.

My son has one, not made in Belgium, a FN, but in Argentinian FM, there is a one made in Hungary, FNG, I'm thinking and maybe a couple other places. They are all made to Browning standards as far as fit and quality except finish. The outside vendors are more purpose built guns so the finish is not as nice. A buddy bought one that was refurbished, He sold it because it did bite him but he has big, fat hands with a high grip. I shoot my son's and love it, I have big hands too. Thinking there are drop-in no-bite hammers out there. If you do what your supposed to do it will be very accurate.

 

[CindyE]

I own several and live near Eagle Creek Pistol Range. If you are ever in this area I would be glad to let you fire them!

I don't get around there often, but if I do, would love to shoot one! Thanks!

 

[CindyE]

So far I'm still undecided. It is a "want", not a need. If I decide I want it and it's still there, then I guess it's meant to be. If not, another will come along. If money was no object, it would already be here!

 

[poppy]

As you are finding out, the line between "want" and "need" quickly becomes blurred.

 

[Fullmag]

As you are finding out, the line between "want" and "need" quickly becomes blurred.

Amen to that brother. Tread carefully walking that line. Since I don't hunt much anymore every gun I own is a "want" and also my right.

 

[CindyE]

I have an incredible skill that consists of being able to justify almost any purchase!

 

[Scouse]

I have an incredible skill that consists of being able to justify almost any purchase!

Cindy, the magazines are not good, the original Mil Spec was 13 capacity, civilian 12. Also the original safety catch, impossible to use! Most operators carried them chamber empty, racked the slide to use.

EL Al had them as their Ground Security Officers, used black tip hard ball ammo, made in Israel. Back in 2002? Changed to Glock 9mm pistols. Glock pistol magazines, best in the world.

I know you are not looking at a Glock, but a Glock 19 would serve you in good stead.

You would need extensive modifications to make your pistol perfect. That pistol was born, same year I was 1935.

$700.00? Mine was bought for twenty pounds! Long story.

 

[Hkindiana]

One REALLY neat thing about Hi-powers is that if you buy a WWII Canadan Inglis, or even better, a pre-WWII Belgian Hi-power, you can legally attach a stock WITHOUT it being an SBR (BATFE has exempted them from SBR rules). AND, with a stock attached, you would not believe how accurate they are.

 

[VERT]

Cindy, the magazines are not good, the original Mil Spec was 13 capacity, civilian 12. Also the original safety catch, impossible to use! Most operators carried them chamber empty, racked the slide to use.

EL Al had them as their Ground Security Officers, used black tip hard ball ammo, made in Israel. Back in 2002? Changed to Glock 9mm pistols. Glock pistol magazines, best in the world.

I know you are not looking at a Glock, but a Glock 19 would serve you in good stead.

You would need extensive modifications to make your pistol perfect. That pistol was born, same year I was 1935.

$700.00? Mine was bought for twenty pounds! Long story.

I have owned three different HiPowers over the years and all of them fed hollow points just fine. I carried them cocked and locked with 13+ 1. They were utterly reliable! One of them had a couple thousand rounds run through it and failed only once when I got too much CLP in the trigger that froze up in subzero weather. That gun was traded to another INGOer and is probably on his hip right now. The newer Mk3 guns were designed to feed hollowpoints and have firing pin safety. SOP in some countries armed services is empty chamber and early mags were often loaded to 12. This isn't 1935 and HiPowers built in the last 25 years do not meet the description you just gave.