Browning Hi Power Question

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  • wcd

    Grandmaster
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    0   0   0
    Dec 2, 2011
    6,274
    113
    Off the Grid In Tennessee
    Wondering? I have an what I believe to be a early model year that has a Belgium roll mark on it, and at some point it appears someone tried to give it a stainless look on the frame. Since it has already been altered would it hurt the value if I were to have it treated to return it to a consistent black treatment? There is a local guy that has given me a quote of $400.00 to do it and in addition he would go through the gun as well.

    Initially I purchased it for no other reason than wanting one to add to my safe. Both my son and I enjoy it at the range.

    Thanks
     

    halfmileharry

    Grandmaster
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    65   0   0
    Dec 2, 2010
    11,450
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    South of Indy
    IF it's early enough it should be blued.
    How about some pics if you can. Heck, it might just be a worn finish. Those early guns lasted for decades in all the elements.
    Some were made in WW2 with lesser finishes, only the latter are black as far as I know.
    I have my dad's BHP from '35 and it's still a beautiful gun in a deep lustrous blue.
    I've seen a few that have no finish left on them. They're kind of silvery I guess you could say.
     

    wcd

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 2, 2011
    6,274
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    Off the Grid In Tennessee
    IF it's early enough it should be blued.
    How about some pics if you can. Heck, it might just be a worn finish. Those early guns lasted for decades in all the elements.
    Some were made in WW2 with lesser finishes, only the latter are black as far as I know.
    I have my dad's BHP from '35 and it's still a beautiful gun in a deep lustrous blue.
    I've seen a few that have no finish left on them. They're kind of silvery I guess you could say.
    I added an image if that might help

    Thanks
     

    snapping turtle

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 5, 2009
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    Madison county
    Date code the serial number.

    Not in on the high power dates and numbers but I have a feeling it is not as old as you were thinking. The ring hammer was used until 1972 and that is a straight hammer. Then again there were models made pre 1972 with a straight hammer and after 1972 with a ring hammer. So nothing is written in stone.
     

    maceace

    Plinker
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    27   0   0
    May 31, 2014
    139
    28
    NWI
    For the price, I would keep it like it is and shoot the hell out of it... Spending that much money on refinishing it is not going to increase its value by the money you spend IMO. Like the posters said above, google the date ranges on the serial number and that will tell you alot more about the age, and if the finish is original or not.
    Here is a link to browning's list of serial numbers, but there are other websites that you can look it up on...
    Hi Power Pistol
     

    wcd

    Grandmaster
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    0   0   0
    Dec 2, 2011
    6,274
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    Off the Grid In Tennessee
    Looks like from what I can tell its possibly a 1981 manufacture its a PZ looks like it could have possibly come from the factory with the two tone. Which would explain the mystery. Although not as old as I had thought its still a nice shooter.
     

    Max Volume

    Master
    Site Supporter
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    2   0   0
    Jul 26, 2008
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    da region Highland
    They came like that somewhere in the early 90's. I forget the name of the finish but the other type looked like this. I bought one new somewhere around then and had it worked over by Novak's. Trigger job, sights and Spegal grips and cut the hammer a bit. Those things have a tendency to bite hard. Heck, if you have cash and want something real nice have one of the real good smiths deck it out and weld a beavertail to it. Some of those look incredible. Yours appears to already have Spegal grips on it. Your sights have also been replaced.

    350px-SilverchromeHP.JPG
     
    Last edited:

    jbombelli

    ITG Certified
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    10   0   0
    May 17, 2008
    13,010
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    Brownsburg, IN
    Just remembered.....it was called the Hard Chrome finish.

    The silver chrome model is all hard chromed, with black safety levers and a gold trigger. That looks more like a Practical model, that had a hard chromed frame and black slide. But I can't tell from the picture if it's actually hard chromed or the finish was sanded off. If it was sanded off I'd be surprised if it wasn't rusted, though. The pic is too small, but it doesn't quite look like hard chroming in that pic.

    Also, that rear sight looks like a Novak that wasn't installed correctly. The slide should have been milled out a little bit, as seen below. But again, it's hard to say for sure with that pic.

    0Yx59Uf.jpg
     
    Last edited:

    throttletony

    Master
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    12   0   0
    Jul 11, 2011
    3,630
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    nearby
    So, if you're keeping it (as opposed to selling it)...
    do what you want!
    I think blued is much more attractive on an older gun, but that's me. If it's a shooter and not just a safe queen, it would make sense to have it either blued or coated. Its value is already a bit diminished, so make it what you want, not what might be worth the most to some buyer later.
    For $400(ish), you could probably get it blued, right?
    I would think a coating (dura- or cera-) would be closer to the $200 mark, plus any gunsmithing might put it at $400.

    If it's not rusting or giving problems, keep shooting
     

    walt o

    Expert
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    5   0   0
    Feb 10, 2008
    1,098
    63
    Hammond
    You have heard that the Browning HP will no longer produced by F.N.or Browning after the 1st of the year.Keep them as is
     

    T.Lex

    Grandmaster
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    15   0   0
    Mar 30, 2011
    25,859
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    That's a gun on my wish list. Looks like I should've picked one up last summer. There'll be a premium now.
     

    M67

    Grandmaster
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    23   0   0
    Jan 15, 2011
    6,181
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    Southernish Indiana
    That's a gun on my wish list. Looks like I should've picked one up last summer. There'll be a premium now.

    Already started on gunbroker, I was curious, the desirable models are going for more and just brand new ones in the box are going higher than normal. Probably just initial shock rush

    I have 2, a Practical and a FN P35 with Waffenamts on, plan on getting a basic model in 40 and would like to luck into a Silver Chrome one of these days, always liked the looks on those
     

    BigRed

    Banned More Than You
    Site Supporter
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    7   0   0
    Dec 29, 2017
    18,926
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    1,000 yards out
    I'm glad the four sitting in my safe..... are sitting in my safe. :)

    They are great pistols. One still serves as a carry fairly regularly.
     
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