Considering the Hi-Power

[Oldgunfan]

I'm thinking about getting a FN Browning Hi-Power, but I don't know a lot about the gun--the appeal is primarily it's historicity. Anyone have any strong feelings they want to share about the gun?

 

[seldon14]

I'm thinking about getting a FN Browning Hi-Power, but I don't know a lot about the gun--the appeal is primarily it's historicity. Anyone have any strong feelings they want to share about the gun?

Most ergonomic handgun ever designed imo. Points and handles amazingly.

 

[Hkindiana]

Pre WWII FN pistols or Canadian Inglis pistols that are slotted for stocks are super accurate with the addition of their respective LEGAL (no ATF SBR paperwork required) stocks

 

[blue2golf]

Classic design, good enough for both sides in WWII. J.M. Browning was a genius.

 

[Tactically Fat]

They are incredible firearms. Highly comfortable - and made better by a ring hammer / spurless hammer and the deletion of the mag safety.

And if you cannot find an FN at a price you're willing to pay, the DGFM (sometimes just stated FM) versions are like 95% of an FN without the gussied up fit and finish of the FN. FN sold the Argentinians the P35 tooling, so the FM guns are true clones. An FM will probably have visible machine marks on the inside and a baked on / painted high-temp coating on the exterior. But they're still quite good firearms for the money. Again - if you can find one.

 

[Leadeye]

I carried a T series HP for years, only had to give it up because of small sights and worsening eyesight.

 

[EGParatrooper]

Feels great in my hand, puts holes where I point it. I highly recommend one.

 

[Tactically Fat]

I carried a T series HP for years, only had to give it up because of small sights and worsening eyesight.

Yeah, the standard milspec sights on the P35 are incredibly small.

There are definitely ways to address that, however, but it ain't gonna be all that inexpensive.

 

[Oldgunfan]

Thanks for all the feedback! You've convinced me it is worth pursuing!

 

[drillsgt]

Prices went crazy on the HP's after they discontinued them. Standard matte black used MKIII's are going for 900-1000 or more in some cases, too much money IMO for something just to have. There are usually quite a few decent older FN MKII's and some MKIII's for decent prices on gunbroker for an HP just to have (typically in the 500's-600's). Most of these imports though you want to look at carefully most will be pretty rough in regards to finish wear. I would probably avoid the ones that have already been cerakoted as that was probably done for a reason.

 

[Alamo]

Most ergonomic handgun ever designed imo. Points and handles amazingly.

This.

 

[ru44mag]

Most ergonomic handgun ever designed imo. Points and handles amazingly.

Agreed. As long as you don't have big fat hands. If you do, hammer bite is common. Not a problem for me.

 

[Indy574]

I’ve been eyeing them myself but prices have skyrocketed.

 

[rtfisher1]

Feels better in my hand than any gun I've ever picked up.... recently acquired this from my neighbor for a great price!

 

[Dewidmt]

Get yourself a newer one (post-1964). The earlier models are nice, I've had a few, but if the old internal extractor breaks good luck finding a replacement.
I own 6 HP's at the moment and have probably had 15-20 over the years. Just picked up a 1990 Mk III last week that someone had abused (rust and wire brushed down to bare steel) for $400. Still fires and functions perfectly!
The Argentine FM's are fine pistols also, I have one of them at the moment. The newer FM-90 and FM-95's were going for around 300-400 but I don't like the look of the ball cut up front. Other than that cosmetic issue, they are true Hi-Powers.
If you can find a decent mid-90's Mk III for around $800...buy it!

The Hi-Power just has a panache that so many modern guns are lacking. You can get Mec-Gar 15 round mags and still have the capacity of newer guns and the weight is only a tad more (32 oz). Slim enough for IWB if you want. Best of all, if you're carrying a HP, gun folks know you know your weapons!

 

[Ark]

They look cool but I find the trigger system in the Hi-Power to be terrible. The pulls are heavy and gritty and ridiculous, the mag safety locks the trigger if the magazine fit is at all loose, and worst of all the trigger system routes through the slide. An incredibly fragile-looking pawl operates a lever in the slide which trips the sear in the frame. The result is that when you stage the trigger, that pawl lifts the slide up against the slack in the frame rails. Very weird and unnecessary and further contributes to the terrible trigger.

Ergos are good...compared to contemporary guns from the 1930s. Hammer bite is a problem if you use a contemporary grip or don't buy one with an extended beaver tail. Safety engagement is mushy. Mags only drop free if you modify the gun.

In 1935 it was 40 years ahead of the curve. Today, it's held up worse than the 1911. Some of these shortcomings can be solved by spending a LOT of money, but it's not getting you the equivalent of a 1911 for the same money. Something like a Beretta 92 outclasses it in every way.

Hi-Power was definitely a "never meet your heroes" moment for me. Cool as a historical piece, I guess.

 

[crazygunner1]

I'm thinking about getting a FN Browning Hi-Power, but I don't know a lot about the gun--the appeal is primarily it's historicity. Anyone have any strong feelings they want to share about the gun?

Here is a short history for you mate "The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, semi-automatic handgun available in the 9mm and . 40 S&W calibers. It was based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale (FN) of Herstal, Belgium." Thank you

 

[seldon14]

They look cool but I find the trigger system in the Hi-Power to be terrible. The pulls are heavy and gritty and ridiculous, the mag safety locks the trigger if the magazine fit is at all loose, and worst of all the trigger system routes through the slide. An incredibly fragile-looking pawl operates a lever in the slide which trips the sear in the frame. The result is that when you stage the trigger, that pawl lifts the slide up against the slack in the frame rails. Very weird and unnecessary and further contributes to the terrible trigger.

Ergos are good...compared to contemporary guns from the 1930s. Hammer bite is a problem if you use a contemporary grip or don't buy one with an extended beaver tail. Safety engagement is mushy. Mags only drop free if you modify the gun.

In 1935 it was 40 years ahead of the curve. Today, it's held up worse than the 1911. Some of these shortcomings can be solved by spending a LOT of money, but it's not getting you the equivalent of a 1911 for the same money. Something like a Beretta 92 outclasses it in every way.

Hi-Power was definitely a "never meet your heroes" moment for me. Cool as a historical piece, I guess.

Removal of the mag safety, corrects all of the BHP issues imo.

 

[Ark]

Removal of the mag safety, corrects all of the BHP issues imo.

It takes the trigger from so bad it's practically unusable to...below average. It'll never be a 1911 trigger.

 

[drillsgt]

It takes the trigger from so bad it's practically unusable to...below average. It'll never be a 1911 trigger.

Nothing will ever be a 1911 trigger but with a minimal amount of work you can get an HP trigger to be much better than most polymers out there.