Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Hi Powers and clones

I have been shooting some Browning Hi Powers and clones lately and decided I should own one.

I really like the Browning version but I was shooting a FEG clone that had a better trigger and shot just as well for me.

Are the $400 clones really just as good as the $1000 Browning? Or will I be money ahead to just buy the Browning?

Dink

With the glut of Israeli surplus FN Hi-Powers on the market, I would have a hard time paying money for an FEG.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/


Okie John

I seen some of these on line but they looked like they had been run over by a tank.

Anyone know where some nicer ones are for sale?

Dink

Thanks.

I have been reading there for a few days.

Dink

Given your failures with the 1911, Hi-Powers are out of your league.

I bought mine from Mach 1 Arsenal on Gunbroker...I looked at every single one they had, as well as the ones Copes and AIM had, and chose this one. It arrived in very good shape, typical Hi Power Epoxy finish, etc...

I would post pics, but its at the Smith's getting refurbed.

Without pictures it never happened.

Lol....if you shot more than three fifty round boxes of ammo a year you might have a different opinion too.

Get back to me when you start buying bullets, primers and casings 10,000 or more at a time.

Dink

Thank you.

Dink

Soon, I hope...Its getting Cerakoted, and a set of Heinies cut into it.

The Browning HP (P-35) has been around for 80+ years. Up until the Glock revolution of the mid-1980's, it warranted serious consideration as a fighting pistol. It is elegant in appearance, fits most hands well, has a high capacity and is readily concealable.

The P-35 also has a lousy trigger, a ridiculous magazine safety, an indistinct and difficult to use thumb safety as well as (in early models), erratic reliability with HP ammunition. The Belgian made pistols were not suitable for extended use with NATO spec, +P or +P+ ammunition. In short, it is a classic pistol whose ship has sailed. This does not mean that it is not fun to take to the range, providing you are willing to live within it's limitations.

The CZ-75 possesses many of the qualities of the P-35 and is basically "ready to go" right out of the box.

The trigger is easily fixed, and disabling the mag safety (also easy) is often part of the fix. The safety is easily upgraded to work as well as a 1911 safety (C&S part swap). The problem with HP ammo was only with the early version with the humped barrel ramp (again, easily fixed). NATO spec? Who cares?



Preach it, brother! Might help bring the prices down so I can get another.

Free me:

If the pistol is intended for self defense, disabling the magazine safety and doing a trigger job along with replacing parts of the trigger mechanism may enable an aggressive prosecutor to turn a self defense shooting into a manslaughter case. Massad Ayoob was a defense expert in just such a case several years ago. The prosecutor's theory was that removal of a safety device (magazine disconnector in a P-35) was proof that the shooter acted in a reckless and negligent manner. I kid you not. Ask Mas if you want verification of this. That's why he advocates "box stock" pistols for self defense.

Do what you want and carry what you will. Just be aware of the potential consequences.

This thing again.....

I have read all of Ayoob's comments that I am aware of on this. Bottom line is, if it's a good shoot, the worst is added cost to the defense. What I gather from his writings is that all of those things are defendable in court and rarely come up. What he stresses more is the use of factory ammo, to aid in accurate forensic evaluation. The rest is just a matter of debunking specious claims.

Of course, if I lived in a leftist community (fat chance) I'd be more concerned about it.

Can't happen if you own the shooting. In other words, so long as you don't say it was an accident, no factor connected to a possible unintentional firing of the gun is admissible in court. If you say you only intended to hold the gun on the person, and it "went off," however, then any mods will be relevant and admissible against you. Otherwise, not.

This is connected to the legal requirement that admitted evidence be relevant, i.e., either having a tendency to inculpate or exculpate if true. If you never claimed it was an accidental shooting, then evidence of the tendency of the gun to be fired accidentally cannot be admitted since it has no bearing on an issue at controversy.

Hawkeye & Free Me"

OK. You win. I give up.

The working definition of admissible evidence is whatever the judge decides to let in.

My suggestion is to never get into a situation where you have to test the validity of your theory.

I own several Charles Daly HP pistols. I've bought them each for $400. If the original owner hasn't already have a gunsmith remove the magazine disconnect safety and do a light trigger job. Then you'll have a good pistol at a very reasonable cost

Subject to appeal if the judge decides to disregard evidentiary law.

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