Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns +P+ in the Browning Hi-Power?

GG - what is your carry load? 124...? Not a fan of the say 147 HST?

If I got asked as often as he does, I'd say the same thing...it's way easier than going through the whole long story...and I personally don't think +P brings enough to the table to lose any sleep over...it will NEVER be the deciding factor.

I think right now I have Hornady TAP, but honestly I just don't sweat this load vs. that load. If you stick with the major players, they have it well figured out these days, and the difference between say Hornady TAP vs. Fed Hydra-Shok is negligible, and not a detail worth sweating at all. What is worth sweating is, how the round functions, and whether it shoots to point of aim.

I do have some Hornady 147's in one of my 9mm's and I think another 9mm I have has some Black Hills 147's...IIRC the Black Hills load uses the Hornady XTP, so pretty much the same thing.

That's some good info, GunGeek

My HP is not a Mark III. It comes with a 26# Hammer spring. The Mark III's come from the factory with the 32# spring. If it is anything like the 1911, it would help a little on lengthening the unlock time. Plus, with a Wolf recoil 18 1/2# kit you get a heavier firing pin spring. That is a plus. My older magazines probably could use a spring replacement. +5% should not hurt in my opinion. Like you said. Probably would help if I ever use a full mag of 147's. I have fooled around a lot with the 1911's over the years. I have found that it is very important to keep the gun " in balance" with spring choices. As with any auto.

GG-
I appreciate the attention and info you have posted here.

PS: You mentioned feed reliability. With everything considered, I am inclined to just go with the Federal HST 124gr. standard. The bullet profile has been tested extensively for reliability. They work very well in the older .380's and 9mm's that will not digest some of the other modern hollow points. Not that the Hi-Power is that finical. The HST passes all the FBI tests. They are on the shelf everywhere around here.

You said it. I would tend to stick with the stock weight springs, including the lighter recoil spring, and change up as necessary to obtain the ejection pattern I want. The last spring I would change to get there would be the recoil spring. As you know, heavy springs batter the pistol returning to battery and usually knock the sights low. It's generally been shown that heavier recoil springs don't slow down significantly anyhow - they mostly speed up the return.

in the 80's a gunsmith in Colorado, Don Fisher, started converting hi powers to major power factor, and used one himself to dominate IPSC competition by simply cutting reloading times. Barstow made barrels for both the Hi power and the SW series of 59-69 series of guns with faster rate twists so that 160 cast bullets could be stabilized and a power factor 175 could make the guns major. The SW didn't work out as the debris/rail cuts didn't give enough meat to handle the pressure but the Hi powers were pretty effective. All the guns were throated with reamers to allow for max. magazine length. which is basically the only separating difference between 38 super 9x23 and 9mm, or more "brass on the bullet".

CZ and Tangfolios were close to follow and the nature of the game fell to the gamers. Hi powers fell out of demand simply because they use a lever system from the trigger to the hammer as the 1911 types don't. The ones that did see use had round counts in the 100,000s of thousands at major pressures. These guys worry more about wearing out Dillons than the guns they use. These early guns gave rise to the current use of STI and SVIs which dominate the major 9 category.

I have a major 9 in 1911 in early Colt 70, Barsto with no ramp from that era with well over 100,000 rounds through it and while the compensator was literally shot off continues to impress.

As mentioned beware of using too heavy of recoil springs as they give the gun a "pogo stick" recoil perception. Surface area of the locking lugs, hammer spring grip have more effect. Also as mentioned the additional advantages are dubious.
I would do it just to experiment--- but as also mentioned above a couple of 1000 rds of practice ammo run through the gun would be a better path.

If you have any questions on major 9mm and Hi powers and loads check out Brianenos.com

If your interested in higher velocities check out some new loads by Civil Defense, solid copper, 66 gr. at 2000 fps

Faster twist? I've gone slower in a Hi-Power, from 1:10 to 1:16, to optimize for cast bullets in more conventional weights - 125 grain mostly. Do you recall the twist for 160's?

slower twist rates are usually used to reduce leading. a 1-10 would stabilize 160s easily. shooting 125 under a 1000fps is no gun fun.

If i was going the Hi power path I would get a Nighthawk Custom and specify the +P aspect. you might contact them also for the current state of the art on that gun

if you didn't know.most of Nighthawk crew are old Wilson Staff. Wilson used to convert Hi powers in the early 2000

Went on the Nighthawk website. They commented that the H-Power was the best 9mm double stack platform out there.

$3200.00 ?

If I recall, I spent around $400.00 new for mine. Which was a lot back then. It is a true Belgium. Never went to Portugal to be fitted and assembled. That is why I want to take care of it.

Now that I am revisiting using it, I might have to get some fancy grips for it. I am sure I or my son will be going to some fancy barbecues this summer .

FWIW, retired LEO and I own and carry a custom Hi Power, last of the MK III forged ones. Had it made in 1989. Shoot regular 115 grain ball for practice, and carry Winchester's T load 127 grain +P+ when out an about. Shoot the +P+ when requalification comes around. Use the wolf 18 pound spring kit r both hammer and recoil. 17 years of this, and no damage to the gun. Use mecgar mags.

Lee-

I heard that Browning during the .40 S&W years beefed up the frame and started using cast instead of forged. They said it was stronger.

I am glad my is forged though.

It is stronger cast, as painful as it is to admit it. Just look at any Ruger revolver. That said I sure like the looks of the Nighthawk Hi power. I'd purchase the Nighthawk HP before the Wilson XDC if I were to purchase a high end full metal 9mm.

I like Wilsons. Have a few.

Hell, we all should just get a Cabot Guns 1911 and be done with it.

Yea Right!

No, that is wrong, especially in soft tissue. You're correct about the reduced penetration (sometimes) from more expansion, but the rest is completely false. You seem to have bought in to the myth that handgun bullets only damage what they actually touch, but that's bunk and easily proven wrong if you go shoot some animals with them. By your "logic" for example, a 90gr .380 and a 90gr +P+ 9mm should do the same damage, but that's absurd.

yes they are pretty, to pretty to shoot, but personally Id go STI carry comp for a high cap 9 at that price, or maybe both worlds, 9 in SVI. pretty sure a Browning wouldn't take the rounds as well as one of these.

Carry STI VIP (very impressive pistol) winter and a Kimber Aegis in summer.

Bullet performance. Hmmm think id take a cop shooting at me with his best FBI loads , than a Latham or top gamer using his round nose cast lead bullets. more likely to only get shot once.

But the point is really to shoot first.

This has been posted before. Still a good reference.

http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#9mm