I've had four or five Browning Hi Powers over the decades, from old classic Belgians up to a Mark III. Only one I have left is a pretty late edition of their blued, fixed sight, model, with the improved thumb safety, made just a few years before they dropped the model completely. My keeping it is more because I like the gun (cool factor, nostalgia, etc.) than because it's in my "carry rotation." No plans to sell it, though.
The owner of the gun store down the street, about six or seven years ago, offered to sell me a fancy, nickel, factory commemorative edition of the Browning Hi Power that she had had on display (in a wood commemorative display box) for many years, but was never able to sell. She wanted to get rid of it, and offered to sell it to me for the price of a standard model, even though they normally go for quite a bit more. It was real fancy, with a lot of two tone parts, gold inlay, and the like. I thought about it for a moment, but turned her down. It was gone a few months later, so I guess she got someone to buy it at the reduced price.
I have a Hi Power and a FEG clone. Overall I like the FEG a bit more. Better sights, better trigger, and the mags drop free. I removed the mag safety in both.
The Karma bus always has an empty seat when it comes around.- High Brass
There's battle lines being drawn Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
On my 1st tour in Iraq I had a nice Belgian BHP that I took off a Haji Imam at a roadblock. It had a painted-on finish, plastic stocks, ring hammer and an OK trigger. I put a hundred or so rounds of USGI ball thru it, cleaned it and carried it daily on combat patrols. When I had to go inside the Governor's Palace in An Najaf it went under my DCU shirt with several loaded mags stuffed in my pockets (weapons weren't allowed inside, but most officers and NCOs carried concealed pistols anyway). I really grew attached to it...easy to carry and conceal, reliable and not a bad shooter. Much better than an M9. I later traded it for a GI Rem Rand .45 from a State Dept dude who wanted the BHP. The Browning is really popular in the Mideast; it has a large following in Iraq. Bob
On my 1st tour in Iraq I had a nice Belgian BHP that I took off a Haji Imam at a roadblock. It had a painted-on finish, plastic stocks, ring hammer and an OK trigger. I put a hundred or so rounds of USGI ball thru it, cleaned it and carried it daily on combat patrols. When I had to go inside the Governor's Palace in An Najaf it went under my DCU shirt with several loaded mags stuffed in my pockets (weapons weren't allowed inside, but most officers and NCOs carried concealed pistols anyway). I really grew attached to it...easy to carry and conceal, reliable and not a bad shooter. Much better than an M9. I later traded it for a GI Rem Rand .45 from a State Dept dude who wanted the BHP. The Browning is really popular in the Mideast; it has a large following in Iraq. Bob
On my 1st tour in Iraq I had a nice Belgian BHP that I took off a Haji Imam at a roadblock. It had a painted-on finish, plastic stocks, ring hammer and an OK trigger. I put a hundred or so rounds of USGI ball thru it, cleaned it and carried it daily on combat patrols. When I had to go inside the Governor's Palace in An Najaf it went under my DCU shirt with several loaded mags stuffed in my pockets (weapons weren't allowed inside, but most officers and NCOs carried concealed pistols anyway). I really grew attached to it...easy to carry and conceal, reliable and not a bad shooter. Much better than an M9. I later traded it for a GI Rem Rand .45 from a State Dept dude who wanted the BHP. The Browning is really popular in the Mideast; it has a large following in Iraq. Bob
Saddam famously carried one.
Roger that; he was captured with a Glock, though. Bob
Anybody mention Serpico? Made me want one. Local hardware store had one in 1971 for $126.00 plus tax. Sold it about 15 years later and bought a Glock. Very nicely made and finished, just couldnt get comfortable with Condition One carry.
Anybody mention Serpico? Made me want one. Local hardware store had one in 1971 for $126.00 plus tax. Sold it about 15 years later and bought a Glock. Very nicely made and finished, just couldnt get comfortable with Condition One carry.
Oh yeah. How could I forget Serpico? In the movie, the guy who issued it to him (yes, they depicted him as being issued the Hi Power, not just buying one at a gun store) made fun of him for wanting something with that much capacity.
You couldn't get comfortable with Condition One carry but you carry a Block???????????
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. Winston Churchill.
You couldn't get comfortable with Condition One carry but you carry a Block???????????
The traditional set up on the Hi Power is to have a thumb safety that has no detent plunger (like on the 1911), so there's really nothing holding the safety in either the on or off position, other than a little friction. I wouldn't trust it either. On a 1911, there's a definite click into position for the thumb safety, which is reassuring.
The Cylinder and Slide ambi and extended thumb safeties come with a detent added. No modifications are needed to the gun. And you get a paddle that’s big enough to actually hook with your thumb to take it off safe.