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Long overdue.

[Linked Image]

I've been in and out of Browning Hi Powers going back to the late 1980s. My first was a Mk III, purchased down in Ft. Lauderdale.

I first discovered the Hi Power when I went shooting with a friend and his old college buddy, who brought along his old Belgian Browning Hi Power to shoot with us. I can't even recall what my friend and I brought to the range that day. I was too enamored with the Hi Power to pay much attention to that. I fell in love with that Hi Power. So classic and cool, and shot great. Within days, I went to the gun shop and bought one.

Not realizing you could still (in the late 1980s) buy one with the more classic features, I bought the one they had in stock, which was the Mk III, which had a dullish matte black finish, with black plastic grips and a more modern style safety, instead of polished blue steel with wood grips, and the old fashioned style safety like my friend's old buddy had at the range.

Years later, I got into some older Belgian Browning Hi Powers, but by the time I moved back to Florida around 2002, I had sold all of them. A few years before Browning discontinued it, however, I had decided I needed to remedy this missing spot in my collection, and bought a new one (just luck. I didn't know they were about to discontinue them). I only wanted one with the classic look, polished blued steel, and checkered wood grips, and that's what I got, or at least the closest to that they still offered (it had the modern safety and more modern style sights). But it satisfied my itch for a classic Hi Power. I shot it a bunch at first, but it's been in the safe pretty much the whole time since then till today.

[Linked Image]

I had forgotten how much I liked it, and how well it shot. There's something about it, despite not having the best trigger of its type, that allows for great precision. Something about the geometry, the way the backstrap fits the palm, the way the trigger seems to break straight back. Not sure what, but it's easy to put them where you want them.

Here's a pretty careful ten yard, off hand, group.

[Linked Image]

Without the flyer up top, that's a two inch group. The human silhouette target is half sized.

I put the target frame back to 15 yards, and took some faster off hand shots (I think that's two mags full).

[Linked Image]

I shot 150 rounds total (which went way too fast), and function was flawless, as expected.

I will definitely not allow so much time to pass before taking it to the range again.

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If you remove the wretched magazine safety, the trigger pull will improve, hugely. That's usually all a HP needs to make them good shooters. They aren't as crisp as a 1911, but they can be very, very good. I had a Mk II that was awfully good, 1.25" groups at 25 yards with a good handload. It wasn't a pretty one, like yours, but I didn't care. It was parkerized, had a skinny little rib on top, and the ambi safeties, and somewhat better sights than the previous versions. Nothing else, but nothing else needed, either. I had Spegel checkered walnut grips fitted to it, and put some anti-slip tape on the frontstrap, and it was good to go.

I could shoot it almost as well as my compensated .45 I was using for USPSA/IPSC matches. I did have to cut about a 1/4" off the hammer spur, to avoid hammer bite, but I have to do that to any HP.


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Originally Posted by ratsmacker
If you remove the wretched magazine safety, the trigger pull will improve, hugely. That's usually all a HP needs to make them good shooters. They aren't as crisp as a 1911, but they can be very, very good. I had a Mk II that was awfully good, 1.25" groups at 25 yards with a good handload. It wasn't a pretty one, like yours, but I didn't care. It was parkerized, had a skinny little rib on top, and the ambi safeties, and somewhat better sights than the previous versions. Nothing else, but nothing else needed, either. I had Spegel checkered walnut grips fitted to it, and put some anti-slip tape on the frontstrap, and it was good to go.

I could shoot it almost as well as my compensated .45 I was using for USPSA/IPSC matches. I did have to cut about a 1/4" off the hammer spur, to avoid hammer bite, but I have to do that to any HP.

Yeah, I had the mag safety removed from the Mk III I bought in the late 1980s. The gunsmith who worked at the shop where I bought it did that for me right there as I bought it. I need to have it done to this one, too.

PS 150 rounds, and zero hammer or slide bite.

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Nice shooting! I’ve often lusted for a HP Nazi made, WWII proof marks, etc.

Two years ago my wish came true when my Mother in law’s new husband ( lost my FIL to Lou Gehrig’s) had a WWII bring back with provenance. Twist in the story is it was given to him by a Wehrmacht soldier who emigrated to the US after the war. It was his personal carry gun during the war. The soldier was a best buddy of the new FIL for years and presented it to him shortly before he passed away. I have a written statement attesting to the history of that pistol stored with it. It has a tangent sight and for kicks, a buddy and I raised it to 100 meters and were able to shoot clay pigeons pretty dang regular on the 100 yard range!


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Nice Hi Power! smile


Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
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Originally Posted by rockinbbar
Nice Hi Power! smile

Thanks. They really hearken back to a different world, don't they?

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They are awesome weapons!! I’m jealous.

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Love the HiPowers, bought one new in the early 90 's I guess, bought the two tone. Most reliable auto I have ever had, and accurate too. Going to look for the blued model, passed on one last year for a great price, think the guy still has it.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

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The Hi Power is a fine weapon, I have a 1971 made in Belgian model. Will never sell it.


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Hi Power & 1911 are two of the greatest handguns ever designed.

Third is the Glock. grin

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Originally Posted by efw
Hi Power & 1911 are two of the greatest handguns ever designed.

Third is the Glock. grin

Can't argue.

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CZ-75 is an improvement on the Browning High Power. The CZ is considered by many to be the most reliable semi-auto pistol in the world. There is a reason why the majority of Military and LE personnel carry it as their duty sidearm, Worldwide!


Smith and Wessons are Thoroughbreds; Rugers are Clydesdales —John Taffin
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Originally Posted by Ruger4Life
CZ-75 is an improvement on the Browning High Power. The CZ is considered by many to be the most reliable semi-auto pistol in the world. There is a reason why the majority of Military and LE personnel carry it as their duty sidearm, Worldwide!

Thanks for that valuable contribution. crazy

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Nice gun and post Hawk...
A nice Hi power is on my short list but just seems something else always pops up


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My Dad is really into BHPs. My grandfather, who was a WWII and Korea vet, suggested he take a BHP with him to Vietnam. Dad said it was great advice, and suggested I get one too. However, I never shared his enthusiasm for the BHP. I saw it as an antiquated design and never gave it a second thought.

Fast forward 20 years and a nice girl I know was widowed and needed the money more than the guns. Her husband had a MkIII in his collection and I went ahead and bought it.

I’ll be damned if it hasn’t become my favorite 9mm! New grips, removal of the magazine disconnect, and a new hammer have made all the difference in the world. I just wish it was blued instead!

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

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Originally Posted by Gooch_McGrundle
My Dad is really into BHPs. My grandfather, who was a WWII and Korea vet, suggested he take a BHP with him to Vietnam. Dad said it was great advice, and suggested I get one too. However, I never shared his enthusiasm for the BHP. I saw it as an antiquated design and never gave it a second thought.

Fast forward 20 years and a nice girl I know was widowed and needed the money more than the guns. Her husband had a MkIII in his collection and I went ahead and bought it.

I’ll be damned if it hasn’t become my favorite 9mm! New grips, removal of the magazine disconnect, and a new hammer have made all the difference in the world. I just wish it was blued instead!

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]


That looks real nice. Other than the finish, the hammer (which you replaced) and the grips, I think it's identical to mine. Same sights and safety. Maybe mine is a Mk III too, but one with wood grips and polished blued steel.

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Beautiful Hi Power

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back in the 70's client had a hipower during a period of mostly revolvers.
i shot it offhand into a tire rim at about 50 yards and had a cosmicexperience. no he wouldn't sell it to me.
so ended up later with a belgian, a belgian made for the austrian police circa 1949,a israeli,a feg, a argentine and probably a couple or others i am forgetting.
often said john brownings best invention after learning out to make a pistol out of a 1911.


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I love my Hi Power mines beat to [bleep] compared to TRHs though. I’ve been thinking about sprucing it up

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back in the 70's client had a hipower during a period of mostly revolvers.
i shot it offhand into a tire rim at about 50 yards and had a cosmicexperience. no he wouldn't sell it to me.
so ended up later with a belgian, a belgian made for the austrian police circa 1949,a israeli,a feg, a argentine and probably a couple or others i am forgetting.
often said john brownings best invention after learning out to make a pistol out of a 1911.

although the hi power gave me the experience to appreciate a better pistol in a lot of ways the cz75

Last edited by RoninPhx; 10/18/21.

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