Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Anyone had a Charles Daly HP? Is it a good gun?

I've been looking at a clean but used Charles Daly HP. I had a Browning HP ten years ago. The CDHP seems a little nicer than the Browning I owned. Anyone have experience or knows of someone who owns one, please post that info.

thanks, idahoguy101

I had a CD 1911. It was okay and even cycled with hollowpoints after myself and another guy did a quick feed ramp re-profile and polish on it. I don't know about their High Power copies, but I'd characterize them as a low-end gun.

They are assembled from FEG parts. FEG make perfectly serviceable High Power clones, so how bad could they be?

My only Chas Daly is a 1911 Compac that I bought new about 20yrs ago. It has never missed a shell with any kind of ammo that I use in it, and is way more accurate than I am. It sleeps in my truck console. Good luck.

The Charles Daly 1911's were made by the same outfit that now makes Rock Island's, which are highly touted by many. If FEG makes the parts for the Hi Power clones, I'm sure they're pretty decent.

I had the FEG Hi-Power clone, PJK-9HP, same gun, basically. When I had some better sights installed, the smith commented that the steel was better than what Browning was using in their guns (pre-MkII HPs). Dean seemed to know his stuff about steel, so I took him at his word. It was a pretty good little gun, took all Browning aftermarket parts without any dramas, too. I didn't much like the "more 1911-like" slide stop, but it always worked like it was supposed to.

I shot that thing 2/3s the way to death. I even converted it to .41AE for awhile (that never worked the way it was supposed to, I couldn't get the magazine lips just right)and it beat the life out of the poor thing. I finally gave that up as a bad try, and put it back to 9mm, and it soldiered on for a good while.

All in all, I'd give it two thumbs up, but I'd look at changing the safety lever out with the newer Browning ambi-safeties, if it were me. I saw one in a local shop about a month ago, it was going for #400 or thereabouts, about half the price of the Brownings, currently.

I'm pretty sure the Daly 1911's are now manufactured by BUL (Israel).

The Daly HP's were made from FEG parts with final machining, assembly, and finishing done by Magnum Research here in the US.

C.D. 1911:
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I found some information on-line stating that the majority of the Charles Daly 1911-style pistols are made by Armscor in the Phillipines ... With one exception being the Charles Daly M-5 Goverment, POLYMER frame 1911 - Made by BUL Transmark Ltd, Tel Aviv, Isreal.

C.D. Hi Power:
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Also, an article published in early 2008, noted with regret that the Charles Daly Hi Power pistol was being discontinued.

This article included some information given from Charles Daly, through Michael Kassnar, of KBI:

"For Your readers. Charles Daly Hi Power's Serial Numbers begining with HP - were completed by Dan Wesson. Serial Numbers beginning with HPM were completed by Magnum Research."

"Just to correct the record, KBI, Manufacturer, Importer, and Distributor of Charles Daly Firearms, is an American Company (incorperated in 1989), located in in Harrisburg, PA."

"Our Hi Power was a result of a joint venture with FEG of Budapest, Hungary, which manufactured most of the components; and Magnum Research (Desert Eagle fame) doing the final machining, finishing, assembly, and test firing here in the U.S.

Comparison, Browning/Charles Daly (Edited):
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This same article ventured a comparison of the Browning Hi Power with the Charles Daly version:

Safety: The "reviewer" found Browning's ambi-safety's contour and surface area leaving something to be desired and difficult to manipulate, also noting that many Browning owners, changed this part with a C&S thumb safety. The Daly has a single thumb safety but is designed much like those tactical safetys for the 1911. With wide flat upper surface which the thumb just naturally engages.

Trigger: The Browning trigger was found (as always) to be very heavy ... The Daly trigger using the same set-up was found (for some reason) to be much, much better. Reviewer however, recommended changing triggers on "both" pistols with the C&S trigger which eleminates the Magazine safety - and improves the trigger pull.

Hammer: Browning uses a standard hammer which can "bite" pretty good. Daly uses the commander type which is easier on your hand.

Sights: Browning has the usual higher profile plain black sights. Not ideal but certainly usable. The Daly has the XS Sight System which has many advantages ... and options.

Cosmetics: The Browning with a blue finish is beautiful as always. The Daly is also blued but doesn't have that deep blue the Browning has.

Accuracy/Reliability: BOTH pistols are very accurate and reliable. The Daly H.P. was found to be a little more accurate however ... probably because of a somewhat better trigger.

Price: A Browning H.P. was found listed at $595 (good price) and a Charles Daly H.P. for $400 (could be found for less). But there IS a significant price difference between these two fine handguns.

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This informatrion was taken from a posting on Gunner's Journal, by Gunner ... and my "parroting" may not do this man's words or work justice.

From the Charles Daly webpage: "Charles Daly has moved the production of its steel framed 1911 pistols from the Philippines to Israel."

Charles Daly

What about their High Power frames?

Guys, thank you very much for the inputs on the Charles Daly HP. More comments will be appreciated.

Re Jog: "What about their Hi Power frames?
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The Charles Daly Hi Power "frames" as well as most H.P. parts and components were manufactured by FEG in Budapest, Hungary.

As the above quoted, September, 2008 article reported:
Charles Daly "discontinued" the manufacture of the C.D. Hi Power.

FEG Hi-Power frames, I don't know, but I suspect they're forged. FEG made some pretty funky looking Hi-Powers - ventilated ribs, ect. I've always stuck with FN or Browning so my knowledge of all the others is not so much.

The FEG Hi Powers as far as I can tell, are good to go. I've yet to see one that doesn't perform as well as a true FN product. The FEG is without a doubt, the best quality clone out there even though it's not a licensed clone (patents are well expired).


They're not as pretty as the real thing, but you get all the performance and compatability for much less cost.

I've never owned one myself, but I've shot several and worked on a couple and other than fit and finish, I can't seem to find a flaw in them.

Kevin,

Do you know if the FEG frames are forged? If memory serves, FEG HPs are Mk II type, correct?

is anybody else importing the FEG hi-powers now that CD stopped?

I honestly don't know.

It has been reported on the Hi-Power forum that FEG is no longer in business.

bummer. does that make FM and FN the only games in town now for a true hi-power? ( I don't count those arcus guns)

FM is pretty intermittent...they don't have a regular assembly line setup to make the guns. A friend of mine used to import them and he told me that they don't even make frames anymore. When they get a production run, they buy rough castings from FN and then make the gun.