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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,972 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,972 Likes: 2 |
Never owned one but I often catch people having admiration for the pistol.
Is it that good ?
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,335
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,335 |
it is a fine pitol. Very old school....but then agian, I am old school, so it fits this old fart well.
Last of Browning's designs, but I do not think he actually completed it - someone will be along to give better history than I.
It does not fit peeps with small hands that well, but is easy to get around if you work on it. Likely the finest single-action 9mm full-size auto ever developed. There were many others made that did not fare half so well, so yes, it really is that good.
I once owned a nice one, and had the magazine disconnect removed and the trigger work, and had a super-fine pistol.
Psalm 19:14-May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. _ Humble servant of Jesus Christ. Living His plan and praying to show it in name, word, body, and light.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,437
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,437 |
While decidedly "old school," the BHP is a fine pistol that is an enduring classic. Mine is quite accurate and reliable. Even today, there are very few better choices in a defensive handgun.
μολὼν λαβέ
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,517
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,517 |
While decidedly "old school," the BHP is a fine pistol that is an enduring classic. Mine is quite accurate and reliable. Even today, there are very few better choices in a defensive handgun. +1 all I carried for many, many years The first "large capacity " 9mm. Still very hard to beat the fit and finish of a B. Hi Power
"wanna hear God laugh? Tell Him you have complete control now!"
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,522
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2007
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Never owned one but I often catch people having admiration for the pistol.
Is it that good ?
Yes. As others have stated it is "old school". A single action auto dating from 1935. Probably has the best "feel" to most people of any full size pistol. Great ergonomics would be a good description, but it is not an old school word. Conceals quite nicely for a full size pistol. Try one you'll like it. I stay away from +P ammo since these pistols were not designed for them. Ernie edited for spelling
Last edited by EWY; 08/10/11.
George Washington - �Labour to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire,�conscience.�
God save the Republic
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,333
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,333 |
I have a 1911 and had a Hi Power. I found the Hi Power had a far more accommodating grip design and was a more comfortable pistol to shoot. Their triggers are problematic. I traded my Hi Power off after it spent way too much time with a gunsmith who claimed he could improve the trigger pull, but proved otherwise. I ended up with a trigger that was worse than the "out of box" pull. It is a bit ironic the Hi Power is considered old school while the 1911 flourishes. To me it boils down to what caliber you like best - the 9mm or .45. Keep your eye open for a Hi Power with a good trigger pull and when you find one, buy it.
Last edited by S99VG; 08/10/11.
"The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle." John Stapp - "Stapp's Law" "Klaatu barada nikto"
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 10,600 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 10,600 Likes: 1 |
I just never felt the love when I traded into one, and I got rid of it.
"Don't believe everything you see on the Internet" - Abraham Lincoln
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,522
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,522 |
In my limited experience I have found that the triggers tend to improve noticeably after a few hundred rounds.
Ernie
George Washington - �Labour to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire,�conscience.�
God save the Republic
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,224 Likes: 9
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,224 Likes: 9 |
The trigger is the Achilles Heel of the Hi Power. I got a pretty good trigger on mine, but it wasn't easy. The trigger/sear linkage with levers, etc. makes it much harder, IMHO, to achieve a good trigger on a Hi Power as compared to the 1911 with it's more direct linkage.
Other than that, it's a great gun, reportedly, Fidel Castro's favorite handgun. I think I remember seeing one strapped to Saddam Hussein. So, it can't be too bad with high classed endorsements like that...!
DF
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 604
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 604 |
Its my primary day to day gun
But it is an "old farts" gun...no plastic that feels like a brick with a a ganbanga aura, just steel and wood and class.
Mine has been carefully tuned by our head gunwrench and it is a shooter. Boringly accurate.
WildandlotsoffirepowerAlaska ��2002-2011
Es ist nichts schrecklicher als eine t�tige Unwissenheit.
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,517
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,517 |
I have a 1911 and had a Hi Power. I found the Hi Power had a far more accommodating grip design and was a more comfortable pistol to shoot. Their triggers are problematic. I traded my Hi Power off after it spent way too much time with a gunsmith who claimed he could improve the trigger pull, but proved otherwise. I ended up with a trigger that was worse than the "out of box" pull. It is a bit ironic the Hi Power is considered old school while the 1911 flourishes. To me it boils down to what caliber you like best - the 9mm or .45. Keep your eye open for a Hi Power with a good trigger pull and when you find one, buy it.
I bought mine new in the 70's and hated the trigger. I wrote Browning and they had me ship it back. It came back in a couple weeks with the sweetest trigger this side of the S & W custom shop! Gratis!
"wanna hear God laugh? Tell Him you have complete control now!"
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 469
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 469 |
The BHP is a classic and still a standard in many military's. I love the BHP and its one of the few 9mm's I will carry. They are old school but then so am I. Clynder and Slide make some great trick parts for the BHP and they do some fantastic custom work on them too
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 67,804 Likes: 11
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 67,804 Likes: 11 |
I have never been disappointed with a BHP. Mine are accurate, dead nuts reliable, and a joy to shoot. They conceal well due to the thin frame, they come into play quick, and for me, point so naturally that a first round hit is routine.
Sam......
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 24,674 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 24,674 Likes: 1 |
Consistently the most reliable pistol I�ve ever used. Ergonomics are outstanding, making it one of the most inherently �shootable� pistols in the world. Triggers � well, out of the box they�re very �different� but not really bad. The worst BHP trigger is still better than a Glock trigger. The magazine safety is attached directly to the trigger. So you have to compress the magazine safety spring when you pull the trigger. So you have a somewhat long, sort of spongy first stage, and then your typical short & crisp second stage. Anyone familiar with the two stage triggers found on a Mauser �98 rifle will be right at home with the trigger on the Hi Power. Remove the magazine safety and it�s not hard at all to get a decent trigger on a Hi Power. Most of the later Hi Powers (since around 1990) use investment cast parts, so if you want a truly great trigger on a Hi Power, you need to swap out at least the hammer, and often times the sear as well.
In the �60�s the Egyptians made some SMG ammo that had extra hard primers. In response to that, several military organizations requested a heavier mainspring in the Hi Power, so ever since the mainspring has been increased to 32lbs; which doesn�t help the trigger at all.
To get a truly great trigger and keep the magazine safety, you have to:
Lighten the mag safety spring Install a C&S trigger bar, which changes the trigger bar hole location. This means you have to drill a hole in your slide. Once done, it gives more leverage to your trigger and really helps Change out the hammer for a C&S tool steel one Sometimes you may need a tool steel sear�not a bad idea to just do it Reduce the mainspring weight to about 24lbs All is good.
If you want to lose the mag safety:
Do the same as above, but you can skip the C&S trigger bar, and you don�t always have to reduce the mainspring weight.
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 604
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 604 |
heres mine, with C&S parts WildandengravingbyjimwhiteAlaska ��2002-2011
Es ist nichts schrecklicher als eine t�tige Unwissenheit.
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 469
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 469 |
Magazine safety is a hardware solution for a software problem....I hate mag safeties....I like to reload hot not dry and like the option of still having one in the chamber just so I can fire that round if need be before ramming the mag home
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 469
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 469 |
heres mine, with C&S parts WildandengravingbyjimwhiteAlaska ��2002-2011 Nice.....I am jelous....gun envy going on here
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 34,261
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 34,261 |
heres mine, with C&S parts WildandengravingbyjimwhiteAlaska ™�2002-2011 Nice.....I am jelous....gun envy going on here Me to! I want one just like that.
Don't vote knothead, it only encourages them. Anonymous
"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups." Anonymous
"Self-reliance, free thinking, and wealth is anathema to both the power of the State and the Church." Derby Dude
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,333
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,333 |
I guess I wouldn't be taking this discussion too far off track by asking if anybody has had much experience with the .40 Hi Power? I've never shot one and would like to know how they compare with the 9mm.
"The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle." John Stapp - "Stapp's Law" "Klaatu barada nikto"
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,696 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,696 Likes: 5 |
Friend of mine has a .40 Hi-Power. I guess it is a little bulkier than the 9mm and recoils a bit more, but it is still SWEET.
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad." ---------------------------------------------- "Jimmy, some of it's magic, Some of it's tragic, But I had a good life all the way." (Jimmy Buffett)
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