View Full Version : Thinking about Buying a Browning Hi Power, what to look for advice ?
Thinking about Buying a Browning Hi Power, what to look for i.e. Belgium, ….thats where my knowledge base takes me. I scanned Gun broker, I saw a couple for around $1,000 that looked very nice. My Budget would be around $1K for such a toy. I would consider a police trade in if it was very cheap and well taken care of and go from there too.
Anyway, aficionados hit me with some knowledge.
PB
What are you looking to do with it? Customize it with some more modern upgrades (sights, finishes, safeties, etc) or just have a nice old Belgium gun to enjoy shooting occasionally (collectible/investment)?
That's the big question to answer first. If it's the latter, to me, a hi-power should be blued with walnut grips. The T-series (circa 1969 and prior) are considered to be some of the nicest examples made with beautiful finishes and just nice old pistols. I would imagine you could pick up a nice one for that $1k or less range.
If it's to be customized you can spend much less for most any vintage pistol and start making a list of what you'd like to do. Stay away from adjustable sight models (unless you want adjustable sights I suppose), as that limits very much your choices to add Novak, Heinie, or any number of aftermarket sights.
Originally the frames were forgings but switched to cast frames in the 80's (iirc). The cast frames are considered stronger in case you would want to build something that would take a steady diet of +p ammo.
there's many grip options out there, but to me (preference only) Craig Spegel is the name in grips. Great feel and a super nice guy to deal with as well.
Here's a website that's a wealth of knowledge:
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com
Here's my stock 1969. I've done nothing to it except add some grips from Spegel.
http://i45.tinypic.com/2iuz0r5.jpg
Here's a more modern cast frame I did for my dad. All I did was de-horned everything, cut off the ambi safety, cut in a set of novak night sights, Spegel grips, and blasted the entire gun and re-blued it. I like the way it turned out.
http://i53.tinypic.com/6h6jno.jpg
Note: both pictures show them with stock grips not the Spegels.
Mec-gar makes (or made) the mags for browning so just buy the 13's from them. They also make 15's that have proven reliable to me anyways, but the 13's are the original capacity.
Good luck with your search.
Edit: Not an expert, just had a few hi-powers.
^^^^ Pappa, this is great advice, all you need to know really.
brushy bill
07-27-17, 15:41
The magazine disconnect is frequently disabled by owners. Sometimes they replace the pin in the trigger following the alteration, sometimes not. If it is missing, it is a good sign the disconnect was disabled. I'd look for one that hadn't been molested unless you can determine provenance as other "smiff" work may have been attempted. Not that I'm a fan of the disconnect, just a clue someone has been inside the gun.
I love Hi Powers, probably carried one more than most as it was my issue pistol for most of my career. I have 2 full house custom pistols. One with a forged frame and one with a cast frame.
One has a Bar Sto barrel and everything was hand fitted, it is slightly more accurate than the one with a re crowned stock barrel.
I love Hi Powers, I will never sell mine.
Having said that My CZ P09 is just as accurate, lighter to carry, has more rounds.
I am done buying Hi Powers, CZ from now on.
I was looking for a good long time and found a 2015 model used in great shape for $625 locally. I'm bummed they aren't going to make them any longer. I really wanted a high polish standard model, the one I bought has the polymer finish.
Having said that My CZ P09 is just as accurate, lighter to carry, has more rounds.
I am done buying Hi Powers, CZ from now on.
I have one MKIII Browning Hi Power. Love it, but I have five CZ pistols.
I was looking for a good long time and found a 2015 model used in great shape for $625 locally. I'm bummed they aren't going to make them any longer. I really wanted a high polish standard model, the one I bought has the polymer finish.
Whoa, whered you hear that there not making them anymore? That aint good...
Whoa, whered you hear that there not making them anymore? That aint good...
I read on the different forums the news that it is in (I think) the last American rifleman.
What are you looking to do with it? Customize it with some more modern upgrades (sights, finishes, safeties, etc) or just have a nice old Belgium gun to enjoy shooting occasionally (collectible/investment)?
That's the big question to answer first. If it's the latter, to me, a hi-power should be blued with walnut grips. The T-series (circa 1969 and prior) are considered to be some of the nicest examples made with beautiful finishes and just nice old pistols. I would imagine you could pick up a nice one for that $1k or less range.
If it's to be customized you can spend much less for most any vintage pistol and start making a list of what you'd like to do. Stay away from adjustable sight models (unless you want adjustable sights I suppose), as that limits very much your choices to add Novak, Heinie, or any number of aftermarket sights.
Originally the frames were forgings but switched to cast frames in the 80's (iirc). The cast frames are considered stronger in case you would want to build something that would take a steady diet of +p ammo.
there's many grip options out there, but to me (preference only) Craig Spegel is the name in grips. Great feel and a super nice guy to deal with as well.
Here's a website that's a wealth of knowledge:
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com
Here's my stock 1969. I've done nothing to it except add some grips from Spegel.
http://i45.tinypic.com/2iuz0r5.jpg
Here's a more modern cast frame I did for my dad. All I did was de-horned everything, cut off the ambi safety, cut in a set of novak night sights, Spegel grips, and blasted the entire gun and re-blued it. I like the way it turned out.
http://i53.tinypic.com/6h6jno.jpg
Note: both pictures show them with stock grips not the Spegels.
Mec-gar makes (or made) the mags for browning so just buy the 13's from them. They also make 15's that have proven reliable to me anyways, but the 13's are the original capacity.
Good luck with your search.
Edit: Not an expert, just had a few hi-powers.
I probably want to do do what you did, buy I nice blue gun and put killer grips on it. I have a set of Craig's grips on a SW 44 mag that are just amazing. He is truly gifted at his niche.
I have little interets in CZ pistols, just am intrigued with the legacy of the Hi Power and feel everybody should have one that owns too many guns. And I love the real Blueing of yesteryear. I literally just want Schmidttys gun!! Very sweet. The one I saw on GB looked very similar. Give me a couple months and Ill probably chase on down.
PB
FN's are every bit as good as the Brownings because they are Brownings, or technically all the Brownings are FN's. They just probably don't command the collectibility or resale the Browning marked ones do.
My local dealer occasionally gets nice examples in and regularly lists them online if people like me don't grab them first. He had one very similar to my '69 model that was in very good condition. Some honest bluing wear but no rust or pitting and had the original pouch and magazine with it and iirc it was $699 or so. It was perfect to just enjoy as a shooter you didn't have to handle with white gloves or would have been great as a base gun to customize.
PM me if you want their contact info as I don't think I'm supposed to advertise stuff here. But they are very legit and I've been doing business with them for 21 years (man time flies). I can ask him if he has anything available or in the pipeline heading his way.
They actually carry beautifully in a Milt Sparks Executives companion or VM2. Nice and thin.
4673746736
My two HP's. An unfired T-series and a mid-50's thumbprint. I think the HP is the best looking semi-auto handgun ever made.
I love Hi Powers, probably carried one more than most as it was my issue pistol for most of my career. I have 2 full house custom pistols. One with a forged frame and one with a cast frame.
One has a Bar Sto barrel and everything was hand fitted, it is slightly more accurate than the one with a re crowned stock barrel.
I love Hi Powers, I will never sell mine.
Having said that My CZ P09 is just as accurate, lighter to carry, has more rounds.
I am done buying Hi Powers, CZ from now on.
Yeah, I had a BHP recently but my SAO converted CZ 75 is a better pistol. I've always liked them but I found the lack of a beavertail, the mag disconnect, recoil disproportionate of the pistol's size and the weird trigger linkage a turn off enough to not keep mine.
They are good looking, reliable and I still like them.
4673746736
My two HP's. An unfired T-series and a mid-50's thumbprint. I think the HP is the best looking semi-auto handgun ever made.
Nice looking guns. Well done
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com
Good source of information.
I like the better sights, safety, and sour hammer of the MkIII versions best unless you want to customize it.
This may be the source of claims they will no longer be made.
http://www.browning.com/products/firearms/pistols/hi-power-pistols.html
This may be the source of claims they will no longer be made.
http://www.browning.com/products/firearms/pistols/hi-power-pistols.html
Millennials love their Tupperware guns.
556BlackRifle
08-02-17, 00:44
PB, The late Stephen A Camp was a great source of information on everything BHP. You'll find lots of good info on the website below.
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/index.html
Just noticed JasonB1 beat me to it. :)
kaltesherz
08-02-17, 08:03
For $1k you could pick up an Israeli Mk III and then send it to Don Williams for some custom work (trigger, sights, safety).
I think most of the Israel MkIII types are just that...no firing pin safety as is the case in the Browning imported guns that are MkIIIS types. The dust cover/trigger guard area has a slightly different profile on the Israeli contract guns too. May be full of sand if like mine also. :p
Millennials love their Tupperware guns.
Been awhile since I have been on the HP forums that is an offshoot of Camp's site, but even they are wondering how long it will last due to the price on the cast frame (among other cost cutting measures) BHP being in Colt 1911 price range.
Thanks for the good info guys. I have not studied the websites yet. But what are the best or most desirable sights? That is one thing I see all over the board.
PB
kaltesherz
08-02-17, 10:51
Thanks for the good info guys. I have not studied the websites yet. But what are the best or most desirable sights? That is one thing I see all over the board.
PB
I had Don put on Novaks, pretty sure he uses the 1911 and not the BHP variant and they're extremely easy to pick up (slightly larger). Too bad I can't post pictures from Photobucket anymore...
I have been happy with the MkIII stock sights after blacking the rear dots out. Easy to pick up.
Novak and Heinie work and look great of course.
For $1k you could pick up an Israeli Mk III and then send it to Don Williams for some custom work (trigger, sights, safety).
That would make an awesome fighting pistol.
kaltesherz
08-02-17, 21:30
That would make an awesome fighting pistol.
It is. It's been my carry gun for awhile now replacing my Glock 19. Carries well and much more accurate than even my Glock 34.
It is. It's been my carry gun for awhile now replacing my Glock 19. Carries well and much more accurate than even my Glock 34.
That's one sweet looking HP.
kaltesherz
08-02-17, 21:36
46807
This should show the Novaks a little better. They're just 3 dots (no tritium), but very easy to pick up
Pic isn't loading.
kaltesherz
08-02-17, 21:52
46805
It should work now.
Here's a pic of the extended safety Don did
https://goo.gl/photos/Zwc3vQJ81nyW7aSR7
This is her now after a lot of carrying and a few thousand rounds. Park job is holding up well.
https://goo.gl/photos/BbTgFZHGYSC83F13A
Love the park'd look on those Israeli HPs.
I think HPs are the best looking handguns ever.
kaltesherz
08-02-17, 22:11
I upgraded to a Cylinder & Slide Commander Hammer and Sear in addition to the Novaks, and he did an amazing trigger job and modded the safety so it's much easier to use. Uncle Mike's rubber grips are perfect for shooting and carrying IWB but they haven't been made in years so you have to keep an eye out for a set. They show up regularly on Ebay and Gunbroker. Later on my extractor went tits up so I upgraded to a C&S and it's back to running like a top. I'd also recommend replacing all springs and roll pins when buying a used HP, especially an Izzy.
46804
46803
Israeli Mk. III, stock sights, mag safety removed, C&S thumb safety, 15 rd. Mec-Gars, Spegel delrins. Everything I need, nothing I don't. Designed 50 years before the Glock and will still be a CLASSIC 50 years after the last Glock is made.
Here's my 1969 model my grandfather left me. It was carried by a secret service agent friend of his so it's one of the guns that will stay a safe queen. I wouldn't mind picking up another vintage one to rework at some point. Good luck op!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170803/3d67149c881ef181cdeab505a37b3adc.jpg
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
46811
My Novak Special Ops Hi Power
P-35's/BHP's have been a passion of mine for years.
They are extremely easy to carry- concealed or open.
I have, or have had; T,C series Mkll's Mklll forged and cast frames. Each has assets and arguably liabilities. I have never owned an internal extractor gun due to lack of available parts (internal extractors).
Although the P-35 was produced in a .40 S&W with the cast frame Mklll, in my mind it should be a 9mm as originally designed.
There are a handful of top notch BHP smiths around; Yost, Garthwaite, Don Williams, Novak and Bill Laughridge come to mind immediately.
I'm a (shudder) hobbyist and do a lot of my own work.
Don Williams critiqued my last effort with little negative to say. Guess I've learned a bit through trial and error.
If it hasn't been mentioned, FN does and always has produced both the FN P-35 and "Browning Hi-Power". Browning has never produced this pistol, but used FN manufactured guns rebranded "Browning".
The Browning FN barrels usually shoot pretty well. A standard "trick" is to simply re-crown the stock barrels- this usually makes a shooter out of a marginal barrel- if not shot out/pitted.
I'll admit to being a fan of KKM and BarSto barrels as well. They are not particularly difficult to fit to slide/frame.
The thumb safety's have always been a weak aspect of the pistol, being entirely too mushy on/off. It is possible to tweak them to be more positive, although much easier to simply fit a C&S safety.
Novak sights are probably the Gold Standard for aftermarket sights, with Heinie's a second. The Mklll OEM sights are pretty fair in dimension, however the white paint inserts are abysmal.
Here are a few I've worked on and currently own. There are a few more, but this is representative.
69C:
http://i.imgur.com/rv0zMMS.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/bFIEOYx.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/m13Ks7a.jpg?1
MKlll Cast Frame:
http://i.imgur.com/BAsTufN.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/QMbWmcu.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/RAxl9ci.jpg
T Series (Roached Pawn Shop Save):
http://i.imgur.com/5aLlDaa.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/KSxNaml.jpg
"Frankengun"- T Series Slide/Mklll Frame:
http://i.imgur.com/zkGZ3J8.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/bZnAUDg.jpg
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