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I don't own a single Browning High Power and I have considered it a gap in my safe for a while.
Arms Unlimited has a batch of imports in and I'm considering one of their Pistols to fill the gap.
There are a bunch of options that are meaningless to me. Which would you choose if any and why?
75C Serial Prefix
GV Serial Range
245 Serial Range
215 Serial Range
Shooter grade mixed - Not interested in shooter grade only.
I was in the same boat many moons ago. Gaijin helped me and can chime in and help you. He knows his BHP guns, as do many others better than myself. .
PB
I didn't want to miss the boat because I was too slow to pull the trigger.
I did some quick research and I think the 215 serial prefix have a higher chance of being associated with a military contract, so I went with the 215 serial prefix.
Probably not a smoking hot deal, but I've missed the boat on this type of stuff in the past.
Hopefully someone can still chime in with information and let me know if I did ok.
Every time I peek down the Hi Power wormhole I start seeing the comments like. "make sure to get jo schmo's trigger mod, and make sure this spring is changed out for that one".. blah blah blah. I'd love a 9mm blaster, but I don't want a lifesuck project.
Every time I peek down the Hi Power wormhole I start seeing the comments like. "make sure to get jo schmo's trigger mod, and make sure this spring is changed out for that one".. blah blah blah. I'd love a 9mm blaster, but I don't want a lifesuck project.
This one will stay in its original configuration.
This thread got me looking at the SA-35 on the youtube machine. (I may be after something different than you) The Springfield out of the box trigger is actually acceptable for a range blaster... and it's a little cheaper than the real FNs.
My thing is I could buy one and not have to modify it to enjoy it.
Arms Unlimited has a batch of imports in and I'm considering one of their Pistols to fill the gap.
There are a bunch of options that are meaningless to me. Which would you choose if any and why?
75C Serial Prefix
GV Serial Range
245 Serial Range
215 Serial Range
Shooter grade mixed - Not interested in shooter grade only.
I'm not sure about the meaning of the serial numbers, but the one they have pictured has an aluminum frame as opposed to the typical steel frame. That's definitely a plus when it comes to desirability.
Every time I peek down the Hi Power wormhole I start seeing the comments like. "make sure to get jo schmo's trigger mod, and make sure this spring is changed out for that one".. blah blah blah. I'd love a 9mm blaster, but I don't want a lifesuck project.
The ones that Arms Unlimited is selling appear to be the Mk II versions. They typically have to be worked on to get them to 100% reliability. The later Mk III versions are good to go right out of the box plus the sights and safety are better. FN no longer makes them, but you can get the equivalent from Girsan. The quality is on par with the FN's. The MCP35 is imported by EAA. They can be had for about $450 new. They also offer a "detective" version with a shortened slide and barrel if you consider the Hi Power too long.
https://battlehawkarmory.com/product/eaa-girsan-mcp35-9mm-hipw-blk-13rd?utm_source=wikiarms&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=deallistings&utm_campaign=wikiarmslistings
Heavyweight
11-02-23, 16:57
Every time I peek down the Hi Power wormhole I start seeing the comments like. "make sure to get jo schmo's trigger mod, and make sure this spring is changed out for that one".. blah blah blah. I'd love a 9mm blaster, but I don't want a lifesuck project.Markm....that shit is so overblown. I've got 6 FN Hi Powers.....all in their original configuration except the Capitan and all I did there was remove the mag disconnect. Mine have been great out of the box. It was never meant to be a race gun.
I've got the Springfield too and highly recommend. Great lower cost option that shoots just like the original.
Heavyweight
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Markm....that shit is so overblown. I've got 6 FN Hi Powers.....all in their original configuration except the Capitan and all I did there was remove the mag disconnect. Mine have been great out of the box. It was never meant to be a race gun.
I've got the Springfield too and highly recommend. Great lower cost option that shoots just like the original.
Heavyweight
Thanks! The Springfield looks good if I can find one locally. Sportsmans and Scheels can get them, but I'd rather find one in stock if possible.
Gunnar da Wolf
11-02-23, 19:33
The local gun swapper/buyer/renter at our clay pigeon club brought his newish SA Highpower and loaned it to our pistole connoisseur. He brought it back a week later and pronounced it the equal to his Novak massaged FN.
YMMV But comparing it side by side with my FN was pretty positive.
I'm not sure about the meaning of the serial numbers, but the one they have pictured has an aluminum frame as opposed to the typical steel frame. That's definitely a plus when it comes to desirability.
The ones that Arms Unlimited is selling appear to be the Mk II versions. They typically have to be worked on to get them to 100% reliability. The later Mk III versions are good to go right out of the box plus the sights and safety are better.
The alloy frames were cool, but(based on everything I have read) were not long term durable.
Allegedly the MkIII cast frame came about when they did the .40 S&W and carried it over to 9mm due to being more durable than their forged frames. Forged frames are smooth machined on the bottom of the heel(behind the mag well) while the cast frames have a textured appearance.
Another thumbs up to the MkIII being set on sights, safety, hammer profile that won't nip most hands, and pretty much every bullet shape friendly feed ramp. The mag disconnect is on almost all of them, but is simple to remove.
From what I recall, MkIII is no firing pin safety while MkIIIS has it in place. Not sure of any external cues to look for on determining which it is.
“…….. appear to be the Mk II versions. They typically have to be worked on to get them to 100% reliability.”
Balderdash. I’d never even heard this one before. One of the strong points of any P35 was, they always went BANG.
The T and C series guns were forged frame pistols. These were the first external extractor guns and were considered some of the finest, best finished guns produced by FN. (Obviously the “Browning” guns were produced by FN as well)
The mk 2 guns were also forged frame but had slides with a “rib” and milled/non removable front sights. The examples I’d seen all were Parkerized, not Blued.
The mk 3 guns were cast frames that (allegedly) handled the more extreme pressures of the .40 S&W and subgun 9mm which the Brits were supposedly firing in their issued P 35’s.
The older, forged frame guns were not holding up to the the increased pressures of .40 S&W and +P+{?) ammo, hence introduction of cast frames. I’d imagine the cast frame guns were cheaper to produce as well.
There’s a noticeable difference in girth of the forged vs. cast grips, subtle but noticeable. The cast frames are obviously thicker.
I looked on Arms Unlimited web sight HK. I couldn’t even FIND a P35, but I’m old and not tech savvy.
FWIW; I could never leave a P35 I owned alone, with a NINE pound SA trigger being within specs, I always improved my pistols so they were more “shootable”.
As all gun guys know, this always ended up going down the Rabbit Hole…..
I am FAR from an SME on this platform, but I’ve owned and “improved” a number of them.
FWIW; I could never leave a P35 I owned alone, with a NINE pound SA trigger being within specs, I always improved my pistols so they were more “shootable”..
That's what interests me about the SA. The video I watched had a 5 lb pull with a nice break. Of course one had to port the barrel and slide too! :cool:
That's what interests me about the SA. The video I watched had a 5 lb pull with a nice break. Of course one had to port the barrel and slide too! :cool:
Duh. Mo/Betta/Fasta/Further Mark.
I'm a long way from being an expert, but I do love a nice P35.
I had the SA-35 for about 8 months or so. Paid $700 plus tax. It was 100% reliable in the 800 rounds or so I put through it. No extraction issue like I've read on the internet. I trusted it enough to carry. The sights are good so the owner (unless he's a snob) won't need to replace them, they shoot to the point of aim for me. The trigger felt approximately 5.5 to 6 lb with a little creep. Thumb safety was dragging a bit but got a little better as it was broken in.
The built in beavertail was a good and bad. The good was that it prevented hammer bite, yes hammer bite happens. Years ago I had a stock Browning Hi Power, if I wasn't careful when I draw and fire, the hammer will let me know. For those that do not have the hammer bite problem, they are lucky. The extended beavertail on the SA-35 does have a reputation of having sharp edges. Some sanding and cold blued pen helped.
I let it go as I already have a custom Browning. I got what I needed out of the Springfield. But I recommend it.
Primary Arms have them in stock currently.
https://www.primaryarms.com/Springfield-Armory-SA-35-9mm-Handgun?utm_source=netsuite&utm_medium=email&utm_content=CTA_Button&utm_campaign=NetSuite_Back_In_Stock_Email
I found a Gunbroker listing from an FFL who appears to be her in AZ. When I can log in at home, I might see if he has a face to face/Storefront option.
I looked on Arms Unlimited web sight HK. I couldn’t even FIND a P35, but I’m old and not tech savvy.
ARMS Unlimited Link (https://armsunlimited.com/fn-browning-hi-power-9mm-pistol-belgium/)
Assorted configurations (sights, grips, finish type), clean condition, low round count, original matching serial numbers with correct grips. Includes 1x magazine. European police trade-ins. Made in Belgium
I've scored some sleeper good items on previous police trade ins. I'll see what I get with this one.
“…….. appear to be the Mk II versions. They typically have to be worked on to get them to 100% reliability.”
Balderdash. I’d never even heard this one before. One of the strong points of any P35 was, they always went BANG.
.
Can't recall if it carried over to the MkII, but earlier pistols had a hump in the feed ramp that could be a problem with hollow points. Not sure why the hump was there because removing the hump to feed jhp didn't cause feeding issues with ball ammo.
Other than that somewhat niche issue(that wasn't an issue for the first few decades of production) they are very reliable.
Got it HK, thank you.
Link to a thread on Hi Power Collector Forum.
Scroll halfway down to Sub MOA Post.
Very detailed info.
https://highpowercollectors.proboards.com/thread/75/fn-high-power-date-manufacture
Got it HK, thank you.
Link to a thread on Hi Power Collector Forum.
Scroll halfway down to Sub MOA Post.
Very detailed info.
https://highpowercollectors.proboards.com/thread/75/fn-high-power-date-manufacture
Thanks, quite informative.
So, it appears the 215 prefix I bought should be a 71/73, probably produced in the 70's, which is perfect and pretty much what I wanted. A clean example would be nice, but I'd be happy with character as well. Will be interesting to see how AU handles the import marks, I've never bought an import from them.
I'll post a picture when I transfer it, but that won't be soon as I'm at my hunting property until December-ish.
Every time I peek down the Hi Power wormhole I start seeing the comments like. "make sure to get jo schmo's trigger mod, and make sure this spring is changed out for that one".. blah blah blah. I'd love a 9mm blaster, but I don't want a lifesuck project.
The ONLY thing that needs to be done on a HiPower is to remove the magazine disconnect and it's easy. I would never swap out the trigger or anything like that.
The ONLY thing that needs to be done on a HiPower is to remove the magazine disconnect and it's easy. I would never swap out the trigger or anything like that.
Sorta like “The ORIGINAL m16 was ALL a guy needs; you DON’T need no Free Float handguard, and a 20” barrel with irons ALWAYS WORKS!”
Sense of Adventure? Life is short, embrace improvements.
“…….. appear to be the Mk II versions. They typically have to be worked on to get them to 100% reliability.”
Balderdash. I’d never even heard this one before. One of the strong points of any P35 was, they always went BANG.
The T and C series guns were forged frame pistols. These were the first external extractor guns and were considered some of the finest, best finished guns produced by FN. (Obviously the “Browning” guns were produced by FN as well)
The mk 2 guns were also forged frame but had slides with a “rib” and milled/non removable front sights. The examples I’d seen all were Parkerized, not Blued.
The mk 3 guns were cast frames that (allegedly) handled the more extreme pressures of the .40 S&W and subgun 9mm which the Brits were supposedly firing in their issued P 35’s.
The older, forged frame guns were not holding up to the the increased pressures of .40 S&W and +P+{?) ammo, hence introduction of cast frames. I’d imagine the cast frame guns were cheaper to produce as well.
There’s a noticeable difference in girth of the forged vs. cast grips, subtle but noticeable. The cast frames are obviously thicker.
I looked on Arms Unlimited web sight HK. I couldn’t even FIND a P35, but I’m old and not tech savvy.
FWIW; I could never leave a P35 I owned alone, with a NINE pound SA trigger being within specs, I always improved my pistols so they were more “shootable”.
As all gun guys know, this always ended up going down the Rabbit Hole…..
I am FAR from an SME on this platform, but I’ve owned and “improved” a number of them.
I have also not heard of MK 2 guns needing work to be reliable. Mine looks like 10 miles of bad road but has been flawlessly reliable with HP, ball, 147 gr FMJ FN, cast, etc.
Andy
The ONLY thing that needs to be done on a HiPower is to remove the magazine disconnect and it's easy. I would never swap out the trigger or anything like that.
The SA-35 come without it. I'm on the hunt for one locally.
Hi power day at the ranch. Let’s go.
PB
Hi power day at the ranch. Let’s go.
PB
We actually used to do that every month or two. Four or five of the guys had P-35s.
Back then a couple of us used one for EDC so it made sense.
Sorta like “The ORIGINAL m16 was ALL a guy needs; you DON’T need no Free Float handguard, and a 20” barrel with irons ALWAYS WORKS!”
Sense of Adventure? Life is short, embrace improvements.
Not really. The M4 improved a LOT of things. But other than ambi safeties for those who need it and a light rail for those who are gonna use it as a dedicated defensive handgun there ain't a lot needed to improve a P35. You really aren't gonna make that trigger any better once you pull the magazine disconnect.
Now if you want to overhaul the design itself, then extended beaver tail because the originals do bite.
And while we are on the subject, when it comes to fighting carbines, free float rails don't make a huge difference, lighter centurion rails vs pic rails make a big difference. And in 45+ years of shooting ARs, those iron sights haven't messed me up yet. To me weapon lights like the SF scout are a bigger game changer than RDS.
Paid for an SA-35 at Tombstone Tactical here in Phoenix online. Hope to be able to pick it up tomorrow depending on their order processing system.
Paid for an SA-35 at Tombstone Tactical here in Phoenix online. Hope to be able to pick it up tomorrow depending on their order processing system.
With the Springfield's, make sure you check the extractor.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?232603-Springfield-Armory-Producing-P35-Browning-Hi-Power/page9
With the Springfield's, make sure you check the extractor.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?232603-Springfield-Armory-Producing-P35-Browning-Hi-Power/page9
Yeah. I heard of the issues.
WooHoo! A Hi power thread!!
Here is my one and only. Its all original, and while it could certainly be made to shoot better, I won't modify this one. It will stay original, and I doubt I'll ever carry it.
https://64.media.tumblr.com/4965c65989930c525b2618c3de22d452/af41dc6222f17522-43/s1280x1920/ef46532c407c83a40b5d37743d0d3faca9723d4d.jpg
https://64.media.tumblr.com/cff8354c1dce532fe5a0d1d4fb2761af/8518af259ad8860a-2a/s1280x1920/0d223c11ecbad76ab40325deb0ca0e7a933a7a4e.jpg
Paid for an SA-35 at Tombstone Tactical here in Phoenix online. Hope to be able to pick it up tomorrow depending on their order processing system.
Pictures when you get it please.
I've dealt with them on some stuff in the past, as I recall there is a smoking hot babe who is owner or part owner of that place and she is quite an accomplished shooter as well.
Yeah. I heard of the issues.
Will be interesting to see if they did anything to correct it.
Pictures when you get it please.
I've dealt with them on some stuff in the past, as I recall there is a smoking hot babe who is owner or part owner of that place and she is quite an accomplished shooter as well.
Well in typical FFL fashion, they're a cluster fugg! I paid online Saturday, and called Sunday to see if I could scoop it up (it's a little out of the way/across town). And after 30 minutes waiting to speak to someone... Oh no! The booger eater who pulls online orders only works during the week. No one else can pull this highly sophisticated order and actually take care of me.
Now I have to drive there during weekday rush hour once booger brains gets my order processed. I don't buy guns often at all, and have forgotten how retarded FFLs are.
With the Springfield's, make sure you check the extractor.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?232603-Springfield-Armory-Producing-P35-Browning-Hi-Power/page9
See post #15. Hate to disappoint the naysayers.
And I have a feeling that it will look just like this one:
https://i.imgur.com/o34etGg.jpg
Damn these are nice looking Hi Powers! I even loaded 200 rounds of 9 millie this weekend in preparation.
A real Browning, customized by Ken Singletary.
https://i.imgur.com/iCX4bjD.jpg
Well in typical FFL fashion, they're a cluster fugg! I paid online Saturday, and called Sunday to see if I could scoop it up (it's a little out of the way/across town). And after 30 minutes waiting to speak to someone... Oh no! The booger eater who pulls online orders only works during the week. No one else can pull this highly sophisticated order and actually take care of me.
Now I have to drive there during weekday rush hour once booger brains gets my order processed. I don't buy guns often at all, and have forgotten how retarded FFLs are.
Be on the lookout for a Brunette while you're there buddy. :) Good luck. Maybe bring some boogers to smooth out the transaction!
Nice High Powers Sam. That springer does look awfully nice.
See post #15. Hate to disappoint the naysayers.
And I have a feeling that it will look just like this one:
https://i.imgur.com/o34etGg.jpg
That's actually good to know.
I might be able to get my hands on this pistol today. Does it come with 2 or 3 mags? I'm not planning on building an entire support system of "clips" and holster etc. But 3 mags would be nice for a recreational target pistol.
Mine came with ONE mag.
Damn it. At least the mags aren't expensive.
Heavyweight
11-08-23, 18:22
Damn it. At least the mags aren't expensive.
Did you get the Springfield?
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Heavyweight
11-08-23, 18:28
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1371114282?pid=477345
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Greg Cote was always a favorite for Mecgars on Stephen Camp's Hi Power forum.
https://gregcotellc.com/cart/browning-springfield-sa35-c-121/browning-hp-springfield-sa35-regent-br9-girsan-mc-p35-15-rd-9mm-nickel-mecgar-mgbrhp15n-p-584.html
Did you get the Springfield?
Hoping to drive up this afternoon. Was planning on going this weekend, but I'm going to take the rush hour traffic bullet if I don't get slammed at work late today.
A real Browning, customized by Ken Singletary.
https://i.imgur.com/iCX4bjD.jpg
Now that's dead sexy right there!
Greg Cote was always a favorite for Mecgars on Stephen Camp's Hi Power forum.
https://gregcotellc.com/cart/browning-springfield-sa35-c-121/browning-hp-springfield-sa35-regent-br9-girsan-mc-p35-15-rd-9mm-nickel-mecgar-mgbrhp15n-p-584.html
Yep. MecGar 15 rds.
Now that's dead sexy right there!
How did they do that beaver tail? :eek:
How did they do that beaver tail? :eek:
I'd also like to know. Would almost be worth buying another Hi Power.
Ned Christiansen
11-09-23, 18:23
I have by now handled and shot a few Girsan HP's and they have been good. I have to hand it to the Turks that they make an effort to observe what the US market wants, and they put it out right now. I can't think of a US gunkmaker, major one anyway, that has a tighter OODA loop. From what I have seen the quality is darned good.
Weld extra steel on, blend/shape, and refinish. Basically like how extended safeties and stuff used to come in to existence.
Tried to find more details and something i hadnt heard before (according to one of these posters) the welded on piece it is often done with is a 1911 grip safety, but not sure if legit or not. Makes sense if it was roughly the desired shape.
https://www.handgunsandammunition.com/threads/beavertail-mod.7813/
Weld extra steel on, blend/shape, and refinish. Basically like how extended safeties and stuff used to come in to existence.
Tried to find more details and something i hadnt heard before (according to one of these posters) the welded on piece it is often done with is a 1911 grip safety, but not sure if legit or not. Makes sense if it was roughly the desired shape.
https://www.handgunsandammunition.com/threads/beavertail-mod.7813/
Pretty much what he said. I like how Kent did it, some weld on long ass tail, some weld on portion of 1911 beavertail. I think the Nighthawk version is too long, some others make the tail too thick.
Took the rush hour nut punch and scooped the SA-35 up. Very nice looking pistol. Decent trigger. The grips are much darker in person which is cool. I like all tones of walnut.
https://i.imgur.com/fRw1cLR.jpg
NICE score Mark.
The best thing is PB can't pressure me to put an RDS on it!!:cool:
Next pistol will be the Alien Gen 2.
Nice. Congratulations. Go shoot the snots out of it.
Took the rush hour nut punch and scooped the SA-35 up. Very nice looking pistol. Decent trigger. The grips are much darker in person which is cool. I like all tones of walnut.
https://i.imgur.com/fRw1cLR.jpg
Looks really nice, congratulations. I have two questions.
1. Did you see a smoking hot brunette?
2. Did you bring boogers?
Thanks for the picture. :)
Took the rush hour nut punch and scooped the SA-35 up. Very nice looking pistol. Decent trigger. The grips are much darker in person which is cool. I like all tones of walnut.
https://i.imgur.com/fRw1cLR.jpg
That actually looks really nice. Reminds me of a WWII "park and nut" 1911.
Nice. Congratulations. Go shoot the snots out of it.
We'll probably blast on it for a while and if nothing dramatic happens, my son will take it.
Looks really nice, congratulations. I have two questions.
1. Did you see a smoking hot brunette?
2. Did you bring boogers?
Thanks for the picture. :)
There was a young looking chick with brown hair in there. Like 25ish? Maybe her?
That actually looks really nice. Reminds me of a WWII "park and nut" 1911.
I agree. The right panel has a light streak in it towards the rear which looks a little more exotic. But the matte finish and walnut have that GI look.
Sounds about right......anyway, congrats again. After I pick up my FN you may have me convinced on getting the Springer, unless you hate it.
I agree. The right panel has a light streak in it towards the rear which looks a little more exotic. But the matte finish and walnut have that GI look.
Just be glad it's not black plastic grips, had one of those and it was so boring. I know it's not supposed to matter but it did a little, also had a spur hammer vs. ring hammer...I sold it. Love the look of the Spring but I do wish they had extended that beavertail just a hair or two. When I shoot HPs for time or from a draw I regularly get bit.
I'd like to know the source of those grips.
Sounds about right......anyway, congrats again. After I pick up my FN you may have me convinced on getting the Springer, unless you hate it.
We're running this and another P-35 this weekend. I want to get at least a 100 rounds through it to post impressions.
Just be glad it's not black plastic grips, had one of those and it was so boring. I know it's not supposed to matter but it did a little, also had a spur hammer vs. ring hammer...I sold it. Love the look of the Spring but I do wish they had extended that beavertail just a hair or two. When I shoot HPs for time or from a draw I regularly get bit.
Me too. Why not just add that to the design for the production run? The hammer will hit the web of my hand when I grip it, but there's no pinch possibilities with the frame.
I'd like to know the source of those grips.
They're pretty nice. I'll try to post the right panel later.
The one thing (not unique to the SA-35) that's bugging me a bit is the lack of a relief cut on the front strap underneath the trigger guard. I'm so used to shooting modern frames that this just bugs me where my middle finger grips the pistol.
Pretty much what he said. I like how Kent did it, some weld on long ass tail, some weld on portion of 1911 beavertail. I think the Nighthawk version is too long, some others make the tail too thick.
I had my eyes on those NHC hi powers back when they were reasonable for a NHC, and never pulled the trigger and it hurts my heart to see them on GB these days.
I think the grips on these guns are very nice.
PB
Just be glad it's not black plastic grips, had one of those and it was so boring. I know it's not supposed to matter but it did a little, also had a spur hammer vs. ring hammer...I sold it. Love the look of the Spring but I do wish they had extended that beavertail just a hair or two. When I shoot HPs for time or from a draw I regularly get bit.
I actually like the black ones that are a close copy of the original wood grips.
Never liked the original wood or the later factory contoured plastic ones.
If you were raised on 1911’s, it’s hard to not favor a little extra tail. If you never enjoyed jamming your hand as high as possible, maybe it’s a mute point.
I was shooting recently and some young guys said “wow man you really ride your grip very high”. I guess as usual we come from different experiences and preferences.
PB
If you were raised on 1911’s, it’s hard to not favor a little extra tail. If you never enjoyed jamming your hand as high as possible, maybe it’s a mute point.
I was shooting recently and some young guys said “wow man you really ride your grip very high”. I guess as usual we come from different experiences and preferences.
PB
Grew up shooting just about everything, got my first SIG in 1985 and been mostly a SIG shooter since then. Only time I've ever been bit was by Hi Powers, I learned to shoot them and if I'm prepared I'm fine. Also doesn't happen every time, just now and then.
I shot BHPs nearly exclusively for a few years. The “hammer bite” was irritating and contributed to some bad habits/technique for me.
I ordered a Cyl. & Slide “no bite” hammer. While the Ring/Rowel was a bit different than an OEM hammer, the biggest difference was the shank had been thinned and radiused where it would contact web of hand with a high grip. There were a couple other companies offering a similar “no bite” hammer that I don’t recall.
I modified a couple of OEM hammer shanks and installed in pistols. This worked as well as the C&S hammer.
It helped to diagnose just what portion of hammer was pinching my hand.
I have “medium large”, not X Large hands however.
This may be of no use to most folks, but it did help me make friends with my P35’s.
Here's some more pics of the right side grip panel. They are fit beautifully to the frame.
https://i.imgur.com/4yvYYBU.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/0bWHLcJ.jpg
Sexy Milt Sparks gun leather courtesy of Gajin thru Pappabear:
https://i.imgur.com/bVcG40P.jpg
I have that exact holster for a P7M8. Nice leather.
I have that exact holster for a P7M8. Nice leather.
I haven't put a belt on in some time. Just jeans. I'm going to try this holster though.
You're all set with that VM2 and the SA35.
Great pics and it looks amazing in that holster. I’m a big fan of my SA35 too that I picked up earlier this year and it’s been great with no issues. I also love the grips but they are kind of “soft” for wood. After a few mags, you’ll start to see them round off and look like “stress marks” from your strong hand grip.
Couple of my old Hi Powers on the bench with a pair of AUG 901s.
https://i.imgur.com/fDfu4Ze.jpg
Gun ran great this weekend. I foolishly didn't gather any pics. I started out with some issues using some reloads my kid put together on my Dillon. Bullets were seated poorly and they wouldn't chamber (cases bulging to one side). I'll be banging the bullet pulling hammer for a while.
Luckily Pappabear had some of the Norma factory ammo. And I had some ball ammo I'd reloaded too. We ran a hundred rounds of Norma with perfect function. Hammer slap got to be annoying due to the rapid volume of fire. The bobbed hammer doesn't bite, but it slaps my shooting hand.
Cool little gun, but you do appreciate the modern grips/frames for sure. Towards the end I found myself adjusting my grip between almost every shot.
G
Cool little gun, but you do appreciate the modern grips/frames for sure. Towards the end I found myself adjusting my grip between almost every shot.
That's not a good sign, you can't get good consistent follow ups if you have to adjust your grip constantly. Is it the hammer slapping you or the upper part of the frame knocking your thumb's knuckle?
The hammer slaps the web of my hand. I need to get back on it and firm up my grip.
Gun ran great this weekend. I foolishly didn't gather any pics. I started out with some issues using some reloads my kid put together on my Dillon. Bullets were seated poorly and they wouldn't chamber (cases bulging to one side). I'll be banging the bullet pulling hammer for a while.
Wear ear pro when banging that kinetic hammer. I keep a small log handy for exactly that purpose and the banging on it is surprisingly loud. Much more enjoyable with my ears on.
Not a bad idea. I can only stand to bang a few at a time.
Here's a pic PB did grab.
https://i.imgur.com/7XwTR1v.jpg
Heavyweight
11-13-23, 09:54
Gun ran great this weekend. I foolishly didn't gather any pics. I started out with some issues using some reloads my kid put together on my Dillon. Bullets were seated poorly and they wouldn't chamber (cases bulging to one side). I'll be banging the bullet pulling hammer for a while.
Luckily Pappabear had some of the Norma factory ammo. And I had some ball ammo I'd reloaded too. We ran a hundred rounds of Norma with perfect function. Hammer slap got to be annoying due to the rapid volume of fire. The bobbed hammer doesn't bite, but it slaps my shooting hand.
Cool little gun, but you do appreciate the modern grips/frames for sure. Towards the end I found myself adjusting my grip between almost every shot.
Whenever some fudd at my club sees my Hi Power and starts spouting off that it’s still the best combat handgun ever made I make them shoot my P30 side by side with it. Usually the smugness disappears!
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Whenever some fudd at my club sees my Hi Power and starts spouting off that it’s still the best combat handgun ever made I make them shoot my P30 side by side with it. Usually the smugness disappears!
For sure. I brought my 1911 too, and even that was easier to shoot. Jumping onto a nice Beavertail Grip Safety was nice. Just the low cap of the 1911 was a bummer with the amount of steel we have out there.
Not a bad idea. I can only stand to bang a few at a time.
Here's a pic PB did grab.
https://i.imgur.com/7XwTR1v.jpg
Somehow I had missed the hammers on those being basically the original rowel type so it will hit you almost everytime. Not a clue why it(and 1911 & Argy A1 hammers too) were done that way, but they did and seems odd anyone is still doing it.
You can probably modify it in place, but better to pop it out(not hard at all) and cut the bottom off the ring so you only have a short spur up top. A Dremel cut off wheel with final shaping with a file and sandpaper with some Super Blue/Oxpho Blue will end the bite.
Looks like it was a good time Mark. Glad you boys got out and did this.
I'll shoot it a few more weeks before anything. The hammer slap isn't terrible, but it started to be a distraction after a while.
Looks like it was a good time Mark. Glad you boys got out and did this.
We screwed up and didn't get a pic of the SA with PB's Hi Power.
It was only a 100 rounds, but I had some mags loaded up and after hit/miss with reloads, we shot 100 rounds as fast as we could shoot it ( passing back and forth) and it shot well and never a hiccup. It was a relief to run some rounds without issue. The gun will run. Acid test #1!
PB
Diamondback
11-13-23, 16:43
At the risk of threadjacking though it's also one for the BHP experts... if one of our cognoscenti were looking to turn one of the "new breed" BHP's into an "Ersatz Inglis," which one requires the least parts-swap and what parts would need replacement? I'm assuming both Girsan and Springer are based on Mk III's and IIR ithe Inglis is a Mk I which means at least slide and grip replacements...
In terms of a “faux Ingliss” from available parts, the slide is the deal breaker.
The Ingliss slide had a Tangent Rear and Patridge type FS.
It also had an internal extractor.
The machining required to install the proper Tangent sight, if you could even find one, would likely be cost prohibitive.
Additionally the Ingliss/Tangent slide is different in profile than any of the other P35 slides, to accommodate the Tangent sight.
Numrich Gun Parts may have a slide, but that would be a long shot.
You could use nearly any BHP Frame, visually they’re not that much different.
PBs gun has a mk lll frame and T series (non firing pin safety) slide, effectively a “Frankengun” as example.
It works well.
Diamondback
11-13-23, 19:36
Thanks, G. I figured it was gonna be a pain in the ass, but since the Inglis is what my GF's dad might have encountered in his RCAF days, I thought it would be a nice touch to give her the same chance to appreciate her heritage as I have with a 1911 not unlike the ones Grandpa wore in his USAF days.
Thanks, G. I figured it was gonna be a pain in the ass, but since the Inglis is what my GF's dad might have encountered in his RCAF days, I thought it would be a nice touch to give her the same chance to appreciate her heritage as I have with a 1911 not unlike the ones Grandpa wore in his USAF days.
Oh, I get that. Nice thought.
In terms of a “faux Ingliss” from available parts, the slide is the deal breaker.
The Ingliss slide had a Tangent Rear and Patridge type FS.
It also had an internal extractor.
The machining required to install the proper Tangent sight, if you could even find one, would likely be cost prohibitive.
Additionally the Ingliss/Tangent slide is different in profile than any of the other P35 slides, to accommodate the Tangent sight.
Numrich Gun Parts may have a slide, but that would be a long shot.
You could use nearly any BHP Frame, visually they’re not that much different.
PBs gun has a mk lll frame and T series (non firing pin safety) slide, effectively a “Frankengun” as example.
It works well.
Inglis also made a fixed sight version that could maybe be recreated a little easier.
https://www.recoilweb.com/canadian-inglis-high-power-review-178969.html
Still has the internal extractor and the round cam in the frame instead of the newer oval shape.
Some Indian made hi powers were imported that had the Ingliss fixed rear hump. The only one I ever handled looked new(finish at least), but was super loose fitting which would likely have a very negative effect on trigger pull. Not a clue if it was cloned to the level of FEG so parts would interchange with a FN or if it was like an Indian FAL copy where nearly every part was dimensionally proprietary.
Some FN MkIII pistols did not have firing pin safeties, but not sure if any were imported by Browning.
Inglis also made a fixed sight version that could maybe be recreated a little easier.
https://www.recoilweb.com/canadian-inglis-high-power-review-178969.html
Still has the internal extractor and the round cam in the frame instead of the newer oval shape.
Some Indian made hi powers were imported that had the Ingliss fixed rear hump. The only one I ever handled looked new(finish at least), but was super loose fitting which would likely have a very negative effect on trigger pull. Not a clue if it was cloned to the level of FEG so parts would interchange with a FN or if it was like an Indian FAL copy where nearly every part was dimensionally proprietary.
Some FN MkIII pistols did not have firing pin safeties, but not sure if any were imported by Browning.
Great info. I didn’t know a fixed rear Ingliss was produced.
Found an Indian, or at least what appears to be real pics of an Indian.
https://handgunsoftheworld.com/product/indian-ordnance-mkia-9mm-like-new-in-case/
Got the arm pin and internal extractor of the Inglis, but seems to have the newer oval cam pin.
Ok. I DO remember seeing pics of those. “Eye of the Beholder” of course, but not the sexiest variant for me.
We shot the SA-35 again yesterday. PB brought out some milder loaded 147 gr reman ammo that greatly improved the enjoyability of this pistol. Hot 124 gr ammo is too snappy with the hammer slap. Having a painful jolt every round you fire is horrible for pistol fundamentals. I'm going to whip up some 147s this week and give it another go.
The other thing we struggled with is these God Damned Ginex shit primers. They were failing in the SA and a 9mm 1911. When we made our first trip out with the SA, I was getting the firing pin hole clogged with primer cup material.
We had several light primer strikes with Hammer fired guns. PB got most of them to fire on a second or third drop of the hammer, but these primers are surely practice ammo only.
Heavyweight
11-20-23, 18:48
I love the platform but I’ve always found the Hi Power quite snappy with even moderately warm loads. It might have been insanely ergonomic for 1935 but pistols like the P30 or VP9 have spoiled me.
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Love my Hi Powers. Have bought and sold more than a few but these I still have. It is a bit snappy and I shoot my CZ75 better. My 9mm 1911 is a complete pussycat in comparison, but the HP carries easy and fits the hand nicely.
A MkII, a Practical, and a FN
https://i.imgur.com/OXJ1Nrh.jpg
All three have BHPSS triggers with a changed geometry for a better reset and are just a little wider. I like the feel and function. Also very fond of navidrex micarta grips.
These two WWII Inglis pistols are also fun.
https://i.imgur.com/n3GTZeL.jpg
I love the platform but I’ve always found the Hi Power quite snappy with even moderately warm loads.
Exactly. Part of it is the skinny barrel. We were doing a pistol clean up and with some stripped guns laying on the table we noticed that my sons Sig X5 barrel was remarkably beefier.
I'm going to dial in a milder load for sure.
Agree. I’ve ALWAYS considered BHPs more difficult to shoot than say a 5” 1911.
In the day, the trade off being mag capacity.
Diamondback
11-21-23, 07:20
Agree. I’ve ALWAYS considered BHPs more difficult to shoot than say a 5” 1911.
In the day, the trade off being mag capacity.
This may just be subjective perception, but I've always felt more *perceived* recoil from 9mm than .45 regardless of platform, even at similar size pistol. I suspect this may be because of powder ignition, again stressing this is a THEORY from PERCEPTION with no scientific data, I suspect it's that 9mm ignites in a shorter time and dumps its recoil energy all at once while .45 the bigger case and bore despite having MORE to burn and more total recoil energy it starts smaller and builds.
Again, just a theory, I could be talking out of my ass for all I know.
Agree. I’ve ALWAYS considered BHPs more difficult to shoot than say a 5” 1911.
In the day, the trade off being mag capacity.
That's it. The pistol runs great with factory ammo. If it keeps trucking along for a few more hundred rounds, I'll use it for carry.
I tried some basic one hand 7 yard shooting (to simulate holding my dog leashes and having to shoot), and no problem easily getting hits.
My only other concern is reprograming my brain to work the safety. I'm not as comfy as Yoni with just leaving the safety off, and I'm not in hostile territory where that would be as prudent.
Heavyweight
11-21-23, 16:04
I tried some basic one hand 7 yard shooting (to simulate holding my dog leashes and having to shoot), and no problem easily getting hits.
Buddy…..I am with you there! That ****ing pit bull attack lit a fire under my ass to be more prepared next go around.
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This may just be subjective perception, but I've always felt more *perceived* recoil from 9mm than .45 regardless of platform, even at similar size pistol. I suspect this may be because of powder ignition, again stressing this is a THEORY from PERCEPTION with no scientific data, I suspect it's that 9mm ignites in a shorter time and dumps its recoil energy all at once while .45 the bigger case and bore despite having MORE to burn and more total recoil energy it starts smaller and builds.
Again, just a theory, I could be talking out of my ass for all I know.
.45acp max pressure is 19,900 psi vs. 35,000 psi for 9mm also.
Finally picked up the High Power, this is as it came out of the box. Could use some cleaning.
https://hkguns.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-10/p3236999800-5.jpg
Interesting this is a B&T import as it is marked B&T under the trigger guard very well and not plastered all over the slide like a billboard.
Mag safety is already driving me nuts, everything function checks fine, just need to figure out how to disable the Mag safety.
Turns out she was made in 1979, I was just a young lad back then. So far, really happy with it.
ETA: I picked up two police trade-in guns today, BOTH had these squishy Hogue grips. For the cops on this site, do ya'll just love yourselves some squishy Hogue grips?
Congrats HK ! looks like you got a pretty cool gun.
PB
Ned Christiansen
11-22-23, 23:34
A test bed gun that turned out alright. Pretty sure I'm the only guy to ever pin the grip safety on a BHP. Then I just welded it up and now it's like it was never there. Fresh Ceracoat over Parko. This project was for me so if I decide to do more experimenting, I can.
https://i.imgur.com/BsTiqSq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NFcYafH.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MvFBC2e.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RyoHADi.jpg
There are a couple things I would do differently if I made a second one kinda like this one (prob'ly not gonna happen). Parkerize and Ceracoat by Glenrock Blue, "Charcoal Black". Always great to work with and always a great result.
The holster already has about 18 months' wear on it. The gun-- the same, plus what it had from the previous owner, but it was hard to tell with lots of bare metal from being a work-in-progress. Now it looks like new, not for long.
https://i.imgur.com/0G2nCo6.jpg
Jesus Ned that gun looks amazing. One of the best looking Hi powers on planet earth.
Who made the grips? What material? Nice checkering.
PB
Holy mother of beavertail extension Mr. Ned ! How many hunks of metal did you kill to form that?
A test bed gun that turned out alright. Pretty sure I'm the only guy to ever pin the grip safety on a BHP. Then I just welded it up and now it's like it was never there. Fresh Ceracoat over Parko. This project was for me so if I decide to do more experimenting, I can.
There are a couple things I would do differently if I made a second one kinda like this one (prob'ly not gonna happen). Parkerize and Ceracoat by Glenrock Blue, "Charcoal Black". Always great to work with and always a great result.
The holster already has about 18 months' wear on it. The gun-- the same, plus what it had from the previous owner, but it was hard to tell with lots of bare metal from being a work-in-progress. Now it looks like new, not for long.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/0G2nCo6.jpg[/im
I'll take two! Nice.
The Dumb Gun Collector
11-23-23, 18:18
I picked up one of the Armsunlimited guns. It was in WAAAAY better shape than the old Israeli surplus one I bout 4-5 years ago.
Shot the SA-35 again today with 147 gr hand loads using WSF .2 gr under max published (4.1 gr I think). The gun is so much more enjoyable. Snappy 115s and 124s just suck in this pistol. They run, but aren't fun at all.
The grip panels/screws came loose for a second time. Pulled the screws out and cleaned them and the holes which were very oily/dirty and put some blue loctite on the threads.
I shot that gun today and sometimes I shoot it pretty good, other times I pull the trigger miss, miss, miss, mis,..slow down, mis slooow down hit. Then other times I shoot it acceptable, but not enough for me to carry one with irons.
PB
No doubt. The reset on the SA-35 is very long and not crisp at all. So any sort of fast shooting sets you up to slap the trigger to make sure you get a boom. I can live with that crap though. Getting a nice 147 gr load that I can shoot without hating the gun makes me happy.
Heavyweight
11-27-23, 08:13
A test bed gun that turned out alright. Pretty sure I'm the only guy to ever pin the grip safety on a BHP.
Ned…..I’m assuming you mean the mag safety right? Any reason why you pinned it? Did it give you a better result or did you just want to see if you could do it? Super curious.
That HP is some of the best gun porn I’ve seen. Just gorgeous!
Heavyweight
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No doubt. The reset on the SA-35 is very long and not crisp at all. So any sort of fast shooting sets you up to slap the trigger to make sure you get a boom. I can live with that crap though. Getting a nice 147 gr load that I can shoot without hating the gun makes me happy.Action Works does a reduced reset modification.
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Action Works does a reduced reset modification.
I'm sure there's no limit on the mods, but my goal was to get a fun 9mm range blaster that was acceptable out of the box. The 147 gr loads make the gun enjoyable. Incidentally, we have to be over 500 rounds at this point, and no sign of the extractor being an issue. Ginex primers and bulging reloads were the only problems.
Action Works does a reduced reset modification.
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Don Williams is a great BHP/P-35 Smith..
Ned Christiansen
11-27-23, 11:47
No, I did mean grip safety:
https://i.imgur.com/rPhdD9a.jpg?1
Only one chunk of steel in the beavertail, but a big 'un to start. It is T-slotted in and thesilver-brazed for permanency.
https://i.imgur.com/BSwrQ16.jpg
I don't mean to hijack the thread and use it for my own purposes but we don't talk much about hi-Powers here and.... you know.... I just kinda.....
But back to the original question, I am very impressed with pretty nearly all things Turkish these days but mostly their HP's. Guess I said that before. The SA 35 I believe is made there anyway.
Wow, that's some fancy metal work.
Ned, you can hijack this HP thread anytime.
Yeah, your contributions are more than welcome in any thread I start, so not a hijack in the least.
This has, luckily, turned into a decent high power thread with some good information and some beautiful pistols.
Ned Christiansen
11-27-23, 13:26
Very kind of you. Or in Yoopertalk, "youse". (Yooper = someone from the Upper Peninsula of MI).
Don Williams is a great BHP/P-35 Smith..
Yes. Here's mine...
It has an aluminum frame and hard chrome finish. Yes, aluminum can be hard chromed. It just has to be nickel plated first. It has a custom extended safety, 3 dot sights, new springs and is minus the magazine disconnect safety.
Before:
https://i.postimg.cc/KjVJJ3SX/85-Alloy-Hi-Power.jpg
After:
https://i.postimg.cc/9FRxzbZc/Alloy-Hi-Power-right-view.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7PQsxdCB/Alloy-Hi-Power-left-view-disassembled.jpg
So youse from Escanaba eh? :)
Yes. Here's mine...
It has an aluminum frame and hard chrome finish. Yes, aluminum can be hard chromed. It just has to be nickel plated first. It has a custom extended safety, 3 dot sights, new springs and is minus the magazine disconnect safety.
Before:
https://i.postimg.cc/KjVJJ3SX/85-Alloy-Hi-Power.jpg
After:
https://i.postimg.cc/9FRxzbZc/Alloy-Hi-Power-right-view.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7PQsxdCB/Alloy-Hi-Power-left-view-disassembled.jpg
Nice one!
I resurrected a shot, T series that had brass shim stock brazed to slide for a FS.
It turned out similar.
Yes. Here's mine...
It has an aluminum frame and hard chrome finish. Yes, aluminum can be hard chromed. It just has to be nickel plated first. It has a custom extended safety, 3 dot sights, new springs and is minus the magazine disconnect safety.
Before:
https://i.postimg.cc/KjVJJ3SX/85-Alloy-Hi-Power.jpg
After:
https://i.postimg.cc/9FRxzbZc/Alloy-Hi-Power-right-view.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7PQsxdCB/Alloy-Hi-Power-left-view-disassembled.jpg
Man that turned out VERY Nice. I was going to leave my stock, with the exception of some new grips to replace the shitty Hogue rubber, but now you have me thinking.
Yes. Here's mine...
It has an aluminum frame and hard chrome finish. Yes, aluminum can be hard chromed. It just has to be nickel plated first. It has a custom extended safety, 3 dot sights, new springs and is minus the magazine disconnect safety.
Before:
https://i.postimg.cc/KjVJJ3SX/85-Alloy-Hi-Power.jpg
After:
https://i.postimg.cc/9FRxzbZc/Alloy-Hi-Power-right-view.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7PQsxdCB/Alloy-Hi-Power-left-view-disassembled.jpg
I like those grips.
Not so much so on the wood version that is near identical.
I asked B&T about the provenance of these Arms Unlimited pistols, since they imported them. Their answer was "a European Police Agency." They weren't more specific than that and I really didn't expect them to be......
I changed out the grips and installed a new extractor pin that was messed up when removing the extractor. Looks much better now.
https://hkguns.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-10/p3325164387-5.jpg
I removed the damned magazine safety from my pistol now. MUCHO better.
It was a very simple process.
Removal:
- Remove the slide from the frame
- Remove the Magazine safety pin (circled in yellow below)
- Slide the trigger lever away from the ejection side and push back a smidge
- Pop out the mag safety button and spring that gets depressed when inserting a mag (You'll see it at the front of the magwell sticking out.)
https://hkguns.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-10/p3333530223-5.jpg
Assembly:
- Slide the trigger lever back into place
- Re-insert the magazine safety pin for aesthetics, or leave it out
- Put the slide back on the frame
Done.
Man that turned out VERY Nice. I was going to leave my stock, with the exception of some new grips to replace the shitty Hogue rubber, but now you have me thinking.
Thanks. I do have another of the aluminum framed ones that has the original finish. It doesn't have near as much cosmetic wear as this on did.
I'm not as comfy as Yoni with just leaving the safety off, and I'm not in hostile territory where that would be as prudent.
just for clarification safety is on when I holster the Hi Power into a kydex holster. Once in the holster I take the safety off, I did this back in the day when the safeties on the Hi Powers was tiny. I happened to carry my Hi Power today, which is a MK3 with a bigger safety, but due to lack of shooting a hammer fire gun very often I took the safety off once it was in the holster. I don't see it as being any different once it is in the holster as a Glock
Does any one here have a MK3 firearms built Hi Power?
I watched their video on Hi Power triggers and it looks like they have an almost 1911 trigger pull.
just for clarification safety is on when I holster the Hi Power into a kydex holster. Once in the holster I take the safety off, I did this back in the day when the safeties on the Hi Powers was tiny. I happened to carry my Hi Power today, which is a MK3 with a bigger safety, but due to lack of shooting a hammer fire gun very often I took the safety off once it was in the holster. I don't see it as being any different once it is in the holster as a Glock
Totally agree. I won't carry this pistol for the same reason of not shooting a hammer fired pistol often enough too.
Here's the Sig X5 barrel compared to the Hi Power. I believe it's a big part of why the Hi Power is less than enjoyable to shoot.
https://i.imgur.com/LpDJeSr.jpg
Thickness, locking mechanism, weight or color?
I just bought a 40S&W Hi Power, also 2 KKM barrels one in 357sig and the other 9mm.
It is all going to MK3 Firearms in Vegas to get the barrels fitted and their single stag trigger, with a flat trigger.
The KKM barrels were ordered 0.7 inch longer than stock, the exposed portion of the barrel will get mag-na-ported, then the barrels will go off for black nitride finish.
The pistol will also be fitted with a red dot.
This pistol will fulfill my desire for a 2011 type gun but with great flexibility in caliber. It also fits my nostalgic love of my old issued pistol.
Thickness, locking mechanism, weight or color?
Beef! I mean... I assume the locking mechanism is effectively the same thing, but I could be wrong. The two smoother shooting 9mm pistols I've shot are the X5 and the Staccato... both have hog barrels.
The .40 S&W guns have/had 3 locking lugs as opposed to 2, as on the older 9 mm guns.
This obviously provides a beefier lock up for the hotter cartridge.
If you were going to run a .357 Sig barrel, like Yoni, this is the way.
A lot of guys were doing this with 9mm as well. Advantage being longevity with hot +P or “+P+” ammo.
From memory KKM produces 3 lug 9 mm barrels. (Yoni?)
I have a 40S&W HiPower. It has the most difficult slide to rack that you'll ever encounter. I still like it though.
I have a 40S&W HiPower. It has the most difficult slide to rack that you'll ever encounter. I still like it though.
Due to the slide spring? Good Lord. I can't imagine a Hi Power in 40 cal. The prevalence of 9mm pistols has really hurt my pistol shooting ability. We busted out a Sig P220 a few months back and it felt like a Magnum caliber pistol.
I have a 40S&W HiPower. It has the most difficult slide to rack that you'll ever encounter. I still like it though.
Pretty sure the .40 BHP uses 20# RS and 32# MS.
The 9mm used 18# RS from memory. I always dropped MS to 28# or even 26# in my 9’s as I always used Standard Pressure carry ammo.
It helped with trigger pull weight and I’ve never cracked a slide or broke a barrel.
Now you guys got me to checking the slide racking resistance on my pistols.
Subjectively, I'd say my 9mm HP is roughly equivalent to the 1911's, but not as hard as my PPK. The newer tech pistols are pretty much all easier to rack than the older models.
Interesting as I've never paid that much attention to this aspect.
I've always assumed that the recoil spring is what makes the slide so difficult to rack, but never really investigated it. It's just the price you pay for having a HiPower in 40S&W.
I also have a HiPower chambered in 30Luger. Here are some comparison pictures.
30Luger vs 9mm vs 40S&W
https://i.postimg.cc/HW99WRzP/30-Luger-vs-9mm-vs-40-S-W-Hi-Power-muzzles.jpg
30Luger vs 9mm vs 40S&W
https://i.postimg.cc/hPC8TmHL/30-Luger-vs-9mm-vs-40-S-W-Hi-Power-slides.jpg
40S&W vs 9mm vs 30Luger
https://i.postimg.cc/DyfdS6Yf/40-S-W-vs-9mm-vs-30-Luger-Hi-Power-barrels.jpg
As you can see, there's more of a difference than just an extra locking lug on the 40S&W.
I’m failing to see any diff other than the additional lug between the 9 and 40 barrels.
The 30 Luger lacks the additional barrel “foot” support o bottom of chamber the other two have. I know nothing about 30 Luger, but assume that has something to do with less mass/weight of bullet not requiring that additional support.
From memory KKM produces 3 lug 9 mm barrels. (Yoni?)
The 9mm conversion for 40S&W pistols is 3 lug.
I’m failing to see any diff other than the additional lug between the 9 and 40 barrels.
The 40S&W barrel is thicker and heavier. The 30Luger barrel is thinner than the 9mm barrel.
The 40S&W barrel is thicker and heavier. The 30Luger barrel is thinner than the 9mm barrel.
Ok. Yes.
I forgot to mention that the 40S&W slide is thicker and heavier.
Ned Christiansen
01-03-24, 20:39
(Posted elsewhere a couple years ago):
While on hold for a bit on a project, I have a little time to take care of some of the other little things that need doing but normally might hang fire for..... a good long time. This is essentially a parts gun, you don't see that so much with the BHP. The barrel is a BarSto..... in 7.65 Parabellum. Ya gotta know this gives a recoil impulse that is somewhat "lesser" than that of a 9mm and indeed the action would barely open at first.
Brownings in my opinion are typically way overspring. Not to say they don't know what they're doing, but man! The hammer spring and firing pin spring are stout! I started tuning for the low impulse by reducing the hammer spring to "reasonable" levels.
Now mind you, the work on this gun is not and is not presented as high-end custom work. It's "can you put this together and make it work". I'm anxious to meet that requirement without making a weeks-long project out of it so, reducing that hammer spring was done by shortening it. It's fine. Except the expected misfires. Take out the firing pin spring. By far the strongest in any pistol available today. At first I replaced it with a spring I made and misfires were greatly reduced.
Reduced but not gone. The hammer provided was a ring hammer. This thing was just.... giant. I cut off the ring and slotted it up the back. Misfires gone. Let there be no doubt that a lighter hammer, a lighter complete firing train, hits harder. I've proven this many times over the years. Not to include lightweight firing pins though. As these, like a 1911, have inertia firing pins, you get under a certain mass and the inertia is reduced so much that it can't hit hard enough.
After all this I found a Wolff FP spring for BHP, stronger than the one I made. I put that in and still no misfires, so, good.
As a parts gun it came with a C&S wide trigger. I'm not a fan of wide triggers but beside that this part was a little rough and took a bit of fitting, which-- having the trigger in and out of a BHP a bunch of times is not fun. Finally got it working OK.
One thing about the BHP is extreme trigger overtravel in some cases. This leads to binding on the bell crank mounted in the slide (OK, its official name is "sear lever".) Pull the trigger far enough to drop the hammer, and if it goes too far beyond, the trigger lever pins the sear lever up. You can feel this in hand cycling-- the slide won't move. Oh it moves when you fire it, but things are being stressed. Indeed, on this frame, you could see where the sear lever pusher (the real name escapes me just now) had deformed its place in the frame a little in previous use. Here's where it would have been nice in an aftermarket trigger if they'd leave extra metal on the forward extension of the trigger so a guy could file it to be an effective trigger OT stop. I added some metal there and all's well.
The RDIH extendo slide stop provided-- I think they're OK. I don't really have any high-mileage info on them. I find the factory part perfectly adequate but there's nothing really wrong with the RDIH.
The thumb safety used was off a Tisas, which had been fitted with a C&S safety. This was the original format safety and, not Tisas' fault, but they are just.... bloody.... awful. They give you about 3/8" of leverage which is practically below flush with the grips and frame. With the hammer pivoting on the safety shaft there can be considerable drag. The detent efforts can vary. Send lawyers, guns, and leverage! As with the safety in an above post, I did a quick-ish job of extending it. Using a broken 1911 safety, I took the paddle off, and silvered it into a slot filed into the original. Again not suitable for zoomed-in pics in a gun magazine but so..... much..... better. AND, yes, safer. I put a little silver on the part of it that blocks the sear, which it needed. Pulling the trigger with the safety on was resulting in about 20% of sear movement occurring. A guy could live with this if he had to-- many Brownings come from the factory with this condition. But now this one is solid. Is silver the ideal material for blocking the sear? Not in theory but in reality.... more than adequate.
https://i.imgur.com/gHfEiKb.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/WubnSDV.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/1DeaFmj.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/lq96tn3.jpg?2
What passes for a "tang" on these is pretty objectionable, and usually left sharp on the sides. They vary a lot. Well, I didn't really want to start filing on the guy's frame but I do know that if it's a problem he's good with a file himself and can take care of it.
Ned Christiansen
01-03-24, 20:42
And, from 7-8 years ago:
Fixing the four things that suck about almost every BHP safety. This one was the worst ever. Although the gun is great mechanically, the old girl has probably never had a thorough cleaning and there was lots of sludge-induced gumminess.
This is one of the surplus ones currently available from AIM Surplus, very reasonably priced (but I don't remember how much).
The task—make the safety bigger. I have not yet seen the aftermarket one that I like; anyway I love doing a little silver brazing. I have made the piece from scratch in the past but this time I thought I’d graft on something from the BHP’s older brother:
http://i.imgur.com/a5Co7Lyh.jpg
I determined I would do this hacksaw, file and torch style, no fancy machining.
http://i.imgur.com/iQwrIbvh.jpg
A groove has been filed into the old safety to help locate and lug-in the new paddle. A silver joint is super strong but it’s always nice to have some added features to increase the soldered area and give positive location to the piece to be added, because “holding it in place while you heat it” rarely works well. This pic also illustrates one of the other “four things”…..
http://i.imgur.com/n7lQ9gNh.jpg
Just prior to getting the torch out, trying to figure out how to fixture it all up…. when you have odd shapes that you can't just clamp together, sometimes it's hard to come up with a way to hold things in place. I have a high pain threshold but holding it with fingertips ain’t gonna work for me….
http://i.imgur.com/2VeGg2Fh.jpg
I put a small toolmaker’s clamp onto the paddle that my hold-down could rest on. Bit of a balancing act but it worked well.
http://i.imgur.com/zHf4Psqh.jpg
The finished product. Not suitable for a magazine cover but neither is the rest of the gun, this was a utility enhancement, not a custom build….. now the safety is util y positivo.
http://i.imgur.com/PLEEV37h.jpg
(Posted elsewhere a couple years ago):
While on hold for a bit on a project, I have a little time to take care of some of the other little things that need doing but normally might hang fire for..... a good long time. This is essentially a parts gun, you don't see that so much with the BHP. The barrel is a BarSto..... in 7.65 Parabellum. Ya gotta know this gives a recoil impulse that is somewhat "lesser" than that of a 9mm and indeed the action would barely open at first.
Brownings in my opinion are typically way overspring. Not to say they don't know what they're doing, but man! The hammer spring and firing pin spring are stout! I started tuning for the low impulse by reducing the hammer spring to "reasonable" levels.
Now mind you, the work on this gun is not and is not presented as high-end custom work. It's "can you put this together and make it work". I'm anxious to meet that requirement without making a weeks-long project out of it so, reducing that hammer spring was done by shortening it. It's fine. Except the expected misfires. Take out the firing pin spring. By far the strongest in any pistol available today. At first I replaced it with a spring I made and misfires were greatly reduced.
Reduced but not gone. The hammer provided was a ring hammer. This thing was just.... giant. I cut off the ring and slotted it up the back. Misfires gone. Let there be no doubt that a lighter hammer, a lighter complete firing train, hits harder. I've proven this many times over the years. Not to include lightweight firing pins though. As these, like a 1911, have inertia firing pins, you get under a certain mass and the inertia is reduced so much that it can't hit hard enough.
After all this I found a Wolff FP spring for BHP, stronger than the one I made. I put that in and still no misfires, so, good.
As a parts gun it came with a C&S wide trigger. I'm not a fan of wide triggers but beside that this part was a little rough and took a bit of fitting, which-- having the trigger in and out of a BHP a bunch of times is not fun. Finally got it working OK.
One thing about the BHP is extreme trigger overtravel in some cases. This leads to binding on the bell crank mounted in the slide (OK, its official name is "sear lever".) Pull the trigger far enough to drop the hammer, and if it goes too far beyond, the trigger lever pins the sear lever up. You can feel this in hand cycling-- the slide won't move. Oh it moves when you fire it, but things are being stressed. Indeed, on this frame, you could see where the sear lever pusher (the real name escapes me just now) had deformed its place in the frame a little in previous use. Here's where it would have been nice in an aftermarket trigger if they'd leave extra metal on the forward extension of the trigger so a guy could file it to be an effective trigger OT stop. I added some metal there and all's well.
The RDIH extendo slide stop provided-- I think they're OK. I don't really have any high-mileage info on them. I find the factory part perfectly adequate but there's nothing really wrong with the RDIH.
The thumb safety used was off a Tisas, which had been fitted with a C&S safety. This was the original format safety and, not Tisas' fault, but they are just.... bloody.... awful. They give you about 3/8" of leverage which is practically below flush with the grips and frame. With the hammer pivoting on the safety shaft there can be considerable drag. The detent efforts can vary. Send lawyers, guns, and leverage! As with the safety in an above post, I did a quick-ish job of extending it. Using a broken 1911 safety, I took the paddle off, and silvered it into a slot filed into the original. Again not suitable for zoomed-in pics in a gun magazine but so..... much..... better. AND, yes, safer. I put a little silver on the part of it that blocks the sear, which it needed. Pulling the trigger with the safety on was resulting in about 20% of sear movement occurring. A guy could live with this if he had to-- many Brownings come from the factory with this condition. But now this one is solid. Is silver the ideal material for blocking the sear? Not in theory but in reality.... more than adequate.
https://i.imgur.com/gHfEiKb.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/WubnSDV.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/1DeaFmj.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/lq96tn3.jpg?2
What passes for a "tang" on these is pretty objectionable, and usually left sharp on the sides. They vary a lot. Well, I didn't really want to start filing on the guy's frame but I do know that if it's a problem he's good with a file himself and can take care of it.
Very nice. Bonus points for the Warren Zevon reference!
Diamondback
01-11-24, 06:36
The Inglis is back!
https://www.athlonoutdoors.com/article/inglis-high-power/?utm_term=jan11&utm_campaign=gundaybrunch&utm_medium=email&utm_source=gatmarketing&utm_content=ath_gat
"A famed relic from a long-gone era returns to the American market. SDS Imports and Military Armament Corp (MAC) formed a new exclusive partnership, enabling importation of several models of the iconic Inglis High Power pistol into the United States. Four new High Power pistols will eventually hit the U.S. market in 2024.
The first Inglis High Power to return to the U.S. is the L9A1, a World War II-era firearm produced by Inglis. Three additional models, commercial variants, are comprised of a black finish and walnut grips, satin nickel with black G-10 grips or color case-hardened model dubbed the GP-34."
So, next question is how much closer will an L9A1 get me to Canuck Issue?
The Inglis is back!
https://www.athlonoutdoors.com/article/inglis-high-power/?utm_term=jan11&utm_campaign=gundaybrunch&utm_medium=email&utm_source=gatmarketing&utm_content=ath_gat
"A famed relic from a long-gone era returns to the American market. SDS Imports and Military Armament Corp (MAC) formed a new exclusive partnership, enabling importation of several models of the iconic Inglis High Power pistol into the United States. Four new High Power pistols will eventually hit the U.S. market in 2024.
The first Inglis High Power to return to the U.S. is the L9A1, a World War II-era firearm produced by Inglis. Three additional models, commercial variants, are comprised of a black finish and walnut grips, satin nickel with black G-10 grips or color case-hardened model dubbed the GP-34."
So, next question is how much closer will an L9A1 get me to Canuck Issue?
Definitely interested in seeing that GP-34!
Ned Christiansen
01-19-24, 14:48
I'm a little disappointed. Appears to be a "regular" P35 that says Inglis on it-- is there more? I figured it'd have tangent sights and a shoulder stock slot.
Diamondback
01-19-24, 15:34
So am I, I was hoping with one of Canada's former iconic gunmakers they'd do a CF Spec model that my GF's dad would think 'just like the one from his RCAF days.'
I'm a little disappointed. Appears to be a "regular" P35 that says Inglis on it-- is there more? I figured it'd have tangent sights and a shoulder stock slot.
I was hoping for a machined fixed rear "podium" sight.
At least they copied a MkIII(or MkIIIS?) except for the hammer.
I was finally able to get my AU FN High Power to the range today.
Functioned 100% with the original magazine and one of the three Mec-Gar mags I purchased as spares. It was actually very comfortable to shoot, didn't bite my hand once.
Was shooting a bit left for me, so I drifted the sight to the right a bit after I got home, during cleaning.
Overall a very nice pistol to shoot.
The reset is extremely soft, imperceptibly soft, I found myself wondering if the trigger had reset while shooting and every time it had indeed reset.
For us... (my son and I).. the SA-35 is starting to grow on us both. He was shooting it better with irons than his Sig Legion X5 with RDS.
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