Browning Hi Power

[stephen]

At first glance, the Browning Hi Power 9mm seems to be a reasonably priced, reliable handgun with excellent capacity, and a large number of them readily available with pre-ban mags, and a fine combat pedigree.

Any reviews or experiences related to this gun would be appreciated, all caliber arguements aside.

Salient point of discussion: in the post-ban world of 10 round handguns, the Browning seems an excellent buy with abundant hi capacity magazines available at good prices. Your comments are solicited.

First let me say, I am a die-hard 1911 .45 guy.

Now that that's out of the way, with a disabled magazine safety and good trigger job, I think the Browning Hi-Power is #2 on the list of finest combat handguns ever designed. It is not the most accurate weapon, but good examples I've shot will do 2" or better at 15yd, that's plenty good enough for a combat handgun. The grip is a good fit in the hand, even for those with smaller than average hands, yet will still hold up to a 17 round (South African) magazine. Reliability is outstanding as long as you stay away from Pro-Mag and U.S.A. brand magazines.

BHPs get a huge thumbs up from me!

Oh yeah, as far as magazines go, my preferences are:

#1) Factory 13 rounders or Mec-Gar 13 rounders
#3) Canadian Ingliss 13 rounders
#4) South African 17 rounders

Tons of Hi-Power info can be found here:

http://www.fnhipower.com/

[Barrett]

Though it's much closer to the 1911 chronologically than the P.35 designation indicates (probably mid-20s or so), the Hipower is in some ways what the Colt coulda been. Apart from 9mm vs .45, it's rid of the grip safety which certainly complicates things. (The US Cavalry wanted the grip safety in case the pistola was dropped from hossback, but that's what lanyards were for!)

Interesting to note that Germany continued production of Hipowers after conquering Belgium; there are good photos and film footage of Wehrmacht troops toting 'em. One of the better gunhandling scenes of The War shows a Waffen SS type with finger off the trigger.

On the other side of the globe, Saburo Sakai had a Browning pistol (for suicide) but didn't recall the designation. I doubt it was a Hipower.

Preban Glock mags are going for well over $100 so good-quality Hipower mags make a lot of sense.

Getting rid of the grip safety, barrel bushing and plunger tube were definitely improvements on the 1911, score 3 for JMB. In 1926, when JMB died, Dieudonné Saive, FN's chief designer refined the Hi-Power design and added the double column magazine and magazine safety. The double column mag was a good idea, the mag safety I don't like, score 1 for the mag, -1 for the safety, final score for Saive 0.

Saive sure did save face by designing the FN-FAL though!

[Shooter]

Rex:

The elimination of the barrel bushing from the 1911 design did not IMHO improve the P-35. The barrel bushing and link allows the 1911 to achieve a positive lock when the weapon is in battery. Of any potential design flaws, however, nothing can compare with the caliber of that sidearm. I regard the 9mm Parabellum cartridge as being insufficient upon which to depend for one's life (Stephen's objections aside).

I have owned a Browning P-35 with a German waffen stamp--indicating its service in the Wehrmacht, I am told. When I traded it for a Smith & Wesson M29, I think I got the short end of the deal.

Shooter sends

[stephen]

Thanks everyone! Wow, that web site is really comprehensive. Tons of stuff there. And the consensus seems pretty positive overall.

Now, to the inevitable caliber question:

What comparatively priced .45 would you recommend that has 17 round capacity, is NOT in the 1911 single action only layout, and is readily available for less than $400 with abundant hi-cap mags in the $30 range? Yes, that's a tall order, but then the Browning HP is a good gun. The bar has been raised.

[Barrett]

Also note that the BHP is available in .40 cal. Don't know if there's enough experience to see how it stands up to the more powerful round but I like the concept.

* Also note that the BHP is available in .40 cal. Don't know if there's enough experience to see how it stands up to the more powerful round but I like the concept.

The .40 HPs hold up fine, but the beefier slide changes the balance of the weapon. They just don't feel like a HP anymore.

[stephen]

I keep seeing ads for the .40 Beretta Mini Cougar, and I keep thinking it is way cool. Quick... somebody stop me.