The New FN High Power Forgotten Weapons Review
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not really. Both 1911 and Glocks are wildly popular. Interesting thing about this is it is all about one unpopular pistol vs a newer slightly better version of an unpopular pistol.
Military contracts. like saying Mosin Nagants are really popular and awesome because they made millions of trash rods.
Walk into any gun store. Tons of 1911’s and Glocks. How many High powers? Until recently zero. Now maybe 1.
When is the last time you saw someone shooting a high power at the range or a match? I honestly can’t remember.
So yeah, unpopular.
He made vices, right?
And it only cost 5 trillion dollars.
But then you have a serviceable HiPower. So worth every penny and every minute of the 12.5 year wait.
(sniffs cork and fills crystal wine glass and farts rose scented gas)
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OP
The wait is not that long and the cost is not as high as people think. It is a lot like Spegel grips.
If you have a relationship with Craig you are on his list and when he has grips and your number comes up you buy grips at about $70-$100 a pair.
If you don’t get on the list and go to the secondary market you pay $300 for the same grips.
Ted is not really different. My first BHP build took about 9 months. My 1911 build was maybe 14. Neither one cost me what they sell for in the secondary market.
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711b
Well-Known Member
I thought he made vises, but I guess you could be right.
Lol. Ok.
I’ll try and get into that secret club for some grips. Don’t remember saying anything about wanting or needing grips, but for sure I’m gonna go for it!
Lol. Ok.
Don’t remember saying anything about wanting or needing a hipower, but for sure I’m gonna go for it!
I never commented on anything but the Yost. I have no need for pricing options.
And none of this “moves me”.
The Yost gun is indeed lovely and most of us would be proud to own it. Just having a bit of fun at your expense is all.
After reading this thread, I'm still not convinced of the merits of the Hi-power over modern polymer striker-fired pistols.
711b
Well-Known Member
That was basically the point I made early on in the "discussion" (despite my love for my own Browning), though I didn't mention the striker-fired feature. There are other features that also make more modern pistols and their designs preferable for the purposes to which many of us want to put them. Again, this shouldn't be surprising since the Hi-Power was fundamentally an early 20th century military sidearm (P-35), and designed for that purpose -- similar to the more recent Beretta 92, which likewise is not a particularly good choice for most civilian and "every day" uses that many of us have. Collecting is another issue entirely, of course.
Whoa whoa whoa… did you ask permission first?
711b
Well-Known Member
😂😂 😂 I should have thought of that. My son has one -- possibly because he always enjoyed shooting my HP so much.
Now watch somebody pick on the MINOR differences in the designs!
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I know little of the HP. It looks more like a 1911 than a 75.
A 75 has the slide in the frame, doesn’t have the radial locking lugs, doesn’t have hammer bite, and that trigger.
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Right.
If you look at the guns.
Colt 1900 -> Colt 1902 = Overall design of an archetypal pistol, in how a slide/frame looks for most. Slide stop. Single Action.
Colt 1911 -> Took those ideas, simplified, made partial guide rod.
Browning Hi Power -> Took the original 1911, made double stack, Made simpler tilting locking action used by almost all newer guns. Made that guide rod much longer.
CZ-75 -> Took those ideas, made it DA/SA. Used same tilting locking barrel, just changed lug location. That's really about it. Clear lineage.
711b
Well-Known Member
Oops. I've got a long way with "Ask forgiveness, not permission." Either that or I just forgot. And I do keep forgetting the reporting hierarchy here. Generally, I confess, in anything resembling a social organization, I'm pretty much of a mess. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor vos, fratres, oráre pro me ad summus.
SergeToll
Well-Known Member
modern 1911s are cooler then modern HPs. However, High Power has special charisma. John Browning has created it as better version of 1911. HP became best handgun of WWII at both sides of the conflict. It does not have a greatest trigger. However, it shows great groups on target. New FN clone simply lost that magnetism.
I have several HP (all Mk III). All tuned to 5.5 lbs trigger, "no bites" hammer etc... just love them all.
I have several HP (all Mk III). All tuned to 5.5 lbs trigger, "no bites" hammer etc... just love them all.
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I'm a big HP fan, but don't have the knowledge about them as many here. I try to collect them when I can afford to. I wouldn't mind trying out a new one, but one of the best parts of the HP for me is the thin slide - a tenth of an inch or so makes a difference to me (that's not what she said).
Collect the originals; carry/shoot the new ones?
Collect the originals; carry/shoot the new ones?
711b
Well-Known Member
And of course the Hi Power is still around as a service arm in certain nations that I guess here would be regarded as "backward":
"The Self-Loading Pistol 9 millimetre Mark 3[71] is the standard issue service pistol of the Australian Defence Force, a direct copy of the Browning Hi Power pistol (which has now been discontinued)."
Here's an interesting study and comparison of the Hi Power to other possibilities by the Australian army done in 2015. The conclusion (that the Hi Power should be replaced by something more "modern") is something with which I don't disagree. But it is interesting that if you read the conclusions and data closely, the authors found it necessary to offer some observations and interpretations of their data that aren't entirely convincing. And the performance comparisons to the other guns being considered may also be surprising to some. Also note the very significant difference in the sights being used on the other pistols being evaluated compared to the Browning. Whatever else you might think about replacing the Browning, it doesn't seem as though you'd have to fudge the results in ways like this. 😂
"Force protection's last resort: Evaluating the Browning Hi-power MK III for the Australian army of tomorrow"
I'm sure the real experts here are already familiar with this study.
Also, there's this "New Sidearm for ADF in 2022", where it appears that things have been delayed. At one point, the ADF wasn't happy with the safety features on the Glocks that they were considering.
"The Self-Loading Pistol 9 millimetre Mark 3[71] is the standard issue service pistol of the Australian Defence Force, a direct copy of the Browning Hi Power pistol (which has now been discontinued)."
Here's an interesting study and comparison of the Hi Power to other possibilities by the Australian army done in 2015. The conclusion (that the Hi Power should be replaced by something more "modern") is something with which I don't disagree. But it is interesting that if you read the conclusions and data closely, the authors found it necessary to offer some observations and interpretations of their data that aren't entirely convincing. And the performance comparisons to the other guns being considered may also be surprising to some. Also note the very significant difference in the sights being used on the other pistols being evaluated compared to the Browning. Whatever else you might think about replacing the Browning, it doesn't seem as though you'd have to fudge the results in ways like this. 😂
"Force protection's last resort: Evaluating the Browning Hi-power MK III for the Australian army of tomorrow"
I'm sure the real experts here are already familiar with this study.
Also, there's this "New Sidearm for ADF in 2022", where it appears that things have been delayed. At one point, the ADF wasn't happy with the safety features on the Glocks that they were considering.
Chuckman
Senior Member
I like them, don't love them, have spent all of about 2 seconds with them. I think they were the rage in the 70s and 80s because some militaries' SOF used them, kinda like the resurgence of 1911s when Delta was using them. But they all moved on, too.
I've owned and shot Hi Powers since the mid 70s: 1 60s vintage, 2 Mk IIIs from the 90s, and two FN licenced Argentines. I like the Hi Power better than the 1911 and that is saying a lot. The Mk III is the superior version and for me the best classic service pistol. One man's opinion of course.
To be fair, few people are actually very "knowledgeable" in the way were taking about here with respect to many of the firearms they own.
They know the basics about loading, shooting, and cleaning but little about design and history.
Yeah, I own many firearms, but only know more than average about a few types. I have too many other hobbies to get too into the weeds about each. Some guy was asking me questions about a particular part of my bike, and I was like, "Huh, I have one of those?"
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Australia just adopted the Sig 320:
711b
Well-Known Member
Good for them. It really looked as though they might be going for the Glock 17.
Did you smoke a cigar afterwards?
cubrock
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The T series are my favorite Hi Power, but I have to agree with you that the Mk IIIs are the most serviceable of the bunch.
She did all the smoking. I just laid back and enjoyed it.
711b
Well-Known Member
I gather from your comments about the trigger that you removed the magazine disconnect?
I went so far as to field strip her, then I got all up inside her. I rammed a rod straight down her throat, clear out the other end in fact. Every nook and cranny was probed.
When I was done, I gave her a nice warm oil rubdown and let her get herself back together.