Browning Hi Power 9mm

Simonp

Simonp

Joined
Dec 28, 2002
Messages
379
For all you firearm owners & experts out there. I know the old Browning doesn't seem all that well represented on this board but hopefully someone out there happens to like them as much as I do. My question is, does anyone know of any good / reputable gunsmiths who can do some custimization work on it?

Thanks in advance :)
 
The Hi-Power is much over looked pistol lost in a sea of double stack 9's. I love the old relic. Graceful lines that don't outline easily when carrying concealed (legally :) ). You don't have that long double action trigger reach to master, just a nice clean single action break (personally I'd ditch the magazine safety). And on, and on ....... :)

Customizations:

Novak's gun shop for all out mods
Les Baer if you want a match pistol
and there are many others.

What sort of mod's are you looking for?
 
A few years ago "Cylinder and Slide" did alot of custom work, and had alot of custom parts for the Browning Hi-Powers, but I don't know if they are still around. I installed a couple of their ambidextrious safeties and extended mag releases on a couple Hi-Powers that I had, and they were top-rate parts.
 
Originally posted by Sid Post
The Hi-Power is much over looked pistol lost in a sea of double stack 9's. I love the old relic. Graceful lines that don't outline easily when carrying concealed (legally :) ). You don't have that long double action trigger reach to master, just a nice clean single action break (personally I'd ditch the magazine safety). And on, and on ....... :)

Customizations:

Novak's gun shop for all out mods
Les Baer if you want a match pistol
and there are many others.

What sort of mod's are you looking for?
Click to expand...

What mods?? Good question, to be honest I had never thought about it before seeing a few customized guns here and on the USN and it started me thinking and wondering. I've always been the sort of guy that bought an old reliable gun and shot it as it came out of the box, now I was thinking that maybe I could improve it a touch instead of buying more guns and ending up with a collection as big as my knife collection. I found this listing of possible improvements and to be honest I don't even know where to begin. I thought about improving the accuracy and the sights as well as possibly reducing the trigger pull, but what exactly is an accuracy job normally?? Possibly a less obtrusive hammer, not that it has ever snagged on my clothing but why take a chance right? Ideas and feedback are appreciated :) How can I spend some money that I really don't need to - so as to increase my fun.

Reliability
Remove hump from ramp, polish, check/tune extractor $50.00
Polish straight ramp,check/tuneextractor, polish bolt face $40.00

Accuracy
Accuracy job $125.00
Install match barrel $75.00
Match barrel $175.00

Funnel
Funnel front sides and back of mag well $45.00

Checkering and Serrating
Stipple back strap $75.00
Stipple front strap $75.00
Serrate rear of slide $40.00

Sights
BoMar rear sight low melt into slide $150.00
Fixed rear sight of your choice installed $55.00
Dovetail front sight (specify) $60.00
Cut down factory front sight on non-adjustable sight models $35.00
Novak lo melt rear sight $65.00
MMC rear adjustable sight $110.00

Trigger
4 - 4.5# pull $100.00
Commander hammer $60.00
Install wide trigger (part not included) $25.00

Safeties
Extend existing thumb safety per side $50.00
Install ambi safety (part not included) $60.00

Extras
Oversize magazine button $25.00
Beavertail $175.00

*All prices shown include part and installation.
 
Reliability and accuracy are relative things for most people.

Reliability:

Are you a street cop that must have a pistol that goes bang everytime, the first time, until you shoot the pistol dry?

Are you a hunter that needs one well placed shot to drop a game animal?

Are you a competition shooter that needs match reliability?

Each has its own unique qualities.

Accuracy - are you looking for 1/2 inch 10 shot groups at 50 yards or, 2 1/2 inch groups? A persons definition of accuracy is often different then the shooter standing next to them at the pistol range. I think of it as "practical" accuracy versus "technical" accuracy. I'm not into Ransom Rest groups shot on windless days in an underground tunnel protected from Sunlight, wind gusts, etc. If I can't shoot it myself, it doesn't count ;)

A Hi-Power really looks nice in 40 LPI checkering with the slide serrations. It isn't as grippy as 20 or 30 LPI checkering but, really seems to fit the classy nature of a 'tuned' Hi-Power. Those Novak sights really look good as well. If you are looking for a streetable package, add a reliability package and a good matte blue and you will have a real looker that shoots too :)

If you want to shoot Bullseye, the Les Baer mod's are very good. He hardens the framerails and slides, adds a Bomar sight, barrel, etc. It isn't what I would call a looker but, if you appreciate temperlines on a good MasterSmith knife, you will like this upgrade. Even through the blueing, you have a beautiful temper line. It also will become a true match pistol.

If you are looking for general cosmetics and basic reliability upgrades, Cylinder and Slide is a good place to go.
 
I've always thought that the Hi-Power was a great gun. While I've never owned one, lots of my friends have them and I've shot them quite a bit. Very few of them had mods.

There is an urban legend that this Browning has always been made from 'softer' metal. Now, in an old bolt action rifle, this was a grea thing. If a cartridge blew, the action would bulge, but not blow up throwing shrapnel in the shooter's face.

The legend goes that if a gunsmith tapped the rails to make the slide tighter, it would loosen up very fast. To be fair, this criticism has made about other automatics. It seems that steel has a 'memory,' and over time the rails would 'spring back.'

I reiterate, this is a RUMOR that I have heard.
 
I owned a Novak FN High Power with the carry bevel and it was a very slick piece, but expensive. The High Power P-35 is very heavily used all over the world, even Saddam carried one! Their are a lot of variants, Israeli Kareen (spelling?), Argentine FM, Belgian Fabrique Nationale, FEG. For some time their have been surplus MK III FN P35's coming from Israel for around $279 with a high cap - great deal, most have dried up. The FM's are FN licensed and with a little work can be made into pretty good guns. I think FAC has the FM's for $239 right now NIB. Lots of hi caps floating around as well. I find the safety is a huge weak point, very small and hard to find. Easy drop in fix.

As a side note, I have a BDM (Browning Dual Mode) that is very similar to the High Power but a double action. They made these right when the hi cap ban came down and they dropped them, but it is a very underrated gun, the thinnest I have ever seen.

Also, if you want a really slick High Power check out the now discontinued High Power Practical, very slick gun right out of the box.
 
Originally posted by bigcozy
I think FAC has the FM's for $239 right now NIB. Lots of hi caps floating around as well. I find the safety is a huge weak point, very small and hard to find. Easy drop in fix.

As a side note, I have a BDM (Browning Dual Mode) that is very similar to the High Power but a double action. They made these right when the hi cap ban came down and they dropped them, but it is a very underrated gun, the thinnest I have ever seen.

Also, if you want a really slick High Power check out the now discontinued High Power Practical, very slick gun right out of the box.
Click to expand...

FAC?? Where or what is FAC? I have a high power but for that price I would pick up a 2nd or 3rd :)

I will do a search for the High Power Practical, thanks. I am a big fan of Brownings personally besides the High Power I have a 12ga I use for trap when I can :)

TK & SS

Simon
 
Please remember, you generally get what you pay for. I'll take a well cared for used Belgian Hi-Power over a brand new Argentine or Hungarian psuedo-clone Hi-Power anyday. Heck, I'll even take a used Belgian over a Belgian/Portugal pistol. I have both and speak from personal experience. ;)

Ichabod,

Does the MasterSmith forged knife suffer the same possible problem you mention about the pistols?

All the Government model Bullseye shooters must be really disappointed to learn their pistol won't hold up to much use. It must be a John Browning thing ;)

I suspect what you have heard is a distortion of the argument over cast versus forged slides and frames. Metalurgy is metalurgy, whether in a custom knife or a custom firearm.
 
While I don't have a P35s, a friend of mine loves them. Nothing at all wrong with them, just for me they need a beavertail to save my big hands.

The best I've seen was a Novak with a very well done beavertail.

My buddy's P35s were done by C&S, also excellent work.

Another smith I've met who does some good work is Kurt Wickmann. He used to work for Novak (IIRC) but is now on his own.
 
Another vote for Novak's!!:D They did my Hi-Power, excellent work.

Geraldo is right about Kurt Wickmann. He would be another option.
 
I own three done by Wickmann , outstanding work . The P35 is a much overlooked gun . It has incredible ergonomics and is as reliable as the day is long . Robbie Barkman at Robar is a fine one to have do the work also .

The ones you have been given are the cream of the crop but, there are many other fine ones. Carter Customs is another and On Target in Ashville , NC. , I think that is the name, did some fabulous work on a Hi Power that I shot last year. As far as hammer bite on big hands get the hammer mod done, it doesn't need the beavertail, but everyone to thier own like and dislikes .
 
Very cool stuff, all of these guys are pricey too - I had no idea :(
Click to expand...

Please remember, you generally get what you pay for.
Click to expand...

If you get a chance, shoot a Government model, Hi-Power or, similar pistol that has been worked over by a top gunsmith.

I had a friend that was wearing out 45 Government models. He was also starting to become a serious military competitive shooter. Since he was pilot in the Air Force, he was not going to the Army's Marksmanship Unit. Instead I hooked him up with a custom Les Baer DCM pistol. After he started winning, his local unit supplied everything else he needed. Turned out to be a very good investment. :D
 
Sid Post,

Like I said, it's a rumor.

However, I don't think there's a major flaw in Browning, locking breech pistols.

I have a stainless, Mark IV, Series Eighty Colt in .45 ACP that was custom made by Terry Tussey in 1984. I wanted to compete in IPSC; at that time, a single stack Colt with tuned rails and a decent bushing would make you quasi-competitive. I did not want a front bushing that needed a bushing wrench for disassembly.

Terry made the front bushing 'snug' on the barrel in battery, and loose if the handgun unlocked. He also mated the locking lugs to their matching channels in the slide. He made sure that the swinging link was the right length.

You can still empty a magazine into a poker chip. For me, the highlighted and wide Millett sights were the improvement I noticed right off.
 
Terry Tussey

Talk about a pistolsmith!!! He does un-real work . Have you ever seen the guns he does for Steven Segal? Damn I wish I were rich....
 
Jerry,

Call him, he's a real down to earth human. I've had five (four?) of his guns; some full tilt, some just the reliability package.

Tell him you know that "crazy Sicilian from Wisconsin." Chat with him. Order some work. He's not out of line for his prices. And his stuff works. I cannot remember my last Tussey related stoppage.
 
Well,Simonop,I don't know of any highpower specialiusts other than those I read about in the magazines.But,I do share your devotion to the old pistola.Along with an equal respect for Gaston Glocks design.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top