The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Gunsmithing What alterations on a Browning Highpower?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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What things are typically done on the HP to make it better for carry. I already want a threaded barrel for suppressor. What else? Packy | ||
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get rid of the magazine disconnect and do a trigger job. small adjustable sight like the old pachmayer and a fiber optic front | |||
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This is a NIB HP, assembled in Portugal. The sights are similar to target sights with a white line front sight. Better for my old eyes than the traditional front lump. I'm not good for the trigger job and disconnect job. Thanks for the info Butchloc. Anything other than a screw to change the grips to a G10 set? Packy | |||
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There's an argument that for a true carry gun leaving the magazine disconnector in place means that if you are about to loose the gun you can drop the magazine and render it unfireable (unless you stick a finger up inside it that is). | |||
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The only thing I did to mine was get rid of the magazine safety. A easy job. | |||
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At a minimum: Novak sights with tritium package or simple gold bead front and no tritium on the back. Stippling front strap or, if you do not want to spend the $$, skateboard tape. Bevel mag well area. Trigger job Perhaps a look at Novak's website will help you and you can see it here: http://www.novaksinc.com/custom-bhp-packages.html | |||
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Essentially the same thing for all carry guns. 1) Sights that work for your eyes and are quick to acquire 2) A trigger pull weight that works for you depending on your experience Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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+1 As a former LEO firearms instructor for 20+ years all that I could add to that is practice. Never rode a bull, but have shot some. NRA life member NRA LEO firearms instructor (retired) NRA Golden Eagles member | |||
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I've found that with autos in general they improve by checkering both front and back straps .Flat top checkering is better .In thinner areas on the front strap finer lpi works better .mine had S&W J frame sights but today a three dot system would be my choice. For me some type of trigger work would be added. | |||
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What I would add as someone who did own and use quite substantially a Browning Hi-Power is from the moment of acquiring it fit a new extractor/ejector and a new extractor/ejector spring. Although it's a John Moses Browning design the extractor/ejector IMHO isn't as assuredly reliable over the long term as those on the Colt 1911. | |||
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To solve what problem? and "not reliable" in what way over the long term? Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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MD. Failure to eject. As they were the British Army issue pistol for nearly forty years they were very widely owned in the UK by civilian shooters such as myself. So it's a problem we were familiar with here in UK. And specifically to to High Power pistols that I never saw in Colt 1911 pistols. If you Google "Browning High Power Ejection Problems" apparently you'll see numerous threads on the matter. Don't forget FN changed the configuration of John Browning's extractor on the High Power in the early 1960s or so from his original Colt 1911 type design to a cheaper design. It's that one that is less reliable over the long term. Such that friends in the Army would try to arrange to be issued with an older Inglis rather than the "new extractor" style Belgian made version. | |||
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Please defined long term number of rounds, number of years. I haven't experience it with any of the Hi-powers I have owned. | |||
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Hello P.DOG. It's not something you can say that it'll be OK for x number of rounds or Y number of years. They just start to begin to have failures to eject as and when. It's like any machine or tool that relies on a coil spring. Like the firing pin spring on a bolt action rifle, the recoil spring on a Colt 1911 and etc.. Coil springs can and do become weaker over time...many of use had had to change coil springs on our cars...and whist they will still work they begin to show signs of working less than 100% effectively. So as it is a defensive pistol my advice if buying a used one, or of uncertain provenance, would be to fit a new spring and to check that the ejector isn't worn or damaged. | |||
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So what's new that can happen with any spring on any firearm that is used a lot. As a police armorer we replaced springs and other parts on a regular basis depending on age and round count. If we started to see failures of a part after a certain time then we would start replacing them before that time. So if the a Hi-powers start having extraction problems one needs to replace the needed parts. No different then any other pistol. | |||
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I second that. I know first hand of a police officer that was losing the battle..dropped his magazine , probably saving his life | |||
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+1 P.DOG. You know that, and I know that. But the original poster if he's unfamiliar with the Hi-Power ejector system using a coil spring as it's the first one he's owned may not have known it. | |||
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As a police officer/ firearms instructor for several decades. There has been a argument for Mag. safeties and an argument against them for as long as I remember. There has not been enough incidents with or for one or the other to draw a positive conclusion. I fall into the non Mag. safety faction I like my firearms the simpler the better. If you happen to be one of the very rare officers that one or the other saved you one way or the other. Then you fall into that camp. Having been in law enforcement work for decades I can truthfully say the Non-mag safety guns are more prevalent. | |||
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Couldn't prove it to me..my law enforcement time was spent when no body armor, no Miranda and wheel guns ruled the day | |||
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1 word - "Glock". The most prevalent law enforcement pistol for the last ~20 years. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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No blocks for regular carry for me. Used one for 9 years transporting crooks. Used the 686 in the early years. Then the G-22. The things just spook me. I like my 1911s but this BHP may be in my rotation. | |||
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My comment was not about getting a glock, my comment was about glocks not having magazine disconnects and being the most common law enforcement pistol Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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I'm digesting all this and using various websites to learn what folks do to a BHP. I like C&S as the best site I have perused so far. They have the most clear and concise info. I have used their trigger kit in a 1911 until it wore out to an unsafe condition. That means WORN OUT! Not bad parts. I have lost track of round count on that 1911 and only two barrels used. I think that kind of service comes from quality parts in a quality gun. I may be able to shoot this gun like I used to shoot the 1911. Packy | |||
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www.hipowersandhandguns.com was a good place to start. It helped me quite a bit and made me think I need to contact Cylinder and Slide after I shoot and carry it a bit. Packy | |||
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look at Jim Garthwaite's site. I don't think he does customs anymore but is still making his parts. Scott | |||
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Are you doing the work or sending it out? | |||
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I think I would only remove the magazine safety. It is black plastic and I would tolerate steel and just polish the safety and contact points on all the magazines. Mine has an ambidextrous safety, and LPA adjustable rear sights, with white line front sight. After shooting a bit I think Cylinder and Slide will do my custom work. Packy | |||
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Shot three 15 round magazines through it today. The trigger is verified horrible. The magazine release didn't always catch. It stayed depressed a few times. With the mag safety still in it won't fire when the mag catch sticks open. This gun needs the care of Cylinder and Slide. I'm thinking ceracote, mag safety removal, threaded barrel, mag well opened a tiny bit, thin grips, and an overall smoothing up inside and out. There was no reset I detected. Do Hipowers have a detectable reset? Packy | |||
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Hipowers have a very long reset. For me the mag disconnect is a must remove item. Forget the arguments for or against it. The simple truth is the way its designed guarantees you will never have a great trigger if you keep it... The second thing I hated about my hi-powers is hammer bite. I don't care what style hammer comes with the thing...spur hammer or commander style. The factory hammers bite the crap out of my hand. C&S makes a hammer that fixes this or if you have a talented gunsmith he can modify the stock hammer. But for the price of good gunsmith labor these days if you replace it with an aftermarket no-bite hammer you will be dollars ahead. Ted Yost worked on my Hipower about 15 years ago and in addition the the above mods he also dovetailed a new front sight onto the gun and milled on a Novak rear sight. Most gunsmiths will not checker the front or backstraps on a hi-power because the metal is too thin and many frames have been cut through trying to do this. Yost told me the same thing when I asked but he did stipple the front and back strap for me which helped. Lastly a good set of grips makes all the difference in the world. Craig Spegal makes or made the best grips for a hi-power. Mine are made by Mr Spegal in Delrin but my understanding he only makes hardwood grips now. But trust me when I tell you...the make a HUGE difference in how the gun feels in your hand over the factory slabs or even something like a Pachmayr rubber grip. | |||
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