The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Handguns => Topic started by: billt on March 08, 2011, 07:36:00 AM
-
I’ve been wanting a Browning Hi-Power for quite a long time. Admittingly it hasn’t been way up on my list, because the version I wanted just seemed a little hard to come by for some reason. Like so many pistols, Browning has gone with quicker to manufacture, lower cost options. I wanted a polished blued finish with checkered Walnut grips. For the last several years the only new versions of this handgun I’ve come across were either matte finished, or else had the even cheaper black Polycoat finish, which is nothing more than a high tech paint job. Most also had cheap, plastic grips instead of the much nicer checkered Walnut versions.
The other day I got an E-Mail from Davidson’s showing some of their “New Arrivals” they currently had in stock, and I came across these beautiful 75th Anniversary Edition Browning Hi-Powers. They offered them in a beautiful highly polished, rich blued finish with both Target Adjustable, as well as fixed sights. They also have the original select Walnut checkered grips. And as if that wasn’t enough, both versions were on sale until the end of this month! I promptly ordered 2. One with adjustable sights, and the other with fixed. My local shop called me yesterday morning to let me know they had arrived. I immediately drove over and picked them both up!
What I really liked about these 75th Anniversary Edition Models is the fact they not only retain the original bright blued finish with the Walnut grips, but they both have very tasteful roll engraving on the top of the slide stating “75th Anniversary - 1935-2010”. The roll marking is very sharp and clean looking. I’m glad they kept it subdued instead of going with an overpriced, fully pimped, “Barbecue Gun” to commemorate this Model’s 75th Anniversary. This gun costs no more than a similar, non commemorative Hi-Power, and can be shot without damaging any of it’s value if the shooter chooses to do so. Yet it still retains the roll marking which distinguishes it from the standard models.
What really impresses me about this gun is the fact it was one of the first of the double stack Hi-Cap 9 MM pistols, and today it’s still one of the best. In a modern age with everyone and their brother offering double stack, Hi-Cap nines, the Browning Hi-Power is still as graceful, well made, and solid as ever. These guns could go up against any of the newer Tupperware versions from Glock and H&K and still hold their own in the performance department. Not bad from a gun that first was designed in 1935. This was John Browning’s last design. In fact he died before a lot of the finishing touches were put on the gun. That alone makes it well worth owning. Bill T.
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning9MMHi-Power005.jpg)
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning9MMHi-Power001.jpg)
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning9MMHi-Power006.jpg)
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning9MMHi-Power007.jpg)
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning9MMHi-Power008.jpg)
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning9MMHi-Power012.jpg)
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning9MMHi-Power011.jpg)
-
PURTY!!!!!!
-
The only thing I'm not real fond of on the Hi-Powers is the little springy thingy on the back of the magazine to kick it out of the gun when you press the mag release. From what I understand the original Hi-powers did not have drop free magazines, so they came up with the springy thingy as a type of after thought. They do work well but it is something that could get hung up, bent, smashed, etc. Not all aftermarket magazines come with them either so you have to check when you buy magazines or you could get some that won't drop free. Bill T.
-
You should have wiped them clean before you took pictures.. They look terrible..
-
Awfully nice pair!
-
The only thing I'm not real fond of on the Hi-Powers is the little springy thingy on the back of the magazine to kick it out of the gun when you press the mag release. From what I understand the original Hi-powers did not have drop free magazines, so they came up with the springy thingy as a type of after thought.
They needed the little springy thing to allow the mag to drop free with that infernal magazine disconnect. It contacts the front of the mag about mid way and puts a lot of pressure on it.
Take out the disconnect (should take you around 20 minutes if you are completely mechanically incompetent...less if you can dress yourself) and most mags will drop free no problem.
-
Very nice pair, Bill. :D
If I had to own a 9mm, I would really love it to be a Hi-Power.
-
A pair of classic handguns! Congrats!
-
I'm not in the habit of saying this to guys, but, that's a nice pair ya have there.
And if you want someone to clean those up for you just send them to me. It shouldn't take me much more than three months, twelve months tops. ;D
-
Billt,
BTW, Did I tell ya I'm yer long lost (brother, son, sister, half brother, uncle....)
;D
-
Nice find. Lookin' good. Seems we on this board are into the "classics" whether it be Browning, Colt, Mosin, or S&W
-
bilt,
Thanks for the tip. I lust after a new HiPower after I let my pre war P35 get away. Mine was very accurate.. I was stupid to loose it.
-
One not enough eh? Oh wait,...it's billt???......
Nevermind,.... ::)
Congratulations!!! Please shoot "one" and let us know how you like it....If it doesn't work out, well,..... ;)
-
Please shoot "one" and let us know how you like it.
I'm going to the range today with both of them. After that they'll get a good cleaning. I'll let you know how well they both run. Bill T.
-
WTF do you do for a living? ? ? TWO HPs? ? ? ? ? ? ?
The BHP was the first handgun I ever owned, and I lived in a city where it was not allowed to own one - too many bullets you see. It is the '56 Chevy of handguns - a classic that is still fun to own and drive/shoot. I love mine, even though it is mostly a safe queen now that I acquired the .22LR conversion kit for my P220.
Enjoy.
-
WTF do you do for a living? ? ? TWO HPs? ? ? ? ? ? ? Enjoy.
The prices on these things were good. Davidson's has them through your local dealer cheaper than what CDNN is charging dealer prices for on the same exact gun. Plus, they come with a Lifetime Free Replacement Warranty. I'm just guessing, but I think they may have gotten a deal and bought all the remaining 75th Anniversary Edition Hi-Powers. I say this because these guns were first offered in early 2010, well over a year ago. Davidson's did this with a whole bunch of Ruger Mark II NRA Bill Ruger Endowment Edition .22 pistols a couple of years back.
They were the last of the Mark II's produced, and came beautifully roll marked with Cocobolo grips. They bought them all. At the time Davidson's was charging less for them than a plain 4" Mark III with fixed sights. I grabbed one. It's a really nice Ruger, especially for the price. Bill T.
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/RugerNRAMarkII.jpg)
-
Well they shoot great! Not one FTF or FTE. These are nice guns and perform as expected. Recoil is all but non existant because of the guns soild weight and massive frame for a 9 MM. All of my shooting was at 25 yards. The adjustable sights required no adjustment to bring them in. The gun printed beautifully with a 6:00 O'Clock hold. These weapons double tap phenomimonally. The front sight hardly jumps at all if you maintain a good grip. I even went to my clubs rifle range and had at it at the 200 yard steel gong with these guns. It was no trouble ringing 24" steel gongs at that distance with standard 115 Gr, FMJ bullets. I simply held about 12" inches over the very top of the Target. If you're looking for a solid 9 MM the Browning Hi-Power is the way to go! These are some pictures I took in bright Sun after they were cleaned up. Bill T.
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning75thAnniversaryHi-PowerCleaned006.jpg)
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning75thAnniversaryHi-PowerCleaned005.jpg)
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning75thAnniversaryHi-PowerCleaned002-2.jpg)
(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Browning75thAnniversaryHi-PowerCleaned002.jpg)
-
Looking good Bill.
-
Very nice, if your having a hard time finding a place to put "ANY" of your new additions, I have plenty of room! ;)
-
Bill, I am (for a limited time only) offering free long-term storage for firearms of this nature. ;)
-
Beautiful set. You mention the weight of them helping maintain low recoil, how much do they weigh up at? (sorry if you said it somewhere I didnt catch it.)
-
They're about 36 ounces empty...stock one anyway.
-
They're about 36 ounces empty...stock one anyway.
Tim is right on the money. Also, the weight on this pistol is exceptionally well distributed. It points effortlessly, and has just the right amount of muzzle weight distribution. Bill T.
-
Beautiful set. You mention the weight of them helping maintain low recoil, how much do they weigh up at? (sorry if you said it somewhere I didnt catch it.)
What the hell is it with these noobes? First thing they do is jump in a thread and post a question they could EASILY find the answer to if they took five seconds to search for it!! What? You think we are your personal "Ask Jeeves"?!
AND ONE MORE THING......................
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
WELCOME TO THE FUN HOUSE! ;)
;D
-
What the hell is it with these noobes? First thing they do is jump in a thread and post a question they could EASILY find the answer to if they took five seconds to search for it!! What? You think we are your personal "Ask Jeeves"?!
AND ONE MORE THING......................
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
WELCOME TO THE FUN HOUSE! ;)
;D
Actually I am just trying to raise my post count so I can be cool like you.
If I wanted to google all the info on the gun myself I would have, what is the sense in listing other stats of them if you just expect everyone to google it.
Plus noone uses ask jeeves anymore..
Thanks for the welcome.
-
Actually I am just trying to raise my post count so I can be cool like you.
If I wanted to google all the info on the gun myself I would have, what is the sense in listing other stats of them if you just expect everyone to google it.
Plus noone uses ask jeeves anymore..
Thanks for the welcome.
If'n you wants ta be "cool like me" the youse gots LOW ambitions! ;) (Welcome to the club!)
Ya, I know but I liked Ask Jeeves (and I thought it sounded better than 'your personal Google' ;D ). Now it's just ASK (or is that gone too?)
Ya, I know I could look that up, too. :D
-
Plus noone uses ask jeeves anymore..
HEY HEY HEY. What am I chopped liver?
I was a Jeeves fan and while Google and Bing are getting more and more of my search workload, I still ask "Ask" first.