Lets see some pictures!

[purple88yj]

Hello.
Here are a few that I find nice:


This 9mm Hi Power was bought new in 1971.  It was customized about a year later by Lou Willamson of Hurst, TX.  It remains my favorite Hi Power.


My old "Duty Hi Power," a 9mm Mk III with Novak sights and Spegel blk delrin stocks...


Best.

I have started to grow a liking to Hi-Powers. After rebuilding one a little while back, they have grown on me if you will.

Did you ever see the completed product over on CC? Again, I would like to thank you for all of your help and knowledge.

Just an aside, Folks, if there is anything you want to know about Mr. Brownings other design (yes I know there were more than just the BHP and the 1911), Mr. Camp is the man you need to talk to. Between him and his website, I got more information about the BHP than I could digest in one setting.

[purple88yj]

Purple,

I like the older Taurus.  No big beavertail on it.  Is it DA only or DA/SA or better yet SA only?

It is a DA/SA. I guess I lucked out when I bought this thing 12 years ago, bacuase it has been flawless (as I mentioned earlier). I carried it for 12 years in the pictured holster (a Bianchi 3S Pistol Pocket).

It has been a very fond companion, and has been retired to nightstand duty.

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello and thank you.  Yes, I saw your finished gun and it was very nice.

Best.

[purple88yj]

Hello and thank you.  Yes, I saw your finished gun and it was very nice.

Best.

Thank you, coming from you, I take that as a great compliment.

BTW, I am lusting after that stainless one you have there. That is a fine looking instrument.

One thing I noticed when shooting that one I re-did, I would tend to get hammer bite just as I would with a GI 1911, just not nearly as bad. It was more of a slap. What can be done to a BHP to minimize or eliminate that without making the bever tail any larger? Here's the catch...I like the OE hammers, both the spur (like the stainless) and the ring (like the blued), and wouldn't want to alter the looks. Mind you, this would be a range gun, not a carry piece.

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello, sir.  Thanks for the kind words on the hard chromed Hi Power; it is not stainless.

As to hammer bite, here are some options:


This Hi Power's hammer is as it came from the factory and for my hand, it bites.


Here is the same gun with the same hammer after bobbing it at the second lateral serration, cleaning up the edges and cold bluing.

It this doesn't ruin the looks you prefer and you're using a spur hammer, it might be an easy fix.  The factory ring hammer is the hardest to fix in my opinion...if it bites.  For me, they do and worse than the spur hammer.  The only cure I've found is to go with either a factory bobbed spur hammer or use a C&S Type I ring hammer which is more "abbreviated" than the factory FN.

If it might be of use, here is more on the hammer bite thing:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/HiPowerandHammerBite.htm

Here is another option that will not permanently alter the gun though I do think it is ugly as homemade sin.  It does work, however.  This was posted on another site about 3 years ago:

"I recently became aware of a new, inexpensive product designed to eliminate hammer bite for users of the Browning Hi Power.  It's an extended tang made of Kydex that slides onto the rear grip strap and is secured by the pistol's grips.  The grip screws pass through holes in the COM tang and it fits the gun securely.

The Kydex that fits under the grips measures 0.05" thick.  Random measurements elsewhere on the part were about 0.06" thick.


Not nearly so pretty as an added tang of steel through the efforts of a gunsmith, you can see how this accessory would eliminate hammer bite.

A nice touch on the all black tang is that the rear surface is textured such that it resembles light stippling as is commonly seen on customized Hi Powers.


Here's a near stock Mk III 9mm wearing the Center of Mass (COM) Kydex extended tang. It does hold the grips away from the frame by its thickness.


Another view of how the part fits the tang area on the Hi Power...


You can see the textured surface which does provide a "non-skid" grip that was better than expected.

I have not yet fired the pistol with the COM tang installed; just a tad cold today.  However, I will and IF there's any problems, I'll sure post them.

Few will argue that this is "as good" as a tang added by a master gunsmith.  On the other hand, that does NOT mean that there's no place for such a part.  At $20 a pop, one does not expect this to match work costing several hundred.  I see this as a "quick, inexpensive fix" for folks who're routinely bitten or pinched by their Hi Powers, but who do not want to alter the gun's frame or bob the hammer.

Will I use one long-term?  Probably not, but I solve the bite problem by bobbing the hammer.  Folks wanting to shoot their Hi Powers, but leave them unaltered might very well find this worth more than the twenty bucks one costs.

If interested, drop by www.comkydex.com which is the website for Center of Mass Tactical.  FWIW, I ordered on-line and got the product in about 3 days.

Again, I've not fired a shot using this piece, but will and if there are any unforseen problems, they'll be reported.  I expect none.  While the grip fit is not "right" after installation, that's just a price to be paid for a fix that does not alter the pistol.

I found the pistol still very, very comfortable with the part installed."

Best.

[Sponsor]

[mnshooter]

Bobbing the P35 hammer would sure help if the problem is getting poked by the spur, but for me and my fat hands the bite comes from the pinch where the hammer meets the tang.  After making sure the piece is unloaded, work the slide and note if you are getting pinched in this way. Taking as much metal off at this point and radiusing as much as you can stand will eliminate most if not all of this pinch.  Wayne Novak has been doing this for quite a while.

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello.  I believe that Cylinder & Slide does sell a hammer with the shank relieved to help avoid the pinching you mention.

Best.

[Bidah]

Yes Stephen, nice weaponry you have there.

I think the red dot on top of that cannon is a little silly looking.

-Bidah

[purple88yj]

Hello, sir.  Thanks for the kind words on the hard chromed Hi Power; it is not stainless.

As to hammer bite, here are some options:...

My apologies sir, though it is still a fine looking weapon.

As unfortunate as it is, I don't have a BHP at the moment to try the tricks and tips you relayed there. The one I was shooting was a re-man that I was doing for someone else, and when all was said and done, I fell in love with the thing.

I had read a write sometime ago that showcased a C&S BHP that had the beavertail grafted on, and if you didn't know better, you would have thought it to be a factory piece. I liked the looks of that, but really like the original design. When I do get one, I will have to try the bobed hammer that you described. That sounds like the best option.

As always, a question asked, and plethora of information is delivered to my feet, or monitor as it were. Thank you, Mr Camp.

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello, sir.  You are most welcome.

Best.