Browning high power

[scottzerger]

Recently bought one for 3gun and steelchallenge. I like the narrow grip and hi cap mags and it seems to shoot

like my S&W revolvers, but i dont see much dicussion

about them in this forum. Have i made a bad purchase

or what?

  thanks  for any advice scottz

[scottzerger]

Recently bought one for 3gun and steelchallenge. I like the narrow grip and hi cap mags and it seems to shoot

like my S&W revolvers, but i dont see much dicussion

about them in this forum. Have i made a bad purchase

or what?

  thanks  for any advice scottz

[kurtm]

Scott:

Nothing wrong witha good Hi-Power ( although 9mm, and hi power should not be used in the same sentence). My brother shot one for many years, and still does occasionally, untill I got him a Glock 22. I don't think the Glock is a "better " gun but it makes major in the power factor department;which is the only down side. 9mm is minor so shoot lots of As. I would suggest keeping  fresh recoil springs in it as I have seen one shear the locking lug off the bottom of the barrel. ( spring was never changed, had about 25,000 rnds through it) I like wolf springs but there are others just as good. Change them about every 2000 rounds.

[kurtm]

Scott:

Nothing wrong witha good Hi-Power ( although 9mm, and hi power should not be used in the same sentence). My brother shot one for many years, and still does occasionally, untill I got him a Glock 22. I don't think the Glock is a "better " gun but it makes major in the power factor department;which is the only down side. 9mm is minor so shoot lots of As. I would suggest keeping  fresh recoil springs in it as I have seen one shear the locking lug off the bottom of the barrel. ( spring was never changed, had about 25,000 rnds through it) I like wolf springs but there are others just as good. Change them about every 2000 rounds.

[scottzerger]

Kurtm

     Thanks for the info on the springs . My plan is to

shoot the heck out of this gun and have fun.

    scottz

[scottzerger]

Kurtm

     Thanks for the info on the springs . My plan is to

shoot the heck out of this gun and have fun.

    scottz

[ErikW]

Good guns, only problem for USPSA match use is they are Minor in Limited and 13 rounds isn't enough for two eight-round arrays. Better for Limited 10, still Minor.

[ErikW]

Good guns, only problem for USPSA match use is they are Minor in Limited and 13 rounds isn't enough for two eight-round arrays. Better for Limited 10, still Minor.

[jhgtyre]

CDNN Investments has 17 round mags for the Browning High Power.  I don't know if they are any good but if the mag bodies are decent you could always scrap the springs and followers and put in good ones.

Btw, your plan to "shoot the heck out of it and have fun" is excellent.

-ld

[jhgtyre]

CDNN Investments has 17 round mags for the Browning High Power.  I don't know if they are any good but if the mag bodies are decent you could always scrap the springs and followers and put in good ones.

Btw, your plan to "shoot the heck out of it and have fun" is excellent.

-ld

[scottzerger]

Erik warren & jhgtyre

  Thank you both very much on the info and advice

i am very new to competitive shooting ( but very-

motivated) and need all the help i can get.

Thanks scottz

[scottzerger]

Erik warren & jhgtyre

  Thank you both very much on the info and advice

i am very new to competitive shooting ( but very-

motivated) and need all the help i can get.

Thanks scottz

[Mistral404]

I started out shooting a BHP in Limited 10.  All in all the gun is wonderful to shoot but there are issues.  

First is the mag change.  It can be a tad slow, ever with a bevel.  Sometimes with the 17 round mag I was pinching my plam when i was inserting it.  The safety and slide stop are a little small, which is probably no big deal if you know what your are doing-I didn't.  

I ended up having Cylinder & Slide doing a bunch of upgrades on it; trigger, sear, hammer, safety, barrel.  The new trigger job is AWESOME.  

It is still a lot of fun to shoot.  I used it a lot on Tuesday Night Steel in Mesa.  I do not use it much for USPSA anymore because I switched to an STI Trojan.

I do use it for 3Gun.  I can use the same Safariland holster for both the BHP and Single Stack, which is nice.

It is one of the most naturally pointing guns I have ever shot.  As the other person recommended, go with some 17 round mags and you can shoot limited.  You might want to store some rounds in the mags for a month or so.  It was a problem getting the last two rounds in the mag when I first got them.  You might want to get the mag loader also.  It can save on bruised fingers.

[Mistral404]

I started out shooting a BHP in Limited 10.  All in all the gun is wonderful to shoot but there are issues.  

First is the mag change.  It can be a tad slow, ever with a bevel.  Sometimes with the 17 round mag I was pinching my plam when i was inserting it.  The safety and slide stop are a little small, which is probably no big deal if you know what your are doing-I didn't.  

I ended up having Cylinder & Slide doing a bunch of upgrades on it; trigger, sear, hammer, safety, barrel.  The new trigger job is AWESOME.  

It is still a lot of fun to shoot.  I used it a lot on Tuesday Night Steel in Mesa.  I do not use it much for USPSA anymore because I switched to an STI Trojan.

I do use it for 3Gun.  I can use the same Safariland holster for both the BHP and Single Stack, which is nice.

It is one of the most naturally pointing guns I have ever shot.  As the other person recommended, go with some 17 round mags and you can shoot limited.  You might want to store some rounds in the mags for a month or so.  It was a problem getting the last two rounds in the mag when I first got them.  You might want to get the mag loader also.  It can save on bruised fingers.

[scottzerger]

Mistral404

 More great information . I realy like this forum . I'm going to find a way to get more Hi-cap mags ( living

in ca) if possible. How do i get my factory mags to

back out as fast as glock mags do , does armorall

work or do i need to visit my gunsmith

Thanks , these new guy questions just keep popping up

 sorry.

[scottzerger]

Mistral404

 More great information . I realy like this forum . I'm going to find a way to get more Hi-cap mags ( living

in ca) if possible. How do i get my factory mags to

back out as fast as glock mags do , does armorall

work or do i need to visit my gunsmith

Thanks , these new guy questions just keep popping up

 sorry.

[Mistral404]

One of the guys I shoot USPSA with has put his mags in a vise to get them to drop free.  He is an engineer by trade so he feels pretty comfortable modifying/enhancing things.

According to him, he looks to the scrap marks on the mag, orients it to the vise jaws and slowly tightens the vise which is suppose to make the mag a tad bit small in that dimension.  Obviously too much tightening bulges the mag ninety degrees out.  It works fine for him.

I am too much of a chicken to use his technique.  I still reach and pull the mag out by hand.

Are all hi-cap mags banned in CA?  Is the law retro active or is it like the fed. law?

[Mistral404]

One of the guys I shoot USPSA with has put his mags in a vise to get them to drop free.  He is an engineer by trade so he feels pretty comfortable modifying/enhancing things.

According to him, he looks to the scrap marks on the mag, orients it to the vise jaws and slowly tightens the vise which is suppose to make the mag a tad bit small in that dimension.  Obviously too much tightening bulges the mag ninety degrees out.  It works fine for him.

I am too much of a chicken to use his technique.  I still reach and pull the mag out by hand.

Are all hi-cap mags banned in CA?  Is the law retro active or is it like the fed. law?

[scottzerger]

Mistral404

 That vise idea sounds like it should work but my budget

wont let me do the trial and error thing.

  Like you , i'll stick to more practice and add some pachmayr bumper pads to help out my reach.

  I sure wish i knew if Ca mag ban is retro . In this

months shotgun news there is a company in mission

viejo CA that offers Hi-cap mags via mail order.

 

I'll check it out .  Thanks    Scott

[scottzerger]

Mistral404

 That vise idea sounds like it should work but my budget

wont let me do the trial and error thing.

  Like you , i'll stick to more practice and add some pachmayr bumper pads to help out my reach.

  I sure wish i knew if Ca mag ban is retro . In this

months shotgun news there is a company in mission

viejo CA that offers Hi-cap mags via mail order.

 

I'll check it out .  Thanks    Scott

[jhgtyre]

FWIW I copied the following from CDNN's website. "We don't ship high capacity magazines to California, New York City, Washington D.C. or Massachusetts."  I have seen similar disclaimers on other sites.

-ld

[jhgtyre]

FWIW I copied the following from CDNN's website. "We don't ship high capacity magazines to California, New York City, Washington D.C. or Massachusetts."  I have seen similar disclaimers on other sites.

-ld

[mike45]

Scott,

The British Army have used Hi Powers as standard issue since about 1950. A friend had his customised and his mags dropped freely. Apparently a way of allowing the mags to drop freely without having to pull them out, is get a gunsmith to remove the mag safety mec, which stops the trigger being pulled when there is no magazine in the gun.

This is apparently an easy job and shouldn't cost that much. It apparently doesn't effect the other safety features on the gun but I would get a gunsmith to confirm that!

The newer 'practical' Hi Powers have a sort of external spring on the base of the mags that deliberately springs out the mags, or at least they did when I saw one a year or so ago. This may be an easier and less permanent option.

hope it helps, DVC

Mike

(Edited by mike45 at 7:59 am on Dec. 26, 2002)

[mike45]

Scott,

The British Army have used Hi Powers as standard issue since about 1950. A friend had his customised and his mags dropped freely. Apparently a way of allowing the mags to drop freely without having to pull them out, is get a gunsmith to remove the mag safety mec, which stops the trigger being pulled when there is no magazine in the gun.

This is apparently an easy job and shouldn't cost that much. It apparently doesn't effect the other safety features on the gun but I would get a gunsmith to confirm that!

The newer 'practical' Hi Powers have a sort of external spring on the base of the mags that deliberately springs out the mags, or at least they did when I saw one a year or so ago. This may be an easier and less permanent option.

hope it helps, DVC

Mike

(Edited by mike45 at 7:59 am on Dec. 26, 2002)

[Carlos]

Ahh - a mechnical solution to drop free mags - taht would seem to be the way to go (I hate tweaking on mags that are non DF). Anyway, I would concentrate on just shooting in Production for now; go to as many matches as you can, ask questions, observe, and try out other classes after you "shoot the heck out of it" as planned.  Your gun, it seems to me, can be just as competitive as any other gun in production class.  Some may criticize the trigger on the Hi-Power (and w/ 9mm major loads, the name IS appropriate) but top shooters have done well w/ triggers as heavy as the HP. If you want to fiddle w/ trigger weight w/o spending much, just get some engine assembly grease w/ Moly from an auto parts place and try de-greasing all the trigger parts, then coating w/ moly - its similar to that "Trigger Magic" product that Brownells used to sell.  Also, Wolf makes springs for that gun to let you try your hand at trigger tuning. Anyway, you have an perfectly good tool for production so on w/ the shooting!

D.