Who shoots a Hi-Power is ESP?

[Duane Thomas]

Good luck. I would be very careful about buying a used "custom" gun of unknown history from a gun shop. Remember, there's a reason that at least one other person didn't want to keep it.

If the gun shop also has a range, ask them if you can go put a few rounds though it before you buy. If they say no, pass on giving them your money.

[A62335]

Thanks for the advice. I know the shop, and I know the smith that built the gun so no worries there. I'll put pics up Monday. Now I need mags and a holster!

Edited October 18, 2009 by A62335

[Duane Thomas]

Well, let us know how it turns out.

[A62335]

Will do

[JimmyZip]

Irv Stone at Barsto does a "Fullhouse" Hipower which looks like the one that Joe4d has pictured. It is what mine looks like now. I took a fine bit file to the magwell, and then polished it with a dremel, and the mags drop free just fine. Duane is right about people always asking about it. I still get asked about it even though I don't shoot it anymore. I was always accurate with that gun. Won my class at steel matches with that gun before starting USPSA. I did have the mag safety taken out on all mine but dont know if that is legal in IDPA. It is still my back-up gun until I buy another CZ next year. I'll second Duane in asking you to let us know how it goes.

[Duane Thomas]

I did have the mag safety taken out on all mine but dont know if that is legal in IDPA.

It's not.

[Joe4d]

Ya know just to piss off the IDPA range Nazi's I think I will start shooting it with my Nazi Hipower made without the disconect, course it was also made with out alot of finishing and kinda shoots like crap,

[A62335]

I ordered a few mags, some new grips, and new sights from Brownells last night, and I don't even have the gun in my possession yet! I'll have it tomorrow, so I'll put up some pictures, and details of the work done to it.

[Bill Nesbitt]

I shot a HiPower in ESP a few years ago, back before we realized it was dangerous to shoot one with the mag safety removed.

I shot my Master ESP classifier with this gun and Scott Warren won ESP at the Nationals a few years shooting a HiPower. So, they're not impossible to shoot well.

A few interesting things about my HiPower. I bought it used and pretty well abused around 1988. I sent it to Cylinder and Slide for a full house custom job. In the letter I sent, one of the things I requested was to remove the mag safety. On the work order they sent with the gun was: remove mag safety $7.50.

Fast forward to 2005 when I sent it back to C&S for a tune up and reblue. On the work order they sent back with the gun was, stamped in red. Magazine Disconnect removed by customer, pistol will fire with Magazine removed.

I guess it was CYA time.

When I called C&S about returning the gun they asked me how many rounds I had shot. I told them around 20,000. They replied that they liked to see high round count guns come back through so they could see how they held up.

[Patrick Sweeney]

I can't speak to the issue of trigger re-set, much. Even before I started shooting revolvers a lot, my idea of a "short" reset was not letting my trigger finger crash into the forward part of the trigger guard. Just talking about "short rest" and "feeling the reset at speed" makes me scratch my head. I imagine there are a few GMs who can feel, and use, a short-rest gun at speed. But unless you are one of those GMs, it's like asking if a Hollywood starlet is a fun date: theoretical knowledge only.

P-35 hammer bite is from the base of the hammer unlike the 1911. There are a number of 'smiths who can make it not bite you. As for the trigger, there are a few, and they are all very busy.

I have not found the Hi Power "twisty" in recoil. But I use Navidrex grips, or similarly sculpted grips.

As for the IDPA proscription against removal of the magazine disconnect, if I ever find a Nazi-marked gun that is beyond collectors use, I'll have it mildly built up just so I can have some fun on that point.

[A62335]

Well I just picked up the BHP today. It was built by Mike Martolin, an old time IPSC shooter from the Reno area. It's a MkIII practical model, made in 93. Mike tightened the slide to frame fit, put an outstanding trigger job on the gun, modified the hammer, and beveled the magwell. I put in an order with Brownells for some Heinie sights, extra mags, and new Navidrex grips. I'll end up with some Spegels, Davidsons, or VZ's eventually. (probably all 3 actually) Gonna put some rounds through the gun tomorrow morning.

Anybody want to buy some BHP Pachmayr grips and Millet adjustable sights?

Crappy iPhone pictures, I'll take better ones after I clean it up.

Edited October 19, 2009 by A62335

[A62335]

Just got back from putting 200 rounds through the gun, and I'm excited to shoot it in competition. At first I found myself not letting the trigger out far enough to reset the gun, but I stopped making that error after about 50 rounds. I can't stand the Millet sights on it right now, but my Heinie's will be here tomorrow so I'm excited to get them on there. I couldn't do any draws or reloads, since I don't have any holsters or mag carriers, but I did order them so I should have them in 3 weeks. The gun points very naturally for me, so my splits and transitions were on par with my normal 1911 times. I didn't care much for the Pachmayr grips either, but they will also be coming off the gun tomorrow. I'll get to shoot it again this weekend with the new sights and grips, but so far I'm impressed.

[Bill Nesbitt]

I used a 1911 holster for my HiPower.

[A62335]

I've heard that the BHP will fit leather 1911 holsters, but all my holsters are kydex and they didn't retain the BHP securely at all. I've got some custom leather on the way for it.

[1973]

That is a good looking gun. It kinds looks like a wittness match

[A62335]

Thanks! I'll put up some updated pictures with the new grips and sights in the next few days.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I used a 1911 holster for my HiPower.

I used to use a 1911 holster for my BHP, and it almost fits, but couldn't get my natural shooting grip on the gun when it was still in the holster, which meant that I had to draw the gun and then adjust the grip before (or after ) I fired the gun - not very good.

Suggest that if speed is important you think of getting a holster specifcally for the BHP (unless Your 1911 holster allows for a full shooting grip on the gun while it's in the holster).

[19852]

I love the BHP, it was my first auto pistol many years ago. I don't have one anymore. I did have a early sixties BHP in excellent condition, a real collector. But, when my infant daughter needed eye surgery out the door it went. In my opinion, a great alternative to the BHP for a steel SA only 9mm is the CZ 75B SA. For me, a very similar feel and much cheaper. Superior trigger stock or tuned.

[kdmoore]

Just to provide a different perspective, I started with a hi power, still love to shoot it. Never had a problem with the mousetrap springs, never had it bite me.

due to sentimental reasons ... it would be the last pistol I'd sell.

[E5MC]

I love the BHP in 9mm and shoot them quite well. However I don't think they could stand up to the amount of ammo required to become a Master with it. A 1911 in 9mm would outlast a BHP by a long margin.

[Jim Watson]

The BHP Competition, the one with the extended barrel, muzzle weight, and really cheap and nasty stamped sheetmetal rear sight, has a magazine disconnect, but it is a different design, pinned in the frame and does not affect trigger pull. Probably still drags on magazine fall, though.

[Chills1994]

some more eye candy:

Nah, not mine ( I wish).

Just curious... are all the BHP's and clones made out of carbon steel and then plated either with nickel or hard chrome?

I am just wondering if they were ever made in all stainless. I have Crow's Eyes....

Edited November 30, 2009 by Chills1994

[Duane Thomas]

No, the Hi-Power has never been made in stainless.

[JonInWA]

I have a late-production FN-rollmarked .40 Hi-Power, which I shoot in at least one IDPA match a year. The .40 guns, and post-1994 9mm Hi-Powers have cast frames and more thorough-hardened parts, so they're more durable than the previous forged-frame Hi-Powers.

The only change that I performed on mine was to replace the grips with a set of Hogue rubber fingergroove grips. They properly place my triggerfinger on the pad or first distal joint; the OEM grips, and other after-market grips (including Craig Spegel's) ar just a bit too thin for me for a natural index.

As Duane mentioned, with it's square, unbeveled magazine well, speed reloads can be...difficult. Try indexing your reload magazine on the side of the well when inserting, not the front. I personally much prefer the "mousetrap spring" magazines, for their clean ejection from the receiver.

With most Hi-Powers, unless you've spent a not insignificant amount of money on an action job involving relocating the sear pivot point, firing from the reset point involves...letting the trigger go all the way foward, period. If you're coming from a 1911 or a Glock, plan on some pre-match range time for familiarization mon the Hi-Power trigger, or you'll repeatedly short-stroke the trigger for awhile.

While my hammer edges are somewhat sharp, operationally it's not an issue with me-nor is hammer bite. I've had previous Hi-Powers hammers given a "no-bite" rounding treatment, by both Novaks and Kurt Wickmann, but on my currrent one I haven't bothered.

Many new Hi-Powers require an action job to obtain a decent triggerpull out of the box. On a gun that currently sells to a predominantly non-military/non-LEO audience, at prices of $800-plus, this is just flat unacceptable, and FN/Browning need to address it as part and parcel of the assembly process.

While many will bemoan the trigger safety, I've found that the crucial thing in a Hi-Power trigger is crispness, not so much the pull weight per se (within reason-and some of the new factory triggers that I've handled over the past several years have been both inordinately heavy and gritty). Yes, the trigger safety will probably add a bit to the triggerpull weight. With the smooth, essentially lubricated magazine tube face that the grip safety pad presses against on the newer NP3/teflon treated magazine tubes, the issue is minimized, but I'd strongly suggest a good regimen of dryfire practice for your adoption to the gun's trigger characteristics.

I generally use a Galco Royal Guard horsehide IWB holster for carry/IDPA; Galco uses the same holster for 1911s. Even with my slightly broader .40 slide, I've found fit, retention, and draw characteristics with it to be quite good.

Some excellent Hi-Power information is to be found on Stephen Camp's www.hipowersandhandguns.com site, and in his book, "The Shooters Guide To The Hi-Power."

I hope these comments help.

Best, Jon

[COF]

I've got a couple Hi-Powers I shot when I started shooting IDPA and still do when I'm not shooting a wheel gun. One is a Hungarian clone in 9 mm. I replaced the slide on it with a Browning slide a few years ago, had a Heinie rear sight mounted and an EGW FO front sight. Bought one of the Argentine "detective" conversion kits for it a couple years ago. Turns it into a 'Commander" length Hi-Power that fits great in my Commander holster. looks like a plain jane version of the C&S Pathfinder

The other one is a .40 BHP I had a beavertail added to and the C&S trigger bar installed. Brought the trigger to a clean 5.5 lb trigger. I need to have the slide cut on this one and mount the Heinie rear sight. Sounds like a project for this winder.

Jerry

Edited December 31, 2009 by COF