The Army's Inglis High Powers

Yeandle31

Yeandle31

Member
Rating - 100%
161   0   0
Location
Guelph, ON
The Army's Inglis High Powers

Hello all,

In the former half of the 1940's, the John Inglis Company produced roughly 150,000+ High Powers. After many being surplussed throughout the 1960's and into the 1990's, the army only has 13,981 (1,243 parts guns) left in inventory. I have continually heard soldiers voice their displeasure with these High Powers. Malfunctions caused by worn out springs, bent feed lips and seven decades of hard use have caused some people to think they are completely useless and obsolete. Little do they know that with some TLC and knowledge, these old sidearms can be as reliable as they were back in the 40's.

With the Army's new program to adopt a new standard sidearm by 2024, I cannot help but wonder what will happen to the remaining High Powers in Department of National Defence hands. I truly hope that they will be surplussed and go to someone who can truly appreciate them.

1-E679370-5996-416-C-8-F26-B955-AB9-E381-F.jpg

Regards,
Kevin
 
Last edited:
Hi Powers were undergoing ATI (advanced technical inspection) at the Ashton Armouries in Victoria just a couple of weeks ago......
 
I could understand if the frames and slides were cracked but to melt even parts guns is disgusting. Surly there's some sort of government oversight committee that could be lobbied to save them on historic grounds or at least their value as a commercial source of revenue (parts) should not be ignored. Once these are gone they can't be brought back when sanity finally surfaces. Hell, I would buy two just to keep mine going.
 
Please, not another Inglis Hi-Power thread .....

Likely they will go the same route as the FNC1's - the trash can.
 
Off to small arms Valhalla (AKA the smelter). Thank you all you old soldier BHPs for doing your part at keeping the free world free, preserving peace and doing your part on the ever ongoing global war on terror you have answered duties call and given everything asked of you during times of both war and peace. Now, more then ever the tired old BHP needs to stand down and step aside for the next generations of issue handgun that will have to work hard to match the seven decades of service the BHP has given.
 
Trying hard not to tread hijack with the US adoption of M9 Berettas over 1911s lol. At least those didn’t goto the smelter I don’t think...
 
Yeandle31 said:
55recce - Meaning they are being rebuilt?
Click to expand...

No. ATI is ANNUAL Technical Inspection. It's just a yearly check by the wpns techs to make sure things are within spec. It's a preventative maintenance thing. Worn components are replaced as needed.
 
Canada has more then 2,000 in service. There is a huge number in war stores but won’t be released for some unknown reason, we ended up with close to 40,000 when the sale to China fell through in 46.
 
R711 said:
Canada has more then 2,000 in service. There is a huge number in war stores but won’t be released for some unknown reason, we ended up with close to 40,000 when the sale to China fell through in 46.
Click to expand...

A very large majority were sold as surplus in the 70's, 80's and 90's. The Army only kept a couple thousand. The Navy, Airforce and the non-green Army use Sig P226's. So the DND only kept enough to supply the Green Army.
 
All of ours were removed from our inventory and sent away to never come back. And we get to borrow 226s for deployements.
 
Selling them as surplus would probably cost more than just melting them......knowing our government....that or they will see it as a golden opportunity to house us for more cash paying a foundry to melt them who also made a big Liberal Donation. At a silly cost rather than getting $for the metal
 
Yeandle31 said:
A very large majority were sold as surplus in the 70's, 80's and 90's. The Army only kept a couple thousand. The Navy, Airforce and the non-green Army use Sig P226's. So the DND only kept enough to supply the Green Army.
Click to expand...

Your number of 2000 is missing a 1 in front of it. There are over 2600 just in the two depots (mostly Montreal though).
 
those Inglis are great,i started with one and kept on buying them,i have 4 now,3 Canadina contract ones and a Chinese contract one with the original wood stock/holster.one of my Canadian ones still has the factory grease in it,not to mention they're great investments,
 
When I was first issued with a Browning pistol to shoot, about six months after joining the British Army in late 1967, it still had the decal on the front of the grip. I made it a point of honour to ensure that as many of them that came into my hands over the next 27 years, until we got issued with the SIG P226/8, had a decal on them, if only in part. I shot for the Army, for the RAF [when stuck in an RAF unit] and the tri-service against the rest of NATO with either a Canadian-built Englis or my own FN, preferring the P35 to any other 9mm pistol on the planet. When my own privately-owned pistol was taken off me by the government in 1997, and I had to revert to using an 'old clunker' from the reserve stock, I carried right on winning with that old pistol, right up until a week before I retired in late August 2000.

Some things are just too good to change.
 
DT741 said:
226R is what we got on loan

226 in CAF are just regular 226 with some mods to it in some units
Click to expand...

Did the CF get the 226? I though it was only the 225? I've been out a minute though.

Edit: oh I see Bullseye has CF contract overrun 226s listed. What's the deal with when it was adopted?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom