Are Belgian Hi-Powers the best?

Smoothbore

Smoothbore

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As I understand it Belgian Hi-Powers in 9mm have better fit and finish
than the new ones, but the newer ones may be made stronger
to withstand higher power loads. Is this correct? (I don't care
about collectability, it will be for shooting.)

I just plan on shooting standard power loads, nothing hot, so
would an older Belgian Hi-Power be ok for this?

I would appreciate your comments. Thanks.
 
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Pretty much any HP in reasonable shape is fine for standard factory loads. Military loads such as NATO use are considerable hotter and the HP handle them just fine. The primary difference between the older HP and the new ones is that they went from a forged to a cast frame. This was due to reports of undue stress damage when they brought out the .40 S&W version. If you are planning on 9mm this isn't an issue.

The Canadian Forces are still using and issuing Inglis made WWII vintage HP's and they work fine using NATO ammunition. A solid workhorse of a pistol.
 
For a firearm that you will shoot, there is nothing at all wrong with the new production Hi Powers, in many respects they are an improvement over the older Belgian ones (sights for example) The older guns have a nicer blueing and are generally better finished. If you plan on running sometypes of hollow points, the new guns are better at dealing with those (generally speaking) as far as accuracy goes, a brand new out of the box Hi Power will probably be more accurate than one somebody has abused for a few years and then put away.
 
bhp

I had a newer BHP 9mm standard model with the blued finish that was simply beautiful, I would say the blueing was at least as good of any older model as well as the fit and finish. The positive features of the newer model , includes an ambi safety that is bigger and easily manipulated, bigger and better sights that are dovetailed both front and rear. Also, it had the cast frame which I prefer for the added strength. Nothing wrong with any Hi power, but given a choice, I'd go for the newer model. I'm including an article from the HiPower guru Stephen Camp.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Portuguese Hi Power.htm
 
Do you mean HiPowers as made by FN rather than Inglis or FM, or the clones made by FM, FEG, Kareen and so on? Most of the recent HiPowers were made by FN in Belgium and assembled in Portugal. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Portugal assembled pistols.

FN switched to cast frames after encountering problems with forged frames in the .40 S&W chambering. There is nothing wrong with cast frames and most pistols now have cast rather than forged frames.
 
"...recent HiPowers were made by FN in Belgium and assembled in Portugal..." Not that recent either. That was being done 30 years ago. Still nothing wrong with 'em though.
"...using NATO ammunition..." All CF ammo is NATO spec. Same ammo is/was used in Inglis pistols and Sterlings SMG's.
 
bruce william said:
I bought a bhp from a leo and it is stamped Luger and is registered as such.
Click to expand...

Mine is also stamped Luger, thus: Cal 9mm Luger


Perhaps yours wasn't stamped properly or some of the mark has been worn or polished off and then someone misunderstood the marking when they registered it.

I agree with enefgee about getting the registration corrected. Though it is a remote possibility, you might one day find yourself confronted by a zealous enforcement official who demands that you account for the whereabouts of a certain Luger pistol for which you are legally responsible, and by the way, what are you doing with this Browning Hi-Power that isn't registered?
 
Belgian = Best.

Yeah, they're the best. :cool:

You know in Belgium they don't call waffles Belgian waffles, just waffles.... why? Because they're the best, too. They already know where the best waffles come from....lol... :D

2007-10-27_091302_1aCoffee.gif

NAA.
 
I have an old high power produced by fn in 1941 during the occupation. all matching waffenampt # with origanal holster. This pistol easily out shoots my np28, nz85b,(both norincos). Sorry i have never shot a newer hp so i have no comparison. But for a 68 yr old service pistol it shoots just great!!!
 
easyrider604 said:
I always thought forged steel was stronger than cast.
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Not always. The High Power forged frames required a great deal of machining, so the steel used was relatively soft to make manufacturing easier.
The cast frames were cast as close to finish dimensions as possible, and so a much tougher steel is used in those, because less machining is necessary.
But comparing apples to apples, yes. Forged is stronger than cast.
 
Browning High Power
The" Luger " refers to the caliber ... 9mm luger .As a verifier ,you may stand on shakey ground if checked by the authorities .A phone call to the firearms centre could easily solve this issue.[They have verifiers on staff ]
My BHP is Belgian mfg and is a thing of beauty.Definately a keeper and my favorite .
 
bhp-luger

Took the old girl out of the safe and looked for any other marks, on the slide it's marked Luger M.80 .9 mil parabellum. Looked at other sources and have found other M.80's. Will call verifer to get everything that I need on it.
 
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