Browning Hi-Power - how good is this gun

OkayShooter said:
When was that said? 1970s? BHP is obsolete in 2022 as a combat pistol.
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What makes you think/say that?

It has fallen out of favour, no doubt, but I would suggest that’s more a function of cost than anything else. Reliability, accuracy, and capacity don’t lag behind more modern designs by much, if anything. Polymer is cheap and requires less care. SAO requires greater training. Efficiency, rather than performance, have been the prime drivers away from the Hi-Power and other SAOdesigns.
 
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Like the 1911, they are often customized.

To be honest, the only modification a MK3 hi power requires is to remove the magazine disconnect so magazines drop free and the trigger pull is a bit better. Sights work well, one could blacken the rear sights white lines and just keep the front sight with the white line for very usable sights.
 
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Here's a cerakoted Israeli Surplus Mk3 with rosewood Navidrex thin grips, magazine disconnector removed.
 
TT1900 said:
What makes you think/say that?

It has fallen out of favour, no doubt, but I would suggest that’s more a function of cost than anything else. Reliability, accuracy, and capacity don’t lag behind more modern designs by much, if anything. Polymer is cheap and requires less care. SAO requires greater training. Efficiency, rather than performance, have been the prime drivers away from the Hi-Power and other SAOdesigns.
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Unfortunately from what I seen about the CF ones and the ones I handled. Reliability wasn't a word I'd use. Last year when I shot a PPC provincial match, I was put on a team with a pair of brothers that were still in the CF, that shoots on the pistol team and they went on how many didn't work, it was embarrassing. They need to have better controls that are glove friendly. Not a huge issue for most on a civilian range but gloves they issue make it difficult to operate with gloves, and clear stoppages. Then the amount of ND on the 1M firing line, due to the mag safety.

As many will say, their experience with them are less then impressive. Get new ones and prove they are still good.
 
I bought an Inglis made one that still had a bit of the sticker showing on the front of the grip. At the time I thought it was cool to own because of the history but hated
shooting it at the range. Being a Glock guy, it was like driving an old car without power steering after owning a new truck. I could not imagine having to carry that in
combat. I do like 1911's though so its not like i cant appreciate an older design.

Around the time I owned the Inglis, I was working at Brinks and would have never traded
my S&W Model 64 revolver for an Inglis regardless of the higher capacity.

It is embarassing that CF members have to carry these, they should be given the best available options.
 
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Apart from the fact that our Hi Powers are worn into the ground after being used for 70+ years, I gotta say the BHP is one of my favourite pistols to shoot. I find it incredibly light-recoiling (it being an all steel gun) and precise, even more so than my Glock. I definitely prefer the low-profile sights (albeit having to paint them with nail polish) and find they really help with landing precise shots. As a duty firearm, there are far better options, however as a target pistol for weekend plinking, in my mind the BHP comes highly recommended.

Keep in mind we shot them in competition against the Americans last year and surprisingly we didn’t finish last despite competing against Glocks and Sigs.
 
Doesn't seem to have been mentioned, but depending on your hand size, you may have some issues. I have left more blood and skin on the damn thing than I care to deal with. Hammer bite, and slide bite were common due to small beavertail, but as far as it goes a decent gun for range shooting (with good mags).
 
I’ve owned a few over the years. I personally love the way they look, feel and point. I don’t really enjoy shooting them though. Something about the recoil impulse is unpleasant for me.
 
OkayShooter said:
Unfortunately from what I seen about the CF ones and the ones I handled. Reliability wasn't a word I'd use. Last year when I shot a PPC provincial match, I was put on a team with a pair of brothers that were still in the CF, that shoots on the pistol team and they went on how many didn't work, it was embarrassing. They need to have better controls that are glove friendly. Not a huge issue for most on a civilian range but gloves they issue make it difficult to operate with gloves, and clear stoppages. Then the amount of ND on the 1M firing line, due to the mag safety.

As many will say, their experience with them are less then impressive. Get new ones and prove they are still good.
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So you’re basing your opinion on the oldest, most used, and least cared for samples of the design? Hardly fair.

Give a Glock, P226, Beretta 92, etc. to an undertrained soldier, feed it a steady diet of NATO SMG 9mm, and don’t replace the magazines for 50 years. Get back to me on how they perform. My bet, any gun treated the way CF Hi-Power’s have been will be riddled with problems.

Again, have to ask, how are the controls not glove friendly? I wear gloves to shoot in the winter. Haven’t noticed the HP being harder to operate than anything else. The trigger guard is slightly smaller than the Glock I suppose, but certainly not to the point of being a problem. The safety on the Inglis, and all Mk1’s & 2’s, was certainly a pain but was corrected on the Mk3.
 
TT1900 said:
So you’re basing your opinion on the oldest, most used, and least cared for samples of the design? Hardly fair.

Give a Glock, P226, Beretta 92, etc. to an undertrained soldier, feed it a steady diet of NATO SMG 9mm, and don’t replace the magazines for 50 years. Get back to me on how they perform. My bet, any gun treated the way CF Hi-Power’s have been will be riddled with problems.

Again, have to ask, how are the controls not glove friendly? I wear gloves to shoot in the winter. Haven’t noticed the HP being harder to operate than anything else. The trigger guard is slightly smaller than the Glock I suppose, but certainly not to the point of being a problem. The safety on the Inglis, and all Mk1’s & 2’s, was certainly a pain but was corrected on the Mk3.
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Actually had 2 outside my work ones, but most people will base their experiences from the military. I had both experiences, majority negitive. After going with CZ I have zero interest giving the BHP a 4th opinion.

Shooting on a range on your own time is different then being in a work environment requiring them.
 
Love/Hate for me. As a kid it was the pistol I always wanted. As an adult, my issue Inglis with my own mags worked fine but mostly just torqued my hips. I do own a Inglis and want to love it, but it bites the web of my thumb to the point of drawing blood if I hold it like I want to, so maybe it doesn't love me. First time I shot a CZ75, which points the same but has a lower bore axis and a beavertail, I couldn't look at a HP the same. My HP doesn't get to the range often, more of a collector piece.
 
i owned on mkiii and i tried to love it but when i sold it, it was to new owner and his first handgun and most of the money went to support the cpc local member that ran for the federal level. i liked it not that much but it was well finished and felt strong. i prefer a 1911 in 9mm.
 
OkayShooter said:
Actually had 2 outside my work ones, but most people will base their experiences from the military. I had both experiences, majority negitive. After going with CZ I have zero interest giving the BHP a 4th opinion.

Shooting on a range on your own time is different then being in a work environment requiring them.
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I’m the opposite. Tried to like the CZ’s, Mk3 HP’s stayed and the CZ75 Shadow & CZ85 went to new homes. Doesn’t mean the CZ is an unreliable or bad gun, just not my preference.

Agreed that work is different than play. In that regard the Hi-Power has a much greater history of performance than the CZ. And I wouldn’t choose either one for work given today’s options.
 
Only thing I don't like about it is the long trigger reset. Fits my hand well with thin grips mounted, is compact, accurate, and trigger is crisp. The slimness of the pistol is a nice feature...the New Browning HIGH Power has a thicker slide due to the sig like barrel/slide lockup.
 
TT1900 said:
I’m the opposite. Tried to like the CZ’s, Mk3 HP’s stayed and the CZ75 Shadow & CZ85 went to new homes. Doesn’t mean the CZ is an unreliable or bad gun, just not my preference.

Agreed that work is different than play. In that regard the Hi-Power has a much greater history of performance than the CZ. And I wouldn’t choose either one for work given today’s options.
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Well my CZ is a range comp gun, also fits my hands well, hasn't given me issues in over 8000rds.
 
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