Browning Hi-Power in IPSC ?

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cuslog

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Hi there;
Totally new to IPSC -- shot bullseye pistol for years, thought I might try it sometime.
Just bought an Inglis / Browning Hi-Power, wondering if it might fit into IPSC somewhere ?
Is there a service pistol match anywhere ? (I believe this is the current Canadian Armed Forces service pistol).
Also wondering about drawing a single action semi-auto (like the Hi-Power) from a holster, round chambered ?, hammer back ? safety on or off ?
Don't know if I could get comfortable drawing with a round chambered, hammer back and safety off, or even safety on for that matter.
 
Not a common gun for IPSC. Mainly due to the heavier trigger pull and wide girth of the BHP. The other issue is the stock mag disconnect which is a pain during the unload and show clear command as you can’t drop the hammer without a mag.

Condition One or cocked and locked start is ok in IPSC. All 1911s start that way. Your comfort zone determines the suitability of the BHP for competition use.
 
cuslog said:
Hi there;
Totally new to IPSC -- shot bullseye pistol for years, thought I might try it sometime.
Just bought an Inglis / Browning Hi-Power, wondering if it might fit into IPSC somewhere ?
Is there a service pistol match anywhere ? (I believe this is the current Canadian Armed Forces service pistol).
Also wondering about drawing a single action semi-auto (like the Hi-Power) from a holster, round chambered ?, hammer back ? safety on or off ?
Don't know if I could get comfortable drawing with a round chambered, hammer back and safety off, or even safety on for that matter.
Click to expand...

Don't even think about drawing from a holster with a round chambered, hammer back and safety off! In that condition you would be immediately disqualified for a safety violation.

Now back to the High Power. At this time it would fit into "Standard" division. Generally it would be not competitive shooting a 9mm in Standard. To use a High Power you want a wider thumb safety.
 
cuslog said:
Hi there;
Totally new to IPSC -- shot bullseye pistol for years, thought I might try it sometime.
Just bought an Inglis / Browning Hi-Power, wondering if it might fit into IPSC somewhere ?
Is there a service pistol match anywhere ? (I believe this is the current Canadian Armed Forces service pistol).
Also wondering about drawing a single action semi-auto (like the Hi-Power) from a holster, round chambered ?, hammer back ? safety on or off ?
Don't know if I could get comfortable drawing with a round chambered, hammer back and safety off, or even safety on for that matter.
Click to expand...

Start by looking at the rulebook: http://www.ipsc.org/pdf/RulesHandgun.pdf

In Canada, you'll need to take a Black Badge course too: http://www.ipsc-canada.org/training.html
 
Used one in Standard nearly 20 years ago. Most frustrating reliability and being minor power made it less than competitive. The mag safety can be removed which allows mags to drop freely and improves the trigger a bit as well as allowing the pistol to be cleared easier. By the end of year 2 in IPSC I was done with that POS BHP.

Moe
 
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Well, I might try it sometime just for fun. I don't care so much about score - I didn't buy it for that. I bought it because its a piece of Canadian history - made by Inglis in Toronto, Ontario during WWII. After the Germans over-ran Belgium. A couple of the top FN engineers and the blueprints escaped to England then on to Canada to manufacture them for Commonwealth forces. This one was manufactured Oct. 1944, still in decent condition. Be a shame to be just a safe queen.
Yes, I see that the mag safety can be removed and there's spring kits for them too, which apparently improve the trigger quite a bit. Would this be allowed in "standard" ?
 
ralphs said:
Don't even think about drawing from a holster with a round chambered, hammer back and safety off! In that condition you would be immediately disqualified for a safety violation.

As Ralphs said.
Plus, you will be under adrenaline and not sure your pistol handling will be safe (not due to you but to the characteristics of the pistol).
Plus, you will have to get at least 6 mags extra and holster.
Conclusion :
After your first match, you will be on the market for a decent IPSC pistol.

Now, I don't mean you won't have fun with the BHP....just saying that, being new to the sport, go to see a match and then see by yourself.
Click to expand...
 
When I shot IPSC years ago, there was one guy that ran a BHP in Standard Div. He only shot for fun. It worked no different then a 1911. Only down fall would be no ambi safety ( If you gotta shoot weak hand you might get a procedural using your other hand to flick it off )and shooting minor ( get scored less for non Alphas ) But if its just for fun. Fill your boots.

Mag safety can be removed for drop out mags and hammer down holster.
 
The third IPSC World Shoot (1977) was won by Rhodesian Dave Westerhout. He used a 9mm BHP.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_IPSC_Handgun_World_Shoot
 
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Bad Sign;
Thanks for that "good sign" actually, so they can't be all that bad. This is not a gun that I would shoot a lot because of its collectability (a 1944 Inglis Hi-Power) but I thought it might be fun to shoot in a service pistol match and maybe IPSC once in awhile.
 
I shot IPSC with a commercial BHP for years, (a long time ago; 1977/78 and back into it in the early 90's)and I enjoyed it. I got a kick out of outscoring guys with $$$$ 1911's but as the sport grew I saw that I wasn't making it to the top of the class any more.

You can shoot it and have fun, which is the point of the game. You are competing against yourself.

If you have a wartime classic like 1944, I would hate to see you make any alterations...if you remove the magazine safety (which I did on my commercial model) make sure you keep the parts safe!!! or they will go missing. You can replace the silly little safety with a commercial one if you are good with a file, and have some patience. Again, keep all the original parts.

If you bite the hook and keep shooting IPSC you will probably want to become more competitive, (therefore a newer, better, faster, bigger, etc. pistol) but I found my BHP a fun gun to shoot.
 
Yes, I'd definitely NOT make any changes that I can't "back out of" and I will definitely bag and tag all the original parts so they can be replaced later if need be.
Actually, looked at the BH spring solutions SFS system which gives you an ambi - safety as well as de-cocking / re-cocking as the safety is applied / removed. Although, for what they charge for it, you're almost half way to a new / better / non collectable pistol which already has those features built in. Haven't decided yet, for now, the mag. safety is coming out and going into a bag.
 
All this talk of the history of high powers caused me to take mine out for a look, and HOLY CRAP.

I bought the gun used 6 years ago for $50 from a guy who was moving out of the country for work in a hurry and was looking to GIVE IT AWAY, but I paid him the $50 for it on principle, without ever having seen the gun. He said it was a browning HP purchased used in the 90s, and it had been well used since. I never gave it a second thought, shot the heck out of it for years. Nearly identical to the HP I use with CAF, internal extractor, fixed sights, etc.

I just tried to figure out what model I have from markings, records serial numbers, and info available online, and as far as I can tell it is a Belgian Made P35 circa 1937. Dang.
 
I use my Inglis an my FN HiPower for CQB all the time an never had a problem at all but that said I don't shoot IPSC either.
So I say go for it an enjoy it for what it is an true Canadian classic.
 
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