Scratched the Hi Power itch...

As I may have mentioned in the Super B thread, I shot a friends HI Power and instantly fell into infatuation.

I grabbed this one up on Gunbroker and picked it up at my LGS today.

It's a 1985 FN, that I highly suspect was refinished...if it wasnt, then it was unfired:


It came with a 13-round mag and two 15-round mags:


Gun shop is also a range, so I ran a couple boxes through it.It balked on feeding about 4-5 times, but I think it was because it was a bit dry and I think the finish is so pristine, it needs some breaking in.

Overall, very pleased with it.

And now, I can live up to my signature line..

Aqualung

Very nice - a HiPower has always on my bucket list due to their hicap and quality - I prefer blue & walnut guns. But I've been hooked by Glock and now have a 17L. 19, 30 and buying a 26 this weekend. I guess it's the hicap tied with reliability and light weight that got me.

Aqualung said:

And now, I can live up to my signature line..

Aqualung

Click to expand...

'Bout time!

:mrgreen: :wink: :mrgreen:

I would almost guarantee that it has been refinished and aftermarket stocks added. I have one nearly identical of the same vintage and the finish is badly worn and it wears the original plastic stocks. Yours is a fine looking piece, I am getting ready to have mine cerakoted.

The hi-power has always been a favorite of mine, even the clones.
If properly cared for it's one of the most reliable guns out there.
Usually pretty accurate also, and no problem with shooting cast bullets.
Buying a gun used, it's always a good idea to buy a new set of standard power factory springs and changing them out, at least the recoil spring. The gun may look new but have many thousands of rounds through it.
Looks like a set of Hogue grips and a stainless grip screw.

It has been finished but who the hell cares? It is a great-looking HP, congrats. Get out there and start shooting it

Thank you.

The grips are Hogue and I just found a black allen screws for them today...look better than those stainless ones.

Tried to remove the mag disconnect today, but it looks like I can't use the easy way I've seen all over the web. The pin in the rear of the trigger was never there (you can see by the photos), but the disconnect is still in the trigger tight. So, I'll have to pull the trigger out.

I love that the pistol looks nearly brand new...and acts that way (like it needs to be broken in). However, the trigger is 8.5# and I'd like it to be lighter, at least. I'd also like the mag to drop and would like to be able to drop the hammer without having to put in a mag, as I don't store the gun with a mag in it.

Aqualung

Could be the previous owner tried to remove the mag safety and only got as far as removing that pin. The trigger pivot can be a bear to remove on some of the newer guns. Sometimes it helps to apply a bit of CLP to the pin and let it sit for an hour or so first. Some gunsmiths won't do the job as they don't want to remove a safety, but you could always ask them just to remove the trigger for you.
The newer guns come with mousetrap mags that help the mags drop out better but they are a bit pricey and don't help the trigger pull any. I've taken apart a few after market magazines that didn't function properly and found a couple of common problems to be burrs on the followers and springs that were put in upside down or backwards. I bought a cheap 30 round mag at a gun show years ago for $10 or so that just needed a bit of the plastic from trimmed off the sides of the follower from where it came out of the mold to function correctly. Meg-gar's don't usually have that problem though, but they do put the springs in wrong sometimes, it never hurts to check.
I much prefer the Hogue grips to the original plastic grips on these guns.

Happy Memorial Day!

I worked on the Hi Power today. Good news on a bunch of fronts.

The trigger pin came out quite easily. Maybe because it's a roll pin instead of a solid pin. The trigger was a bit of wrangling to get it free, but in the meantime, the disconnect plunger and spring popped out easily. I do agree with reloader's suspicion that a former owner attempted the "easy" removal and lost the pin.

Everything went back together easily.

Trigger now breaks at 7#-7.5#...not much in measurement, but it feels a lot better. I was hoping for 6.5#, but I'm happy with the improvement regardless.

I've been reading about these and have seen that these military surplus pistols (and modern Hi Powers) have 32# hammer springs, as a standard. That would explain why my buddy's older models have much lighter trigger pulls and hammer pulls. I've seen that prior to the 32# spring's becoming standard, the standard was a 26#.

I may do an order to BHSpringsolutions.Com for one of their optimizing spring kits.

Now to take it to the range again.

Aqualung

The mainspring is one of the biggest, if not THE biggest, factors in Hi Power trigger pull. I have something like a 19# spring in mine, which I shoot almost exclusively with a Ciener .22LR conversion.

But beware: The mainspring is also an important part of the recoil springing in a Hi Power. That is, it soaks up a lot of the recoil energy generated by that lovely thin, light slide. The lighter you go on the mainspring, the harder the slide is going to hit the frame in recoil, and the more/faster wear you're going to put on the gun.

I know all about that Hi-Power itch! I have had a real nice "C" series for awhile. Well, BearBio offered up a "T" series FN contract for sale. Too tempting to pass up. I installed a set of Browning plastic grips and new grip screws and have a lanyard ring and screw on the way. Very nice piece and NO import marks. The recent itch has been scratched!




Dave :wink:

The BHP is deservedly a classic. The mag disconnect needs to go, and it needs a decent safety. Assuming decent sights and a usable trigger, it's a first class piece. And reliable...Current 9mm loads are sufficient, and I can shoot my BHP better on a bad day than I can a Glock on a good day.

Plus--it's not UGLY!

The T series turned out to be such a great shooter that I reluctantly sold the pristine C series safe queen. I am sure there will be some regrets going forward, but I still have one!

Dave

Well, I had the HiPower trigger squared up and the mag disconnect removed and my smith cleaned it up internally. Next nice day it is off to the range...

.

I scratched my Hi-Power itch last year, with an FEG/Charles Daly clone.

I put a set of aftermarket Browning grips on it & bought an extra Browning mag, too - it shoots like a house afire, well worth the pittance (compared to a Browning) I paid for it. :mrgreen:





.

This thread is really making me want to add another HP to the stable...

Valmet said:

This thread is really making me want to add another HP to the stable...

Click to expand...

Well, go for it! I predict in a few years the collector interest will increase and values will climb due to production of HiPowers ending.

Dave