It saved me the trouble of having to remove them myself!

After having so much fun with my new PPK/S I decided to get another automatic in a caliber other than .45. I decided on Browning's last handgun design, the Hi-Power. Now my only complaint about my Walther is that it's so pretty and nicely blued it's pretty much a safe queen that I don't want to handle more than to shoot it every now and again. So when looking for a Hi-Power I had an eye toward getting a "beater". I really felt like I was taking a chance when I bought a refinished FEG clone off Gunbroker for $250 shipped(the least I've ever paid for any handgun). Turns out I got an exceptionally solid gun that runs like a dream.

It was great right out of the box but I tinker so I installed a reduced power hammer spring(took 4 hands but it got done), polished and lubed the internals, polished the outside of the chamber on the barrel to improve its looks, refinished the grips and painted the dots on the sights. Managed to get the trigger down to 5lbs and didn't have to do any work on the sear/hammer engagement. There's no creep or over-travel, just a nice crisp break. I would have had to remove the magazine disconnect as well(the bane of all Hi-Power triggers everywhere), but as my thread title implies it wasn't in the gun when I got it.

Overall I couldn't be happier. I got a solid version of a classic design at a great price. If anyone else is in the market for an inexpensive beater check out this seller on Gunbroker. He must have bought a boatload of used guns from Israel or something. He's sold a ton of guns since I started looking at his stuff. I have watched the seller's stock dwindle though. The last time I looked he had 16 refinished FEG's left total and only one with the nicer 3-dot sights at the same price I paid($230+shipping) so don't dawdle if you think you want one. He's got page after page of FN Hi-Powers too, but they haven't been refinished.

Link to seller's semi-auto handguns sorted by price



Dead on at 15yds with 115gr FMJ. I've got some Magnus 122gr FPBB bullets on the way. When they get here I'm gonna load up a bunch and shoot this cheap gun unmerciful like.

Your pics aren't showing...

I handled a HiPower yesterday, 75th Aniversary version from Browning...oddly it had a matte paint finish that I wasn't crazy about! I think I prefer blued Hipowers with wood grips, but even a stainless one is nicer than than PAINT!!

Some of the FEG's you linked to really look closer to the Canadian issue "Ingliss" made HiPowers, which were the toughest made HiPowers anywhere. 70+ years of steady SMG ammo, still issued. The Canadian Army versions are just too old and valuable to be "shooters" today, so I think I'll aim for a Browning made blued model, fixed sights. Good handgun. Probably at the heavier end of things these days, and the mag isn't exactly large compared to say Glocks, but 13 rds is still 3 more rounds than two snubnose .38's!!

Wierd I can see the pics...anyway I upped em to a different host...lemme know if you can see these.

Nice gun. Very nice shooting.

Nice, yep, can see those!!

Crane Hunter likes this.

Now, that is a proper gun!

This gun feels so good in the hand. With your hand on the grip and the hammer back it could be mistaken for a 1911. The view while lining up the sights is exactly like a slightly tinier 1911. This has made me think John Browning just didn't fix what wasn't broken when he went to design a new auto. The grip design is a definite improvement over the 1911 IMO. The gun fills the hand and points as naturally as your finger.

Now I am as caliber-racist as the next guy, but one thing I can't fathom is why there isn't even 10% of the variety in the hi-Power market as there is in the 1911 market. This thing screams to be made in a lightweight "commander" version with an alloy frame and a 4.25" bbl. Maybe with a re-sculpted beavertail as well.

The Hi Power design is actually more popular than the 1911 outside of the U.S., and is available in a dizzying array of configurations including alloy and polymer framed and short barreled CCW models, some with factory beavertails.

You also have its spiritual sequel, the CZ-75 and its clones, which are probably avaiable in just as many different configurations as the 1911. IMO the CZ-75 is the one of the reasons the Hi Power has sort of faded into the background in recent years.

I prefer the Hi Power as a shooter, but the CZ pattern makes for a better defensive or competition gun.

Ah!

It is the predecessor of my personal weapon, the Glock 17.
In 1994 when I went on my tour, I was an ambulance driver
and we were urged to change the UZI we had for the FN pistol.
This because as a medic it is easier to attend to wounded
with a holstered weapon rather than a shouldered weapon...
However, the first batch of new pistols arrived in time to
be distributed and I received the Glock. My Master Sgt however
had his FN and kept it his whole tour. I loved the differences!