Tell me about Hungarian Hi-Power clones.

So in my never ending quest to find the handgun for me I've run across a Hungarian made Hi-Power. Searching for what people think about these guns was a futile attempt to figure out who owns a Hi-Power and who owns something they think is better (Glock owners, a pox upon you).

Thing is this isn't a western Hi-Power, it's a 9JK-9HP. Some believe they have differences, some say they are the same as an American/Belgium made Hi-Power. All I know for sure is that the one I tested today (rented at a range) was made in America and absolutely blew me away. I still can't get my mind around how this pistol was born in the 1930's. It felt every bit as good as the CZ 75b I tried out and I honestly think I prefer the way it recoiled in my hands to the way a Taurus Pt92 recoiled, and the PT92 weighs more!

But what of the Huns? Are they every bit as good?

Can't say I've seen one. You have my curiosity going though.

FEG made several clones of the Browning, one is an exact copy while others are not. One so called clone is actually colser to the S&W 59. For more detailed information, I suggest you visit www.handgunsandammo.proboards36.com where there was a recent post on FEGSs and also visit www.sunblest.org.

The clone word does stink, no buddy says Springfield or Kimber clone of a 1911? They are just copies of a great gun. A true copy has the rear barrel lug under the barrel that grabs a large bar in the lower receiver, some other versions are made like a S&W with channels on each side of the barrel. I do not beleive anyone has stated one is superior over the other but I prefer the traditional lug type. Without taking it apart you can usually see an out line on the right side, sometimes hard to see of the lug where its pressed threw. I think the real difference is in tolerances and metals quality. I had one with something Spanish written on the side to do with Policeia, the metal sucked but it did shoot well. FN and FM are usually considered the best. I have had FEG that where pretty good and some KBI "Kassnar Arms" that were great. I have a Browning and a FN and I would be hard pressed to choose one over the other except the FN is a better round being a 40cal. FYI I am hunting for an FM Detective. The Hungarians make decent ones and the FEG and KBI are just importers, they dont manufacture anything to my knowledge. Hell even Mauser made some.

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Originally Posted by Brian E

The clone word does stink, no buddy says Springfield or Kimber clone of a 1911? They are just copies of a great gun. A true copy has the rear barrel lug under the barrel that grabs a large bar in the lower receiver, some other versions are made like a S&W with channels on each side of the barrel. I do not beleive anyone has stated one is superior over the other but I prefer the traditional lug type. Without taking it apart you can usually see an out line on the right side, sometimes hard to see of the lug where its pressed threw. I think the real difference is in tolerances and metals quality. I had one with something Spanish written on the side to do with Policeia, the metal sucked but it did shoot well. FN and FM are usually considered the best. I have had FEG that where pretty good and some KBI "Kassnar Arms" that were great. I have a Browning and a FN and I would be hard pressed to choose one over the other except the FN is a better round being a 40cal. FYI I am hunting for an FM Detective. The Hungarians make decent ones and the FEG and KBI are just importers, they dont manufacture anything to my knowledge. Hell even Mauser made some.

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FWIW, FEG is the Hungarian manufacturer of the P35/BHP "clones" in question, most often designated PJK-9HP. FEG made the Mauser M80 marked as well as the Luger M80 marked P35/BHP pistols. KBI/Kassnar was the US importer of FEG P35/BHP pistols and they later went on to assemble Charles Daly P35/BHP pistols here in the US. The Israeli Kareen P35/BHP pistols were originally produced as well using FEG supplied parts. It is alleged FEG even went so far as to produce P35/BHP pistols with bogus FN markings for Hussein's Iraq. There's a unique history associated with FEG...

Don't know anything about the Hungarian pistols, but I have a few Arcus pistols, which are considered Hi Power clones. Arcus is a Bulgarian company and their latest version, the 98DA is supposedly the Bulgarian Military sidearm. It's not a true clone in that it has a SA/DA trigger rather than SA. I have a 98DA and and a 98DAC, which is the compact version and can use regular size Hi Power magazines; the 98DA cannot. I also have a 94C, the compact version of the 94, which is more true to the Hi Power in that it has the SA trigger.

I've taken them all completely apart and polished the internal parts so the triggers are great. Haven't had any malfunctions with any of them. Finish isn't great, but they were designed as duty guns. You can find the 98s online for around 300 dollars.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/6...44cf613f_z.jpg
Arcus 98DA

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7143/6...837a658e_z.jpg
Arcus 98DAC

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6177/...71b6fe7d_z.jpg
Arcus 94C