It can be carried condition 1 (Hammer cocked, safety engaged) but there is no grip safety like the 1911. Some have a problem with this, others don't. The safety isn't as "positive" in feel as a 1911 or other gun with a manual safety.

The Hi Power, or P35 (think 92FS and M9 in terms of names) has been an issued side arm around the globe, probably the most issued sidearm ever. It's the grand daddy of all double stacks.

In terms of the following:

a. Accuracy
b. Durability
c. Reliability

It does well in all three, however there are some cons to be aware of.

Pending on hand size, the Hi Power hammer is prone to "biting" the hand of the shooter and if you are a victim of this there only real way around it is to have the hammer replaced or altered with that of a "No Bite" design. The Hi Power incorporates a magazine disconnect safety that prevents the gun from being fired without the magazine in place. This mechanism is directly integrated with the trigger and makes for a poor trigger pull considering the single action nature of the gun. The trigger pull can be improved by the removal of the magazine disconnect, but the reliability of the gun will decrease as the magazine disconnect mechanism also assists in the return of the trigger. This can be compensated for with a higher poundage trigger return spring, but it's still not as forceful of a return (At least in my gun it isn't).

The HP comes with a 13rd magazine (when talking about it in 9mm), and aftermarket magazines up to 17 rounds or more.

Hi Powers for the most part are pricey when compared to similar models, for a while Charles Daly made them at a lower price point and they were said to be good guns for the money, but with the recent demise of Charles Daly and the fact they discontinued the HP even before their closure, they may be hard to find.

The Hi Power's method of ignition is quire unique, if not just a little strange, I'll leave that up to you to Google to figure out.

If you like the HP, but are looking for something a little more modern, I would highly suggest the CZ75 and other CZ models.


For more Hi Power info, Google "Stephen Camp" and read everything he has to say on the Hi Power.

Now for a picture of my Hi Power and shameless plug for On Target Custom who did this fine piece.

A very, very nice customized weapon you have there. Thank you for a complete info rundown on the weapon system. It sounds like my next gun, but the trigger pull being bad nixes me. I'll look into the trigger pull because I have gotten rid of many guns because of a bad trigger. Especially with a handgun, a good trigger isn't a requirement, but a necessity for accurate and consistent shooting, and I don't want to spend money on modifying a trigger. The gun I handled had no creep, but it was a little hard, perhaps set to about 5 pounds of pull. Not a problem for a great combat weapon, and my hand strength is improving from pathetic to better than average from shooting so much this summer. I even got a few blisters, but they are healing over.

Thank you VAMarine. As always you are informative and have an intuitive way of explaining issues better than most magazine articles.
Sincerely, your gal pal.

You're quite welcome, now regarding the trigger, it's not that it's "bad" it's just that for a single action trigger it's not the greatest, but it's not what I would call bad, just not great compared to other SAO designs. The biggest issue with the trigger IMHO is that in order to remove the magazine disconnect, you have to muck with the trigger.

Why remove the magazine disconnect?

Originally Posted by VAMarine

...A magazine disconnect make the gun unable to fire if the magazine is removed, there are pros and cons to this:

Pro: If you ever end up in a fight over your gun, you can jettison the mag and render the gun useless...of course now you're stuck with a gun that won't go bang...I guess for some it's worth the risk.

Con: If you bump the mag release sometime during the day, your gun may not fire when needed. My father is a retired LEO and had a co-worker get stabbed due to a magazine disconnect as the mag had come out just a hair during his shift and when he had to draw and fire on a knife wielding attacker, the gun went click and he got stabbed....

Personally, I don't like them and my HP has been fitted with a trigger that is not made to have a magazine disconnect mated with it.

I'm not sure if you ever plan on shooting IDPA or USPSA, but if you do, be careful of the Hi Power if it has the magazine disconnect, it will totally hose the range officers running the stages. Generally after each stage after you unload & show clear you dry fire the gun. To do this with a HP equipped with the magazine disconnect you need to place a mag in the gun. Sure it can be done safely but the Hi Power is not that common a gun these days nor is a magazine disconnect all that common. If you do decide to take the gun to a match, get a BLUE GUN MAGZINE to use in dropping the hammer and make sure the ROs know what's going on before hand.

I am shooting my P226 in IDPA. Good point about the HP and the disconnect, I can see how problematic that would be for a shooter and a judge at the line. Too distracting of a gun for competition unless modified like yours, which is a sharp looking piece, I especially like the grips and aftermarket hammer, getting away from the traditional spur hammer. Great point. Thanks.



I'll let you know if I get the gun. Maybe a good used one will serve me, since it will be a nostalgic range gun/conversation piece for me, a gun with history.

Another point to be made regarding the Hi Power and the disconnect if used in competition is that the IDPA Rule book states the following:

The following modifications are NOT ALLOWED IN ANY
DIVISION unless otherwise specifically mentioned.
A. Compensators of any type including hybrid or ported
barrels.
B. Add-on weights for a competitive advantage (this includes,
but is not limited to, weighted magazines, tungsten guide rods,
brass magazine wells, weighted grips).
C. Heavy and/or cone style barrels without a barrel bushing.
D. Sights of non-standard configuration (i.e. Ghost rings, Bo-
Mar rib, etc.).
E. Disconnection or disabling of any safety device on any gun.
F. Lights mounted on guns.

While at a local match I don't think it would be an issue but at a sanctioned match they might not allow a Hi Power with the magazine disconnect removed.

As for my grips, they are from VZ Grips.

The Hi-Power is an excellent combat pistol; single action, high capacity magazine, reliable, and accurate at handgun ranges. I used them for years and I still have two; a Mk II and MKIII. I have no trigger problems or hammer bite problems, and reliability issues with mine.

The Hi Power is a fine pistol. I suggest you visit Hi Powers and Handguns. This is Mr. Camp's site and it contains a lot of information.

The Browning Hi Power is a military combat pistol. It was designed to be charged and cocked when entering a combat situation. Carrying one cocked and locked is risky unless you have a holster with a strap that can slide between the frame and hammer. I have carried one in such a holster when policies allowed it. The safety on the pistol tends to move to the fire position all too easily, and i consider the strap a much needed level of safety.

As a combat pistol I think they are still nonpareil.

The Hi Power is a military combat weapon. It is not designed to be carried cocked and locked. The safety can move to the fire position easily. Many people who have no experience with them resist carrying one charged but not cocked. I had to do so many times and I had no problems cocking the pistol when required. You can also carry one not charged and rack the slide when necessary. That works too if you drill with it. I knew people who could draw and rack the slide in a fraction of a second with complete reliablity. It only takes drilling. A lot of people who have had no experience will parrot what they have been taught. In reality, there are several real options if you wish to carry a Hi Power, not cocked and locked, which I will not do without a holster having a strap between the hammer and the frame.

Browning Hi-Power; Cocked & Locked. If you fear this arrangement, but would still like to carry this pistol you should seek training. If you are concerned about the safety coming off you could have the safety adjusted.

If it concerns you to carry cocked and locked you could use a design other than the BHP or 1911. Racking the slide after drawing will take more practice than learning how to properly carry and use the pistol as designed. In some instances this practice could be difficult at best and possibly dangerous, if you need to react immediately. In any event, if you finger is not on the trigger when you make your draw, you should be fine.

These are my opinions.

Originally Posted by Teuthis

The Hi Power is a military combat weapon. It is not designed to be carried cocked and locked.

The gun is designed to be carried cocked and locked, otherwise you wouldn't be able to do it. While I can not attest to the P35 manual, the 1911 Military Users Manual clearly states that when immediate use is possible that the gun should be cocked and locked.

It's not a design reason to carry condition 3, it's an administrative reason.

Condition 3 is for peacetime carry, not war time. Even then I don't think I've ever met one person that carried condition 3 once the Sgt of the guard was out of ear shot.

The safety can move to the fire position easily.

That really depends on multiple variables, there are different kinds of thumb safety, the original safety does not move hardly at all when carried, the Cylinder and Slide safety is even better as it has a detent associated with it. That larger MKIII plastic, ambi safety may be easier to have accidentally disengaged, I have no experience with that model so I will neither confirm nor deny.

Many people who have no experience with them resist carrying one charged but not cocked.

The problem with that is the lowering the hammer on a live round. As I've stated time and time again, pulling the trigger with a round in the chamber and expecting something other than a bang is a recipe for disaster.

I had to do so many times and I had no problems cocking the pistol when required. You can also carry one not charged and rack the slide when necessary. That works too if you drill with it.

Unless you only have one hand to work with.

I knew people who could draw and rack the slide in a fraction of a second with complete reliablity. It only takes drilling. A lot of people who have had no experience will parrot what they have been taught.

Sure it can be done, that doesn't make if a sound decision.

In reality, there are several real options if you wish to carry a Hi Power, not cocked and locked, which I will not do without a holster having a strap between the hammer and the frame.

How do you get a strap between the hamme and frame when the hammer isn't cocked?

The best option for not carrying a Hi Power C&L is not carrying a Hi Power.

My comments are based upon my own experience using the pistol in combat. I had one as a back up gun and always managed cock it when required. As as combat pistol I would still rather have the Hi Power over anything else I have used. But every day concealed carry is not combat.

I carried one in Europe where we were not allowed to have them cocked and locked for general carry. We could cock them when we were anticipating action; that is with the pisol in hand. I have no problem lowering the hammer after cocking it. That is just part of a drill one practices. It was never an issue. As a civilian, who cannot drill with the weapon as extensively now, if I carry it cocked and locked, I have a strap between the hammer and frame. But that is rare; for open carry, which I am not doing. I think there are now better modern concealed concealed carry options for civilians.