SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  SIG Pistols    The "chopped" HiPower: FM Detective (and Brownells stippling punches)
Page 1 2 3 
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
The "chopped" HiPower: FM Detective (and Brownells stippling punches) Login/Join 
always with a hat or sunscreen
Picture of bald1
posted
Back in 1994 I picked up, from my LGS, an Argentine FABRICACIONES MILITARES (Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares (DGFM) M90 Detective which is a modified shortened slide / barrel P35 made on FN equipment licensed to FM.



After breaking it in, determining that it was a "keeper," I decided in 1995 to customize it.

I bought and installed several Cylinder & Slide parts: CS025C Duty Carry spring kit (hammer & firing pin), CS037 trigger, and CS035 safety. (And yes, the C&S trigger and safety as delivered had a purplish hue for whatever reason.)

I removed the magazine disconnector and tweaked the trigger function. I also beveled the magazine well and stippled* the grip front and backstraps. Had a local shop reblue the gun and then added Craig Spegel madagascar rosewood grips and Hogue hex grip screws.

It uses either CZ75 Compact (Wolff #53917) or bhspringsolutions replacement recoil springs as factory springs have never been available in the States.

The pistol weighs 30 ounces unloaded and uses any Hi-Power P35 13x or 15x magazine.







It remains a favorite. Big Grin



* The long ago discontinued tools I used to stipple the gun:

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bald1,



Certifiable member of the gun toting, septuagenarian, bucket list workin', crazed retiree, bald is beautiful club!
USN (RET), COTEP #192
 
Posts: 16139 | Location: Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: June 20, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I havee been keeping my eye out for one of these.
 
Posts: 6633 | Location: Virginia | Registered: December 23, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
always with a hat or sunscreen
Picture of bald1
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by DSgrouse:
I have been keeping my eye out for one of these.


There's an M95 version as well. Back in the day there were also slide kits to convert P35s.



Certifiable member of the gun toting, septuagenarian, bucket list workin', crazed retiree, bald is beautiful club!
USN (RET), COTEP #192
 
Posts: 16139 | Location: Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: June 20, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of TxRod
posted Hide Post
I love my FM Detective! I lucked out and won an auction years ago for one before the prices started going through the roof. Mine is an M90 and the only mods I had my gunsmith do were to remove the magazine disconnect safety and install a commander hammer to eliminate bite.

This is the gun I used to certify for my CHL. I've replaced springs with stock, added rosewood grips and break it out and shoot occasionally. It's definitely a keeper for me, too.

 
Posts: 488 | Registered: March 09, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Lead slingin'
Parrot Head
Picture of Modern Day Savage
posted Hide Post
So, if I understand correctly, a full size P35 grip and frame (with a presumably shortened dust cover), and a shortened slide/barrel... a la Commander.

That is kind of nifty.

What is the barrel length?
 
Posts: 7324 | Location: the Centennial state | Registered: August 21, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
It's all part of
the adventure...
posted Hide Post
Super cool! I learned something new today; thanks for sharing that.


Regards From Sunny Tucson,
SigFan

NRA Life - IDPA - USCCA - GOA - JPFO - ACLDN - SAF - AZCDL - ASA

"Faith isn't believing that God can; it's knowing that He will." (From a sign on a church in Nicholasville, Kentucky)
 
Posts: 1677 | Location: Tucson, Arizona | Registered: January 30, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Oriental Redneck
Picture of 12131
posted Hide Post
Man, that looks like a perfectly balanced Hi-Power. Better than its bigger brother. Like the P228 to the P226. Very cool. Thanks for sharing, B.


Q






 
Posts: 26185 | Location: TEXAS | Registered: September 04, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of AnimalMother88
posted Hide Post
Nice pistol, but an unexpected pleasure seeing the stippling punches. Thanks for sharing.


_____________
This country has a mental health problem disguised as a gun problem and a tyranny problem disguised as a security problem. -Powerful Joe Rogan
 
Posts: 1338 | Location: Indy | Registered: January 27, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I had a chance to buy one locally, it had even been recently refinished. But I had just gotten my BHP (which I have a lot of money into and is quite sweet), so the timing was just not good. Someone else snapped it up.

I used to see a few at local gun shows but they were always in beat-up shape.
 
Posts: 3530 | Location: Alexandria, VA | Registered: March 07, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of pulicords
posted Hide Post
Very nice! I've seen those around, but never when I had an opportunity to buy one. Looks like a great choice for CCW, but you probably have to go to a custom leather maker like Milt Sparks. Do either of you guys carry yours and if so, what was your choice?


"I'm not fluent in the language of violence, but I know enough to get around in places where it's spoken."
 
Posts: 10187 | Location: The Free State of Arizona | Registered: June 13, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
always with a hat or sunscreen
Picture of bald1
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
So, if I understand correctly, a full size P35 grip and frame (with a presumably shortened dust cover), and a shortened slide/barrel... a la Commander.

That is kind of nifty.

What is the barrel length?


The barrel is 3.7", the overall length is 6.3" and weighs 30 oz unloaded. Also of note is that the top of the slide is ribbed unlike the FN HiPower. Smile

For comparison, the standard HiPower has a 4 5/8" barrel with an OAL of 7 3/4" and weighs 32oz unloaded.


quote:
Originally posted by pulicords:
Looks like a great choice for CCW, but you probably have to go to a custom leather maker like Milt Sparks. Do either of you guys carry yours and if so, what was your choice?


My 1911 commander leather works fine (Andrews leather McDaniel II, Simply Rugged 'Cuda, C5 leather Versa-Max style, etc.)



quote:
Originally posted by 12131:
Man, that looks like a perfectly balanced Hi-Power. Better than its bigger brother. Like the P228 to the P226. Very cool. Thanks for sharing, B.


Totally agree Dr. Q!

As an aside, back in the '90s some felt the compact Detective was a kissing cousin to the ASP and Devel single stack 9mm's.



Certifiable member of the gun toting, septuagenarian, bucket list workin', crazed retiree, bald is beautiful club!
USN (RET), COTEP #192
 
Posts: 16139 | Location: Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: June 20, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Nice looking Detective model. I have owned mine (Model 90) for at least 12-15 years or so. They are just the "right size" for me, though I do love my full size BHPs. For some reason, I can not shoot my Detective as well as I shoot my full size BHP.......most likely just the shooter. Mine has functioned 100%, and I can't imagine ever letting it go.
 
Posts: 6599 | Location: Az | Registered: May 27, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
An investment in knowledge
pays the best interest
posted Hide Post
Very cool. It does indeed look well balanced. Thanks for posting about the Detective model as I didn't know of its existence.
 
Posts: 3362 | Location: Mid-Atlantic | Registered: December 27, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
always with a hat or sunscreen
Picture of bald1
posted Hide Post
TxRod,

Your Detective looks great with those rosewood grips. It also looks to have a gloss blue finish. Mine came with a matte finish which I retained when it was reblued. I sometimes think I should have gone for a glossier treatment like yours. Nice!



Certifiable member of the gun toting, septuagenarian, bucket list workin', crazed retiree, bald is beautiful club!
USN (RET), COTEP #192
 
Posts: 16139 | Location: Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: June 20, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Age Quod Agis
Picture of ArtieS
posted Hide Post
Oh, my that's nice. I've never really been a full size Hi-Power fan having shot a couple of them, but my God, that is sweet.



"I vowed to myself to fight against evil more completely and more wholeheartedly than I ever did before. . . . That’s the only way to pay back part of that vast debt, to live up to and try to fulfill that tremendous obligation."

Alfred Hornik, Sunday, December 2, 1945 to his family, on his continuing duty to others for surviving WW II.
 
Posts: 12740 | Location: Central Florida | Registered: November 02, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Never knew there was such a pistol, what a beauty and thanks for sharing the pics.
 
Posts: 913 | Location: Central Ohio | Registered: January 05, 2018Reply With QuoteReport This Post
always with a hat or sunscreen
Picture of bald1
posted Hide Post
OMG! Talk about crazy prices. Yeah the Detectives have gone up but not this far up by any stretch. Here's a used Cylinder & Slide custom chopped Browning Hi-Power for <gasp> $3750! Someone bit as it shows sale pending. Eek Link



Frankly I like the slide on mine better. Smile



Certifiable member of the gun toting, septuagenarian, bucket list workin', crazed retiree, bald is beautiful club!
USN (RET), COTEP #192
 
Posts: 16139 | Location: Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: June 20, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of cjevans
posted Hide Post
I had a great MkII.
Never knew about the M90 Detective.
It certainly is compact.

The stipple tool ...

Thanks for sharing!



We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~ Benjamin Franklin.

"If anyone in this country doesn't minimise their tax, they want their head read, because as a government, you are not spending it that well, that we should be donating extra...:
Kerry Packer

SIGForum: the island of reality in an ocean of diarrhoea.
 
Posts: 1886 | Location: Altona Beach | Registered: February 20, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
always with a hat or sunscreen
Picture of bald1
posted Hide Post
Since folks showed interest in the sadly discontinued Brownells stippling tools, thought I'd share a picture of my well used set:




Certifiable member of the gun toting, septuagenarian, bucket list workin', crazed retiree, bald is beautiful club!
USN (RET), COTEP #192
 
Posts: 16139 | Location: Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: June 20, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Lead slingin'
Parrot Head
Picture of Modern Day Savage
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by bald1:
quote:
Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
So, if I understand correctly, a full size P35 grip and frame (with a presumably shortened dust cover), and a shortened slide/barrel... a la Commander.

That is kind of nifty.

What is the barrel length?


The barrel is 3.7", the overall length is 6.3" and weighs 30 oz unloaded. Also of note is that the top of the slide is ribbed unlike the FN HiPower. Smile

For comparison, the standard HiPower has a 4 5/8" barrel with an OAL of 7 3/4" and weighs 32oz unloaded.


I assume this is a steel framed gun, correct?

I'd really like to see what a Detective would look like with a classic FN BHP type royal blue finish.
 
Posts: 7324 | Location: the Centennial state | Registered: August 21, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata Page 1 2 3  
 

SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  SIG Pistols    The "chopped" HiPower: FM Detective (and Brownells stippling punches)

© SIGforum 2024