Here's what your pistol needs, Warpig:

Swab the bore and the exterior with a good preservative like Break Free Collectors and make sure it's stored in a soft case in a temperate, low humidity environment.

You are now a curator, lest future generations of gun collectors curse your name.

I thought my collector days were behind me after I liquidated my 20+ 226's and trimmed down to handguns I actually carry or use. This one makes me think it can live with the few service guns passed down by family.

And to the NEW member who used their first post to try to buy this pistol- there is no sales activity allowed in this forum, outside of Classifieds, and if the only reason you came here was to try and purchase this pistol, don't bother posting again.

This forum is not about buying and selling stuff. Nothing is being offered for sale in this thread and your solicitations are unwelcome, and that's putting it mildly.

Crud, after seeing this, I've got the itch again for a Hi-Power.

Me too! And I've shot a Yost, didn't like it all that much, and this thread still has me wanting one.

Damn!

I love the Hi-Power!
Thanks for posting, these are beautiful.

Thankfully, I bought a Browning produced
One last year, before it was announced that production had ceased.

Take it to the range every time!

Billy.

Warpig,

Your HP has enough individuality/character and is in good enough shape warrant leaving it alone. I suspect there are plenty of plain-jane HPs out there that would be better candidates for modification. Good Luck with your decision and I'll look forward to seeing the results in any event. I've always had a soft spot for HPs.

Jerry

The guy I bought it from had the magazine safety in his parts bin so thats been taken care of.

Ive obviously decided not to modify this one. Im going to get it to the range this week and see how it shoots. The trigger isnt really bad. I did notice there is very little tactile reset.

After seeing the Fletcher custom, there is no doubt I will have one made, its BBQ season afterall.

I picked up my Hi Power about a year ago. It had a *SWEET* trigger. Too sweet, it also occasionally had hammer-follow. My local gunsmith fixed that when he properly reinstalled the trigger and sear. I added some nice wood grips, new grip screws, and Novak night sights (Novak does some good and quick work). Shoots like a dream and just sexy.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Batty67,

I don't know what makes a collectible Hi-Power, but I know that is a nice gun. Congratulations.

You have a very nice example of an Austrian police HP made in the 1950s or early 60s.

It is in really nice condition and has some collector value... probably bring in the neighborhood of $1,200 as it is... perhaps a bit more to a buyer who really wants it.

It also has the internal extractor, which is no longer available so many HP users have come to prefer the newer version with the external extractor.

Another consideration, the older HPs are generally considered unsuitable for use with +P ammunition... newer ones such as the MkIII series are ok with +P ammo.

I'd recommend keeping that one for an example of a really nice original type HP and get a used one for shooting... particularly if you plan to refinish it anyway.

FWIW

Chuck

So if one were looking for the ideal base hi power for a build, would it be a MKIII? T Series?

I contemplated getting a surplus gun but I imagine im going to end up in the 1500 range for the work I want done. Does it make sense to find a clean commercial HP vs surplus even it cost a few hundred more?

NIB BHPs Mk IIIs can still be found. I've passed on two in the $1200-range. I got mine (1989 Mk III) for $900. It already had the trigger work (which needed work), ring hammer, and magazine disconnect removed. Adding the new slim wood grips and Novak night sights was another $300 or so. In short, I would need to spend at least $500 to get a new one shooting and set-up the way I like.

OTOH, you can get a well-taken care of BHP for several hundred dollars less and put that money toward the upgrades. I'd go with a Mk III that are milled so the sights can be replaced.

That's a beautiful piece of history. Congratulations.

I curse myself for selling my Hi-Powers. Been looking to replace them for a while now, but so far I haven't had much luck finding one.

quote:

Originally posted by Batty67:
NIB BHPs Mk IIIs can still be found. I've passed on two in the $1200-range. I got mine (1989 Mk III) for $900. It already had the trigger work (which needed work), ring hammer, and magazine disconnect removed. Adding the new slim wood grips and Novak night sights was another $300 or so. In short, I would need to spend at least $500 to get a new one shooting and set-up the way I like.

OTOH, you can get a well-taken care of BHP for several hundred dollars less and put that money toward the upgrades. I'd go with a Mk III that are milled so the sights can be replaced.

I dont really need a newone, or care to pay that much. It seems most guys aareof the opinion the T series is the way to go,other say MKIII. No sense in going new, just didnt seem like a good idea to start with something completey wore out to to begin with either.

Again locking lugs on the slide are key. If they are rounded over, pass.

I have a tuned mkiii and t series. T series simply is the prefix on the serial number. I can not quantify any other noticable charateristic between the two types of pistols.
If you want 40 or 357 sig, you have to go mark 3. If you want only 9, then go for mkII or mkIII 9mm.

Iirc one pwrson here on sig forum has a bhp 40sw with a 9mm conversion barrel and recoil spring
.

I have seen stock mkiii 40sw guns go for 600 to 750 here locally. I paid 650 for my mkii (prior to fletcher fixing the gun, his work was 1600ish) that fletcher redid the work on. So, you could get a mkiii 40, and have them do a 357sig and 9mm conversion barrel. I just checked any my 9mm mags fit and hold just fine

Get a MkIII, made before 1995. Before 1995, High Powers had forged frames. After that, the frames were cast. You can tell the difference between forged and cast HP frames by examining the base of the grip. If the bottom of the grip is striated, it's cast. If it's smooth, it's forged.
What's wrong with cast frames on a High Power? Nothing, and as a matter of fact, cast frames are tougher. FN introduced the cast frame for the HP because of the .40 calber chambering for the pistol. Firing the .40 in a forged frame HP caused the frame rails to warp and lock up the pistol tighter'n Dick's hat band.
It's an aesthetic choice only, but I'd want a forged frame MkIII if I were going to turn it into a very expensive pistol.

quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:

Iirc one pwrson here on sig forum has a bhp 40sw with a 9mm conversion barrel and recoil spring
.

That might be me although I think there may be another.

My three all having been worked on by Don Williams at The Action Works:

From the top: FNH-HP-SA .40 S&W to 9mm conversion, FNH HP-SA 9mm to .30 Luger conversion, and a FM/FN Detective



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That is a very nice trio of pistols!!

Nice, I had a chance to buy a Argentina-made BHP Detective. Even had been refinished, but I had just gotten my BHP, and the timing was not right.