Arcus 94

[smee78]

Hello everyone,

I was looking around on the auction sights last week and ended up getting an Arcus 94. I was interested in getting a Browning High Power type gun but was not interested in the older models sights. I got the Arcus 94 and cant wait to get it to the range, I think the first thing I will do is to remove the mag safety to see if it helps the trigger pull. Other than a set of grips I think I will keep the gun as is. Anyone else have any experience with this gun? Any info would be great.

 

[Skans]

I was surprised that these are selling under $250. Looks like a really nice all metal gun for that price. Let us know how it performs.

 

[g.willikers]

Had to do a search to find out what it is.
A Bulgarian High Power clone, in either a single action or double action.
If they're authentic clones with HP interchangeable parts, it's a real deal.
Enjoy, and report back how it does at the range.

 

[MandolinMan]

I'm interested to hear your report as well. I started looking into these several months ago myself after coming across a great deal on one. The deal breaker for me, however, was holster compatibility. It seems that it rather difficult to find holsters that properly fit. If I remember correctly though they do accept Hi Power magazines, so that's definitely a plus.

 

[carguychris]

A Bulgarian High Power clone, in either a single action or double action.

FWIW this is one of those cases that stretches the definition of "clone."

It's probably more accurate to describe the Arcus as being BHP-based.

If I remember correctly though they do accept Hi Power magazines, so that's definitely a plus.

That's what I understand as well.

 

[blchandl2]

I have the 98DA which is one of my favorite pistols. I used it to qualify for my CHL.

A friend has the 98DA, 98DAC, and a 94 which he bought after trying my 98DA.

I have fired my friends 94 and from a shooting standpoint, it shoots as good as my BHP. The finish details are not at the high end but all have been 100% reliable and very accurate.

 

[HankC1]

I have an Arcus 98, solid HP type, not as pretty but shoot really well. Slide is a bit loose, rattles but accurate.

 

[smee78]

Thanks everyone for sharing, I did some research before I purchased it and from what I could find most parts are interchangeable with a BHP but may take a little fine adjustments. I do know they take the BHP mags and holsters can be a little hard to come by but I'm willing to hunt for a holster.

 

[railroader]

I had a arcus 94 at least 10 years ago. It was reliable and accurate. Hi power parts fit it. I changed out the hammer and sear. Also changed the extractor when one of my reloads blew out the one in the gun.

 

[smee78]

Well I was able to go digging in my LGS old grip box and found a old set of Pachmayr rubber grips and used them to replace the cracked Hogue knock offs. I also was able to find a few extra Hi Power mags in the used mag box so now I have everything I need to hit the range, hope to do that soon. I also removed the mag safety so she can shoot with out the mag and the trigger feels a little better now. Thanks everyone for the info, I cant wait to get shooting.

 

[makarov]

The Arcus and FEG Hi-Power derivatives are good guns for the money. I don't think you can go wrong with an all-steel 9mm, whether it is a Hi-Power design or CZ-75 knockoff (or the real thing!). Both designs are great. I always like bargains too and Bulgaria, Czech, Croatia (Springfield Crocks) are all capable of making very good guns and due to world economies can be a real bargain.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

The ARCUS DA guns are not based on the Browning Hi-Power. Nothing about them is DA except a vauge resemblance externally. They're seem to be based on to the S&W Third Gen guns.

While the earliest FEG-made BHP-like guns started as true hi-quality BHP clone, none of the Arcus guns are, as noted above, actual clones -- only a few BHP parts work/interchange. Same basic design, though.

The general consensus is that there is nothing wrong with the BHP-like guns. The DA Arcus guns are apparently O.K. -- but parts may eventually prove to be a problem. I haven't heard whether magazines for the DA guns are hard to find.

 

[tahunua001]

walt, the Arcus 94 is a HP clone, it is single action only and is very similar internally to the HP. the arcus 98s are the DA versions of which you speak.

the wierd mag interchangeability has always confused me.
94 full sized takes hi power mags.
94 compact does not.
98 full sized does not
98 compact does.

good luck figuring that out.

I owned the 98. it was extremely rough and unrefined by a lot of standards but the parkerizing on the metal parts appears tough and rugged. the trigger on mine was extremely heavy which made it a pain to shoot, perhaps the 94 negates this. I liked the hogue knockoffs that they use but some of the wood grips make the guns look borderline sexy. I sold mine very soon after buying, wasn't a huge fan.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

walt, the Arcus 94 is a HP clone, it is single action only and is very similar internally to the HP. the arcus 98s are the DA versions of which you speak.

The Arcus 94 is NOT a HP clone -- And folks who are familiar with both or who own both say they are not clones.

A gun that is very similar internally is NOT, by definition, a clone. A clone is copy, with components that can be interchanged with the guns they copy. The Inglis Hi-Power was a clone. The early Argentine HPs were clones (FN-licensed versions) while later Argentine versions were not -- but they were still close to the original BHP design., The early FEG SA guns were clones; later ones were less-close copies.

The Arcus SA guns are certainly based on the HP design, and may have a number of parts that will work in a true BHP, (or vice versa).

There are bunches of CZ-pattern guns (now being made in Italy, Switzerland, China, and Turkey) that are also called clones, but they are not -- most parts, while basically similar, are different enough that they don't interchange with the CZ design upon which they are based. (A lot of these copied parts won't interchange parts with other CZ copies.) Like the Arcus SA guns, they are built using the same basic design as the CZ, but have subtle dimensional differences -- little things like slides not interchangeing, different size pins, different width hammers, etc. That's why folk generally call them "CZ-pattern guns."

The Arcus SA gun is a BHP-pattern gun.