Hi-Power decocking mechanism

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Silvanus

New member
For some reason I wanted to try if the manual safety on my HP is working properly. After making sure the pistol is unloaded, I cocked the hammer and switched the safety on. Then I pulled the trigger. Nothing happened (of course) but when I switched off the safety again, the hammer fell down (decocked) and rested in the half-cock notch.

Is this supposed to happen? I've never heard/read anywhere that the HP has this kind of decocking feature, but perhaps it's so obvious that nobody would even bother to mention it:eek: ?
 
P

Pilot

New member
but when I switched off the safety again, the hammer fell down (decocked) and rested in the half-cock notch.

Is this supposed to happen?
Click to expand...

No. The hammer is supposed to remain cocked as that's the way the gun is fired. If it always decocks then its useless as a firearm. Is it a stock Hi Power without the SFS system?
 
S

Silvanus

New member
If it always decocks then its useless as a firearm. Is it a stock Hi Power without the SFS system?
Click to expand...


It only decocks if the safety is on and you pull the trigger. Otherwise I can shoot it without issues. I haven't even noticed this until today. So far I've shot about 1000 rounds with this pistol. And yes, it's a stock Hi-Power.
 
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Silvanus

New member
Thanks. This is rather strange then... It actually works every time, as if it was supposed to. I'm wondering what could be wrong with the gun?
 
M

Mike Irwin

Staff
"I wonder what is wrong with the gun."

My guess is that the sear is defective or someone has "worked on" the sear in the past. Or, the sear seat in the hammer is defective.

Engaging the safety prevents the gun from firing, but it generally won't prevent the sear from moving to some degree when the trigger is pulled, and that movement, combined with disengaging the safety, knocks the sear out of the sear seat.

You need to consult a gunsmith.
 
N

novaDAK

New member
DO NOT FIRE THE GUN until you seek a gunsmith's service. The sear is most likely the problem. A hi-power's hammer should only fall when you pull the trigger with the safety off. It should not fall at any other time.
 
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ChicagoTex

Moderator
In fact, and more importantly, DO NOT LOAD THE GUN until you get it to a gunsmith, a sear linkage that tenuous is an accidental discharge waiting to happen.
 
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Silvanus

New member
But the HP was made in many different countries (not sure if it was made in the USA at any time though), that's why I emphasized that mine comes from Belgium.
 
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ChicagoTex

Moderator
Browning/FN HP has always been manufactured in Belgium, but later Browning models were subsequently assembled in Portugal.

As an aside, the second most common manufacturer for HP is probably FEG of Hungary (who also made the Charles Daly HPs).

I'm not aware of any US-made Hi-Power.
 
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