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Hi-Power questions
- Thread starter bk40
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Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Greetings, sir. In my opinion, the MkIII you've ordered is certainly one of the finest 9mm pistols around, regardless of price. The MkIIs and MkIIIs are much more reliable with high-performance ammunition than my older, '70s vintage HPs. Either Novak or C&S do fine work. You might try Kurt Wickman, who recently left Novak's to do his own shop. He did most of the HP work at Novak's. He's on the web at www.kwgw.com/index.html
As the 9mm HP is my favorite of all handguns, I've owned several and have had varying amounts of custom work done over the past three decades. First, though many may wisely counsel against it, I get rid of the magazine safety. Just doing that allows magazines to fall freely and improves the trigger-pull. If the trigger's still not what I want, I have a competent 'smith do a trigger job, but expect to pay about $75; HP triggers are tough to work on. If you choose fixed sights, I'm hooked on Novak sights. I prefer plain black-on-black with a semi-ramp front sight that's serrated, but my choice need not be yours. The old MMC "hardball" sight for .45 1911's is also a good rear sight. Whatever front sight you choose have it silver-soldered or dovetailed on. I do not care for Millett sights, but this is subjective. The standard recoil spring in the factory HP is 17lbs. I routinely replace these with a Wolff conventional 18.5lb spring as I shoot warmer loads, but it works fine with standard pressure loads and ejects cases not quite so far. Beware of checkering the HP's front strap unless 30lpi or less. There's not really enough metal there for coarse checkering and care must be taken not to obliterate the serial number. On the 1911, I like checkering as much for its looks as for its function, but on the HP, I really like stippling. I only have the rear of the grip strap stippled about 1/3rd of the way up from the bottom as it allows my hand to slide upward more easily and the bottom third of the rear grip strap is really about all that firmly contacts your shooting palm. I like the factory extended thumb safety better than
any of the others, but hate ambis, so I have the safety on the right side of the gun removed and the safety cross pin rounded such that it's set up for a right-handed person. The ambis cause me to unintentionally put the gun on safe when shooting. For stocks, I think the very best are checkered Spegel delrin. They are black, not pretty, but very tough. I have some of these as well in checkered rosewood on some "fancy" HPs. A cost-effective substitute that's just as good, but a tiny bit thicker is the Spegel grip sold by Uncle Mike. If you choose to go with adjustable sights, I still prefer S&W K-frame revolver sights be mounted on the gun
as they are the lowest and less prone to snagging, but have had superb luck with low-mounted BoMars that have been melted as well. The BoMar is likely more durable. Do not, in my opinion, use the Wichita adj as it's just a bit big for the HP. C&S offers a slightly wider trigger for the HP that does not have provision for the dreaded mag safety and reduces felt trigger-pull as it is wider.
In short, these are about all the alterations to the HP that I think are needed. In my earlier guns, I had BarSto bbls fitted, but the current MkIIIs shoot so well out of the box that I see no need. If you desire to shoot a great number of cast bullets, then go ahead and do the BarSto as its 1:16 twist will give better accuracy with them. best.
As the 9mm HP is my favorite of all handguns, I've owned several and have had varying amounts of custom work done over the past three decades. First, though many may wisely counsel against it, I get rid of the magazine safety. Just doing that allows magazines to fall freely and improves the trigger-pull. If the trigger's still not what I want, I have a competent 'smith do a trigger job, but expect to pay about $75; HP triggers are tough to work on. If you choose fixed sights, I'm hooked on Novak sights. I prefer plain black-on-black with a semi-ramp front sight that's serrated, but my choice need not be yours. The old MMC "hardball" sight for .45 1911's is also a good rear sight. Whatever front sight you choose have it silver-soldered or dovetailed on. I do not care for Millett sights, but this is subjective. The standard recoil spring in the factory HP is 17lbs. I routinely replace these with a Wolff conventional 18.5lb spring as I shoot warmer loads, but it works fine with standard pressure loads and ejects cases not quite so far. Beware of checkering the HP's front strap unless 30lpi or less. There's not really enough metal there for coarse checkering and care must be taken not to obliterate the serial number. On the 1911, I like checkering as much for its looks as for its function, but on the HP, I really like stippling. I only have the rear of the grip strap stippled about 1/3rd of the way up from the bottom as it allows my hand to slide upward more easily and the bottom third of the rear grip strap is really about all that firmly contacts your shooting palm. I like the factory extended thumb safety better than
any of the others, but hate ambis, so I have the safety on the right side of the gun removed and the safety cross pin rounded such that it's set up for a right-handed person. The ambis cause me to unintentionally put the gun on safe when shooting. For stocks, I think the very best are checkered Spegel delrin. They are black, not pretty, but very tough. I have some of these as well in checkered rosewood on some "fancy" HPs. A cost-effective substitute that's just as good, but a tiny bit thicker is the Spegel grip sold by Uncle Mike. If you choose to go with adjustable sights, I still prefer S&W K-frame revolver sights be mounted on the gun
as they are the lowest and less prone to snagging, but have had superb luck with low-mounted BoMars that have been melted as well. The BoMar is likely more durable. Do not, in my opinion, use the Wichita adj as it's just a bit big for the HP. C&S offers a slightly wider trigger for the HP that does not have provision for the dreaded mag safety and reduces felt trigger-pull as it is wider.
In short, these are about all the alterations to the HP that I think are needed. In my earlier guns, I had BarSto bbls fitted, but the current MkIIIs shoot so well out of the box that I see no need. If you desire to shoot a great number of cast bullets, then go ahead and do the BarSto as its 1:16 twist will give better accuracy with them. best.
Mike Spight
New member
bk40:
Try CDNN in Texas...their number is
1-800-588-9500. If they have a website, I don't know the address. They usually just about anything you want in mags.
You may already know this but just in case you don't...only load 12 rds in P-35 mags...if you load them fully with 13 rds, they are very prone to failures to feed.
I don't think you could go wrong with Novak or C&S. BTW, Bill Wilson offers a really nice package for the P-35 as well.
Good luck...
Mike
Try CDNN in Texas...their number is
1-800-588-9500. If they have a website, I don't know the address. They usually just about anything you want in mags.
You may already know this but just in case you don't...only load 12 rds in P-35 mags...if you load them fully with 13 rds, they are very prone to failures to feed.
I don't think you could go wrong with Novak or C&S. BTW, Bill Wilson offers a really nice package for the P-35 as well.
Good luck...
Mike
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