Info on Browning Hi Power?

[Tacoma]

Fell in lust with a near new/98+% Browning Hi Power today. It just felt SWEET in my hand and was obviously high quality. This one is gloss blue, was assembled in Portugal and wears aftermarket xs 24/7 express dot night sights. Serial # is 245NW62xxx. Wondering if anyone can tell me when it was made? Anything else particularly interesting about the portuguese version? Anybody Know how to field strip it/ where to find manual?
( BTW: Paid $500 with one 14 rnd mag. No box or papers I think I did OK.)
Thanks

 

[larryh1108]

Great price on a great gun!

Info on the Portugal models:
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=257264

info on dating your gun:
http://www.browning.com/customerservice/dategun/detail.asp?id=35

The best all around info on the BHP:
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/HiPowerComments.html

Disassembly and assembly:
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/bungib/PublicFolder/guns/detailstrip.html

Schematic and parts:
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Products.aspx?catid=1324

There are a lot of BHP forums out there. Join them and learn a ton!
Enjoy your new pistol. It is a wonderful gun!

 

[HorseSoldier]

Anything else particularly interesting about the portuguese version?

FN outsourced assembly to Portugal when Belgian labor got too expensive, but the Belgian Made/Portugal Assembled pistols are still great quality.

BTW: Paid $500 with one 14 rnd mag. No box or papers I think I did OK.

Not a bad price for a High Power, particularly one that is blued rather than the flat black finished Mk IIIs.

 

[Tacoma]

Thanks MUCH gents. Very helpfull info! Looking forward to learing about and playing with my new toy. Odly enough, after 20+ years of "feverish" gun collecting/buying, I never have owned a hi power.

 

[DrBundy]

Firearms Manuals

Here's my "Go-To" for firearms manuals. This guy has quite the collection available. Firearms Manuals

FWIW, every Browning HP I've ever shot is the smoothest 9mm right out of the box. My beloved Berettas are close, and with a little modding I can get them equal to the HP. The Browning though, is awesome from the word "go". 'Grats on your find, and happy shooting!

~A

 

[jfrey]

Hi-Powers are great in their original form but can be improved. Remove the mag disconnect and polish the sear and you will think you have a new gun. Just don't lighten the spring tension too much or you will have sear reset problems. Shoot it, you will like it.

 

[Scoots]

I agree with the others - it's a wonderful gun, and it can still be improved upon. I absolutely love mine. It's also one of the easiest to field strip.

 

[Tacoma]

Well , guess I got lucky. This one ( 94' vintage) must have had some work done to it previously. Trigger is a crisp(!) 6# 10 oz, mag drops freely and mag disconnect is gone/non-functional. I'm guessing the former owner (military officer/collector) had it all professionally done when the night sights got installed. Never been a huge 'wonder 9" fan but this one is pretty sweet .

 

[tekarra]

Tacoma,
You did well. Treat her well and she will stay with you for a long time.