I have discovered the Browning Hi-Power. Need some help figuring out what model I have. So far, I've been told that the NM in the serial number means it was manufactured in 1990. Does that mean it is a MKIII? Need to know because I am in the process of ordering some parts and night sights and need to know if it is a MKII or MKIII. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Any customization hints from folks familiar with this sidearm will also be well received.
New To Browning Hi-Powers
- Thread starter JBriggs
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Harry Callahan
New member
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Hi Power and then some. This guy knows his sh.....stuff!
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/HiPowerComments.html
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/HiPowerComments.html
earlthegoat2
New member
MK IIs have the ambi elongated safeties too. MK IIs are parkerized though and have good but smaller sights with a small raised rib going down the top of the slide.
Even though conventional sources say the MKII was phased out in 1988 and never had a firing pin safety I have owned one that had a firing pin safety and had a build date code of 1989. The box was clearly marked as a Hi Power MK II.
It is possible the production carried over into 1990 as well.
Even though conventional sources say the MKII was phased out in 1988 and never had a firing pin safety I have owned one that had a firing pin safety and had a build date code of 1989. The box was clearly marked as a Hi Power MK II.
It is possible the production carried over into 1990 as well.
Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Hello. As has been noted, FN's production dates for Hi Powers are sort of like "suggestions" rather than cut-and-dried time-frames, it seems. Early production Mk II's, like the "classic" style Hi Powers, does not have the internal firing pin block, but as has also been noted, later-production ones, do. All of the commercial Mk III's I've seen do have the internal firing pin safety, though some certainly did not, such as some manufactured for the Israelis, which also had the small, single-side thumb safety as per the Israeli specifications.
If it might be of use:
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/What are the differences between the Mk II and Mk III.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/does_my_hi_power_have_a_forged_or cast frame.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Lightly Personalized Mk II.htm
Best to you and yours.
If it might be of use:
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/What are the differences between the Mk II and Mk III.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/does_my_hi_power_have_a_forged_or cast frame.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Lightly Personalized Mk II.htm
Best to you and yours.
You say you "discovered" the Hi-Power. I know the feeling. I had one years .... twenty or so .... ago and didn't like it at all. The small thumb safety was not user friendly and the trigger was awful.
Fast forward to last year and I got a bee in my bonnet to get another. Picked up a type 3 and the safety is fine. The trigger still was lacking and I took out the pesky magazine safety. It is like a new pistol and is now my favorite semi-auto.
I recently came upon a minty Hi-Power in .40 at the local gun show. Couldn't resist. The funny thing is that this Hi-Power's trigger is great with the mag safety left as is. Anyway, IMHO you have a great gun there. Enjoy it.
Fast forward to last year and I got a bee in my bonnet to get another. Picked up a type 3 and the safety is fine. The trigger still was lacking and I took out the pesky magazine safety. It is like a new pistol and is now my favorite semi-auto.
I recently came upon a minty Hi-Power in .40 at the local gun show. Couldn't resist. The funny thing is that this Hi-Power's trigger is great with the mag safety left as is. Anyway, IMHO you have a great gun there. Enjoy it.
A quick way to tell if a pistol is an MKII or MKIII is the marking in the magwel. The one with the ripples is cast = MKIII. There is some variation on this but it is a pretty quick way to determine which one you have with decent accuracy.
Remove the mag disconnect and then get a Wolff main spring. I prefer the 26# spring. The factory spring is 32#. If you still want to improve the pull after that I suggest C&S trigger parts. trigger, sear, disconnector and hammer. This will make the BHP sing.
