FM Hi-Power Awesome!!!

WoundedWolf

I just want to say, that after wanting one for three years, I finally got my hands on a FM (Argentina) Hi-Power today. I bought the Detective short barrel model. I took it from the gun shop straight to the range. My God, what an awesome firearm!

I had never shot a Hi-Power before, it is probably the most comfortable and ergonomic pistol I have ever handled. The single action trigger was crisp and light. It is accurate as hell out of the box. I was easily hitting golf balls at 30 feet. The sights on this gun are clean and clear. Target acquisition was no problem. The gun practically shot itself. This may very well be the best handgun I have ever fired.

I fired 150 rounds through the gun without any kind of failure whatsoever. The ONLY criticism I have about this gun is the magazine disconnect feature that prohibits the gun from firing without the magazine inserted. I think this would be a requirment for an effective combat handgun. Was this an original Browning design for the Hi-Power or something that was added later? I have a Sig P228, which is also an excellent handgun, and it can be fired single shot with no magazine. I believe it is the same for the Beretta 92F, as I think that is a requirement for U.S. military handguns.

Otherwise, I am immensly pleased with the FM Hi-Power. When I got home I installed some new Hogue grips on it and it is looking really cool at the moment. Can't wait to go out and shoot it again!

blacarrow

The magazine disconnect feature was incorpoprated in the original design, and is found on all the P-35's, but is easily removed. It also improves trigger pull after it is eliminated.

Long ago (longer than I care to remember), I shot my first HiPower and kept a can rolling, or hopping through the 15 rounds in the magazine. It was the first hand gun that I was able to shoot that well.

Subsequent to that experience, I was hired by Browning Arms, and later became the Chief Firearms test Engineer at Browning Research & Development division. I shot literally thousands upon thousands of rounds in HiPowers, both 9mm and later 40 S&W. My love for the pistol has never flagged. I own 4 and it would be my first choice for any task a pistol is suited.

If you like your Argentine, wait 'til you get your first Belgian. You are probably aware that they can be had in .30 Luger, but I'd stay with either the 9mm, or the 40 S&W. In my testing, I found the 40 S&W just a bit more accurate than the 9MM.

I've been retired for a few years, and still have fond memories of the best job a "gun nut" could ask for.

Sorry to be windy, but it's one of my very favorite subjects.

Best regards

MIKE WISKEY

like barcarrow said above, the magazine safty parts are easy to remove (and replace) and removeing them is the first item in a trigger job. also one of my favorites. the f-m is a decent clone as is the Israli copy.

royc38

How do you remove the disconnect safety?

WoundedWolf

I too am interested in the procedure for removing the Hi-Power magazine disconnect.

Mike, since you mentioned the Israeli clone, I did some research as I had not heard of it before. Very intereting gun, I think I may start another thread about the Kareen MkII as I didn't find any others about it here on the forum.

dcs shooters

WW I agree with you, I have been shooting HiPowers for years and picked up a FM Detective a while ago and it is as good as any Browning I have had. As to removing the mag disconnect, you have to remove trigger then remove it.
Dick