Browning Hi Power Customize or NOT?

wildeman.7.62nato

I recently purchased a Browning Hi Power Practical, it's two tone 9mm with factory target sights made in the mid 90s. It's not really set up how I like it, I'm more of a fixed combat sight kinda guy. I've been considering sending it out to Jim Garthwaite for a straight trigger job, no-bite hammer, and Heinie sights but I'm not sure if it will lower the value of the gun or if I'd ever get my money back out of it. It's about $500 worth of custom work and the pistol is only worth $700-800 (some guys list at $900). Would this be a $1,200-1,500 pistol after the work is done or would it still be a $700 pistol? Seems like the Hi Power crowd is pretty loyal but limited unlike the 1911 guys. $1,200 bucks goes a long way towards a 9mm 1911 which is in the back of my mind.... Any thoughts? Thanks

mark christian

As a rule of thumb; when it comes time to sell you will never receive close to the amount of money spent on customizing a pistol. That is not to say that you won't find a buyer who likes what you did to the HP and is willing to pay a premium, but it will lack the wider appeal of an unmodified pistol.

Grasshopper

no

dcs shooters

I did Novak sights, grips, and C&S wide trigger to mine [;)]
If it suits you, go for it [;)][:)]

perry shooter

Just send the money you will spend To me.[:0] Then you can sell the pistol as it is now configurated and you are only out the money you were going to use to modify the pistol Rather
Than spend money to modify and then Sell the modified pistol for less than you could now. Just like cars people like to modify Items to be the way they want hem to be NOT your Idea.

Ditch-Runner

my 2 cents as I have gotten a little older . I have went the route If I like it or want it modified my way , do it , do not worry about the selling ( that is of course if that's your goal ). most real collectors go for the one NIB any way unless its a really rare piece .

good example when I was just a young kid my dad had a 64 ford had the old plastic seat covers on it , us kids sweated out butts off no air conditioning back then , and for what to keep the seats nice for the next family to enjoy [V], so if its yours do what you want for you to enjoy it ,

nmyers

I've been down that road myself, & I ALWAYS regretted it later.

You have a really nice gun now; you are thinking in terms of current value, but quality guns always increase in value over time. I resisted "improving" my S&W M41, & it is still worth many times what I paid for it new. OTOH, I changed the sights on a Colt Government model, & am still kicking myself.

If you just have to "improve" your Browning, I suggest only doing parts swaps (that you can reverse later), & action smoothing (that can't be seen).

Neal

charliemeyer007

Are you a collector or a shooter? If you are a shooter and are going to put the pistol to work $500, is like the cost of 3 rounds a day for a few years or a nickel a day for 21 years.

Quality work always speaks well for itself, a hack job will always be a hack job.

I like most of the design of a Hi Power except the magazine disconnector. Unless I planed to carry it in my pocket I like adjustable sights. A tangent and slotted one I would consider owning.

Mobuck

I agree that you shouldn't do "customizing" with the expectation of recovering all(or any) of the added expense. If you want the custom features, get the work done and plan on using the piece until you change your mind.
I have a BHP clone that C&S did a moderate amount of work to for me. Unfortunately, I changed to a SA/DA before getting my money's worth from the tune-up. I still have the Hi-Power and as situations change, it may return to daily holster use.

Hawk Carse

You will not recover gunsmithing expenses.
If you want to own, keep, and shoot a custom BHP, get it done for its own sake.
If you had rather have a 1911oid, apply the $500 gunsmithing cost to a new gun. Compare in stock form, keep the one you like better, sell the other, and pimp out the favorite.

62fuelie

If it were my project, I would try to trade down to a base model, expecting to get a few bucks in the bargain. I would then sit down with the 'smith, in my day Armand Swenson, and design my ideal pistol based on what I was going to do with it. The P-35 is among the finest pistols available and the list you propose would make it would make for a fine defensive pistol. When you make such changes in any firearm you must accept that it is YOUR vision of an ideal and should expect to use it long enough to get your investment back in service, there is no way to realistically expect to get it back in $.