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Penny Auction Hi-Power

raskilraskil Member Posts: 250 ✭✭✭
edited January 2015 in Ask the Experts
Auction 466064926..I've read these are in fact Browning clones. Is there any down side to these other than "Branding"?

Comments

  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    They were made by a Hungarian company. That's been out of business going on 10 years now, i.e it's a orphan. Long as you understand that. And it will never have the resale potential, of a authentic Hi-Power go for it.

    The price seems kind of on the high side to me. I would hold off for $400. Save my dinero, to get a authentic FN made Hi-Power.
  • machine gun moranmachine gun moran Member Posts: 5,198
    edited November -1
    The maker was Fegyfer Es Gepgyar, who also made the M37 Femaru. I had one that was a KBI import. It was a pretty good gun, but one problem did develop - the sear pin was a bit short, and worked it's way laterally until one end dropped out of the hole. It was an easy fix for less than two bucks, I took the frame to a hardware store and bought a number-drill whose shank was a precise fit, and I cut it off and used that.
  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    IIRC the earlier ones of these are basically direct clones of Browning Hi powers to the point where there is good drop in parts interchangability.

    Later ones have SW59 like internals and only LOOK like Hi-Powers. Unfortunately, I think this is one of the later ones. The direct HP clones are supposed to have a small metal "oval" on the frame right above the trigger, and I don't see that in the posted images from the auction.

    Downsides, well this isn't a Browning. . .fit and finish won't be as good, resale won't be as good. On the other hand, you're getting something that's effectively a serviceable Hi-Power at much less money to begin with, so that's not bad!

    Assuming this is one of those Smith 59 clones, it should still work fine, but if something breaks, you might have a hard time getting parts to fix it. Personally, I'd rather spend my money on something else.

    If this were one of the "real" BHP clones, IMO $400 is still a bit steep, but for under $300, that's potentially a good buy.
  • raskilraskil Member Posts: 250 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I saw one at a gun show today, the owner broke it down along with a Browning. Didn't see any difference except the Browning had a $800 price tag on it. This guy wanted $425 OTD so I decided to watch the GB one a little longer. I like the single stack feel of these and still have 13 rounds. If I miss the auction one, the gun show one (if not sold)will be at a show in my home town mid Feb. For 1/2 price of an HP, I not sure how I could go wrong.
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