Browning Hi-Power is discontinued

[buckwheatpaul]

Saw in one of the NRA publications that the Hi-Power is discontinued....no reason but I suspect cost.

I have had mine since 1975 and I would not trade for it.....It is a Belgium model with XS Big Dot sitting on top. If my memory serves me right it was $150.00 and I had to place it on lay-away....mrs buckwheatpaul bailed it out and gave it to me on Christmas 1975!

If you ever wanted one then ya better get a jump on it....Paul

[sawinredneck]

It sucks to see it go, but for what they cost vs. other offerings I can see sales slumping on them. Never could afford an original but I bought a Hungarian clone back in the ‘90’s, did a lot of work to it, but just never “fell in love” with it, probably would still have an original if I’d bought one.

[AZBronco]

Bought mine in 1967. $105.50 + Tax.

[Char-Gar]

Got mine...

[kens]

i got a fully dressed one with high polish blue and adjustable sights, and a few belgian mil surp comebacks.
I love the HiPowers.

[jimb16]

Had one for years! My fave auto pistol, followed very closely by my Kimber .45.

[FergusonTO35]

I believe the BHP is the most beautiful handgun of all time. I literally saved pocket change for two years to buy mine NIB. Gloss blue, target sights, wood grips made in November 2016 so probably form the last run they made. My understanding is that Browning was only selling like 2-3000 a year in the USA, no military orders were coming in, and a major re-tooling was going to be necessary to continue production so FN decided to pull the plug.

The biggest problem I see with selling the BHP in the USA, at least as far as current tastes go, is the price and lack of options. Most people who are going to spend a grand on a handgun are looking for a 1911 or magnum revolver. Everybody respects the Grand Puissance but there just aren't that many people out there willing to spend that kind of change on one, especially when nice used examples can be purchased for much less. The GP-35 was way ahead of it's time in 1935 but it is now seen as heavy and bulky for a 9mm, and no larger calibers are available.

I could see the design making a comeback if done right. Get the real world price under $600.00, which will probably require USA production. Offer an aluminum frame for less weight, and maybe even a Glock 19 size compact version. I don't think it would be impossible for the BHP to enjoy a renaissance, after all look at the unquenchable market for the much older 1911 design. It's just a matter of giving it the features that people want.

[lefty o]

browning has been discontinuing the hi power every year for at least the past 10. when i dont see any more new ones, ill believe it. i have enough to last me a few lifetimes, so not concerned.

[Bigslug]

I suspect that the cheap-to-make "cool" plastic and aluminum handguns will eventually wear out, and the enduring heavy metal that was old when the injection molded and beer can wonders were new will become cool again.

I've always loved the feel of the Highpower; not so much it's hammer bite (ditched the ring hammer for a spur on my Hungarian), and have always felt Saive (or someone) was smoking crack when they designed the frame-to-slide-to-frame-to-slide pivot bar fire control system, but yeah. . .a pretty sexy beast in spite of that.

[Shopdog]

A serious question...... what's to retool?Isn't it just a matter of programming?

Referencing post #7

[winelover]

Bought mine new @ 1976, along with a 6" Royal Blue Python. IIRC, there wasn't much of a price difference between the two. Around $360, each. Still have them both but don't shoot either, that often, anymore. All center-fire semi auto purchases, after the HP....... were DAO.

Winelover

[Thin Man]

I had wanted a solid Hi Power for many years before finding a "T" prefix serial number model about 3 years ago. This pistol is everything it was supposed to be from the start and will stay here until it enters an estate sale.

[tim338]

The BHP is my all time favorite auto loading handgun. I owned 3 at one point but currently I am down to 1. I would love a custom Nighthawk BHP but very expensive.

[gmsharps]

Picked mine up after an attack in Vietnam. The previous owner did not mind.

gmsharps

[Thumbcocker]

First handgun I bought after getting a decent job in 1989. Bought a second one with fixed sights and black finish later. Still got them both.

[tejano]

Got one with the hard chrome finish about 20 years ago. It came with somewhat bulky adjustable target sights but I ditched those in favor of fixed Heine sights.

[Kestrel4k]

Have always wanted to try one out, but don't even have a friend w/ one. (Not living in a cave, just hang out w/ more of a revolver crowd. :))

[Petrol & Powder]

Sad to hear the Hi-Power will be discontinued but that's life in the real world.

I've had several over the years, lost the best one in the divorce. It was a very early post-war commercial model and it was beautiful.

There are a lot of Hi-powers' floating around out there. I suspect there will be some attempts to exploit the perceived "rarity" of Hi-powers when they disappear from the selves of new pistols. The market will stabilize and buyers will realize that they aren't all that rare even after production stops.

[Ramguy]

Bought mine new in '77, just as soon as I turned 21. It's still a sexy beast. My waist size has grown a few inches since then, but my hand must have remained the exact size it was back then, she still nestles into it in the same way she did back on that first day.

[Thumbcocker]

Hold a High Power, hold a Glock. Weep.

[asmith80]

That's sad to hear. I've got a Hungarian clone that I sent off for the full Robar treatment. One of the nicest shooting and looking pistols I own

[bob208]

I have a old surplus one I picked up 20 years ago. it is my daily carry. the blue is missing in a lot places. it runs like a clock. when they start talking glock I say get a real gun made out of real steal.

[bob208]

double post

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I hate to pour cold water on the parade but I just could not warm up to the HI- Power. While I did appreciate the blued milled steel, that double stack magazine didn't fit my smaller hands. I have owned two and sold another for my brother for $200. When Canada dumped their military HP they were selling in discount stores here for under $100. That was in the late '60s. The auto loader that best fits my hand is the S&W model 39. Sadly it was discontinued years ago.

[historicfirearms]

I love my BHP. The gun just fits me like a glove. Beauty, class, style, and history... What's not to love?
The only gun I ever regret selling was a WWII Nazi marked P35. Did that when my kids were young to help pay the bills.

[EMC45]

Bought a Hungarian PJK 9 (Hi Power clone) years ago and really liked it. Shot great. Then bought a T Series Belgian Hi Power off a buddy so I sold the PJK. Shortly there after I traded the Hi Power to my buddy Corey (IDSS here on the site). This was all back in the 90s. I then bought a MK3 in the early 2000s. They shoot well.

It is the only double stack 9MM that really works well with my hands. That and the CZ75 (which I think is the HP clone anyway). My hands are short and stumpy like a Hobbit.

[kens]

I was at a gun store/pawn shop one time, and the pegboard was just full of pistols. from left to right they were hanging by the trigger guard on the pegs small caliber left and larger caliber to the right. right in the center a something different than all the rest, sleeker, svelte, prettier, sexier, with all the Glocks et. al all around it. I asked to see it.
It was a HiPower. Right in the middle of all the 'wonder 9's'. It stood out in the crowd.

[Drm50]

I wanted a good 9mm when I was overseas (1970) wrote my old man to buy one and send it to
me. The LGS was a friend of ours and laid up a HP- Commander- m39 S&W, after much discussion
they decided if I was there I would buy all 3. The old man had my check book and that's exactly
what he did. All 3 pistols out the door for $328 and change. I've had several over the years, only
have one now a Comp model that you don't see many of. It is most accurate 9mm I ever shot
but haven't had a Sig 210.219352

[FergusonTO35]

Don't worry, eventually other pistols will catch up with the BHP:

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