The first pistol I could call “mine” was a Browning Hi Power. My parents asked me what I wanted as a gift for high school graduation. This would be 1978. “I want a semi-auto 9mm,” I replied. It ended up being a Browning Hi Power, and I fell in love with it. I carried and shot it a lot, but once I started seriously training and practicing I went to the 1911. After all, this was the pistol Jeff Cooper recommended. “Real” men carried a “forty-five.” The Hi Power went into storage. Recently, I “rediscovered” the Hi Power, and it’s still as sexy as ever.
The Hi Power has an interesting history. After WWI the French wanted a new military pistol. John Moses Browning – you know him, right? – was working with Fabrique Nationale and started the design. Browning died, and Dieudonne Saive took over to finish the design. Saive later designed the FAL rifle – the rifle of the Free World.
Fighting men all over the world carried Hi Powers into harm’s way – both Allies and Axis powers used them in WWII. Britain’s SAS used them; The F.B.I.’s Hostage Rescue Team carried Hi Powers in the beginning. Despite being a “proven” design, the Hi Power never caught on here in the states. After a flood of high capacity pistols hit the market in the 80’s and 90’s the Browning came to be considered “obsolete” by many.
Like any military pistol the Browning needs a few improvements for concealed carry. My graduation Browning is really nice, and has sentimental value, so I didn’t want to do anything to it. I started looking for a suitable Hi Power.
There are a couple of problems with locating a nice Hi Power. As mentioned, it’s never been an extremely popular pistol in the U.S. There’s not a lot of them floating around. Browning stopped production of them a few years ago, which drove up prices. There are a lot of imported Hi Powers and clones that come into the states, but most of them have been shot out, requiring a total rebuild.
I’m search the ‘net for suitable candidates, and bid on a few but I’m not willing to pay the prices they sell for. Finally, Scottsboro Gun and Pawn – my favorite gun shop – got in a Hi Power that’s perfect for me. After looking everywhere I found what I need thirty minutes from home. The Hi Power is from 1980, a MK I. The finish is a little rough, but it’s mechanically sound. It’s perfect for modifying, and at a price I can afford.
I hit the range to test fire the Hi Power; it’s like going home. It’s still the most natural feeling pistol I’ve ever handled. It “points” on target easily, holds plenty of ammo and it carries well. This one even shoots hollow point ammo - the early models usually require some polishing on the barrel’s feed ramp to run hollow point ammunition.
In the next few months I’m going to perform some modifications to the Browning, like stippling the grip for more texture and control and changing out the thumb safety for a larger one. I’ve got leather – holster and mag pouches – ordered from Milt Sparks. My copy of “The Shooters Guide to the Browning Hi Power,” by Stephen A. Camp just came in. I can’t wait to start modifying, carrying and practicing with my new Hi Power.
Actually, it’s the most exciting firearm I’ve picked up in a while. It almost makes me feel me feel young again. It’s a win, win, win …
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama. He is the author of The Book of Two Guns, AR-15 Skills and Drills, featured on GunTalk’s DVD, “Fighting With The 1911 and has regular columns in Gun Digest and American Handgunner.
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