The Browning Hi-Power is the first 9mm I ever fired as a kid. My Dad still has it and its just an absolute masterpiece of a weapon. John Browning was an amazing man
John Browning's was actually working under contract to FN, and his main contribution to the Hi-Power was the trigger mechanism, including the magazine disconnect as called for in the French Army specification. Browning's design was a single-stack magazine holding 10 rounds, and it was hammerless and striker-fired! Dieudonne Saive was the actual project leader for the HI Power. The double-stack magazine was his design. The double-stack mag was actually a serious point of contention between Saive and Browning. Browning maintained that Saive's design would never work. Saive actually took a pistol of Browning's design being built under license by FN (It was either a .32 ACP or .380 ACP blowback pistol), cut the grip and mag well up, welded new pieces on to widen it in order to get it to work with his own double-stack magazine design, and shipped it to Browning in Utah, for Browning to test. Browning then conceded that he was wrong, and Saive's design for the double-stack magazine was sound. The innovation that Saive made to the double-stack magazine was to make the top part of the magazine tapered the way they are all commonly made today. After Browning's death (He actually suffered a fatal heart attack in his shop at FN when working on the Hi Power project.) Saive further modified Browning's trigger mechanism to use a conventional hammer and "normal" firing pin instead of a striker. Just think. If not for Browning's death and Saive's redesign, we would have had a high capacity 9mm striker-fired pistol in 1935. Take that, Glock.
@@craigthescott5074 If "French man" refers to Dieudonne Saive, he was not French. He was Belgian. French was, and still is, one of the three official languages spoken in Belgium still today. It was a kind of personality quirk of Browning's that he concentrated purely on the design of his gun, and didn't want to have anything to do with manufacturing. If you study Mr. Browning you will see a pattern that he actually hand built all of the prototypes of his designs, he then marketed them to a particular manufacturer such as Colt or Winchester or FN, but then it was up to them to figure out how they were going to make it. (Browning could actually make parts by hand that were impossible or uneconomical to make on the machinery of the day.) At one point Browning had licensed FN to manufacture a small blowback pistol. Dieudonne Saive was a new hire in FN’s production engineering department at the time, and was assigned the task to figure out how to make this pistol. After I studying the hand made prototype, he determined that if he slightly modified Browning's design it could then be manufactured economically, so he modified the design. Subsequently Browning himself visited FN for discussions on future work. He asked if they had that new blowback pistol in production, and they retrieved one off of the production line to show to Browning. Browning immediately picked out Saive's modifications, and asked to speak to the man who did this - Browning seemed to be offended. After Saive related his reasons for making the changes, Browning approved of them. From that point on, Browning and Saive developed a good working relationship. Later in his career, after WWII, Saive went on to design the FN FAL rifle. There are similarities in the way the bolt locks up on it that are lifted right out of the Hi Power.
@@tpelle2 Awsome History thank you. I actually love FN products also. I own a class three copy of the FN FAL made by Springfield Armory called the SAR 48. I also love the new weapons made by FN, I personally think they may be better than HK which I also collect.
@@tpelle2 Belgium isn’t really a nation though it’s just two pieces of France and the Netherlands smashed together and referred to as one , there’s even two smaller parts of it that are German in language and ethnicity
My husband owns both. He's known to carry the HiPower IWB and loves it. He's small framed and still conceals it. Has thin grips and extender thumb safety. It's his Farorite 9mm. His 1911 is 45 of course lol. God Bless John Browning!
Excellent video about two of the most iconic handguns, ever. One interesting fact about the P-35 Hi-Power, it was used by BOTH Allies and Axis forces in WWII. Shortly before the start of the war, FN Herstal in Belgium , signed a licensing agreement with the Inglis Company in Canada. After Nazi forces occupied Belgium, Inglis was producing the Hi-Power for Commonwealth countries (mostly Canada). John Browning was truly a firearm genius. Thank you for showing two of his best!
There were no nazi's in ww2, members of the NSDAP never referred to themselves as that slur, nor do tea party members refer to themselves as tea baggers nor do Catholics in the Latin rite refer to themselves as papists, but guess what tribe of (goblins) came up with those slurs.
I loved both those firearms when I was in the US Army back in the 70’s. The .45, of course, was the official pistol I carried for most purposes. Loved its beefiness in my hands. Almost felt like a toy to me whereas many other guys complained it was too heavy, too large and too much recoil. The HP came into my possession when I was in Nam. I bought it from a guy who was returning stateside. I wasn’t “officially” authorized to carry a sidearm, but I felt naked without some weapon other than a fighting knife. Anyway, I had the High Power through my tour and loved it with its greater magazine capacity and its “heft.” I had to turn it in when I left Nam as it was actually an Australian weapon. I tried to bring it home legally, but I couldn’t get the right paperwork for it. I could have tried smuggling it out in my baggage, but if I was caught, my military time would have been “unpleasant “ with a court martial on my record. Too many guys got court martialed trying to smuggle stuff out of Nam in their baggage, like weapons, explosives, and drugs, and I did not want to take that chance to end up in Long Bihn Jail or Ft. Leavenworth. But, in the long run, it didn’t matter. I eventually bought a sweet S&W 9mm. that fit my hand perfectly. Thanks for this video. It brought back a few nice memories. If I were a younger man, I might see about buying one of each of these handguns for the pleasant memories I have of them. Browning did do a fine job designing these pieces.
smuggling home the "liberated" goods was a habit from WW2 that extended thru Korea, but you're correct about getting caught. Even with the GCA'68, it wasn't worth losing an HDC in hindsight. Plenty of grandfathered guns still floating around.
I have one High Power made in Belgium. That's all I need. I have 1911's from Colt, Springfield, Kimber, Dan Wesson and Wilson Combat. My favorite is my plain Jane Colt 1911A1 with a spur hammer and short series 70 trigger. I just love the classic looks of the gun carried in WWII. Proud Fudd.
I'm fortunate enough to have both of these, the 1911 in .38 Super, so it's kind of extra special. The Hi-Power is a 1972 model that was fired so little that the blue isn't even worn off the firing pin. It's immaculate. John Moses Browning had a beautiful mind, and his firearms are works of art.
The 1911 I was issued in the early 80s was a little worn out. The top slide was so worn it didn't lock back but it could hit the targets out to 100 yards like no tomorrow. Fantastic weapon. My neighbor had a Belgian made high power that was a joy to shoot.
@wyomarine6341 We had to sign out our weapons from the company arms room and writing down the serial number was step one followed by your name, rank etc. It was the only weapon issued to me besides crew served weapons like the 240's and M-2. I didn't touch an M-16 until probably my third year in and that was only because we used them occasionally at a mini tank range as a stand in for the main gun.
@@tanker335 To be fair don’t get your hopes up. Lots of former soldiers have sent serial numbers to the CMP and I only know of one case where the managed to track down a dispositioned 1911. To their credit they traced who they sold it to and asked the recipient to transfer it to him. They sent another 1911 to the first buyer as a replacement. This was a few years ago. I got mine in the first round of this release, a 1943 Remington Rand with a matching slide.
On my 2nd posting to Germany during the Cold War with Canadian Forces I was issued a High Power. Ours were license manufactured by Inglis Canada. They've been only recently replaced as the standard handgun of the CF.
Having owned both it is hard to pick a favorite. They are both excellent weapons. I suppose the HP gets the edge due to its capacity and an integral feed ramp on the barrel. Still I am a fan of the older design as well
I can remember Hickok45’s first video.I was hooked.I won’t say that I have seen all of his videos,but I haven’t missed but a few. I try to keep up with him though.I’m sure he’s like family with everyone here,there’s nobody else that comes close to making videos like him. He’s taught a lot of folks how to be better marksmen,and just a whole lot about firearms period.We all love him and John.
I know next to nothing about firearms, apart from what I have “learned “ from the likes of this channel. Living in the U.K., it’s probably going to stay that way, but these are two of my favourites. To me, they are the iconic handguns. Thank you sir
Are you alowed to own and shoot an Enfield rifle? Those are loved by many. Though I'll say the Enfield models and variations seem more confusing than Mercedes Benz model numbers.
Sr. SAIVE, ud fué un gran armero. Pero si se recibe una opinión de un genio como Browning, quiere decir que le prestaba atención y confianza en su trabajo. Volviendo a estas dos pistolas, y después de haber usado a las dos en servicio policial, digo con firmeza total, que con cualquiera de las 2 y a mis 73 años, que no pregunto cuantos son, sino que vayan saliendo. Dos obras de arte. Cada una con su estilo dieron por años seguridad, confiabilidad, precisión, fortaleza, y son armas de combate. No esos "arbolitos de Navidad" llenas de firuletes que poco suman si van a ser para armas de servicio militar/policial. Sr. John M. Browning ud y Don Gaston Glock cambiaron la historia de las pistolas. Ruger el de los revólveres...❤
Being Canadian, and newly back into shooting sports, I was lucky to obtain both a Remington Rand 1911 A1 and a HiPower from 1965(by the serial number), before the handgun freeze. The 1911 was a collector piece stored in oil, so it took some time to clean it up properly to attempt to fire it. It shoots flawlessly! The HiPower is so nice, I haven't fired it yet as I need time to sit down and familiarize myself with it. Beautiful firearm, but not so sure I like the short sticky thumb safety or the magazine disconnect safety. I like the feel and the workings of the 1911. Everything seems "just right".
I own and have owned many 1911’s and i’m John Moses Browning’s biggest fan. But i’ve never owned a Browning High Power. Rumor is he liked his High Power more than his 1911 design. One thing is not rumor John Browning is the Einstein of gun designers.
Thr Browining trigger system were designed to go around Colt's patent of the sliding stirrup trigger. Now that Colts patent has expired, if someone would redesign the BHP but using the stirrupt sliding trigger, eliminating the complex linkage to tril thr sewr, it would be a ground breaking improvement to thr BHP.
Both are masterpieces of engineering. John M. Browning was a genius. I prefer the 1911 in the Lord's caliber. I noticed you smelling the Gunsmoke. I love the smell of smokeless powder too. It smells like freedom. 🇺🇲❤️
Not going to talk about the 1911 trigger vs. the Hi-Power trigger in a short video, I suppose. That’s the real difference which makes the 1911 a marksman’s pistol.
@@samanthamalikov7157not really the 9mm was inferior to the 45 back then, bullet technology wasn’t what it is now. The 1911’s trigger is a masterpiece in its own right. Let’s put it this way there’s at least 20 manufacturers making 1911’s and. 2011’s. Very few make the High Power. And nobody shoots competition with high powers many use the 1911 and 2011’s.
@@craigthescott5074hi power is a cheaper more compact 2011. It just never had a following in the states. Wait until you tell a 2011 user they could’ve spent $500 on a hi power instead of 2,000 on an overpriced 2011. Watch their heads explode lol
@@Mitsurifan357 Actually a really good competition 2011 is more like $3500 and up. Don’t get me wrong I love everything made by the master John Browning but the high power doesn’t hold a candle to the 1911 much less a 2011. Also what makes a 1911 and 2011 great for competition is the trigger the gun can be shot very fast and very precise. The high power trigger just isn’t close.
I'm a 1911 fan its my favorite combat hand gun. The P35 High Power is an excellent weapon but I never like carrying it cocked and locked like a 1911 because it lacked a grip safety and a bigger thumb safety.
Both are outstanding firearms imo. The Hi-Power grip and feel is in the top 3 all time and is copied on the CZ75 and series. I’ve owned several of each model and love them all. It’s easy to see why they’re still so popular.
The standard Hi Power would almost beat the M1911 if it weren't for 1 kicker: the magazine disconnect. Having your pistol be rendered useless without the magazine limits what you can do in terms of dry firing and function checking. Once you have this removed, your HP is a lot more usable and feels like the trigger isn't as heavy post removal too.
John Browning thought his P35 to be the apex of his handgun designs, wherein he corrected what he thought were shortcomings in the 1911. Notice he left off the grip safety, which he only added to the 1911 at the Army's insistance.
@rangefinderz5135 Agreed. Browning was always having to give in to whatever military wanted his weapons. The trigger on a 1911 is fantastic. It was the mag disconnect on the P35 that made the trigger crappy. I have a P35 made in 1966 that I got in trade while I was in the Marine Corps. It had the magazine disconnect. A armorer friend of mine removed it and worked on the trigger. The change in the trigger was amazing. Where it was once gritty and hesitant, it became smooth and efficient.
John Browning. Started working in his father's gun shop when they were still making muzzle loaders. First gun design he sold to Winchester was a single shot cartridge rifle. Before he was done he'd made several of the most iconic weapons of the 19th and 20th century and a few that are still in front line military service nearly a hundred years after his death.
Sounds like a weird comment but then I remember that my wife and I have three daughters, so yep, probably smelled their hair at one time or another. I'm surprised if Hickok didn't get a headache from the fumes.
I have both and enjoy both. My experience is that the Browning is more fragile, having broken a few parts including a cracked slide. Cost is also an issue with the Browning.
How come that hi-power was the only mass produced double stack 9mm pistol till late 60s/early 70s with the introduction of s&w model 59 and GB Steyr, and even that wasnt enough as the double stack became a big thing only in mid 80s with the beretta 92, glock and cz 75 gaining their popularity? Its like almost 50 years of hi-power dominance/monopoly among double stack offers on the market.
This video illustrates how, of most semi-automatic pistols in use today, the lineage of John Browning is evident. Just take your own apart like Hickock did and see for yourself. Gaston Glock certainly changed the semi-auto game, but if you can take apart a Glock, you can take apart the Hi-Power that preceded it by nearly eight decades. Sadly, the Belgium Browning Hi-Power I purchased in the early 1990s was traded for another firearm of which I now can't even remember, most likely at a gun show, emotionally fueled by my younger-self, very prone to "gotta-have-it-now" syndrome. I am ashamed 😢😂
John Browning thought so. Probably a better service pistol, but the trigger and loose barrel fit disqualify it as a bullseye contender...at least in stock form. I like and carry both.
High power is a little (gasp!) Glockesq on the inside.. have a couple 1911s first time I’ve seen a high power.. wanted to say I picked up a ruger sr1911 in 9mm at the Knoxville gun show and shot it for the first time at buds in Kodak/pigeon Forge, this is a great gun.. fed it about 60 rounds ( we took more guns and all I have is 3 10 round mags, don’t want to be loading on range time😊) 115 cheapo blazer. No malfunctions at all, ran smooth.. I have a problem with putting a loaded mag in the gun and then ejecting it unfired it likes to strip off the top round, stiff mag springs? But besides that it ran great. I think Hickok has a vid on it as well….
FN designed the magazine safely as a optional feature, if you don’t want the feature you (or a gunsmith) can remove it in seconds, and this makes absolutely no compromises to the safety of the weapon. (Additional the trigger pull immediately improves) 6:58 6:58
I have had both, for 50 years with the 1911, and 40 with a P35. Both certainly Ledgend in thier own time. The trigger on the 1911 is ultimately better, the Magazine safety on the P35 does bad things to the trigger pull, but it can be modified to be pretty good. Early production of both were not made for hollow points, HP’s simply didn’t really exist until the 1970’s on gun shop shelves. But both were modified over time to be reliable with HP
Both are amazing pistols but I will have to give the win to the 1911 due to how the pistol has evolved over the years. Especially if we count the 2011 evolution. Though Springfield Armory and FN have recently done changes. With those, I personally think Springfield Armory’s SA-35 is more traditional with changes that people have wanted over the years.
I've had a colt 1911 for several years now and its by far my favorite firearm. I shot the Springfield SA-35 for the first time this past Saturday, and I was very accurate with with at 7, 10, and 15 yards...but man I just dont know about that trigger on the Springfield. What threw me off about it was you pretty much had to release the trigger all the way to get it to reset, whereas most of my other guns like my Smith and Wesson, I only to release the trigger just a tad bit to reset it.
The nice thing is there are multiple options now. As I understand, the new Springfield was designed to stay pretty close to the original, but other companies like Girsan (goes by EAA I think as well) made their HP with lots of improvements like no mag safety, longer beavertail, trigger improvements, etc.
@@Ashcrash82 Its funny you mention that, I was JUST at the range looking at the Springfield again, and the gentleman at the counter showed me the Girsan version, and I really like it. The sights were more appealing to me, a better trigger release, nice design on the handle, a very nice finish on the slide., and it just fits good in my hands. Going to do some more reason on Girsan, but now there's a good chance I'll probably buy that one this weekend, haha.
HP35 is an amazing handgun... 13 rounds in the 30's was a big thing... US didn't like 9mm and prefered .45acp... big deal... others countries think diferent... I prefered a 13 rounds in 9mm than a 7 rounds in .45... but against the 8 rounds Luger or 10 rounds P38... I probably pick the .45...
I'm sorry for selling my Browning hi power. It shot smooth and accurate. I really miss it. I also had two S&W sigma 40's. One shot horrible and you couldn't hit a target at 7 yards. The other I bought from a friend after shooting a small branch in half at 80 feet. First shot too! Quickest sale I was ever involved in.
Having handled both I have discovered that I am more at home with the 1911. It's better suited to my hand size. I have to admit that some of the internal differences favour the Hi Power but the ideal pistol would combine the best points of both.
I find it amusing how the Hi Power is attributed to John Browning because his original design was nothing like the pistol we know. Due to patents on the 1911 owned by Colt, he was unable to use a similar design. After he died, the patents would expire and Dieudonne Saive would take it up and redesign the Hi Power and make it more like the 1911. It's humorous how the Hi Power would be so different than how he designed it and then come back around to being more like the 1911 which he designed.
In my early twenties I was fortunate to have owned countless firearms, traded and sold them and one of the best feeling guns in my hand was indeed the Browning High Power. I always wanted one with the tangent rear adjustable sights which are rare so I never found one. Perhaps the best 1911 I ever had was a 1930's commercial Colt 38 Super. In new unfired condition. She was a beauty. I let a Dentist friend of the family get away with it for $500. Yes it would be worth thousands more today.
UA-cam would demonetize the video if he did 😢 plenty of videos out there showing it, just not from someone with over a million subscribers (or it is a privately funded channel)
P-35 made in Poland by Radom,which my dad took of a German officer in 44 in WW2 same design ,had groves fo shoulder stock Could be made full auto also. 12th Armoured Division Hellcats SSGT John R Lund Seattle WASHINGTON
The Hi Power has a more squared off grip like the Glock that copied it so I tend to shoot it straighter where the 1911 grip is narrow and I can pull off left or right more easily. Considering JB wanted it to be 9mm makes the Hi Power more evolved especially the no toggle barrel thing. However nothing looks like or feels like a 1911. Especially an old one. Mine are 1930 38 Super and Wartime Colt with a Rand Slide for some reason. 38 Super is a joy in a 1911.
I have bought and sold a number of guns in my 60 plus years. I have 3 that I regret selling. A Ruger #1 .308 Heavy Barrel, A Smith model 10, 3", and my old FN High Power. They are like hen's teeth and IF they can be found, cost a fortune. I do miss my High Power the most.
Browning: a "little" hammer bite? It actually bites pretty darn good, at least in my grip. Haven't tried the new FN yet but it's supposed to much improved.
The BM is a compact. It looks like a baby 1911 without the grip safety in 9mm. All the capacity of a 1911 and disdain for hollow points with the hammer bite and magazine safety of a high power😂 sure is adorable though 😂
@@shaneboor . A friend of mine had a Star model BM. Yes, it is a compact pistol. The South African military in the 1970s had the Star either Model B of Super B as a side arm.
Never cared for the Hi Power. Had a few of them. Just too big and heavy compared to modern pistols. Not as easy to conceal. But ok for 100 years ago I reckon.
The HP is Dieudonné Saive's work far more than Browning and I would even go so far to say that he was the more accomplished designer. Giving us the HP, the FN FAL and the FN FAL. He also made the BAR into something usable, unlike the version the US persisted with.
The man was a genius! Thank you, Mr. Browning for giving me years of shooting joy.
Alegria fotográfica ou alegria bélica 👉💥.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
yep he was the Einstein of gun designers. Nobody comes close to him.
The Browning Hi-Power is the first 9mm I ever fired as a kid. My Dad still has it and its just an absolute masterpiece of a weapon. John Browning was an amazing man
When was that?
John Browning's was actually working under contract to FN, and his main contribution to the Hi-Power was the trigger mechanism, including the magazine disconnect as called for in the French Army specification. Browning's design was a single-stack magazine holding 10 rounds, and it was hammerless and striker-fired! Dieudonne Saive was the actual project leader for the HI Power. The double-stack magazine was his design.
The double-stack mag was actually a serious point of contention between Saive and Browning. Browning maintained that Saive's design would never work. Saive actually took a pistol of Browning's design being built under license by FN (It was either a .32 ACP or .380 ACP blowback pistol), cut the grip and mag well up, welded new pieces on to widen it in order to get it to work with his own double-stack magazine design, and shipped it to Browning in Utah, for Browning to test. Browning then conceded that he was wrong, and Saive's design for the double-stack magazine was sound. The innovation that Saive made to the double-stack magazine was to make the top part of the magazine tapered the way they are all commonly made today.
After Browning's death (He actually suffered a fatal heart attack in his shop at FN when working on the Hi Power project.) Saive further modified Browning's trigger mechanism to use a conventional hammer and "normal" firing pin instead of a striker.
Just think. If not for Browning's death and Saive's redesign, we would have had a high capacity 9mm striker-fired pistol in 1935. Take that, Glock.
good info i’ve never heard of the French man. Yea I’m a big fan of Browning not so much Glock.
@@craigthescott5074 If "French man" refers to Dieudonne Saive, he was not French. He was Belgian. French was, and still is, one of the three official languages spoken in Belgium still today.
It was a kind of personality quirk of Browning's that he concentrated purely on the design of his gun, and didn't want to have anything to do with manufacturing. If you study Mr. Browning you will see a pattern that he actually hand built all of the prototypes of his designs, he then marketed them to a particular manufacturer such as Colt or Winchester or FN, but then it was up to them to figure out how they were going to make it. (Browning could actually make parts by hand that were impossible or uneconomical to make on the machinery of the day.)
At one point Browning had licensed FN to manufacture a small blowback pistol. Dieudonne Saive was a new hire in FN’s production engineering department at the time, and was assigned the task to figure out how to make this pistol. After I studying the hand made prototype, he determined that if he slightly modified Browning's design it could then be manufactured economically, so he modified the design. Subsequently Browning himself visited FN for discussions on future work. He asked if they had that new blowback pistol in production, and they retrieved one off of the production line to show to Browning. Browning immediately picked out Saive's modifications, and asked to speak to the man who did this - Browning seemed to be offended. After Saive related his reasons for making the changes, Browning approved of them. From that point on, Browning and Saive developed a good working relationship.
Later in his career, after WWII, Saive went on to design the FN FAL rifle. There are similarities in the way the bolt locks up on it that are lifted right out of the Hi Power.
@@tpelle2 Interesting, sounds like Saive doesn't get the credit he deserves
@@tpelle2 Awsome History thank you. I actually love FN products also. I own a class three copy of the FN FAL made by Springfield Armory called the SAR 48. I also love the new weapons made by FN, I personally think they may be better than HK which I also collect.
@@tpelle2 Belgium isn’t really a nation though it’s just two pieces of France and the Netherlands smashed together and referred to as one , there’s even two smaller parts of it that are German in language and ethnicity
My husband owns both. He's known to carry the HiPower IWB and loves it. He's small framed and still conceals it. Has thin grips and extender thumb safety. It's his Farorite 9mm. His 1911 is 45 of course lol. God Bless John Browning!
Hes a lucky man to own both and have a wife that watchesHickok
Excellent video about two of the most iconic handguns, ever.
One interesting fact about the P-35 Hi-Power, it was used by BOTH Allies and Axis forces in WWII.
Shortly before the start of the war, FN Herstal in Belgium , signed a licensing agreement with the Inglis Company in Canada. After Nazi forces occupied Belgium, Inglis was producing the Hi-Power for Commonwealth countries (mostly Canada).
John Browning was truly a firearm genius. Thank you for showing two of his best!
There were no nazi's in ww2, members of the NSDAP never referred to themselves as that slur, nor do tea party members refer to themselves as tea baggers nor do Catholics in the Latin rite refer to themselves as papists, but guess what tribe of (goblins) came up with those slurs.
I loved both those firearms when I was in the US Army back in the 70’s. The .45, of course, was the official pistol I carried for most purposes. Loved its beefiness in my hands. Almost felt like a toy to me whereas many other guys complained it was too heavy, too large and too much recoil. The HP came into my possession when I was in Nam. I bought it from a guy who was returning stateside. I wasn’t “officially” authorized to carry a sidearm, but I felt naked without some weapon other than a fighting knife. Anyway, I had the High Power through my tour and loved it with its greater magazine capacity and its “heft.” I had to turn it in when I left Nam as it was actually an Australian weapon. I tried to bring it home legally, but I couldn’t get the right paperwork for it. I could have tried smuggling it out in my baggage, but if I was caught, my military time would have been “unpleasant “ with a court martial on my record. Too many guys got court martialed trying to smuggle stuff out of Nam in their baggage, like weapons, explosives, and drugs, and I did not want to take that chance to end up in Long Bihn Jail or Ft. Leavenworth. But, in the long run, it didn’t matter. I eventually bought a sweet S&W 9mm. that fit my hand perfectly. Thanks for this video. It brought back a few nice memories. If I were a younger man, I might see about buying one of each of these handguns for the pleasant memories I have of them. Browning did do a fine job designing these pieces.
smuggling home the "liberated" goods was a habit from WW2 that extended thru Korea, but you're correct about getting caught. Even with the GCA'68, it wasn't worth losing an HDC in hindsight. Plenty of grandfathered guns still floating around.
Thank you for your service
I carried the Hi Power for years in the British Army. Excellent gun!
They were great, weren't they just!
I have one High Power made in Belgium. That's all I need. I have 1911's from Colt, Springfield, Kimber, Dan Wesson and Wilson Combat. My favorite is my plain Jane Colt 1911A1 with a spur hammer and short series 70 trigger. I just love the classic looks of the gun carried in WWII. Proud Fudd.
Kimber, the worst
@@hoppinggnomethe4154 Agreed
I have a Norinco that is solid
I'm fortunate enough to have both of these, the 1911 in .38 Super, so it's kind of extra special. The Hi-Power is a 1972 model that was fired so little that the blue isn't even worn off the firing pin. It's immaculate. John Moses Browning had a beautiful mind, and his firearms are works of art.
The High Power is an absolutely beautiful pistol; the ergonomics are spot-on, IMHO.
The 1911 I was issued in the early 80s was a little worn out. The top slide was so worn it didn't lock back but it could hit the targets out to 100 yards like no tomorrow. Fantastic weapon. My neighbor had a Belgian made high power that was a joy to shoot.
I still remember the serial number to my 1911 I was issued back in the 80's. 117689. So if anyone runs across it, give me a holler!
Did you ever reach out to the CMP or post that on their 1911 forum?
@@FishKepr I wasn't aware such a thing existed. I assume it's probably part of a Toyota exhaust system by now.
@wyomarine6341 We had to sign out our weapons from the company arms room and writing down the serial number was step one followed by your name, rank etc. It was the only weapon issued to me besides crew served weapons like the 240's and M-2. I didn't touch an M-16 until probably my third year in and that was only because we used them occasionally at a mini tank range as a stand in for the main gun.
@@tanker335 To be fair don’t get your hopes up. Lots of former soldiers have sent serial numbers to the CMP and I only know of one case where the managed to track down a dispositioned 1911. To their credit they traced who they sold it to and asked the recipient to transfer it to him. They sent another 1911 to the first buyer as a replacement. This was a few years ago. I got mine in the first round of this release, a 1943 Remington Rand with a matching slide.
@@FishKepr I'm not literally looking for it.
On my 2nd posting to Germany during the Cold War with Canadian Forces I was issued a High Power. Ours were license manufactured by Inglis Canada. They've been only recently replaced as the standard handgun of the CF.
Having owned both it is hard to pick a favorite. They are both excellent weapons. I suppose the HP gets the edge due to its capacity and an integral feed ramp on the barrel. Still I am a fan of the older design as well
I can remember Hickok45’s first video.I was hooked.I won’t say that I have seen all of his videos,but I haven’t missed but a few. I try to keep up with him though.I’m sure he’s like family with everyone here,there’s nobody else that comes close to making videos like him. He’s taught a lot of folks how to be better marksmen,and just a whole lot about firearms period.We all love him and John.
My Lord, Hickok! Those pistols look like toys in your hands!!!
I was thinking the same thing! 😂
...seems normal to me.....of course I am 6' 6"...
Came here to say this! Saw that in my feed and thought they looked like child versions
I guess when you have catcher's mitts hands it's like that.
They are toys. Really loud toys. Plus you could put somebodies eye out with em. 🇺🇸’Merica.
I know next to nothing about firearms, apart from what I have “learned “ from the likes of this channel. Living in the U.K., it’s probably going to stay that way, but these are two of my favourites. To me, they are the iconic handguns. Thank you sir
Are you alowed to own and shoot an Enfield rifle? Those are loved by many. Though I'll say the Enfield models and variations seem more confusing than Mercedes Benz model numbers.
Yes in the UK, Bolt action rifles are still legal on a firearms certificate
@@PalKrammer Not really. Post - 1926 you have the Rifle No. 1 Mk III or III*, Rifle No.4 Mk I/II/III and the No.5 Mk I.
Simples.
I used the HP35 in the British Army I loved that pistol!
Sr. SAIVE, ud fué un gran armero.
Pero si se recibe una opinión de un genio como Browning, quiere decir que le prestaba atención y confianza en su trabajo.
Volviendo a estas dos pistolas, y después de haber usado a las dos en servicio policial, digo con firmeza total, que con cualquiera de las 2 y a mis 73 años, que no pregunto cuantos son, sino que vayan saliendo.
Dos obras de arte. Cada una con su estilo dieron por años seguridad, confiabilidad, precisión, fortaleza, y son armas de combate.
No esos "arbolitos de Navidad" llenas de firuletes que poco suman si van a ser para armas de servicio militar/policial.
Sr. John M. Browning ud y Don Gaston Glock cambiaron la historia de las pistolas.
Ruger el de los revólveres...❤
Being Canadian, and newly back into shooting sports, I was lucky to obtain both a Remington Rand 1911 A1 and a HiPower from 1965(by the serial number), before the handgun freeze. The 1911 was a collector piece stored in oil, so it took some time to clean it up properly to attempt to fire it. It shoots flawlessly! The HiPower is so nice, I haven't fired it yet as I need time to sit down and familiarize myself with it. Beautiful firearm, but not so sure I like the short sticky thumb safety or the magazine disconnect safety. I like the feel and the workings of the 1911. Everything seems "just right".
I own and have owned many 1911’s and i’m John Moses Browning’s biggest fan. But i’ve never owned a Browning High Power. Rumor is he liked his High Power more than his 1911 design. One thing is not rumor John Browning is the Einstein of gun designers.
Thr Browining trigger system were designed to go around Colt's patent of the sliding stirrup trigger. Now that Colts patent has expired, if someone would redesign the BHP but using the stirrupt sliding trigger, eliminating the complex linkage to tril thr sewr, it would be a ground breaking improvement to thr BHP.
Well said !!!! I agree with you .
Both are masterpieces of engineering. John M. Browning was a genius. I prefer the 1911 in the Lord's caliber. I noticed you smelling the Gunsmoke. I love the smell of smokeless powder too. It smells like freedom. 🇺🇲❤️
'' I'm not likely to mix up the parts... i have a little bit of experience w/ these"'... under-statement of the wk.. LOL.
How can a true Browning follower not have *AT LEAST* one of each?!? Thanks for sharing, Hickok45!
One of the best of all time
I love both but I have to say, I can hit anything with my eyes closed when I've got the high power; just can't miss. ❤
I would pick the Browning Hi Power as the very best handgun ever made.
Not going to talk about the 1911 trigger vs. the Hi-Power trigger in a short video, I suppose. That’s the real difference which makes the 1911 a marksman’s pistol.
The Hi-Power is better in every way.
@@samanthamalikov7157not really the 9mm was inferior to the 45 back then, bullet technology wasn’t what it is now. The 1911’s trigger is a masterpiece in its own right. Let’s put it this way there’s at least 20 manufacturers making 1911’s and. 2011’s. Very few make the High Power. And nobody shoots competition with high powers many use the 1911 and 2011’s.
@@craigthescott5074hi power is a cheaper more compact 2011. It just never had a following in the states. Wait until you tell a 2011 user they could’ve spent $500 on a hi power instead of 2,000 on an overpriced 2011. Watch their heads explode lol
@@Mitsurifan357 Actually a really good competition 2011 is more like $3500 and up. Don’t get me wrong I love everything made by the master John Browning but the high power doesn’t hold a candle to the 1911 much less a 2011. Also what makes a 1911 and 2011 great for competition is the trigger the gun can be shot very fast and very precise. The high power trigger just isn’t close.
I'm a 1911 fan its my favorite combat hand gun. The P35 High Power is an excellent weapon but I never like carrying it cocked and locked like a 1911 because it lacked a grip safety and a bigger thumb safety.
Can you imagine a duell with Hickok ? 1911’s at at two hundred paces !
The FN definitive was an improvement in every way.
Both are outstanding firearms imo. The Hi-Power grip and feel is in the top 3 all time and is copied on the CZ75 and series. I’ve owned several of each model and love them all. It’s easy to see why they’re still so popular.
The standard Hi Power would almost beat the M1911 if it weren't for 1 kicker: the magazine disconnect. Having your pistol be rendered useless without the magazine limits what you can do in terms of dry firing and function checking. Once you have this removed, your HP is a lot more usable and feels like the trigger isn't as heavy post removal too.
Its easy to take it out.👍🇬🇧
John Browning thought his P35 to be the apex of his handgun designs, wherein he corrected what he thought were shortcomings in the 1911. Notice he left off the grip safety, which he only added to the 1911 at the Army's insistance.
@rangefinderz5135 Agreed. Browning was always having to give in to whatever military wanted his weapons. The trigger on a 1911 is fantastic. It was the mag disconnect on the P35 that made the trigger crappy. I have a P35 made in 1966 that I got in trade while I was in the Marine Corps. It had the magazine disconnect. A armorer friend of mine removed it and worked on the trigger. The change in the trigger was amazing. Where it was once gritty and hesitant, it became smooth and efficient.
Owned a FEG import Hi-Power years ago. Super gun, felt great and shot flat. I wish I had it back.
John Browning. Started working in his father's gun shop when they were still making muzzle loaders. First gun design he sold to Winchester was a single shot cartridge rifle. Before he was done he'd made several of the most iconic weapons of the 19th and 20th century and a few that are still in front line military service nearly a hundred years after his death.
A fan of both the 1911 and High Power designs. The magazine disconnect was my main complaint with the High Power.
Remove the magazine disconnect.
Carried a 1911 in the U.S. Army from 1984-1987, always enjoyed it in my hands.
Boy you guys are slacking…no table cover 😂
these are my two favorite pistols.
Hickock sniffing that gun like someone ive seen sniffing lil girls hair 😂
Hickok just likes the smell of gun powder in the morning. 😂
🤣
Sounds like a weird comment but then I remember that my wife and I have three daughters, so yep, probably smelled their hair at one time or another. I'm surprised if Hickok didn't get a headache from the fumes.
@@redtobertshateshandles But those were YOUR daughters. And smokeless powder smells good. Especially rimfire powder.
I have both and enjoy both. My experience is that the Browning is more fragile, having broken a few parts including a cracked slide. Cost is also an issue with the Browning.
How come that hi-power was the only mass produced double stack 9mm pistol till late 60s/early 70s with the introduction of s&w model 59 and GB Steyr, and even that wasnt enough as the double stack became a big thing only in mid 80s with the beretta 92, glock and cz 75 gaining their popularity? Its like almost 50 years of hi-power dominance/monopoly among double stack offers on the market.
I have both. They are both great pistols.
In 1968 I carried one of those in Vietnam, was a colt 45. I could be mistaken!
I have both, but I also have a Polish Radom 35. I find that gun to be a sort of hybrid mix of both these pistols.
This video illustrates how, of most semi-automatic pistols in use today, the lineage of John Browning is evident. Just take your own apart like Hickock did and see for yourself. Gaston Glock certainly changed the semi-auto game, but if you can take apart a Glock, you can take apart the Hi-Power that preceded it by nearly eight decades.
Sadly, the Belgium Browning Hi-Power I purchased in the early 1990s was traded for another firearm of which I now can't even remember, most likely at a gun show, emotionally fueled by my younger-self, very prone to "gotta-have-it-now" syndrome. I am ashamed 😢😂
I own both. Love them both, but they mostly stay in the safe nowadays.
My EDC is now a Glock 48 or a S&W Bodyguard 2.0 depending on the circumstances.
I chose the High Power over the 1911 due to its magazine capacity.
John Browning thought so. Probably a better service pistol, but the trigger and loose barrel fit disqualify it as a bullseye contender...at least in stock form. I like and carry both.
Either or is just fine with me. I have a half dozen 1911s and love them all.
The spanish STAR and the argentine Ballester Molina were copies of the 1911 without the grip safety. Life is good
The Spanish Llama in .45ACP is based on the 1911 Colt 45
Thanks Hickok!!!!
You’re still the best on youtube!!!!
❤❤❤
High power is a little (gasp!) Glockesq on the inside.. have a couple 1911s first time I’ve seen a high power.. wanted to say I picked up a ruger sr1911 in 9mm at the Knoxville gun show and shot it for the first time at buds in Kodak/pigeon Forge, this is a great gun.. fed it about 60 rounds ( we took more guns and all I have is 3 10 round mags, don’t want to be loading on range time😊) 115 cheapo blazer. No malfunctions at all, ran smooth.. I have a problem with putting a loaded mag in the gun and then ejecting it unfired it likes to strip off the top round, stiff mag springs? But besides that it ran great. I think Hickok has a vid on it as well….
Hickok makes some long videos, but darn it I listen to every minute 🎉
Main problem with the hipower is it's magazine disconnect
FN designed the magazine safely as a optional feature, if you don’t want the feature you (or a gunsmith) can remove it in seconds, and this makes absolutely no compromises to the safety of the weapon. (Additional the trigger pull immediately improves) 6:58 6:58
I wish you would have discussed why one has a barrel bushing and the other does not . Thanks for the review !…..
Two very nice handguns. Thank you for the comparison.
I don't know how you can use those pistols with the stock grips. When I grip the 1911 it feels like I'm gripping a narrow piece of wood.
I have had both, for 50 years with the 1911, and 40 with a P35. Both certainly Ledgend in thier own time. The trigger on the 1911 is ultimately better, the Magazine safety on the P35 does bad things to the trigger pull, but it can be modified to be pretty good.
Early production of both were not made for hollow points, HP’s simply didn’t really exist until the 1970’s on gun shop shelves. But both were modified over time to be reliable with HP
I love both. My cousin was able to carry a high power in Vietnam.
Wow your big catcher's mitts make those full size guns look like the sig p938
Both are amazing pistols but I will have to give the win to the 1911 due to how the pistol has evolved over the years. Especially if we count the 2011 evolution. Though Springfield Armory and FN have recently done changes. With those, I personally think Springfield Armory’s SA-35 is more traditional with changes that people have wanted over the years.
I've had a colt 1911 for several years now and its by far my favorite firearm. I shot the Springfield SA-35 for the first time this past Saturday, and I was very accurate with with at 7, 10, and 15 yards...but man I just dont know about that trigger on the Springfield. What threw me off about it was you pretty much had to release the trigger all the way to get it to reset, whereas most of my other guns like my Smith and Wesson, I only to release the trigger just a tad bit to reset it.
The nice thing is there are multiple options now. As I understand, the new Springfield was designed to stay pretty close to the original, but other companies like Girsan (goes by EAA I think as well) made their HP with lots of improvements like no mag safety, longer beavertail, trigger improvements, etc.
@@Ashcrash82 Its funny you mention that, I was JUST at the range looking at the Springfield again, and the gentleman at the counter showed me the Girsan version, and I really like it. The sights were more appealing to me, a better trigger release, nice design on the handle, a very nice finish on the slide., and it just fits good in my hands. Going to do some more reason on Girsan, but now there's a good chance I'll probably buy that one this weekend, haha.
I bought the Girsan haha
The 1911 in your hand looks like my 1935 7.65 Beretta in my hand Lol
You ARE the expert of all experts in my eyes.
These are classics!
HP35 is an amazing handgun... 13 rounds in the 30's was a big thing... US didn't like 9mm and prefered .45acp... big deal... others countries think diferent... I prefered a 13 rounds in 9mm than a 7 rounds in .45... but against the 8 rounds Luger or 10 rounds P38... I probably pick the .45...
My Choice Browning High Power.( I Have Browning Pratical Model ).👍
I'm sorry for selling my Browning hi power. It shot smooth and accurate. I really miss it. I also had two S&W sigma 40's. One shot horrible and you couldn't hit a target at 7 yards. The other I bought from a friend after shooting a small branch in half at 80 feet. First shot too! Quickest sale I was ever involved in.
My two favorite pistols!
They are both superb. Thanks for the video
Having handled both I have discovered that I am more at home with the 1911. It's better suited to my hand size. I have to admit that some of the internal differences favour the Hi Power but the ideal pistol would combine the best points of both.
I find it amusing how the Hi Power is attributed to John Browning because his original design was nothing like the pistol we know. Due to patents on the 1911 owned by Colt, he was unable to use a similar design. After he died, the patents would expire and Dieudonne Saive would take it up and redesign the Hi Power and make it more like the 1911. It's humorous how the Hi Power would be so different than how he designed it and then come back around to being more like the 1911 which he designed.
In my early twenties I was fortunate to have owned countless firearms, traded and sold them and one of the best feeling guns in my hand was indeed the Browning High Power.
I always wanted one with the tangent rear adjustable sights which are rare so I never found one.
Perhaps the best 1911 I ever had was a 1930's commercial Colt 38 Super. In new unfired condition. She was a beauty.
I let a Dentist friend of the family get away with it for $500. Yes it would be worth thousands more today.
45 !!! They look like toys in those great big hands. 😂😂😂😂😂😂
"A man ought to be able to do a .45 in 25."
Can you show reassembling 1911? Dinah Shore used to do it, but no video.
UA-cam would demonetize the video if he did 😢 plenty of videos out there showing it, just not from someone with over a million subscribers (or it is a privately funded channel)
CZ took it and made it better still in 1975. IWI then improved it still further as the Jericho. That's what I carry. Simply the latest grandchild.
Awww the smell of gun powder in the morning! LOL😂
I think for any 1911 fan, the hi power is the next step of collecting. Be it an authentic Colt or Browning. Or any of the clone guns.
Oh Hickok, you need to remember to do a safety check before breaking this old boy down!
Great video, thanks
P-35 made in Poland by Radom,which my dad took of a German officer in 44 in WW2 same design ,had groves fo shoulder stock Could be made full auto also. 12th Armoured Division Hellcats SSGT John R Lund Seattle WASHINGTON
Been watching your videos for years,knew you had large hands…but seeing that 1911 in your palm, I first thought it was a scaled down 380 or 22.😂
Keep up the good work mate!🇦🇺👏
The Hi Power has a more squared off grip like the Glock that copied it so I tend to shoot it straighter where the 1911 grip is narrow and I can pull off left or right more easily. Considering JB wanted it to be 9mm makes the Hi Power more evolved especially the no toggle barrel thing. However nothing looks like or feels like a 1911. Especially an old one. Mine are 1930 38 Super and Wartime Colt with a Rand Slide for some reason. 38 Super is a joy in a 1911.
Mr. H 45 got this one right. Great Job!
I have bought and sold a number of guns in my 60 plus years. I have 3 that I regret selling. A Ruger #1 .308 Heavy Barrel, A Smith model 10, 3", and my old FN High Power. They are like hen's teeth and IF they can be found, cost a fortune. I do miss my High Power the most.
I was Canadian military for twenty years and used the browning highpower as a side arm . Good gun , but 1911 is a better weapon more stopping power
Browning: a "little" hammer bite? It actually bites pretty darn good, at least in my grip. Haven't tried the new FN yet but it's supposed to much improved.
I've never had any bite with mine. But I don't have particularly big hands...
I have a Star BM, the bastard child they swore to never talk about 😂
Star made a Model B and a Super B. They were both big like a Colt 45 but in 9mm Para. (9x19)
The BM is a compact. It looks like a baby 1911 without the grip safety in 9mm. All the capacity of a 1911 and disdain for hollow points with the hammer bite and magazine safety of a high power😂 sure is adorable though 😂
@@shaneboor . A friend of mine had a Star model BM. Yes, it is a compact pistol. The South African military in the 1970s had the Star either Model B of Super B as a side arm.
Hotdang these two are just simple and beautiful ❤
Thanks hickok45❤👍🏻
Never cared for the Hi Power. Had a few of them. Just too big and heavy compared to modern pistols. Not as easy to conceal. But ok for 100 years ago I reckon.
When it comes to the 1911--NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF ALL INVENTIONS.
Is he Hi Power designed to be carried coked and locked like 1911?
No !
I have both pistols in 9mm.
If only HK could make a "USP Expert" slide for the HiPower. It would be a world beater today.
Two beautiful tools.
The HP is Dieudonné Saive's work far more than Browning and I would even go so far to say that he was the more accomplished designer. Giving us the HP, the FN FAL and the FN FAL. He also made the BAR into something usable, unlike the version the US persisted with.
Wow talk about the vocal minority 😉. Going to have to investigate Msr. Saive thanks for bringing him up