I ordered one of the used BHPs in poor condition Buds was selling. I've always wanted a HP and this seemed like a good way to get into one fairly cheap. Looks like the sights are similar to the GI 1911 sights. They are supposed to function 100% but the finish is crap.

I ordered a full spring kit from Wolff I will install when the pistol arrives. Assuming I like the platform I will send it to Novak for some sights. Would you guys recommend getting it stripped and blued or Cerakoted?

Congrats on your new Hi-Power. I've only bead blast and blued my Hi-Powers in the past. Pictures would be nice. I'm not a big fan of Wolff Gun Springs since you can acquire OEM springs through Browning. Or, this company: https://bhspringsolutions.com/ Keep us posted!

Yeah, we need pics.  Sometimes I feel like a beat up finish has enough charm to keep it that way.  But I'm also cheap.  And don't really have any guns that are all that beat up, finish wise.  

You're going to need a special tool for the mainspring. That's one I never attempted yet.

I like the "been there, done that" look on firearms and have bought a few like that over the years. Here is a late '40s HP that has a really nice 4.5lb trigger pull.

I agree with the previous poster that Wolff springs are not the best for HP's. I tried a recoil spring from them and it was a inch longer than factory Browning spring. I dumped it and went with the factory spring.

I understand the part in the link below is the easy way to change the mainspring.

http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&pw=55963&ctc=j3qjhhhos900zk8a00y51&mi=10077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brownells.com%2Faspx%2Fgeneral%2FError404.aspx%3F404%3Bhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.brownells.com%3A80%2Fhandgun-parts%2Ftrigger-group-parts%2Fhammer-parts%2Fhammer-strut-hardware%2Fhammer-strut-assembly-w-mainspring-pin-nut-prod4021.aspx?avs%7cMake~~Model_1=Browning__High%2520Power

Of course it's outa stock at Brownells but maybe not at Browning.

The hammer strut assembly from Browning will have the mainspring already installed. If this is a one off, it's probably the cheaper/easier route.

Edit: order direct from Browning, super easy and obviously all OEM.

Picked it up this afternoon. Shot 50 through it without a problem.
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Mag is beat to shit and doesn't drop free.  I'll drop it in the ultrasonic this weekend to get the crud out. Happy so far. Anything I need to look for as far as damage goes beyond the norm of wear and cracks? Anyway to tell the age?

You should be able to look up the serial on browning's website for age, although I'm never sure how accurate that is with surplus weapons.

WADR, even if the Browning site (as you mention) were not as problematic as it is...and it IS problematic to be sure, it's only for Browning imported BHPs...not FN marked pistols intended for international markets other than Browning's market.

In addition, BHPs with SNs prior to...and even some initially concurrent with the "C series" such as OP's pistol, can be problematic when attempting to date the pistol by SN alone. Op's pistol is an FN marked BHP that apparently saw some kind of government service somewhere and appears to have been repaired using replacement/surplus parts. I say that because FN "T series" pistols of that period are described as "stacked"...no not that kind of stacked , stacked SNs on frame, slide and barrel over/under one another. In addition, the stamps on the barrel consist of the Belgian Lion...yep that stick thing is supposed to be a lion , over P.V. (Smokeless Power) Proof, the Crown/Oval ELG (Proof of Liege) and the Star over "E"...which is the FN factory "Controller" (Final Inspector) mark. Factory records indicate the "E" Controller mark went out of service in 1959 and didn't return to service again until assigned to a new Controller in 1995.  If the barrel was an existing surplus part you might very well find a different SN on the port side of the barrel...though I suppose it's remotely possible a matching SN might have been placed on the port side of a...very old stock, barrel found somewhere at the factory...or even end user facility.

Another indicator of monkey business is the spur v. ring hammer. "T series" BHPs such as OP's were fitted with the ring hammer throughout production...the spur hammer wasn't introduced until 1971 with the 71CXXXXX SN pistols but the "T series" continued in production along side it until 1972. Avoiding the complicated explanation involving the overlap of the "T series" SNs and "C series" SNs beyond that suffice it to say the spur hammer was likely a post production replacement part.

Finally, though dating BHPs by extrapolation alone...because of FN production procedures, can at times be less than perfect, I will suggest that...based upon not only my personal accumulation of very similar BHPs, but very many other observations, OP's BHP is likely 1970 production...with the aforementioned post production changes. Without getting too deeply into it here, the best way to accurately date such BHPs is through close inspection looking for the FN factory Part Date Codes found on BHPs since 1946.

Hope that helps .....

@realsubmoa


That was an awesome response to put up all that infomation!

I have always wanted a BHP made in 64 (that was I could have one as old as me).

Red

DO not use Wolf springs in a BHP. Buy originals from Brownells and run them in your BHP.

Vince

Agree with Wags and John re: "Browning" springs over Wolf.

If your interested John...and since I already brought up the vagaries of dating BHPs in the previous post, may I suggest you closely inspect your 37038 SN BHP. I say that because a closer inspection of your "late '40s" BHP just might reveal your pistol was actually manufactured in '52. As mentioned in the previous post; although SNs...to say nothing of "Contract Numbers" particularly of that period (because some SN ranges were assigned in blocks), can be problematic when attempting to date such pistols, your 37038 SN does fit within the range of pistols manufactured in '52. Much more importantly...though the pic isn't quite as clear as it might be, there appears to be an FN factory Part Date Code indicating '52 on the right side trigger guard root...where such codes are normally found. Such a code means...definitively, that the pistol in question could not have been manufactured before that date, simply because the code indicates when that particular part...as a part, was inspected. A magnifying glass...or good quality close-up pics, can be very effective in identifying these marks.

Hope you find the...admittedly unsolicited , suggestion of interest

That's awfully kind of you Sir...THANK YOU .....

Thanks for the replies. I'm going gonna ask some newb questions here. I would like to put a ring style hammer in the pistol. Was looking at hammers and a safety on Cylinder and Slide. How much fitting would be required? Similar to a1911?

I also would like to get better sights installed because my 44 year old eyes are not getting better. I will probably send it to Novak to get sights installed.

Will probably get the gun Cerakoted to stop the rust that has infested it. I don't this it would be worth having it blued but I'm open to suggestions.

Lastly I clearly need some magazines I'm reading that mecgar mags are good. Are the 15 or 13 rounders preferred? Any other mag suggestions?

Thanks

MecGar supplies magazines to Browning so yes they are good.  Either the 13 or 15 works.  My 13 rounders have a little cartridge rattle to them  while my 15 rounders don't.  My 15 rounders were Very hard to load fully initially.  It took a bunch of load/unload cycles to make them better.

BTW here is a pic from the others side of the barrel
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Inside the slide
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Always interested in any info that can narrow down the dates on mine. Much obliged.

Better pics of the markings.









This pistol now has a different used factory barrel installed now since the original has severe pitting in the forward roof of the chamber that caused extraction problems.

SCPD; You are most welcome for my part.

A lot of folks prefer the C&S No-Bite ring hammer...I'm one of 'em and I have 'em on several of my favorite BHPs. Many who replace the hammer replace the sear as well...for an appropriately hardened matched set. The C&S thumb safety...strong side only mind you, isn't bad at all in my experience...several of my favorite BHPs have it, but I'm just as partial to the current factory (MkII/MkIII) ambi-safety. I do not recommend the C&S ambi-safety...if you shoot riding the safety left handed, you will not be a happy camper. If you don't feel the need for the ambi feature in the FN factory safety, it's easily left off/removed...just a roll pin, and the axis pin may be shortened appropriately.

Fitting: In general drop-in is not a regular occurrence, be thrilled IF it happens. Fitting hammer/sear/safety is critical and should be done slowly which involves many assemble...test...disassemble...stone...reassemble...test...yada yada yada. It's a variation of "measure twice cut once"...you can't put metal that's been filed/stoned away back on. There are specialized tools...commercially available, that make the chore of disassembly/reassembly MUCH easier.

Sights/eyes: Novak is my favorite sight set, though I do like Heinie's as well. I prefer both the Novak MK2 and the larger Novak 1911 plain black wide-notch...yep wide-notch, rear matched to a Novak Tritium or Gold Dot front. Though it's critical to call them direct to ask one of the sightsmiths for the current scoop. Novak's has been doing sights by the gazillion and they have it down well enough that their turn around time can be as short as a week . Another deal is that if your sights require a "Dutchman" to fill in the existing dovetail because of relative dovetail position of a particular model before making the Novak cut, they'll bead blast blue the slide...at no extra charge, though the usual one week turn around is usually longer. You save money by sending it in...slide only (saves major $$$ in shipping) with the existing sights, they'll compute the rest. Again, call for the current scoop...it's been about 9 months IIRC since I've had Novak's installed...3.

If you want good protection, you might consider bead blast/phosphate (Parkerize)/Cerakote. Make sure you thoroughly...thoroughly, clean every crack and crevice before shipping it off.

+1 on Mec-Gar . While some seem to think the extra 2 rounds of the 15s significant, I find it the 13...original design, more reliable...

Hope that helps .....

Well, your barrel IS obviously pre-'59...as suggested earlier due to the Controller Mark. It's from a much earlier pistol and definitely post factory, as also suggested.

The slide was inspected...as a part, in '69 which would be very common for a '70 pistol...as the SN indicates.

We're done here .....

Glad UR ok with the unsolicited suggestion John ;

Thanks for the new pics, they do lock it down; The FN Part Date Code I imagined ...the horizontal "2" in the partial rectangle on the trigger guard root is definitive that the frame was inspected as a part only in the first quarter of '52. 37038 could not have been produced before first quarter of '52.

In addition, the FN factory Controller Mark (*S) was that of Charles Daenen who only began his duties as a Final Inspector in '52. Again, 37038 could not have been produced before '52.

I mentioned earlier 37038 fits within the SN block associated with '52...in fact, it fits neatly and closely between a pair of my properly date '52 FN marked BHPs.

Unless something even weirder than usual...and FN has done some weird stuff , raises its ugly head; 37038 is an FN BHP produced in '52

Glad you were interested enough that you provided the pics

Might want to take a look at this thread, too: The BHP Click Test

I just re-registered after a computer crash and I, too, am a Hipower fan. I own two: a 1979 Standard and a 2000 Practical (just acquired). In this thread I couldn't help but notice a few comments about staying away from Wolff recoil springs. I was wondering why. No, I am not a shill from Wolff!
It's just that I switched to the Wolff 18.5-pounders upon recommendation by a couple of sources. The Standard has occasional function issues with some 115-grain ammo, none with 124 (heavier recoil impulse?). The Practical is too recent for me to draw final conclusions. The springs are indeed a bear, though, to re-install after a field strip for cleaning! Please educate me!

The why is really related to their recoil spring which is about 1" or 1.5" longer than it should be and doesn't seat correctly, which usually leads to it bulking once compressed.  That said, all of the wolff springs for the HP are considerably longer than factory and that said I do like to use their safety spring as it seems to provide a bit more snap to it as perceived by me when I actuate it.

Besides Browning another company has started offering their own brand which seems more in line with the Browning OEM and offered in 18.5
BHSpring Solutions

Kudo's to RealSubMoa for making a visit, I learn something every time he shows up!

Also OP, I haven't seen it said, or maybe I missed it.
The reason your mag isn't dropping free is because of the mag disconnect. It's normal. You can either remove it or use the "mousetrap" magazines.

ETA- putting a C&S hammer into my 1981 model required no fitting. I didn't do the sear.

FN uses an epoxy based paint in it's working pistols and it is really tough stuff that does an excellent job of protecting the pistol.



My experience with Cerakote has been similar, and with proper surface preparation it should hold up just as well.  I'd consider having it bead blasted to prep the surface and then Cerakoted.

This is an L66A1 that had almost no original finish left and some minor pitting that I had Cerakoted:

I like that. Who makes that slide release and those sights?