Here is a pic of my "El Capitan" series BHP. This is a newer (assembles in Portugal) BHP.

I am looking to customize it a am tying to get some ideas. I have browsed the Novak website and saw some excellent workmanship, has anyone here ever cusotmized their BHP any suggestions????

Also, I am not feeling the tangent sites. The only reason why I bought this pistol was price and condition (it is absolutely mint), should I keep them or swap slides???

Hmmm, swap slides....

Well, good luck finding an actual BHP slide.  From Browning, last I looked, they were $580, which is more than a whole gun costs from CDNN.  Brownells used to carry them, but no more.  Th elast time I did this, I bought a slide from Cylinder and Slide.  It was used and refinished, and I got what would be considered a smokin's deal at $220.

As far as customizing our own, quite a few guys here have.  I've done dozens, but I don't have pics except for one.  I have two I'm currently working on.   Here's a pic of an old one that I already sold.  It's a T series Hi-Power with C&S trigger/hammer/sear/ambi safety, Cocobolo grips, Heinie Straight Eight sights, a carry bevel job, a 40LPI checkered front strap, a trigger and reliability jobs, and a matte reblue.  



There are some alternatives, but no matter how you look at it, it would be quite pricey.  Consider trading it for a non tangent gun.

Wide Combat Trigger from C&S along with an Extended Slide Release also from C&S- those two things will make a world of difference. Maybe some slimline Navidrex but really it is about function, maybe some good sights course yours are tangent- can't help you there.

Here's mine:


C&S "no bite" ring hammer, Novak sights (horizontal bar and dot tritium), trigger job, action job, slide dehorn:




ETA: The Navidrex thin combat grips make a HUGE difference. I'm guessing the grip width is now less than a 1911 with standard grips (I wouldn't know - my TRS has thin grips as well)

Quoted: a 40LPI checkered front strap,

Question for you. Did you do the front strap checkering yourself? If so, how is that done? I know how it's done in wood but not metal. I'm just curious if this is possibly a home shop project or needs to be done on some kind of milling machine?

Thanks

I did it myself.  It's basically the same as wood, only with a metal checkering file.  You just need patience and the ability to move the file fairly straight.

Quoted: I did it myself.  It's basically the same as wood, only with a metal checkering file.  You just need patience and the ability to move the file fairly straight.

Really? Wow and you did a 40lpi pattern on your BHP?...man you must have a lot a patience!

Thanks for the info

Quoted: Quoted: I did it myself.  It's basically the same as wood, only with a metal checkering file.  You just need patience and the ability to move the file fairly straight. Really? Wow and you did a 40lpi pattern on your BHP?...man you must have a lot a patience! Thanks for the info

Patience, maybe, but 40 LPI is easy to do from the standpoint of time.  It's not nearly as deep as larger 30 or 20 LPI, and this one I did in a hurry (45 minutes).  I stopped at my friend's shop to work on it, and he was running a batch of bluing, so I had to get it ready for the bluing tank ASAP.  

I am going to do the Novak's Home defense custom package, it seems just what I need. Night sights, trigger job, reliability package, crown barrel, and a 200 round sight in. I am not all that concerned about my finish since the the baked on enamal seems to hold up nicely. After that, I think my HP will be set up nicely and it won't be too pretty not to shoot and carry. Since HP's don't give me hammer bite, I'll pass on that option.