Quoted: Any experiences with these? Everything I've read indicates that they're great. Apparently, they're high quality FN liscensed copies made in Argentina, and the parts are 100% interchangable with FN parts. I'm primarily interested in the shorter "detective" model, as no one else makes a "Hi Power compact" that I'm aware of.

I had one of the early FM imports and it was an absolute delight!  Fed everything I wanted it to eat with no problem, stayed on minute-of-pieplate at 25 yards as long as I did my part and never had a breakdown.

Not sure about the Detective version - I'll be interested in reading your eval if you get one and post it here.  

I have a FM inported by Albatross, so far it's ran all sorts of junk theu it including some Iraqi corrosive garbage and it's been good to go. I think they ran 2-$250 years ago, got my monies worth and more out of it.

The license the Argentines (FM) bought (to produce the Hi Power) from Fabrique Nationale (FN) back in the '60's or '70's expired loooong ago. Expired sometime in the eighties I believe. Anything being sold as "new" is definitely NOT a licensed copy.

Take a peek at the front 3" of the slide. If it looks like a Colt 1911 it's not an FN licensed Hi Power.

The Detective model is notorious for wearing out recoil springs. And replacement springs are virtually nonexistant. I have read of folks substituting springs from other handguns with good results. The shorter slide of the Detective model does little to improve it's concealability, as opposed to shortening the grip frame.

I had one of the Argentine HP's, but not the Detective.

I really liked it.  Shot nice, very dependable.

The only reason I got rid of it was to trade up to a Browning in .40.

In fact, the dealer still has my trade-in, and I've considered buying it back!

I had a FM High Power for a while.  The gun was unrefined, but it worked for a while... then developed a disturbing failure to fire problem that I never could track down.   I won't bother with another one.

Not that great. The trigger roll pin has  habit of coming out. Fit and finish is otherwise very nice.

I'd pass.  Unless you absolutely need to add a HP clone to your collection.