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Thread: Used Hi-Power in .40 S&W

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    22nd January 2008
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    Eastern Pennsylvania
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    Used Hi-Power in .40 S&W

    This morning I bought a used Hi-Power in .40 S&W and I could really use some information about it. It has some extremely minor wear on the blueing, mostly on the edges of the front of the slide. It came with black plastic grips and fixed sights. The sights have a vertical stripe on the front and two of the same on the rear sight. Fronts are green and the rear orange, not sure but suspect they were painted that way by the previous owner. It came with two 10 round magazines, one with the mouse trap spring and the other without. It does have a magazine disconnect safety. Serial number is 2W5NV*****. Left side of the slide says Browning Arms Company Morgan, Utah & Montreal P.Q. The right side says Made in Belgium Assembled in Portugal.
    I sure would appreciate anything you could you tell me about this pistol.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    18th December 2014
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    1) Congrats. Hi-Powers are great guns. Many folks really like the .40.

    2) Pictures would help.

    3) The non-mousetrap mag could be a Mec-Gar rather than a factory mag. (In about a nano-second, five guys are going to scream "But Mec-Gar makes the OEM mags for FN/Browning!" Blah blah blah)

    4) Serial numbers on the 9mm don't look like your serial number. Could you check again?

    5) I am an owner of several Browning Hi-Powers, but I am not an expert, and I do not own any .40s.

    Good luck.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    22nd January 2008
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    From doing a bit of research I believe the serial numbers "2W5" identify it as a .40 S&W and the "N"=9 and "V"=5 so it was made in 1995.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    30th April 2006
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    Texas
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    Hi-Powers are nice pistols, a friend has one he bought new in 1991, and I am gonna try and get him to sell it to me. They just fell great in your hand.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    22nd January 2008
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    Eastern Pennsylvania
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    Holding the Hi-Power you can feel the JMB connection to the 1911.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    14th January 2011
    Location
    Florida
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    Hi MC .

    SM, your research re: SN is correct, "2W5" was the original .40 prefix...later it became "513", and the NV is the date code for 1995...date code system remained consistent from 1977 through end of production.

    The .40 BHP was initially introduced in 1993...the 3 year delay was used to develop a much tougher BHP specifically for the .40. The initial...very limited, 1993 production was held/called back due to a barrel dimension issue and series release of the .40 actually began in 1994. The very first mags accepted 11 rounds...they're as rare as hens teeth, but with the 1994 re-release...and the 1994 Crime Bill, 10 round mags were standard throughout production.

    IF your pistol came with the thumbrest plastic grips as original...and fixed sights, then you've got a "MkIII" .40 and the finish would be Epoxy...not blue. Fear not, it's an excellent finish. If it originally came with the familiar flat checkered dark wood grips it would be a "Standard" .40 (Standards came with fixed or adjustable sights)...the basic difference is finish/grips and the "MkIII" only came with fixed sights. Either way though, the fixed sights would have been painted white.

    CW, if your friends BHP is 1991 production, obviously (see above) then it would not be a .40.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    14th January 2011
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    Florida
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    Oh; though you mentioned slight edge worn bluing and not hard chrome or 2 tone, I'll mention that the BHP .40 was also available as a "Silver Chrome" Model (matte hard chrome/fixed or adjustable sights/gold trigger/Pachmayr grips) and the "Practical" Model (2 tone...Epoxy over matte Silver Chrome/fixed or adjustable sights/shallow ramp fixed front sight/Pachmayr grips).

  8. #8
    Join Date
    14th January 2011
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    Florida
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scoutmaster View Post
    Holding the Hi-Power you can feel the JMB connection to the 1911.
    Actually that "feel" is imaginary my friend. JMB's only design contributions to the actual BHP are the manner of barrel/frame/slide lock-up, the Mickey Mouse trigger linkage and the fact that FN took advantage of the Browning name...which they owned.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    18th December 2014
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    Hi submoa. I was waiting for you to get here.

    The Hi-Power grip feels even better with thin grip panels if you have small hands (like me).

    While you're at it, submoa, you might as well tell the gentleman the name of the "real" designer of the Hi-Power--Dieudonne Saive (sp?).
    Last edited by Mister Coffee; 2nd February 2018 at 21:08.


  10. #10
    Join Date
    14th January 2011
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    Florida
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    I've been reading only at a few sites...and then only occasionally, lately. I've noticed your contributions though my friend . I largely lost interest in the forums as a result of the overbearing mod activity @ a couple of my primary haunts...their loss, not mine . Still a member in good standing at 'em though ...

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