Yet another Pawn Shop Find. Browning Hi-Power 9mm

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pyscodog

Active member
Went to mail some bills and decided to drop in my favorite Pawn Shop. The counter lady is pleasing to the eyes and friendly so I stop in at least once a week. I'm not much of a pistol guy but always like to look at them. They had a real nice Walthers PPK and way down low in the case was a sweet Browning Hi-Power. Crap, a bucket list gun. I've always wanted one but never had the money they bring. Well after a lot of sweet talking to the counter lady and haggling with the counter guy, it came home with me. It says Made in Belgium and assembled in Portugal on the slide and best I can read the date code, it was made in 1990. It doesn't wear original grips, has pachmayrs, but they are nice. All in all the pistol is in very nice condition. Scratch another one off the bucket list.
 
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Pictures please! I really like the Hi Power and owned one for a long time. I finally let a friend talk me out of it. If I find a Springfield version somewhere at a decent price I most likely will pick it up.

BTW, regarding the Walther, those are an easy hard pass for me. Poor sights, terrible trigger, hammer bite and risky functioning make the Walther a no go for me.
 
I was considering the Walther at first, but came home and watched a few reviews. A guy had a video and said about everything you said about the Walther. Then I went back and bought the Browning. I'd been wanting one for some time anyway.
 
Speaking of Hi-Power pistols, I had a friend that was looking into getting his first handgun. He was dead set on a Hi-Power 9mm. Said he had shot one some time ago and really liked them and that's all he was really interested in.

I suggested we go to a gun show and he could coon-finger just about every gun made and make a decision from there. He afreed....so long as it was a Hi-Power.

After walking the show for a few hours and handling at least a hundred guns, he purchased.....



An EAA witness in 45 acp.
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I about died laughing since it wasn't what he had his heart set on when we walked in.
 
Originally Posted By: crapshootSpeaking of Hi-Power pistols, I had a friend that was looking into getting his first handgun. He was dead set on a Hi-Power 9mm. Said he had shot one some time ago and really liked them and that's all he was really interested in.

I suggested we go to a gun show and he could coon-finger just about every gun made and make a decision from there. He afreed....so long as it was a Hi-Power.

After walking the show for a few hours and handling at least a hundred guns, he purchased.....



An EAA witness in 45 acp.
lol.gif


I about died laughing since it wasn't what he had his heart set on when we walked in.


Pretty common with inexperienced shooters.
 
I always liked the Hi-Power. I had a nice Belgium made one about 30 years ago. It had the adjustable sights. I used to have a 100 yard 18" gong on my property that I liked to shoot at with handguns. Dang, but I could not hit that thing with any consistency with that gun. When shooting a friends S&W M39 I could ring it every time. I kept it about a year and traded it off at a gun show. Was a nice gun but wish that it shot better for me.
 
I didn't go in the shop looking for a pistol. I just went in to look around and mainly just getting out of the house. I did trade my Stevens "Budget" build rifle at the last gun show for a Rem 700 ADL,243 and some $$. The Stevens turned out OK but was a 22-250 and I had two other 22-250's so I didn't really need it and it was just another gun to me. After trading for the Remmy, I knew if I didn't sell it soon, I'd be putting money in it and already had a 243 Sako. I asked the shop if they would be interested in it and that's when the trade started. When I went home to get it, I did a quick search on what a Hi-Power was selling for and they were less than anything I found in the search. I know how pawn shops work and I'm sure they will make money on both ends but I got my money out of the Remington, got the Browning and was still $50 cheaper than the original asking price of the Browning. I think I did good on this trade. And...it gave this old fart something fun to do on a Sunday afternoon.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodog The counter lady is pleasing to the eyes and friendly so I stop in at least once a week.

awwww, this is all starting to come together now.
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I have a Browning Hi-Power. Its a very nice gun. I shoot metal gongs at 100 yards. No problem hitting them. I bought it in 1985 for under $300.00. Here it is, pictures taken after a day of shooting. It was dirty when I snapped the pictures.

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Originally Posted By: pyscodogI gave up trying to post pictures on here years ago. Easy for some, not for me.

This is not the easiest site to post pictures. And almost forgot, what I really like about the Hi-Power is the fit in my hand. My hand is not overly large. But the Hi-power fits my hand very well, sights just seem to align perfectly. Adjustable sights another plus. It may have had a trigger job done before I bought it, but great trigger plus trigger shoe helps.
 
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Mine doesn't have adjustable sights but that's OK. I shot it today and it shoots where I point so no complaints. I've read accuracy is service grade. I guess that means minute of man. I'm no expert marksman with a pistol but mine seemed to shoot pretty good to me. The weather today was wet so I didn't spend a lot of time at the club. I mainly just wanted to make sure the Browning functioned and it did...nicely.
 
I wish that I could have done better with the Hi-Power that I had, Bill. I think that I gave up on it too soon as I really never tried to find a good load for it. I liked the adjustable sights and you don't see to many that had those. But it did not seem to like me so I traded it off. Man, there have a been a lot of guns like that in my past. Glad you got a good one. Hi-Powers are cool.
 
Well what I call accurate and what others call accurate are probably two different things. But first time out, I kept a mag full in the 9 and 10 ring at 10yds. That's about as far as I usually shoot a pistol of this type. I mainly want to be able to keep them in a chest size target if I have to protect myself. I may shoot farther just for giggles. Never ever claimed to be a pistol shooter even though they are a nice break from rifles. And I don't reload pistol ammo so I don't have to mess with that either. Buy some bullets and go shoot!! Shame on me, I don't even save the brass. I leave it for the guys that do.
 
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