A Pair Of 75th Anniversary Browning Hi-Power's

billt

Banned
I’ve been wanting a Browning Hi-Power for quite a long time. Admittingly it hasn’t been way up on my list, because the version I wanted just seemed a little hard to come by for some reason. Like so many pistols, Browning has gone with quicker to manufacture, lower cost options. I wanted a polished blued finish with checkered Walnut grips. For the last several years the only new versions of this handgun I’ve come across were either matte finished, or else had the even cheaper black Polycoat finish, which is nothing more than a high tech paint job. Most also had cheap, plastic grips instead of the much nicer checkered Walnut versions.

The other day I got an E-Mail from Davidson’s showing some of their “New Arrivals” they currently had in stock, and I came across these beautiful 75th Anniversary Edition Browning Hi-Powers. They offered them in a beautiful highly polished, rich blued finish with both Target Adjustable, as well as fixed sights. They also have the original select Walnut checkered grips. And as if that wasn’t enough, both versions were on sale until the end of this month! I promptly ordered 2. One with adjustable sights, and the other with fixed. My local shop called me this morning to let me know they had arrived. I immediately drove over and picked them both up!

What I really liked about these 75th Anniversary Edition Models is the fact they not only retain the original bright blued finish with the Walnut grips, but they both have very tasteful roll engraving on the top of the slide stating “75th Anniversary - 1935-2010”. The roll marking is very sharp and clean looking. I’m glad they kept it subdued instead of going with an overpriced, fully pimped, “Barbecue Gun” to commemorate this Model’s 75th Anniversary. This gun costs no more than a similar, non commemorative Hi-Power, and can be shot without damaging any of it’s value if the shooter chooses to do so. Yet it still retains the roll marking which distinguishes it from the standard models.

What really impresses me about this gun is the fact it was one of the first of the double stack Hi-Cap 9 MM pistols, and today it’s still one of the best. In a modern age with everyone and their brother offering double stack, Hi-Cap nines, the Browning Hi-Power is still as graceful, well made, and solid as ever. These guns could go up against any of the newer Tupperware versions from Glock and H&K and still hold their own in the performance department. Not bad from a gun that first was designed in 1935. This was John Browning’s last design. In fact he died before a lot of the finishing touches were put on the gun. That alone makes it well worth owning. Bill T.

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are they stamped Belgium made?

Yes. The stamping on the side of the slide reads, "Made In Belgium Assembled In Portugal." I should mention the pictures themselves are kind of crappy. What appears to be marks and discoloration on the blued surface is actually remnants of a waxy film that Browning generously coats their guns with before they leave the factory. I didn't clean this very well before I took the photographs. Plus, my crappy 2.1 Mega pixel Sony Cybershot isn't exactly the best camera for this type of photography. I'm going to the range with them both today, and afterward I'll be giving them both a proper cleaning. The guns themselves are flawless. Bill T.
 
Well they shoot great! Not one FTF or FTE. These are nice guns and perform as expected. Recoil is all but non existant because of the guns soild weight and massive frame for a 9 MM. All of my shooting was at 25 yards. The adjustable sights required no adjustment to bring them in. The gun printed beautifully with a 6:00 O'Clock hold. These weapons double tap phenomimonally. The front sight hardly jumps at all if you maintain a good grip. I even went to my clubs rifle range and had at it at the 200 yard steel gong with these guns. It was no trouble ringing 24" steel gongs at that distance with standard 115 Gr, FMJ bullets. I simply held about 12" inches over the very top of the Target. If you're looking for a solid 9 MM the Browning Hi-Power is the way to go! These are some pictures I took in bright Sun after they were cleaned up. Bill T.

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