NEW IN '22, FN High Power - BHSpringSolutions' Bench Review / BH Hi-Power University Session 95
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ม.ค. 2023
- This is the Bench Review Portion of BHSpringSolutions' Evaluation & Analysis of the FN HIGH Power released in 2022. And this is Session 95 of BHSpringSolutions' "Hi-Power University" Video Series
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Thank you for the awesome detalied review! I have been a Hi-Power enthusiast since the early 80's and I have had at least one in my collection ever since. I must say that I am a bit intrigued by the new "High Power" and I am definitely going to explore the option of obtaining one for my collection. Though it is a relatively heavy gun, it is unlikely that I would actually carry it for defensive purposes. However, I would like to see an alloy frame version manufactured in lieu of polymer. Another observation is that the magazines are quite expensive, which is not a deal-breaker for me, but I it would be nice if FN priced them maybe in the $35.00 range instead of $50.00+.
I have watched a number of reviews, and most content creators have a positive opinion of this gun, but some of the comments submitted by the keyboard experts are absolutely ridiculous and ignorant, liken to the fashionable Glock bashing that has been taking place in recent years. Two comments that seems to be recurring are that the gun doesn't have a rail or optic mounting capability. I really couldn't care less about either, so maybe this is the gun for me!
Thanks for your review. I was able to see one of these at a local gun shop and it looked pretty good. That said, your team has completely upgraded my 2-BHP's, springs, barrel, trigger group, SFS, and I will stick with what I have. I will be interested in the live fire review when you do it. Thanks again for the time you put into this review.
Overall, I do think this is a good update of the original Hi-Power and all the changes are nice, but I do think they went too half and half with it. If you’re gonna completely modernize the design, might as well also include a light rail, suppressor height sights, threaded barrel, red dot mount and the like.
Also, I do think it’s a bit of a shame completely throwing out all prior compatibility. While all the changes I think are overall improvements, some of them I think are small enough to not be necessary. Increasing magazine capacity, making the safety less shit, improving the trigger pull etc. are all good. Changing the takedown system and locking lugs? Yeah, they’re better but were those changes necessary? Would’ve been better to keep them original and keep at least some compatibility with original parts.
That’s what I felt was done well with modernized 1911s. Double stack guns like the 2011s or Para Ordnance P14 frames increase capacity, there are railed models to add lights, various options for Novak night sights or red dot mounts, etc. while still keeping as many parts compatibility with standard 1911 parts as possible.
EDIT: Also, regarding the slide being thicker, I think it’s just due to the change in locking method. The single lug locking into the front of the ejection port is overall better, but I do notice that due to the more squared off shape of the design, it is thicker than the traditional two locking lugs which are more circular. Even my .45ACP and 10mm 1911 slides were thinner than my 9mm Walther P99 (equivalent in size to a Glock 19) slide due to that. And that’s obviously larger caliber, too.
The new slide design makes it look like a Sig P226.
I would like to know FN’s explanation for removing the half-cock notch from the hammer, and for leaving a big hole in the front of the slide.
Cost savings its unfortunate
Half-cock isn't necessary and the thing does have an almost full length guide rod.
The hole is due to the full length guide rod. The original Hi-Power had a partial length guide rod akin to a GI 1911.
New slide design is also due to using the modern locking method of a single lug locking in the front of the ejection port rather than the old school method of two lugs locking into recesses on top of the slide, again akin to a 1911.
Mark thank you so much for the time you take to educate us, to be honest I'll stick with the original Hi Power especially the way they come out when you are done with them, they are amazing.
Putting too long in a guide rod means that you can no longer talk the firearm by pressing it against let's say is Saddle horn on your horse a unique mechanism with John Moses Browning insisted on designing the 1911 to do and probably the P35 as well. This was designed as a handgun was so you can shoot it, and furthermore, reload it and everything else with a single hand while your other hand is controlling your horse. Remember it was designed as a Cavalry pistol.
Owned and attempted to wear out a C series HP since 1974'ish. Somehow or other ended up with four in total, the last three 40 caliber Mk IIIs. Two with adjustable sights, the last one a practical.
Of them all, the most comfortable, best in the hand is the C series. There is no hammer bite with the ring hammer and the original safety is not a problem for those who know how to use it unlike those who can't figure out how to use a safety unless it's a 1911 style paddle. (I have a Dan Wesson CBOB in 10mm which is my preferred bear wrench, so it's not like I am soaked in 1911 hate).
Trigger breaks at just under 5 lbs, perfect for a handgun intended for violence. I'm not sure why an 8 lb trigger pull on our infantry M4 rifles is just fine, but a handgun with a trigger that breaks at the same weight or slightly less just isn't acceptable. You aren't going to be doing Bullseye type trigger pulls at Pucker Factor 10 - whether a pistol or a rifle.
The original sights were replaced by MMC micro-mini adjustables by a gunsmith in Spokane way back in the day. They were perfect back then for my youthful hawk eyes... it will be making a trip to Don Williams (or failing him, somebody else) for something like Novak sights now that I'm in senior citizen status.
The MKIII size High Powers or their modern clones are never going to improve on the feel of the original T and C series 9mm High Powers.
A 1911 purist carries cocked and locked anyway, not sure what the big deal is.
I like all metal, external hammered handguns...and FN just might go lw with an alloy frame. Thank you for your incisive review.
As for the shape of the grip. I prefer the grip to be narrower and there is a very specific reason for that. I used to carry a 357 for in Security Six for several decades. When I transitioned into the Pachmayr grip that was more comfortable and rounded I had a reasonable group size but it was a little bit spread out. But it wasn't making me happy that I wasn't really tightly accurate with it. So I went to the Pachmayr gripper version and I got the same result from the Safariland grip with the finger grooves on it the Hogue grip actually mimics that exact same profile. It's more slender and is not as rounded. The effect on the shooting was is that the group shortened by well over a third in vertical stringing add by half in horizontal. It was far easier to shoot a competent group nearly as fast as the gun could be fired at 7 yards. Also changed my Group at 100 yards from 8 to 9 in to a 4-inch group. But that is very carefully squeezed off double action slow fire. I could squeeze the trigger to a point where I could contact the frame with the tip of my trigger finger and then slow the squeeze and keep the rounds very tight. So I learned quite some time ago that the comfort of the firearm in my hand is not necessarily the most accurate grip for firearms. The other one that showed me that was when ever I tried to shoot an early model 92 in the late 80s and early 90s I had the same problem with that stupid ass oval grip they put on that gun. It was comfortable as hell, but it wouldn't shoot worth a damn, furthermore, the decocking lever at the back of the slide was easily engaged when you did a clearance drill which disable the firearm making it totally worthless for defending yourself or for military duty. I still don't understand why they left that sorry-ass excuse for an accoutrement on that firearm when they bought it for the Army. Every police officer that came in with one of those that get purchased and it was brand new I told him to take it back and see if he could get his money back and get a gun that does not have that lever on it.
Magazine I had an older brother that was left-handed, and he had taught himself to shoot right-handed because he fired a 1911 in competition. I did show him that when I shot the 1911 left-handed, and when I shot his it was only the third time I had ever fired a 1911. Not only could I shoot his gun faster than he could and he used it regularly in competition. And more accurately than he could, I could fire almost as fast as he could left-handed and I showed him that when you use your left trigger finger to release the magazine it was actually faster with your trigger finger on your left hand than your thumb of your right hand. Try that.
I would only carry this in condition three as a backup.
So is the fact that the recoil spring guide rod being plastic kinda irritating to you? It is to me, but I’m not an engineer or designer so I don’t know if it’s even feasible to have a stainless steel guide rod much less a captured or full size. Possibilities?
would you still buy an old version after shooting the new FN HP?
I know it's a Longshot but I'd love to see you guys build a one off hi-power that's true to John brownings original sketch. Before the French guy had to take over.
Its an evolution of the Hi-Power, which despite what many say had some flaws. The original was ahead of its time but it needed this kind of update. The SA-35 and the Girsan are Hi-power clones, they are more or less the same as a Mk3.
Other than more prominent sights for those who no longer have youthful eyesight that can pick up the original sights, I"m not aware of any flaws that either the MKIII and clones address.
But then, I've only owned and used High Powers for about 45+ years, including military as well as law enforcement. The MkII/IIIs and clones were a step down, not a step up, from the T and C series originals.
Don't bother with the new FN High Power as far as buying it or modifying it as it won't be around long. This is the High Power that nobody asked for. This gun has as much in common with a Sig as a BH. If FN is still manufacturing it in 6 months I'll be surprised. The Springfield and Girsan are far better examples of what could be done to update the High Power
Yeah the core of what is a hi power is pretty great. They could've done the Kareen MKII/MKIII thing and beef it up for +P+ or the Girsan thing and add a rail and optics cut/adapter. Hell, they could've added a threaded barrel, but what they did was make a vaguely Hi Power shaped SIG with a proprietary mag and sell it for more than a decent Hi Power from other brands would cost.
This is more like a single action Ruger P89 than a Hi Power. Looks kinda sorta like a Hi Power in a caricature drawing way. They should have just updated the gun with an improved thumb safety, maybe a rail and cut for a red dot.
@@McOuroborosBurger I agree
@@pray4mojo35 Absolutely
@@McOuroborosBurger It's a curious thing the repeated angst about +P ammunition and High Powers. The Canadian Inglis High Powers and other militaries' High Powers have been feed a straight diet of NATO 9mm ammunition that is +P in the civilian world. You would think that after 75 years of that, if the frames were so feeble they'd be piles of scrap by now.
And the MKII/III was never made that was better in the hand than the original T and C series.
When I was first taught the manual of arms for a 1911 and for the b35 high-power in 1973 I believe because I was soon going to be teaching those firearms. I was instructed that dropping the hammer after you've loaded the firearm is not a safe maneuver under any circumstance. It was never designed to be carried in any condition except cocked with the safety on! If you are not willing to carry these firearms in the conditions by which they were designed to be carried, go out and purchase another firearm!
When I finally transitioned into carrying a semi-auto as my primary firearm. It was a 40 Smith CZ variant that has the ability to carry a double action or half-cock or fully cocked and locked. I have never carried it and anything but condition one.
There is a reason that Saive designed the High Power with an inertial firing pin that COULDN'T be fired with the hammer down while a round is in the chamber. In other words, it is a feature, not a supposed bug.
For some militaries, carrying the High Power they were issued with a round in the chamber and the hammer lowered was sometimes the mode designated for carry. Other times, magazine loaded and no round in the chamber. And yet in other times, no magazine in place at all.
Militaries seldom tell their troops to use their initiative in how they choose to carry their weapons.
Like a lot of people, I fail to see what FN was trying to accomplish here....
I hate that guiderod hole so much.
It's a Hi-Power "in principle"... So it has a trigger, sear, firing pin, etc.
It's not a clone;
No parts are interchangeable;
Magazines are not interchangeable, forwards or backwards;
Call me a stodgy old fart, but as far as I'm concerned, it's not a Hi-Power.
It’s not a Hi Power, It’s a High Power to differentiate itself from the previous model
The Advocate carrying the gun in condition three. However carrying a firearm that you are going to carry to defend yourself with in an unloaded condition is a good way to die!!!!!
My reaction to seeing this “High” Power for the first time.
th-cam.com/video/3sIYe74sczE/w-d-xo.html
Complete disrespect to JMB's design. Shame on FN.