Browning Hi-Power

Browning Hi-Power
Fabrique Nationale Browning Hi-Power
TypeSemi-automatic pistol
Place of origin
  • Belgium
  • United States
Service history
In service1935–present[1]
Used bySee Users
Wars
Production history
Designer
Designed1914–1935[1]
Manufacturer
Produced1935–2018,[1] 2022[5]–present
No. built1,500,000+[6]
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass1 kg (2.2 lb)[1]
Length197 mm (7.8 in)[1]
Barrel length119 mm (4.7 in)[1]

Cartridge
ActionShort recoil operated tilting barrel
Rate of fireSemi-automatic
Muzzle velocity335 m/s(1,100 ft/s) (9mm)[1]
Effective firing range50 m (54.7 yd)
Feed systemDetachable box magazine
  • 10, 13, 15 or 17 rounds (9mm)
  • 20 or 30 rounds made by Rhodesia (9mm)[1]
  • 10 rounds (.40 S&W)

The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, semi-automatic pistol available in the 9×19mm Parabellum and .40 S&W calibers. It was based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at FN Herstal. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized. FN Herstal named it the "High Power" in allusion to the 13-round magazine capacity, almost twice that of other designs at the time, such as the Walther P38 or Colt M1911.

During World War II, Belgium was occupied by Nazi Germany and the FN factory was used by the Wehrmacht to build the pistols for their military, under the designation "9mm Pistole 640(b)".[7] FN Herstal continued to build guns for the Allied forces by moving their production line to a John Inglis and Company plant in Canada, where the name was changed to "Hi Power". The name change was kept even after production returned to Belgium. The pistol is often referred to as an HP or BHP,[8] and the terms P-35 and HP-35 are also used, based on the introduction of the pistol in 1935. Other names include GP (after the French term grande puissance) or BAP (Browning Automatic Pistol). The Hi-Power is one of the most widely used military pistols in history,[9] having been used by the armed forces of over 50 countries.[1] Although most pistols were built in Belgium by FN Herstal, licensed and unlicensed copies were built around the world, in countries such as Argentina, Hungary, India, Bulgaria, and Israel.

After 82 years of continuous production, FN Herstal announced that the production of the Hi-Power would end, and it was discontinued in early 2018 by Browning Arms.[10] From 2019 to 2022, with new Belgian Hi-Powers no longer being built, new clones were designed by various firearm companies to fill the void, including GİRSAN, TİSAŞ, and Springfield Armory, Inc. These new Hi-Power clones began competing with each other by offering new finishes, enhanced sights, redesigned hammers, bevelled magazine wells, improved trigger, and increased magazine capacity.[11][12]

In 2022, FN announced they would resume production of the Browning Hi-Power. The 2022 "FN High Power" incorporated a number of entirely new features such as a fully ambidextrous slide lock, simplified takedown method, enlarged ejection port, reversible magazine release, wider slide serrations, different colored finish offerings, and 17-round magazines. In contrast to popular belief, the new FN High Power might resemble a modern Hi-Power, but it is, in fact, a different design. One of the noticeable details is the lack of Browning-style locking lugs.[5]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Miller, David (2001). The Illustrated Directory of 20th Century Guns. Salamander Books Ltd. ISBN 1-84065-245-4.
  2. ^ Bloomfield, Lincoln P.; Leiss, Amelia Catherine (30 June 1967). The Control of local conflict: a design study on arms control and limited war in the developing areas (PDF). Vol. 3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for International Studies. pp. 78, 89. hdl:2027/uiug.30112064404368. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 August 2020.
  3. ^ Small Arms Survey (2015). "Waning Cohesion: The Rise and Fall of the FDLR–FOCA" (PDF). Small Arms Survey 2015: weapons and the world (PDF). Cambridge University Press. p. 201. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2018. Small Arms Survey 2015 at the Wayback Machine (archived 2018-01-28)
  4. ^ Conflict Armament Research (September 2014). Islamic State Weapons in Iraq and Syria: Analysis of weapons and ammunition captured from Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria (PDF). p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Highpower".
  6. ^ "FN Herstal – Major Product Achievements". FN Herstal. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  7. ^ MacGregor, Steve (7 December 2018). "Shot by both sides – The Browning High Power in WW2".
  8. ^ "Browning Catalog". Browning.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  9. ^ Arnold, David W. (24 September 2010). "Classic Handguns of the 20th Century: The Browning HI-Power". Handguns Magazine. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  10. ^ "Browning Ends Hi-Power Production -". 6 February 2018. Archived from the original on 30 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  11. ^ "Tisas BR9 Vs. Browning's Hi-Power". Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Springfield Armory SA-35 Review". 27 December 2021.