Hi-Power Browning

The Browning Hi-Power (also called Browning GP 35 and Browning HP 35 , usually shortened in Hi-Power) is the last Pistolet partly developped at the point by John Moses Browning. Indeed, Hi-Power results from the improvement of a patent of American John Moses Browning deposited in 1925, itself resulting from an improvement of the patent of 1897. However, Browning dying in 1926, it will be necessary to await a certain number of modifications and nearly one decade before Hi-Power is not produced by the Belgian company FN Herstal starting from 1935, under the name of Browning GP 35 (for Great power - year 1935) (Browning was related to the Belgian firm for the exploitation of its patents in Europe since the production of the Browning M1900). semi-automatic Gun functioning in Simple action, the GP 35 was at the origin available with two types of rise, fixed and adjustable from 50 to 500 m, and the handle could be arranged to fix at it a detachable stick (which was also used as case). Generally, the guns with rise fixes had a traditional handle, and those with adjustable rise had the detachable stick. The weapon will be bought by the Belgian Armée and the Belgian police little before the Second world war.

During the Second world war, the Hi-Power Browning will be probably the only weapon which will be manufactured by the two camps. Indeed, the German army will use (under the name of P35 (b) , for gun, year 1935, manufactured in Belgium) of Hi-Power manufactured in the factory of FN Herstal (it seems besides that the Belgian workmen deliberately badly worked, and that P35 (b) produced during the occupation were not reliable), while the factory John Inglis of Toronto will build Hi-Power for the allies thanks to the plans which could have been evacuated before the invasion of Belgium. Called HP 35 (for High Power - 1935) by the manufacturer, it will arm the Canadian and Chinese armies, and good number of British officers will obtain as arms secondary in addition to their revolvers Enfield .38 lawful.

After the war, the Browning HP was adopted by a great number of armies and police forces, in particular while becoming the first lawful gun of the British army (called L9A1 ) to replace the revolvers gauges .38, of which it is always the handgun of service. Among his more famous users, one will quote in particular the Special Air British Service and the Hostage Rescue TEAM of FBI. In the years 1960-1970, the Belgian firm grants a license of manufacture to the Indonesia (Pindad P1A 9mm) and to Argentina ( FM Browning ). The Argentinian model, replacing FMAP 1927 (M1911 Colt) in the armed forces and the police force, is found quickly between the hands of many narcotrafiquants South American. FM Browning was proposed in the trade-circuit by the private firm Bersa ( Bersa 90 ). FEG 9 Hungarian , the Bulgarian Arcus is other copies.

Confined in 9mm Parabellum, the capacity of 13 blows of the charger with double column constituted an unquestionable advantage for a weapon of the time. A lengthened charger of 20 blows was also produced (used by the units of interventions like British SAS). The Hi-Power Browning was also confined in 7,65 mm Parabellum (in the years 1970 bound for the Italy) and in .40 S&W for the North-American market primarily (model Mark III, to see below).

Hi-Power knew a certain number of improvements, in particular in the Années 1980 with versions with platinum in Double action (DA/SA or CAD), under various designations: Browning HP-DA, BDA9 and BDAO (see the article Browning HP-DA). Those however knew little success. More recently, of the versions intended for the military/police market were launched, the Mark II , then the Mark III always currently suggested (in the USA, it is called HP-SA for simple-action, in opposition to the Browning HP-DA). Mark III is equipped with a safety with striker, more modern bodies of aiming and plates of plastic stick, and it can be confined in .40 S&W. An improvement of its turntable simple action gave rise to the HP SPS ( Self Fast Shooting ).

The mechanism of this Arme was and continues to be begun again completely or partially in an impressive quantity of Pistolet At the same time reliable, functional S. and of great capacity, the Hi-Power Browning is, after the Colt M1911, the second older gun always in service, and should probably be, after the American model, the second gun to have exceeded one century of service. It is always in service in XXIe century in the Belgian army and the police force, the British army and various military services and police.

Data sheet

Mark III

  • Ammunition: 9mm Parabellum (existing versions in 7,65 Parabellum and .40 S&W)
  • Length: 20cm
  • Length of the gun: 11,8cm
  • Weight noncharged: 0,810kg
  • Weight charged: 0,986kg
  • Capacity of the chargers: 13 or 20 (9 mm Parabellum), 10 (.40 S&W)

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