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Old October 26, 2012, 11:05 AM   #1
trespass
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why no browning Hi-power 40's?

anybody know why browning no longer making the 40 cal hi-power?
was it destroying frames with battering? or just not a good seller? or what?
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Old October 26, 2012, 11:20 AM   #2
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Probably not a good enough seller. Isn't FN dropping the 9mm Hi-Power, too?
I remember there was a big scramble for HPs, ten or twelve years ago, because Browning announced they weren't going to import the HP anymore. All it meant was that there would be no more Browning-marked HPs. Maybe FN won't make any more HPs in Belgium, but they will be made in the U.S.? A .40 would be nice, if that's the case.
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Old October 26, 2012, 11:50 AM   #3
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.40 didn't sell.
FN is not dropping the 9.
The Hi-Power won't be made in the US.
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Old October 26, 2012, 12:06 PM   #4
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Hi-power is taking the high road and staying with 9mm as the platform was designed for. Its not going anywhere.
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Old October 26, 2012, 01:32 PM   #5
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I have a sample-of-one answer for this question, at least the one about why they were not selling.

I sold mine because it felt unbalanced and top heavy in my hand compared to the wonderful 9mm model. This is because of the thicker and heavier slide on the .40 gun. And it seemed to have excessive muzzle climb during recoil, compared to other .40 caliber designs.

I realize that the above comments are subjective. But perhaps enough people felt the same way and thus sales were too low for it to stay in production.

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Old October 26, 2012, 02:54 PM   #6
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I was going to say because they sucked - but - Bart explained it nicer and in better detail.
Just holding one felt creepy...
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Old October 26, 2012, 03:20 PM   #7
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I have to object to the comment about the HP .40 being a sucky pistol. I have one and it has performed very well. While it is heavier than the standard 9mm HP, the weight difference is more than made up for by the additional power factor of the .40 caliber round.

.40 HP did not sell because they were expensive compared to other .40 caliber pistols, and it did not help that the problems with the initial production run were kept alive even after the issues were solved.

I would take a .40 HP any day over a plastic Glock in .40!
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Old October 26, 2012, 04:10 PM   #8
WIN1886
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Sorry , for being a bit off topic but didn't Browning offer a .45 caliber pistol as well at one time ? Anyway , I sure like my BHP in 9mm and wouldn't mind a second one on hand either...a .40 cal version would be interesting with night sights !
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Old October 26, 2012, 04:12 PM   #9
DPris
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Browning had a limited run of commemorative 1911s in .45 ACP made for them in conjunction with last year's 1911-2011 hoopla.

They imported the SIG P220 in .45 ACP under their own name in the late 70s.
Which are you refering to?
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Old October 26, 2012, 04:47 PM   #10
WIN1886
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Thanks , I was referring to the ones made in the late 70's or so and did not know they were the SIG P220 with Browning's name ! Go figure , I recently added a P220 being my first SIG as well ! Someday a 1911 will be added !
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Old October 26, 2012, 05:38 PM   #11
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Have two .40's and three 9's......the 40's definitely have bulkier and thicker slides. 9mm's do feel better balanced, both calibers shoot great.
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Old October 26, 2012, 05:51 PM   #12
Hal
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Quote:
I have to object to the comment about the HP .40 being a sucky pistol.
All due respect - my opinion is that the .40 version of the HP sucked.
Your opinion is that it didn't.
Look at it this way - I'm one less person that wants one which means there's more of them available for you in the future if you want to pick up another one.
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Old October 26, 2012, 06:20 PM   #13
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Mine is very accurate and control is better then any 40cal pistol I've used to date.
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Old October 27, 2012, 06:56 AM   #14
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I have a friend who loves his Silver Chrome .40 BHP. In fact he likes it so much, he sold me his 9MM BHP which I adore. Not a big .40 fan.
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Old October 27, 2012, 11:43 AM   #15
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"Not a big .40 fan."

I think this sort of sums it up. The Forty Fad is waning.

The Hi-Power is a classic and, like the 1911, is best served in it's original cartridge. It's similar to the reason that most 1911's are manufactured in .45 ACP

Add on top of that the fact that younger pups aren't all that interested in classic steel designs.
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Old October 27, 2012, 11:53 AM   #16
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I have one of each. I agree that the .40 feels heavier and doesn't look as nice. I will also go on record as disliking the factory trigger: too stiff for someone not in NYC. After trigger work I like it as much as my Glock G22. However, the BHP .40 only holds 10 rounds and has a trigger you have to adapt to (reset, grit, mag disconect, trigger weight) while more recent designs are better out of the box, for less money.

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Old October 28, 2012, 07:56 AM   #17
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Is the .40 Browning more accurate than the 9? I would think so just because I've never seen the 9 be very accurate in any pistol except the Sig P210.
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Old October 28, 2012, 08:05 AM   #18
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Quote:
never seen the 9 be very accurate in any pistol except the Sig P210
???? OK, I suspect it is a shooter problem, not a gun problem going on.
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Old October 28, 2012, 11:09 AM   #19
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My factory stock MKIII Browning Hi Power in 9MM is my most accurate centerfire handgun. My CZ-75 and HK P7's aren't far behind, (both 9MM) but I can shoot the Hi Power a bit better.
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Old October 29, 2012, 08:16 AM   #20
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40 browning

I like my 40 Hi-Power. Sure, it is a little different from the 9, it's a 40.
I do not find recoil an issue, it performs flawlessly. Would actually like to have a second just to stick back in the vault. But, did wonder if the frame took a beating with the heavier cartridge. I find I prefer it over-all to my Government model 45.
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Old October 29, 2012, 08:25 AM   #21
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Lack of interest and low sales. The bulkier slide seemed to bother people too. Most BHP have a less than awesome trigger out of the box too.
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Old October 29, 2012, 10:11 AM   #22
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Quote:
Is the .40 Browning more accurate than the 9? I would think so just because I've never seen the 9 be very accurate in any pistol except the Sig P210.
Most 9mms, like most handguns in general, are capable of more accuracy than most shooters are. The "accuracy" of a handgun is usually determined by things like sights, trigger, etc. and how the shooter uses them, and less by the actual inherant accuracy of the weapon itself. There are plenty of 9mms capable of shooting tiny little groups when shot from a Ransom Rest, but I promise you the groups will be much bigger when I shoot them.
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Old October 29, 2012, 03:43 PM   #23
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I know that, if I was in the market for a High Power, I would be looking for one in 9mm. A .40S&W High Power just seems... wrong.

That said, I'd consider a 1911 in 9mm, so I'm probably not the best example!
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Old October 29, 2012, 04:57 PM   #24
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I have a .40 BHP and love it. Yes, it is heavier than the 9. Yes, the heavier slide makes it top heavy, to a degree, but I offset that a bit with a set of Alumagrips (not intentional but it turned out that way). The extra weight soaks up the .40 recoil which makes it a joy to shoot in that caliber. I ended up with one of the later models and the trigger was so good out of the box that I did not remove the magazine safety, which I've done on all my 9mm BHPs, and the pull is just under 6# and not gritty at all. I guess I got lucky. The fact that they discontinued it means the prices will go up over time which also makes me happy. Win/win.
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Old October 30, 2012, 12:14 PM   #25
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Sold mine for the same reasons Bart mentioned above. Still have the 9mm version. Always will.
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