Posted on 10/20/2008 3:54:09 AM PDT by sig226
It is a safe bet that the choices in 9mm pistols has never been greater than today. They can be had from diminutive little things about the size of the traditional .380 ACP (and smaller) to the 1911 platform in standard 5" guns to 6" long slides.
And the choice is there in action types, too! We can still find purely single-action autos from a number of makers including FN, CZ, and a number of 1911 makers who chamber it in 9mm. Traditional DA/SA automatics can be found from S&W, HK, SIG-Sauer, CZ, and more. Want a "plastic pistol"? You can sure find in from Glock, SA with their XD9, S&W, and others. Some such as CZ and HK offer selective single-action, meaning that their DA/SA pistols can be carried cocked-and-locked.
For me, the Hi Power continues to remain my favorite overall.
Part of this is admittedly subjective but some good arguments for the "mature" Hi Power design can be made. So let's take a gander at why this classic design continues to be popular with folks interested in something to take to the range to those most assured that they will go in harm's way.
Simplicity & Reliability: The Hi Power consists of very few internal parts compared to many of today's handguns, but it is not alone. Others include the aging Makarov, the 1911, and the considerably younger Glock. All of these pistols share a common trait and one that is frequently espoused by their devotees: reliability. Each of these guns has proven itself capable of functioning under adverse conditions. The ultra-fine sand of Iraq may affect one more than another, but that pistol may do better in arctic climates. The Hi Power has been doing this decade after bloodletting decade. I am not saying that more internally complex handguns are doomed to be unreliable; I am saying that the potential is there.
With older classic Hi Powers pre-dating the Mk II which arrived in the '80's, the Hi Power's legendary reliability was primarily with FMJ or ball ammunition. It is very true that many of these guns simply would not run reliably with other than jacketed round nose ammunition. Their humped feed ramps worked great with military-style ammunition but could be very selective about which JHP ammo they would feed. With some work on the feed ramp this could be changed and I've done that very thing with a couple of my older Hi Powers. They handle any JHP I've put in them since. With the Mk II and it progeny, the Mk III, there is no such problem. FN finally went with a feed ramp capable of slickly feeding about any JHP.
Today it seems that reliability complaints with the Mk II or Mk III pistols is not feeding, but extraction. With enough ammunition fired, it is possible for crud to build up under the extractor to the point that the claw does not move inward enough to get a complete "bite" on the cartridge rim. A failure to extract can be the result. Simply removing the extractor and cleaning out the mess usually solves the problem and it is not chronic; it occurs after many rounds have been fired, assuming that parts are in spec…and they usually are.
The other "problem" with the Hi Power is that the extractor spring must be a strong one. Pushing inward at the rear of the extractor should require pretty good effort to move the extractor. If it doesn't, the spring needs to be replaced. (I've had really good luck with Wolff extra strength extractor springs.)
That's about it. Clean under the extractor every case or two of ammunition and you should be good to go and check the extractor spring. If you unexpectedly begin experiencing failures to extract and the extractor claw is in good shape; I'll bet the problems either crud under the extractor or a weak spring.
ping
mmmm...Monday morning gun-porn...
I’m selling all my firearms and I’m letting the entire world know it every chance I get.
If anyone sees me shooting, I either borrowed it from a friend or I am having my last go before selling.
Ah, the BHP, my personal favorite and still the pistol I shoot most accurately with. Only “problem” is that it is in 9mm or .40, and doesn’t translate well to .45.
For those with a similar issue, turns out the Springfield XDs have ergonomics and grip very, very, very, very close to that of a BHP, even in .45.
>>>>I’m selling all my firearms and I’m letting the entire world know it every chance I get.
OK....
Wanna’ tell us why? Or why it’s important to “the entire world”?
My next purchase is a Springfield XD.... haven't decided on the model / caliber yet.
Um... you do know what the nickname for those is, right?
I do hope you don’t use it for anything critical like carry.
“I also have the same weapon in .40 short and weak.”
You kind of have that backwards, don’t you?
9mm is tame/lame compared to the ballistics of .40.
I’ll take my Glock .40 over my 9mm any day.
They both run behind my .45 Rock Island Compact Tactical!
Short and weak compared to .45.
IMHO, .40 S&W is the answer to a question nobody should have been asking. :P
“40 Short and weak” is the nickname FBI agents who use 10mm or 45ACP gave to the .40 Smith and Wesson cartridge. Compared to those, I guess it is. Of course it’s more robust than the 9mm.
Nope, just targets. My carry weapons are a Ruger .357 or a Taurus Judge in .45 Colt/410 shotgun.
I really like this pistol. It has good sights and a good trigger. The slide release isn't quite right for my hand but I'm getting used to it. It's designated as my IDPA qualification pistol.
I do have trouble with the leather holster since it's new. I should swap it for a BladeTec.
I’m going on a fateful canoe trip and taking every single gun I own. I have a strange feeling things are going to go bad. :)
What holsta do you use for your Taurus?
I have a horizontal carry shoulder holster for it. I can’t remember the maker. It cost about $30 when I bought it.
My only problem with it is it’s not stainless. I have yet to find a manufacturer who makes them. Plated nickel yes, but no stainless.
I also don’t have a problem with it in 9MM. Sources for .45 Auto are drying up and owning a 9MM is good sense.
Wanna’ tell us why? Or why it’s important to “the entire world”?
Plausible deniability.
My expert opinion is that you don't own enough guns. I couldn't get me and all of my guns into a standard-size canoe. It would have to be one of those big war canoes that the Polynesians use.
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