My first BHP

Discussion in 'Browning Hi Power Handgun' started by James M Brown, Oct 5, 2019.

  1. I bought this BHP from Classic. It had a bad paint job, scratched up grips and the trigger was pretty bad. I stripped off the paint from the slide and re-blued it. The frame is aluminum so I took it to a guy in Wheatfield Indiana who sand blasted the old paint off and ceracoated in. I added an extended safety and a sear and hammer form Cylinder & Slide. The magazine safety was also removed. The trigger is great now and breaks at ~6lbs. I then removed the hump from the feed ramp and polished it. It will now feed HP ammo. I’m super happy with this pistol. All I need to do now is find a way to put better sights on it.


    Before:


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    After:


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  2. Pathfinder36

    Pathfinder36 Copper BB

    Mr. Brown your BHP had a rebirth and it's looks great. I also bought one from Classic but I hide in the back of the safe. It was my 8th BHP plus 1 mint FEG clone. I've considered refinishing the Classic gun but I'm old school and have resisted. I hope you don't mind my asking but what kind of costs am I looking at if I do? Again, very nice job.
  3. [​IMG]

    I've since acquired another mid '70s BHP that is in 99%+ condition so I had no qualms as far a refinishing the Classic pistol. I reblued the slide myself so the cost was zero. The frame cost $60 for the sand blasting and Cerakote. I don't know if this info helps, good luck.
    ripjack13 likes this.
  4. Pathfinder36

    Pathfinder36 Copper BB

    Thanks for the refinishing info. My Classic BHP is solid mechanically & pitting, scratch, ding free. I may have to take my black sheep out of the safe and give refinishing a try. As I mentioned yours looks great. Ed
  5. ripjack13

    ripjack13 Resident Sawdust Maker Staff Member Administrator

    Woo. That looks much better. Are those new grips or did you sand em smooth?
  6. The grips are brand new. This is my new EDC.
  7. Soundguy

    Soundguy .410

    James M Brown,

    I just had Meprolight sights put on my FM Detective slide/Alloy frame carry gun. I sent the pistol to BHSS (Indiana). Dovetail cuts were made for Mark 3 style Meprolight sights. BHSS did the refinishing.

    Picture attached. The sights glow well in the dark.

    Alloy 3.jpg Alloy 2.jpg
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2019
    Rudolph31 likes this.
  8. That's awesome. I just sent them a message asking if they could do that to mine.
  9. In The Ten Ring

    In The Ten Ring .270 WIN

    Congrats on you HP and it being an aluminum frame. Those are hard-to-find and I looked for between 5 and 10 years for one.

    Will you carry your updated alloy HP?
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2019
  10. Soundguy

    Soundguy .410

    Yes... I carried it for about a year before sending it out for sights and the new finish and it's back in the rotation. For me, it's a near perfect carry gun. On my dream list is a short slide with the same sexier slimmer lines of a real BHP slide. Both the FM and Arcus slides are beefier and don't really fit in my preferred Kydex holster. I do have two extra slides... a spare I found years ago and the one that came with my Alloy BHP. I hope to one day find a shop that can cut one down to the length of either the FM or Arcus slide using the same detective barrel and recoil spring/guide rod combination... each is different. Alternately, I would love to find someone to "melt" my FM Detective slide to reflect the classic lines of the BHP.

    My Alloy BHP came from R-Guns in Carpentersville, IL. They are the importer and moved some to other outfits. It would not surprise me if they still have some.

    At this link is a 1986 with a buy now price of $525 in an auction that ends tomorrow. No bids so far. It looks to be in condition similar to mine... though mine had better sights, small 3 dots. Mine is a 1981 and was $683 including IL sales tax. It shot very well at the range on my way home from picking it up. I just couldn't wait!
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2019
    In The Ten Ring likes this.
  11. In The Ten Ring

    In The Ten Ring .270 WIN

    You seem a bit like me! I too save parts for "off in the future" plans. (Haven't gotten to any of those yet though).

    Thanks for the heads up on another one. I have three now, two from Ohio Ordnance Works and a third from Gunbroker. The first two were $450 a piece and the third was $750.00 or so but did come with several magazines. I am "alloy HP'd up" for now.

    Glad you carried yours. I plan to carry one of mine at some point. Right now I am wedded to the J-frame with occasional 1911 carry.
  12. In The Ten Ring

    In The Ten Ring .270 WIN

    How is your carry of this alloy version going?

    I just now ordered several OEM "mouse trap" mags for my 9's and .40. I want to get my Mark 2 repaired and cerocoated. I may carry it and at some point, I want to get one of my alloy versions redone the same way.

    I have this odd idea of a bright "charcoal blue" for the frame and black for slide.
    Soundguy likes this.
  13. It's light and very easy to conceal. Carries like a dream.

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