The Browning Hi-Power 9mm was a game-changer when it appeared in 1935. It started as what would turn out to be John Browning’s last design. Unfortunately, he died in 1926, before the gun was finished.
He had been working with FN Herstal of Belgium, so an FN designer, Dieudonné Saive, finished the gun. What a collaboration that was, even if they didn’t actually work together… the resulting product turned out to be one of the most popular pistols of all time.
It was a design ahead of its time. It was chambered in 9mm, not .45 ACP as was his 1911. (Interesting historical note… if the Army hadn’t insisted on the 1911 being chambered in .45 ACP, Browning would have pushed for it to be in 9mm. He liked that caliber.)
Being basically a European design, the 9mm caliber would have made sense. It used a 13-round magazine, which was considered high capacity in the late 1920s. In fact, that magazine inspired the Hi-Power name. All was good until WWII, when Germany took over the FN facilities for their own production. They continued to build Hi-Powers under the designation 9mm Pistole 640(b).
Canada Enters The Picture
FN Herstal didn’t give up Hi-Power production. They saw the writing on the wall before the war, so they moved Allied Hi-Power production to the John Inglis and Company plant in Toronto, Canada. Actually, that is when the name “Hi-Power” was officially adopted. They kept the name after they moved production back to Belgium after the war. It has been identified over the years by the names P-35, HP-35, HP, or BAP (Browning Automatic Pistol).
The gun became so popular that it was eventually used by more than 50 countries’ militaries. That speaks volumes for its construction, design, reliability, and effectiveness.
Our Gun
We have before us a brand-new Inglis P-35B Hi-Power tribute, as I call it. I won’t call it a clone, because there are a few differences between this one and the original (see below). So, what do we have here? First, about the Inglis company… I mentioned it above. I’ll quote from the website:
SDS Imports is pleased to announce the return of Inglis Manufacturing and the Inglis P-35 line of pistols to the US market. Looking back on the history of the John Inglis Co. production of small arms during and after WWII, we set out to revive this often-overlooked company and bring back some of their most iconic products, especially their military contract variant Hi-Power™ pistols.
So, where are these pistols made? Short answer: Turkey. Putting politics aside, some well-built guns I’ve shot or owned have come from there. There are several firearms companies in Turkey that make, among other things, arms built to NATO specs for militaries across the globe. I have had no problems with several Turkish pistols I’ve owned, or the very nice over/under 20-gauge that sits in my safe. SDS Arms in Knoxville, Tennessee, imports them.
To address the elephant in the room, I understand that some have trouble keeping politics out of the discussion… I’ve been there myself… but in terms of pure gun building and product, these guns are the real deal. You get a decently-made pistol for not a lot of money.
We have a very good-looking 9mm Hi-Power-esque pistol before us. The finish is nice, and the workmanship and materials are first-rate. Here are some features as listed on the gun’s web page…
- Forged Frame and Slide
- Durable Cerakote Finish
- Walnut Checkered Grips
- No Magazine Disconnect
- Ambidextrous Safety
- Browning® Dovetail Sight Cuts
- 1yr Warranty/Lifetime Service Plan
Since we looked at features, here are its specifications
- Action Type: Semi-Auto
- Operation: Single Action
- Caliber: 9mm
- Frame/Receiver – Slide Finish: Cerakote
- Sights: Fixed – Black Serrated Rear – Fiber Optic Front
- Optics Ready/Cut: N/A
- Capacity (w/ Included Mags): 15 + 1, 2 included
- Barrel Length: 4.7″
- Threaded: N/A
- Barrel Finish: Hard Chrome
- OAL: 7.5″
- Height: 5″
- Width: 1.6″
- Weight (Unloaded): 1.84 lbs. (29.4 oz)
- MSRP: $662.52
Photos
Here are a few photos I took…
Sights
We have a serrated, U-notch rear with a fiber optic front. The sight picture is very clear, if a little bright in my pic…
Grip
The grip panels are pure Hi-Power… checkered wood. Replacements abound, if needed.
Frame Rails
We have typical single-action-pistol frame rails. In this age of striker-fired, polymer-framed gus, we tend to forget that older pistols usually used slightly longer rails.
Barrel, Recoil Spring
I read “Ozerbas” on the barrel. A bit of digging told me that Ozerbas Makina Silah is a manufacturer and wholesaler of firearms. Evidently, they made this barrel. Also note the loop at the end of the recoil spring… that’s where the slide stop pin goes. No captured spring here… this one is of the Armstrong variety!
Engraving
Left side
Right side
Controls
The safety is replicated on the other side of the frame, as well.
You get two 15-round magazines with the gun. The original Hi-Power used 13-round magazines, which were high-capacity for 1935… hence the nickname “Hi-Power”, as mentioned above. These magazines are made in Italy.
Target Time
I am blessed to have ammo for my reviews provided by Black Hills Ammunition in South Dakota. So, I grabbed three typical 9mm loads… a 115-grain FMJ, a 124-grain JHP, and their 125-grain HoneyBadger subsonic load. These are all very popular with 9mm shooters, and that HoneyBadger is downright smazing!
Here are three representative 20-yard targets.
It didn’t like any of the 115-grain FMJ I fed it.
The HoneyBadger did better… here’s a sample target.
It also did alright with the JHP load. Here’s a sample group…
Who Is The Target Market For This Pistol?
So, who might buy this Hi-Power-esque 9mm? I think anyone who finds firearms history interesting, who is interested in military-style sidearms, who likes classic single-action 9mm pistols… those are the folks who might buy this gun. As I stated above, I owned a Springfield Armory SA-35 Hi-Power model – it is one very nice, well-built pistol. The Inglis and the Springfield compare very favorably, although there are a few minor differences that we won’t go into here.
Speaking of target markets, this Inglis is more suitable for us lefties, thanks to its ambi safety. That opens it up to at least a few more shooters.
How Does The P-35B Differ From The Original?
I conducted some research and identified a few differences. That’s why I won’t call it a clone.
Construction: The P-35B uses a forged steel frame and slide. This is really good… it makes for a strong gun.
Trigger: The P-35B features an exceptionally smooth, light trigger pull, which is an improvement over the original’s. It is typically around 3-4 pounds. The original Hi-Power’s magazine disconnect safety didn’t help the trigger pull, which leads us to…
No Magazine Disconnect Safety: A big difference is that the P-35B lacks the magazine disconnect safety found in the original Hi-Power models. I like this feature, as I detest magazine safeties.
Sights: The Inglis P-35B is equipped with a fiber-optic front and a U-notch rear sight for improved target acquisition.
Grips and Finishes: The P-35B is available with a Cerakote, matte blue, or nickel finish and has checkered wood grips.
Ambidextrous Safety: It includes an extended ambidextrous safety for easier operation by both right and left-handed shooters. The lefty in me appreciates this!
Target Time
I grabbed some targets and headed to my backyard range. I am blessed to have Black Hills Ammunition provide ammo for my reviews, so I grabbed some to use with this pistol. Here are a few representative targets…
Summing Up
The Browning Hi-Power is a pistol with a history. It seems that just about every gun John Moses Browning designed has had a life well beyond what could have reasonably been expected at the time of their unveiling, and the Hi-Power is no exception. Even though he didn’t get to finish the design, he got it started, and the final product has had a huge impact over the decades.
I could not afford a “real” FN Hi-Power, but owning this pistol at least lets me experience something very similar. I enjoyed shooting it; it was very easy to handle and a pleasure to shoot. It was reliable and accurate. I especially appreciated the lack of a magazine safety and the ambidextrous thumb safety.
If you, like me, have always wanted the Hi-Power experience but couldn’t swing it, you might want to give this pistol a look. It’s like holding history in your hand.
Links To Items Used In This Review
And, last but not least, MTM makes some pretty handy handgun cases. Here’s one that holds four. I used it with three, and it was perfect.
More Browning Hi-Power love on TTAG:
Read the full article here
