# Small Hi Power Project...



## Stephen A. Camp (May 9, 2006)

Hello. A couple of days ago, a friend advised me that a local fellow was wanting to sell a "target Hi Power" at a good price and that it was "practically new". I asked if he meant a Competition Model and described it but what it turned out to be was a 1980 Hi Power with adjustable sights, the old round "tin can" looking ones. It came with two holsters and three 13-shot magazines and had the classic checkered walnut grips. The "good price" was not so good as if it has been for a Competition Model, but still wasn't bad so I took a look at the gun.

It wasn't pristine as had initially been described, but it was in very good shape with but a tiny ding here and there but no rust visible anywhere on the bright blue frame or slide.

The pistol had been shot very little and cleaned even less.

I am not a fan of the old factory adjustable sights. In fact, those sights and their inability to hold zero for more than a couple of hundred shots led to my first custom Hi Power.

Still, it was a nice gun at a fair price so I bought it.

I pulled a like-new Mk III slide I happened to have (It had been matte blued but otherwise was stock.), and it fit the older frame very nicely. The bbl that came with the gun and bears the same serial number fit the Mk III slide quite well. Putting it into the slide and then pushing forward on the bbl and then rearward from the muzzle showed no movement that I could feel and the bbl's lugs were fully engaging the recesses in the slide. Checking this with a Blue Marks-a-lot confirmed what I already knew.

With the Hi Power assembled, the is no movement in the bbl-to-slide fit.

The bbl's feed ramp is the old humped version and if it causes any feeding problems, I'll alter it.

I stuck in a Wolff conventional 18.5-lb recoil spring, and knocked out the magazine disconnect. This improved the trigger a bit but not as much as I'd hoped for or experienced on other Hi Powers. I'd estimate this pistol's trigger pull at a clean but heavy 9 or 10-lbs.

Taking a few extra bbls I'd checked for fit in the gun, I grabbed some ammunition and slipped out to the range.

It was quite windy today and the longest distance I shot was 25 yards and did that while seated with my wrists braced. Did the same thing at 15 yards.

I did not bob the hammer spur as is my custom so I did get "bit" a tiny bit today, but I didn't want to alter the hammer if I wasn't going to keep the gun. The magazine "safety" can go right back in, but I cannot make the hammer spur grow so I'd held off.









_Here's a picture of the Hi Power with the Mk III slide/bbl assembly in place. When this picture was taken, the magazine disconnect had not yet been removed._









_At 15 yards, I blew 2 shots but only called the worst one. With the wind, the light hammer bite, and the heavy trigger, this was just about the best I could do. Others could no doubt do much better. The handload that was shot is not particularly accurate, but will usually do about 2 to 2 1/2" at this distance. I was shooting up the last of this mid-1100 ft/sec load._









_At 25-yds, group size increased a bit and I still dropped one shot in the 9-ring. It was a called shot but not marked. The ammo used was Federal 124-gr. FMJ._

This Hi Power has the standard 32-lb mainspring and was used with the Wolff 18.5-lb recoil spring. These two standard pressure pressure loads worked fine although the handload didn't have quite enough "oomph" to lock the slide back once. The Federal ball as well as 115-gr. Fiocchi FMJ worked fine in all aspects as did a 124-gr. cast truncated cone handload, also over 6.9-gr. Blue Dot.

I am satisfied that the factory fixed sights are "on" so it looks like I'll be bobbing the hammer spur on this one. I _think_ it is capable of much better grouping, but I'll need to work on the trigger pull to find that out for sure.









_One of my other Mk III's has a bright blue slide with a matte frame. This one is just the opposite: bright blue frame and matte slide. For now, I'll leave the small factory single-sided safety in place as this one is a spare. When I get the trigger pull where it needs to be, I will take a look at fitting a slightly extended single-side thumb safety to the gun._

The way that bbls made during quite a span of years fit the Mk III slide and 1980 frame speaks pretty highly of FN's manufacturing in my opinion. Everything fit and only one bbl showed even a trace of "looseness" in the slide.

So, nothing real special, but sort of a neat way to get another Mk III and get to piddle around now and again to get where I hope to with this gun.

Besides, I just find it a heck of a lot of fun to shoot and mess around with Hi Powers.

Best.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

Tell you what Mr.Camp you just keep piddlen around as long as you write about it. I enjoy your articles immensely. I always pick up something from them. Just keep us informed. Thank you. Baldy


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## Stephen A. Camp (May 9, 2006)

Hello, sir. You are most kind.

Best to you and yours.


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## Peacemaker (Nov 20, 2006)

what did the original slide look like? got a pic?


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## MAN WITH A GUN (May 24, 2007)

I have a HP in .40 cal and want to improve it.

It has been 20 years since I smithed on a HP but, if I remember, the mad disconnect is removed by punching out a small pin on the trigger. If not, please corrrect me.

Really enjoy your posts.


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