Jump to content
Practically Shooting

Hi Power - Gun Smith Recommendation


brueggma

Recommended Posts

 

Greetings,

    Can anyone recommend a good pistol-smith near the Chicagoland area?   I've recently purchased a new Hi Power and after a few months of use I have some minor annoyances I'm thinking about changing: 

Magazine Disconnect - I'm not used to this feature. Searching google, I see lots of recommendations to remove it, which sounds like this may be for me.

Trigger - The trigger is not as good as I'd like. Rough take up, and a heavy break. I'd like to smooth it out and lighten it. (~5lbs)

Slide Stop - I'm a right handed shooter, and the 1/2 moon on the slide stop hits my left thumb at a weird angle, during recoil. Why is this semi circle there? What is it's purpose? Does someone make a slide stop w/o it?

Grips - The original wood grips are quite thick and I hear that Spiegal grips are the way to go?

Purpose of pistol: strictly range gun

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the Chicago area, I don't know of anyone.  I can recommend a couple, but they are in the SW states and the wait is long.  

I used to know of a guy in southern MI who did BHP work, but I have no experience with him other than buying parts and I'm not sure if he's still doing the work.

Removing the magazine disconnect will help most, but some don't feel any different to me without it.  One thing about BHPs is there are no hard and fast rules. 

The a!ode stop's half moon is there to cover the opening on the slide for the takedown cut.  

I was doing the same thing, and decided I'd have to change my grip or not shoot HiPowers.  I changed my grip. 

 

Spegel grips feel nice, but be warned that the wood ones are so thin the wood can crack easily with use. I replaced my wood ones with the Delrin version, then eventually got a pair of VZ grip panels which are about as thin, are stronger, and have a more aggressive texture. 

It's a sad thing that Browning continues to put chubby grip panels on the HiPower to ruin what is the best feeling grip of any handgun.  

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I chose the same color, but went agressive with texture and got the Simonich Gunners. .  That texture may not be the most comfy, but it's the usual carry gun, so I chose retention over comfort.    They weren't as rough on the hands as I thought they might be,  but I'd probably swap them out for something tamer if heading off to a five-day class!  

I was mostly concerned not with my hands but my side.  I always carry IWB under a shirt, but without an undershirt between the gun and my skin.  I thought due to the direct contact those cheese grater grips would eat me up, but they haven't bothered me at all. 

 

I will try to get a picture of the grips and gun on here for you tomorrow.   I hadn't thought about it before, but I don't think I've ever taken a pic of it in that "suit".

 

I also have VZs for other guns in Black and "Black Cherry".  I like the Black on stainless guns.  

 The Black Cherry is one of their colors that can look good or bad depending on the grip shape or texture.  Thats how it is with the more striped colors.   The way some textures or the grips' sculpting can remove the layers, I don't think helps some colors. I wouldn't order a set without seeing a picture.  Some combinations I'd dreamed up didn't look so great to me once I saw them or their pictures. 

As an example, I like the Black Cherry on the less aggressive BHP grips, but not on the more agressive ones.  I guess the more material removed the more "wild" it makes the colors look.  

I have Black Cherry on a revolver and like it. 

 

The solid colors of course look the same regardless.   I felt like the gray-black took cutting and reshaping well, though 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry I haven't got a picture up yet.  It's been a busy few days.  

If I think of it, I'll take a pic of three guns I have VZ Grips on, all together, since they are different textures and different colors.  It might help for comparison seeing them together.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

 

I took a chance and had "The Gun Doctor" in Roselle.  I had them install some C&S parts, and they did a wonderful job.  I would recommend this place to others.  They were quick, seemed to know what they're doing, and reasonably priced.

 

Edited by brueggma
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

The Spiegels are beautiful, and I know from experience they are comfortable, but I should warn you they can crack easily from their being so thin.  I was warned of that, and mine lasted a while, so I thought I'd cheated grip death.   Then once a crack started it was only a matter of time until it grew to make that panel unuseable.  I had to go practical but ugly with synthetic black Spiegels (replacing only the inner broken wood one!), then VZ grips. 

 

I wonder now if I could've extended the life of the wood Spiegels by not using them in classes or matches.   My theory there is the small amount of steel around the magazine well opening often lets the bottom edge of wood grips take hard hits in mag changes.  Had I not used them in classes or matches, that would've saved a lot of mag changes. 

Come to think of it, it was the left grip that cracked.   Me being a RH shooter, that's the side I'm coming in from with the new magazine and most likely whacking into.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...