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Are There Any Hi Power Fans Here?


soundguy

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I am.

I may be an addict.

 

I just picked up a Regent BR9 SS (stainless steel) last Friday. I've already added the C&S Wide Combat Trigger and installed the SFS kit (I like SFS and if I bought a lightly used Dan Wesson A2 from a great guy on IC I'd probably put an SFS kit in straight out). This is the tightest HP I have ever shot. The slide does not rattle. Not at all. The finish inside and out is as good or better than any stock FN HP I have ever seen.

 

This evening I compared 4 HPs at the range.

- FEG stock (some home repair to correct the horrible internal finishing)

- 1982 Silver Chrome (added SFS and replaced the gold trigger with a new one)

- 2002 Mark lll SFS (added C&S Wide Combat Trigger)

- Regent BR9 (added C&S Trigger and SFS)

 

All have similar grips, similar trigger pull around 5#s and the mag safeties are gone.

 

Of the 4... I think the Regent shoots the best. I'm gonna have to replace the springs on the 3 older guns just to see if that changes anything. The FEG needs more than just new springs, but I won't be giving up on her!

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What's an SFS kit?

 

Safety Fast Shooting.

Designed by FN, it's available only for Hi Powers and 1911s. Basically, instead of engaging the safety lever up and carrying cocked and locked, you press the hammer down and the safety lever flips up. When you flick the safety down, the hammer returns to a ready to fire condition. No more hammer snagging on garments and it looks like the gun is in a safe condition. It is as ready as cocked and locked.

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I'll have to look up that SFS kit. I have two BHPs, though I don't know much about their history. I bought the first one at a gun shop, and the salesman told me it had been reblued. I didn't care because whoever blued it, did a great job on it. It sports a really deep blue and checkered grips that make it look really elegant. It has a small safety on one side only. The second one is one of the Israeli trade-ins that were available everywhere a few years ago. It came with the ambi-safety, and plastic grips. I couldn't stand the rough peeling paint and scratches, so I decided to go all in and re-blue it myself, and I'm glad I did because it turned out better than I had anticipated. I used an "Acid, boiling, carding" method, and then wiped it down with oil. The bluing isn't as deep as an old Colt or S&W, but it looks 100% better that it had before. Both of them are more accurate than I am, and look truly classic and beautiful.

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tricolor-

The importer for the Regent is LKCI LCC in Ohio. They come in Stainless or Ceracote. Call them (phone on website) and you will likely talk to Gursel. He'll take your credit card, you have your FFL send him whatever they send by email, and Gursel ships it out ASAP. I called on Tuesday last week and picked mine up on Friday. I have heard there are only 500 of the stainless steel pistols in the US. Mine is numbered close to 200.

 

spanishjames-
BH Spring Solutions (Indiana) is the place to go for the SFS and any other springs you need for an HP or 1911. Ive had excellent service from them these past few months. Prices are far lower than Cylinder and Slide for the SFS. And they have a close relationship with Leon... who designed the SFS and other things at FN. BH Springs manufactures the springs in the kit. They are truly HP geeks with lots of good info and videos on their website.

I'd love to have an Israeli HP! And an Indian one if rumors of future availability are true. And an FM and maybe a Bulgarian Arcos.

My first 2 (a 9mm and later a .40 Vigilante) both had SFS factory installed. I liked it from the start. If I could get one for my Sig P938 I would!

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Can you explain a single benefit to the sfs?

 

Yes.

 

Take down is far easier.

Improves trigger pull.

Gun looks uncocked when it is in it's "cocked and locked" state.

Faster/easier to lock.

Anyone unfamiliar with the system would have difficulty making it fire.

Completely reversible, no alterations to the gun.

 

There are many who think of it as 'a solution in need of a problem'.

It's not for everyone.

I like it.

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Gun looks uncocked when it is in it's "cocked and locked" state.

Anyone unfamiliar with the system would have difficulty making it fire.

I'm unfamiliar with the system. If it looks uncocked, but it's really locked and cocked, wouldn't just pulling the trigger make it fire?

.

.

You still have to move the thumb safety before pulling the trigger.

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Gun looks uncocked when it is in it's "cocked and locked" state.

Anyone unfamiliar with the system would have difficulty making it fire.

I'm unfamiliar with the system. If it looks uncocked, but it's really locked and cocked, wouldn't just pulling the trigger make it fire?

.

.

You still have to move the thumb safety before pulling the trigger.

 

 

Exactly.

 

With the standard system when the hammer is cocked, you push the safety lever up which locks the trigger and prevents the slide from moving.

 

With an SFS system when the hammer is cocked, you push the hammer forward (which releases the safety lever into the locked position) locking the trigger and prevents the slide from moving.

 

In each case, to make the gun ready to fire, you press the safety lever down. On the SFS... the hammer springs back up into place.

 

Other improvements:

Adds ambi-safety levers which are longer/easier to manipulate with thumb

No more hammer bite!!!

 

My first HP came SFS equipped. I had no idea what others meant by hammer bite... until I acquired a late '80s FEG. Ouch!

 

Unfortunately this FEG is so out of spec, it will not function properly with SFS. I'll replace as many springs and parts as I can (extractor for sure), and maybe try SFS on it again. When I first played with it I had to deburr the inside of the safety hole. It seems to have been made in the mid '80s and it's been well used.

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I’m glad I found this info. I like my hi-power but not a big fan of cocked and locked. I am going to look into this for mine. Mine is a favorite to fire but it if finicky about box ammo. I’ve found it prefers fiocci for accuracy.

 

You will like this video from BH Spring Solutions. I refer to it as I work, IPhone on the bench.

Watch out for that little spring that goes under the new safety lever on the left side. I've lost it (and found it) 3 times!

 

What weight bullet are you using? I've been playing with a low velocity 147 grain (Lawman). Some say 124 is ideal... I like the 147 in a Sig P938. It's a little softer to shoot.

 

If you're in Chicagoland, I could be tempted to visit the range again.

 

*I was once very unsure about cocked and locked. I have two carry guns I use this way. I blame it on the recent acquisition of the Sig.

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I would love to add a Hi power to the collection. How much are they going for now?

 

FN recently discontinued production. I've heard used prices have gone up.

 

A short time ago I picked up a beautiful '82 Silver Chrome model for $650.

 

A week ago I took possession of a new stainless steel model (Regent BR9 SS) made in Turkey (Tisas) for $600 delivered to my FFL. There is a black ceracote version for a bit less. So far... It's beautifully put together and extremely tight. In some ways, I think it's of as high quality as the 3 Belgian HPs I have. Shoots great! The few HP parts I've put in have fit with no alterations or special fitting.

 

LKCI LLC - Regent BR9 SS

 

I've added the C&S Wide Competition Trigger ($65) and an SFS kit ($130). I want another one.

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It sounds like any other locked and cocked firearm with a safety that I've fired. Release the safety and pull the trigger. I may understand confusion, but not difficulty. It almost seems less safe for someone who hasn't seen a system like this.

 

I was at the CPD range to shoot a few years ago. Girlfriends daughter was using my 9mm HP. The CPD/RO (a big hi power fan, he said) couldn't figure it out. Thought something was wrong with it. Big grin when I pressed the safety and the hammer popped up! Why he didn't do that... I'll never know.

 

It's no more or less safe than learning to use a gun with a decocker, or a Glock.

It's just different. Having both, I prefer SFS.

 

A graceful solution to a nonexistent problem?

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It sounds like any other locked and cocked firearm with a safety that I've fired. Release the safety and pull the trigger. I may understand confusion, but not difficulty. It almost seems less safe for someone who hasn't seen a system like this.

 

I was at the CPD range to shoot a few years ago. Girlfriends daughter was using my 9mm HP. The CPD/RO (a big hi power fan, he said) couldn't figure it out. Thought something was wrong with it. Big grin when I pressed the safety and the hammer popped up! Why he didn't do that... I'll never know.

 

It's no more or less safe than learning to use a gun with a decocker, or a Glock.

It's just different. Having both, I prefer SFS.

 

A graceful solution to a nonexistent problem?

 

 

Soundguy , does this set up have some form of extra hammer block or does it just allow the hammer to be down when the safety is locked in place?

 

Having owned several 1911s and carried a 3" version through the years I don't have a problem with carrying cocked and locked but this sounds intriguing .

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Papa,

 

I just don't exactly know!

 

For the HP the hammer/strut/mainspring assembly is replaced. There's this little paddle like thing that rotates up towards the sear when you push the hammer down... I think that's a drop safety. The sear is not as wide because there is a safety lever "hook" that rides on the sear pin between the sear and ejector.

 

You can only manually move the safety lever to disengage it. You cannot ever push it into safe position... it only goes up when you push the hammer down.

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Can you explain a single benefit to the sfs?

 

Yes.

 

Take down is far easier. Not really sure how HP dissassembly can get any easier.

Improves trigger pull.

Gun looks uncocked when it is in it's "cocked and locked" state.not sure how this would be a positive thing. If anything it could cause dangerous situations if someone was unfamiliar with it.

Faster/easier to lock. I assume you mean safe/off safety? Not sure how needing 2 hands or having to shift from a firing grip to put on safe is faster or easier.

Anyone unfamiliar with the system would have difficulty making it fire.Not to sure about that. Like you said, safety off and fire.

Completely reversible, no alterations to the gun.

 

There are many who think of it as 'a solution in need of a problem'.

It's not for everyone.

I like it.

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  • 1 month later...

Is this an addiction?

 

I just “discovered” R Guns through a different forum. They imported a bunch of alloy framed FN Hi Powers made for some Austrian military or police contract in the ‘80s. So I bought one. I’ll pick it up Tuesday or so. $625 plus tax. Nearly the same price as a new SS Tisas. It could use refinishing and all the other little things I’d do anyway, new springs and stuff.

 

Do any of you have experience with these? The frame is super light. I’m thinking it will be a great carry gun when mated with an FM Detective slide.

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