The predecessor to “wondernine” and polymer pistols, Browning’s Hi Power is a potent classic.

by Robert Kolesar

John Browning’s second great pistol, the Hi Power (second to the 1911, of course) was recently discontinued by Fabrique Nationale in Belgium. Tooling and machinery were wearing out, production costs were rising, and military orders were slowing down. The rise of the plastic handgun was eclipsing what was once the gold-standard of 9mm service pistols. Cheaper and easier to produce, polymer-framed handguns like the Glock and the new SIG M17 have been replacing the once-ubiquitous Browning on the hips of military and police world-wide.

There’s an upside to what many would consider a sad end of an era. Lots of Hi Powers are…

Read more in the March 2019 issue.

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