Known as the most evolved of John Moses Browning’s pistol designs, the Browning Hi Power is one of the most beloved semi-automatic pistols ever. And why shouldn’t it be? It was designed by the single most influential firearms designer in history, features a double-stack high-ish) capacity magazine, a grip suitable for small hands, and is chambered for the most popular service pistol cartridge in the world.

On paper, the Hi Power has a lot going for it. It deletes the grip safety of the 1911, which many folks consider superfluous. (Note that no other commonly issued modern service weapon has since incorporated a grip safety.) The overall feel of the gun speaks to many shooters. And, like the 1911, the Browning Hi Power is an attractive and ergonomic pistol in terms of how it feels in the hand. It is acceptably accurate for a service pistol, and can be further accurized by a gunsmith. And did I mention it is an attractive pistol? Other than the grips, the gun is all steel and was designed during a time where pistols were built for shooters rather than for ease of machining, which explains why the gun fits comfortably in such a variety of hand sizes despite the double column magazine.

The original extractor was upgraded from an internal design (prone to breakage) to a much more reliable external design sometime in the 1960’s.

So despite a following by a relatively small group of devotees, why hasn’t the Hi Power continued to see use by large agencies or competitors? Here’s how I see it.

Trigger

The trigger in an out-of-the box Hi Power is fairly atrocious. Yes it can be tuned by a gunsmith, but it is not easily done. It doesn’t help that the factory trigger commonly exceeds 10 pounds and is typically described as gritty and rough. In addition, the reset on the trigger is unacceptably long. This one is a deal killer. If you are used to the short travel required to reset a 1911 or Glock trigger, the Hi Power will give you plenty to curse about when you get a “dead trigger” during high volume fire. Yes, this can also be addressed by a gunsmith, but for a general issue gun, this is a losing proposition.

Magazine and Magazine Well

The 13-round flush fitting factory magazine is low in capacity by modern standards as compared to the Sig-Sauer P226, Beretta 92FS, HK P30, Glock 17, and M&P. Sure, aftermarket extended magazines can be had, but additional expense is another hurdle for mass issue when other solutions allow for use of the included factory magazines.

The magazine well itself has a geometry that does not lend itself to fast magazine changes. The small grip that accommodates small hands provides limited real estate for a gunsmith to bevel the magazine well. And let’s not mention the magazine disconnect that is both unnecessary and adds trigger pull weight.

Other Ergonomic Considerations

Early Hi Power models had a tiny thumb safety that was just about useless out of the box. Thankfully, later production models have a wider and longer safety that can actually be manipulated with the strong hand thumb. If you get slide bite with a Glock, you will not like the Hi Power. I don’t have fat hands but with a unmodified spur hammer and no extended beavertail, I am bound to get my hand chewed up. This shortcoming has kept the welders busy at Novak’s, EGW, and Cylinder and Slide.

Support

This is a big one, and is a major determining factor in selecting a platform for agency issue. A solid law enforcement armorer program including manufacturer and aftermarket support is critical. There simply isn’t a large scale factory LE support system in place for this pistol. At least, not that I’m aware of.

Don’t get me wrong, a customized Browning Hi Power is a sight to behold, and I have been drooling over several Hi Power packages from Novak’s shop for years. But if you’ve ever wondered why you rarely (if ever) see one on the hip of your local cop, these are some of the reasons.