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WHY did Browning discontinue the Hi-Power?

Talyn

Talyn

Emissary
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Browning officially discontinued the Hi-Power in 2018 due to escalating manufacturing costs and declining sales. As a traditional, single-action design, it lost market share to modern, polymer-framed pistols, while worn-out manufacturing tooling meant FN Herstal (the original manufacturer) would have needed to invest heavily to continue production.

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www.recoilweb.com

Putting a Warhorse Out to Pasture: Browning Discontinues the Hi Power

Read: Putting a Warhorse Out to Pasture: Browning Discontinues the Hi Power from Iain Harrison on February 8, 2018 for Recoil.
www.recoilweb.com www.recoilweb.com

blog.cheaperthandirt.com

Farewell To the Browning Hi-Power - The Shooter's Log

FN recently announced the Browning Hi Power pistol is being discontinued from manufacture. In the perfect handgunning world, all pistols would have the mix of history, performance, and collector interest of the Fabrique Nationale Hi Power. While John Moses Browning died in his office in Belgium...
blog.cheaperthandirt.com blog.cheaperthandirt.com

The primary factors that led to the discontinuation include:
  • Outdated Production Methods: The original manufacturing tooling at the FN plant in Belgium was worn, and updating it for mass production became cost-prohibitive.
  • Shift in Market Demand:The Hi-Power’s single-action-only trigger and magazine safety were largely considered archaic compared to the modern "wonder nines" (double-action, high-capacity 9mm pistols) and polymer-framed service pistols.
    • High Price Point: New Hi-Powers carried premium prices (often around $1,000), making it difficult to compete with more affordable alternatives.
    • Design Quirks: The design was notorious for "hammer bite" (pinching the web of the shooter's hand) and featured a heavy trigger pull out-of-the-box
YouTube Vid link is scheduled for Jul 10, 2026

 
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There are plenty clones out there, some are EXACT clones if you dont mind somebody else's name on it. One is even "named" Inglis if that helps get past the clone issue.

It lost market share because its Big, Heavy, and Single Action, requiring cocked and lock carry. Sadly too many of todays shooters want small and light and striker fired because cocked and locked scares them
 
Browning did nothing with the HiPower line for ten years, maybe longer, before discontinuing it. Their catalog would have pages of socks but half a page on the HiPower.
They simply had no interest in it.

I feel they would’ve stopped making it years before, but waited until they were sure they could let it slip out of production peacefully.

I love them, but Browning didn’t.
 
Browning may have discontinued the Hi-Power for financial reasons, but what they ended up doing was re-awakening interest in this classic pistol. Several companies are now making excellent clones of this timeless classic.
The Hi-Power is my absolute favorite 9mm pistol. Bought a MK III back in the early 90s, picked up a FEG a couple of years later at a good price. Seven years ago I stumbled into a LNIB FM Detective Model dirt cheap. Bought the first SA-35 I could find. Plus two Girsans. A LW PI and a P-35 OPS. (not pictured)



I really believe that the Springfield SA-35 is the Hi-Power perfected. All the most wanted upgrades straight from the factory. Great pistol! I'm really torn on the new 4" version. Should I go ahead and buy one or try to hold out in hopes SA makes a lightweight version?
 
BarryinIN said:
Browning did nothing with the HiPower line for ten years, maybe longer, before discontinuing it. Their catalog would have pages of socks but half a page on the HiPower.
They simply had no interest in it.

I feel they would’ve stopped making it years before, but waited until they were sure they could let it slip out of production peacefully.

I love them, but Browning didn’t.
Click to expand...

FN/Browning couldn't improve upon the last model, the Mk.III introduced in 1988, since it was the strongest and best Hi-Power.

However, it's not correct that FN/Browning did nothing with the Hi-Power line since there were several variations of the Mk. III. The primary variations of the Mark III are/were:
  • Standard: The base Mark III. Features a glossy blue finish, walnut grips, and a choice of fixed or adjustable sights.
  • Practical: Built for adverse conditions. It sports a matte black epoxy slide, a contrasting two-tone silver-chrome frame, a ring hammer, and wraparound Pachmayr rubber grips.
  • Captain: Features traditional adjustable tangent rear sights, a classic round ring hammer, checkered walnut grips, and a high-blued finish.
  • Silver Chrome: Boasts a bright silver-chrome finish on both the frame and slide, paired with rubber Pachmayr grips.
  • HP-SFS: Introduced with the Safe-Fast-Shooting (SFS) system. This unique feature allowed the operator to lower the cocked hammer with a finger, which automatically engaged the safety catch; flipping the safety down automatically cocked the hammer.
The Mark III was also the first variant of the Hi-Power officially offered in .40 S&W, in addition to the traditional 9mm Luger. To handle the higher pressures of the .40 S&W round, later production Mark III frames transitioned from traditional forgings to heavy-duty cast steel.

As per abit longer...

The Browning Hi-Power GP Competition was manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium for a relatively short run during the 1980s, primarily between 1980 and 1988.

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Key Details:
  • Production Dates: Late 1979/1980 through roughly 1988.
  • Features: Designed specifically for competitive shooting, it featured a longer 6-inch barrel, a weighted front sight block/muzzle weight extension, and an adjustable rear sight.
  • Trigger: It included an upgraded trigger system with a modified sear lever to reduce trigger pull weight and featured a redesigned magazine safety.
FN simply made a business decision not to sink money into rebuild/modernize their manufacturing equipment to keep the BHP line economically open.

And at the time there were several BHP copy-cats, and licensed clones, including the Hungarian FEG P9M, the Israeli Kareen, and the Bulgarian Arcus 94. All were made cheaper than the real FN-made BHP.

Then the Turkish-made EAA Girsan MC P35, Tisas Regent BR9 (and it's SA-35 derivative), and Inglis P-35 arrived due to the much cheaper production costs in Turkey.
 
I have 5 of them, 1 Browning a 70C model, 3 clones; a Springfield SA35, a Girsan MCP35, and an Inglis L9 A1
AND one of FN's new High Powers. If you like a Sig - you'll like it,,,and I do!!
I just had the Browning refurbished at BHSS in Indianapolis.
The SFS is amazing. It was developed (or invented) by Leon Hubert when he worked for FN a few years ago.
The Springfield is a good pistol, the Girsan is next, Inglis has a finish (probably CereCoat) that resembles
the baked on finish FN used a few years ago. The trigger is the lowest of the bunch though.
 
None of the above Brownings came out after maybe 2005. That’s about when they quit.

And what they did do, they didn’t promote. We BHP fans knew the cast frames were harder than the old ones, but we learned that from forums, not from FN/Browning. If they ever bothered pointing out the superiority of the cast frame in advertising, I didn’t see it.

The extended and ambi safeties that came on the MkIII were a start, but that’s all they were- a start. A thumb safety like on the SA-35 should’ve been the next step, along with an ambi version. But nothing there since 1988.

The MkIII sights were another start that went nowhere since 1988. A set of sights like in the SA-35 could’ve been done easily.

Those two things, sights and safety, would've paid off from the small effort they would’ve taken. FN/Browning just didn’t care.

All they gave us across 20+ years was the Capitan (which was maybe a little nifty as a gimmick but that’s all) and some finish options packaged as new models.

Even Colt made useful changes to the 1911 line during that time.
 
BarryinIN said:
None of the above Brownings came out after maybe 2005. That’s about when they quit.

And what they did do, they didn’t promote. We BHP fans knew the cast frames were harder than the old ones, but we learned that from forums, not from FN/Browning. If they ever bothered pointing out the superiority of the cast frame in advertising, I didn’t see it.

The extended and ambi safeties that came on the MkIII were a start, but that’s all they were- a start. A thumb safety like on the SA-35 should’ve been the next step, along with an ambi version. But nothing there since 1988.

The MkIII sights were another start that went nowhere since 1988. A set of sights like in the SA-35 could’ve been done easily.

Those two things, sights and safety, would've paid off from the small effort they would’ve taken. FN/Browning just didn’t care.

All they gave us across 20+ years was the Capitan (which was maybe a little nifty as a gimmick but that’s all) and some finish options packaged as new models.

Even Colt made useful changes to the 1911 line during that time.
Click to expand...

Not quite,

The "above" standard Mk. III came out in 1988/89 (late 1988 Mk.IIIs had a forged frame which failed the 40 S&W test so FN quicky switched to the cast frame, and I had a "Practical" Mk. III in 1991.

The Practical variant was built on the Mark III frame but featured a distinctive two-tone appearance with a black epoxy-finished slide and a chrome/satin nickel-finished frame. It also included a ring-style hammer, adjustable rear sights, and Pachmayr wraparound rubber grips.

After a brief halt in Browning Hi-Power production, the Practical variant was re-cataloged and re-released to dealers in 2002.

The Browning Hi-Power Mark III Silver Chrome was released in the early 1990s, generally around 1991–1993, following the initial introduction of the Mark III in 1989. (I remember seeing the silver-chrome BHPs in the early 90's).

The Silver Chrome Mark III was introduced as a factory variant featuring a distinctive silver-chrome frame and slide. It is well-known in the firearms community for coming equipped with wraparound Pachmayr rubber grips, dull-finish magazines with black rubber basepads, and an ambidextrous thumb safety

My Mk. II BHP has a OEM extended ambi safety.

The Browning Hi-Power received the HP-SFS (Safe-Fast-Shooting) system when FN Herstal initially produced it for civilian sales in the early 1990s. The SFS variant was developed by FN designer Leon Hubert and was integrated into the Mark III platform.

The HP-SFS (Safe-Fast-Shooting) mechanism allows the shooter to push the hammer forward after loading the gun, which automatically engages the safety catch. When ready to fire, pressing the thumb safety down releases the hammer to spring back into the standard single-action position.
  • History & Design: FN originally developed and submitted this system for military testing in the early 1980s, but it didn't gain widespread traction until they transitioned it to the commercial market in the 1990s.
  • Designer Departure: Following design changes and shifts at FN, Leon Hubert left the company and took his patents for the SFS mechanism with him, forming his own company (RDIH) in Belgium.
Note: Leon Hubert has been working with BHSS for a few years now.

So, all the above is a few years before 2005 according to old math.

All BHPO fans/users should have Steven Camp's BHP books, since they are still available.

BTW - Colts's 1911 QC was in the dumpster in the 80's-90's. I picked up a limited edition 38 Super "Super Elite" Gold Cup in the late 80's and that was the first model that Colt headspaced the 38 Super propoerly on the case mouth like the aftermarket had been doing for years. So that was a change.

I had two .45 acp Gold Cups Series 70 & 80 and both had QC issues. That's when I swiched to SA 1911's, but recently picked up a very nice Colt 38 Super Combat Commander.
 
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I said none came out after about 2005.
You listed a bunch of models that came out no later than 2002.
What am I missing? Where is the discrepancy?
 
I do think Springfield got it right; but its still a Big, Heavy, Single action that has to be carried Cocked & Locked. The 4" versions look out of proportion to me.

The CZ75 seems like a better option with a similar feel, 2 extra rounds, and DA/SA
 
BarryinIN said:
I said none came out after about 2005.
You listed a bunch of models that came out no later than 2002.
What am I missing? Where is the discrepancy?
Click to expand...

All the Mk. III variants I listed above came out between late 1988 and 2002, not after 2005.
 
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All the BHP knock-offs/clones in current production come from Turkey, due to the low production costs there allowing for reasonable retail price points.

It's common knowledge by many who know the facts that the SA-35 is imported from Turkey and mostly made by the Tisas company (located on the Black Sea coast in the same area as other Turkish firearms manufacturers such as Girsan), as a derivative of that brands' prior BR-9 BHP knock off.

Springfield Armory likely does finshing work, install the sights and grips and some fire-control components. All this has been investigated and Tisas officials have stated that their production goes to SA.

Then SA provides 15 round magazines (that have been around for decades) that are made by Mecgar in Italy.

USA import regs are very liberal on what level of content can be called Made in the USA.

Those with the ability to critical think should watch the BHSS (the most knowledgeable BHP outfit in the USA) YouTube vid link in the first post. They will find it enlightening, and discover the Mk. III was the best FN BHP was the last model made from 1989 to 2018.

It's notable that SA provides an attractive BHP variant, along with Girsan, for the BHP Fan base.

While SA has the ability to make some small modifications and finishe work, they don't have the resources not capability to make a BHP from scratch. It's a complex design with notable idiosyncracies that I've mentioned here in threads since this site became active & the topic has come up.

In full disclosure I've been a BHP owner/operator/collector since the mid-80's.

The BHP is what it is.
 
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BarryinIN said:
None of the above Brownings came out after maybe 2005. That’s about when they quit.

And what they did do, they didn’t promote. We BHP fans knew the cast frames were harder than the old ones, but we learned that from forums, not from FN/Browning. If they ever bothered pointing out the superiority of the cast frame in advertising, I didn’t see it.

The extended and ambi safeties that came on the MkIII were a start, but that’s all they were- a start. A thumb safety like on the SA-35 should’ve been the next step, along with an ambi version. But nothing there since 1988.

The MkIII sights were another start that went nowhere since 1988. A set of sights like in the SA-35 could’ve been done easily.

Those two things, sights and safety, would've paid off from the small effort they would’ve taken. FN/Browning just didn’t care.

All they gave us across 20+ years was the Capitan (which was maybe a little nifty as a gimmick but that’s all) and some finish options packaged as new models.

Even Colt made useful changes to the 1911 line during that time.
Click to expand...

In the early 90's the poly-pistols (Glocks etc.) changed FN's perspective on where theie BHP production was going.

With military bids declining in the face of more modern designs FN decided the current support obligations were sufficient and FN cut their manufacturing losses aside from the US market which was declining.

And in the US market the aftermarket/custom gunsmith business stepped up for upgrades that were doable for the BHP.

FN made their business decision and met their support obligations until they pulled the plug in 2018.

Once the BHP was discontinued importers found out that cheaper labor countries could build BHP look-a-likes to meet a retro demand that FN wasn't willing to pursue.
 
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