Hi Power Alloy Frame

Hello,

Well I pulled the trigger in a hurry and put in an order for two Browning HP's with the aluminum frame from Ohio Ordnance Works. They have confirmed shipment of just that to my local FFL. (The sold out in less than 24 hours).

Does anyone here own the "light weight" aluminum/alloy framed HP?

I want to send the lesser looking of the two to Cylinder and Slide for some new sights, ambi safety, mag safety removal, and maybe the SFS system and keep the other for collecting.

Comments? Thoughts?

I have them now, picked up today, hard to put them down! Pic is below.

From what I hear, the lightweight BHPs are desired items, so you did good grabbing a couple while you could.

Have you heard of http://bhspringsolutions.com?

I had seen a video on them but it wasn't the best video. Thanks for the link and the compliment.

I just wish I could have bought 10. $4K now would become an easy $8K later but all I could afford was 2.

They've done some work with the SFS system. I'm not into that, so I don't follow it closely. But I know they worked with the guy in Belgium who invented the SFS.

Ugh....someone in another thread warned me on the SFS system, to look into it before buying. Well, I've done some reading online about it....

It seems it changes the way the slide comes off and I'm not a fan. I really like how the gun field strips now and I don't want to change that. Worse still, it seems with the SFS system, one can push the slide stop out of the frame with the slide forward.

I may just stick with cocked and locked.....more info is needed.

That "someone" was none other than me ...but "warned" sounds so dire , it wasn't meant to be. When the FA and later the SFS were first introduced I tried 'em. I was carrying 1911s in Uniform and BHPs in plainclothes and as a Detective...of course in Condition 1. I didn't like the FA but was ambivalent toward the later SFS...I felt neither offered a practical advantage...other than the hammer down appearing less alarming to the "uninitiated". IIRC, the primary difference between the 2 was in manipulation; both were loaded as usual, and both required that the hammer then be pushed down...and while the hammer of the FA snapped back up by the initial take-up of the trigger...didn't like that, the SFS hammer snapped back up upon pushing the safety down as usual. I've got a lot of BHPs...A LOT , and didn't bother with the SFS until 2 things occurred; 1) A very good friend is a proponent...hell an expert, specifically on the SFS in both the BHP and 1911, and 2) I came across an ANIB SFS at a GS which was labeled FN "DA"...and priced accordingly. I know the seller, told him it was in fact an SFS...but since he got it dirt cheap, he gave me an even better deal than the already low tag price...I stole it. While it's still my only...far less than 1% of my BHPs, SFS I've played with it much more and carried it much more than I had originally...being retired I can carry whatever I want without having to add it to my "card". The only real change in the critical manual of arms is lowering the hammer by thumb...and momentarily breaking one's grip to do so, instead of putting the safety up. And that isn't much of a concern considering short of actual pistol CQB...hunting adversaries as in an LE/Mil situation, one would likely not make their weapon safe until the threat was no longer there. There obviously "could" be exceptions...there always are . The other difference is the ability to remove the slide without locking it back to the disassembly notch, Some find this an advantage, some "not so much". Doesn't matter to me because I'm not partial to extended SSs...including the SFS, in the first place . That's the SFS in my personal experience .

Lightweight BHPs: I'm currently blessed with 4 of 'em, all but 1 bought several years ago. They've got a...deserved or not, reputation as suitable for "Carry a lot, shoot a little"...with the scarceness and current high cost, I'm not about to find out how true that is . Most all Lightweights are early/mid '80s guns sold...usually, as "Austrian Border Guard" surplus with varying...oftentimes much, dustcover wear. Much as in right through the anodizing wear. They've got the added property numbers AND a round cam v. the normal oblong cam, and round cut cam slot to the barrel lug that was abandoned by FN in '38...1938. One of mine is in excellent condition and will remain" as-is", a second is in excellent condition but with enough wear to the dustcover that I intend to have it Cerakoted only and the 3rd. has already been fitted with Novak 1911 NS with the slide matte oxide refinished by Novak. I intend...like so many projects "later", to have the frame HC'd...à la "practical". The 4th. one is unusual in that it's a '75 , "Belgian Gendarmerie/Police" pistol with armorer fitted MkIII cut NS ...and unlike the regular '80s lightweights, it has a conventional oblong cam and current "square" cut cam slot barrel lug . It will remain "as-is" .

Here's the Novak LW (lousy pic...sorry) so far:


You've got 2 coming? I'm impressed . C&S has always done right by me thought I haven't had anything done by them in quite a while. As you'd suspect, I like your plan . Pics...of course .

Latest GB treasure...another .40 Practical, just arrived @ my local FFL...TTFN .....

Oh that was you? I looked around on the site a bit looking for you but had no luck so I just made the vague reference.

We'll just have to see if these alloy HP's work out for me, when one doesn't know a whole lot about something the only sure way to learn is "dive right in." I don't think I'll take a hit on these unless they are badly damaged. I should get them Monday or Tuesday.

Pushing a hammer forward after an engagement really doesn't sound very enticing, I may just stick with cocked and locked. As for anyone seeing it, that's doubtful as I plan to carry the HP in a shoulder holster only.

Oblong vs. round cams? I'll just have to see. Perhaps C&S can fix that if it's a safety issue.

A couple of side notes.

1). Thank you for the work you did for the country.

2). "Add to card"? That makes me think you live in a restrictive state such as Illinois with their silly FOID cards.

3). Congrats on your HP collection. These two will bring me up to six HP's.

I like the attitude..."jump right in" .

The cam is what it is, there's nothing to "fix", but...FWIW, there are those who've installed a modern "square" slot barrel in a round cam LW frame and it's worked just fine. I have no reason to switch barrels, but just in case I've test installed a period barrel and hand cycled dummies through...with no apparent issues.

1) Undeserved but thank you. Unlike '69-'73, I've been paid well...LE/Military Contractor.

2) Almost didn't use "Card"...thinking it might be misconstrued. "Card" in this case was the LE Agency Firearms Card used to document Issued and Authorized Weapons. I do not...and will not, subject myself to such indignities. In fact...since I'm fortunate to be covered by LEOSA, I enjoy poking officials in those restrictive jurisdictions right in the eye by carrying there...from USVIs to Hawaii and all places in between. I'd have done the same as far west as Guam and Saipan but they send us through Narita (Tokyo).

3) Congrats right back at ya .....

Ah ha. I remember when that law (allowing retired police to carry whatever wherever) passed. One good bonus of a dangerous and extremely selfless job.

Appreciate the sentiment my friend...and especially saying so. I wish nationwide carry were the case for all CCW, but until that's the case it's good to have someone anyway poke "them" in the eye at every opportunity .....

That is good. It must be really fun in places like DC, NYC, Chicago, and those territories you mentioned.

So, how do I get one of these "paid well...LE/Military Contractor" jobs?

Good to see you here MC .....

Perhaps as early as tomorrow I'll get to pick these up.

I've begun looking at color scheme ideas. I'm thinking something subdued or a subdued 2-tone.

As you'd no doubt suspect; matte black or matte black over HC ...I don't do "colors".....

THIS (GB Seller pic) arrived yesterday, picked it up once they had it logged-in :



It already wears a pair of VZ Gunners .....

That looks like a real beauty, submoa (except those grips are so business-like they are scaring me ). What are those sights?

Thanks my friend .

Aftermarket MMC adjustable...NS no less .

The OEM Pachs were the first to go...though I've been fond enough of older Pachs, I don't hold the newest finger groove version in high regard .

The seller might very well have gotten rid of the pistol after very minimal rounds through it...even with the expense of having the MMC NS installed, because the mags would only drop 1/3 out of the magwell because of the all too common over-tightened Pach grips .

Anyway, these are what it's wearing now ...YES, they ARE aggressive :

The hard chrome frame looks immaculate. I wanted to ask you if the slide had to be redone because of the sight install.

Those grips look familiar. Didn't I see them in green recently?

That's because it IS immaculate . Nope, original FN "Epoxy"...the dovetail cut was touched-up before the sights were installed.

Yep, the pic of GunsnRover's MkII I posted yesterday to illustrate buried Heine's on a MkII...it has the bright green VZ Gunners .....

Received the pistols today! They had just been delivered before I arrived so I had to wait a bit until they were checked into the store's log book.

They look as expected: finish wear. Both bores look brand new. One has better stampings on the barrel, the other has fainter but does have a lanyard ring. One mag is parkerized and the other has gloss blue. The arsenal stocking numbers (?) on the frame and slide match the magazines. Both seem to have some frame dents/rub spots.



These are definitely lighter and significantly so when compared to the steel-framed models.

One was made in 1980 and the other in 1981. I cannot get over how light-weight these are.