My BHP Experience - Just Sharing

[GunDog]

The Hi Power and Hammer Bite.....

http://hipowersandhandguns.com/HiPowerandHammerBite.htm

[trigger945]

Cylinder & Slide sells hammers at both extremes. Worst pinch I've experienced was with their Commander hammer. Best luck so far has been their No Bite hammer. Best to get their sear too while you're at it. The stock sear is softer and will wear fast, causing hammer follow. If that doesn't work a beavertail can be welded on to destroy the Belgian elegance and your wallet at the same time.

Welding, although a real and practical option, sounds painful for this beauty [emoji33]

[trigger945]

I would cut all the fingers (and thumb) off the gloves. Just above the second knuckle of the fingers and and about half way between the first and second knuckles of the thumb. I found it to be more comfortable and it felt like I had a better grip on the gun. Although I don't wear gloves anymore unless it's really, really cold.

JMHO

I'll give this a try. I have a few that I have not used in years... thanks!

[trigger945]

If you change the hammer to a no bite style like the Smith and Alexander you will be fine. Then loose the mag safety, it's a very simple thing to take out. Your trigger pull will instantly improve and mags will drop free.

Yeah, if I do upgrade, I will take care of many at once. One of them is the mag disconnect to improve the trigger pull without a doubt. Thanks.

[trigger945]

The Hi Power and Hammer Bite.....

http://hipowersandhandguns.com/HiPowerandHammerBite.htm

Interesting read, although I have yet to finish. [emoji23] I fall into the 2nd category - the pinch. The web of my hand still has a red mark this morning.

[Dimitri A.]

You can also get a "no bite" hammer from cylinder and slide. Bill Laughridge is a a master pistol smith that's been working on Hi-Powers for a least a couple decades. He makes good stuff.

I noticed you're in Burbank, so it might be a little bit of a drive for you, but Bain & Davis in San Gabriel did a trigger job on one of my Hi-Powers, it had an atrocious 12lb trigger pull. I had them reduce it to 6, but the break was so clean it felt a lot lighter.

[-hanko]

You can also get a "no bite" hammer from cylinder and slide. Bill Laughridge is a a master pistol smith that's been working on Hi-Powers for a least a couple decades. He makes good stuff.

I noticed you're in Burbank, so it might be a little bit of a drive for you, but Bain & Davis in San Gabriel did a trigger job on one of my Hi-Powers, it had an atrocious 12lb trigger pull. I had them reduce it to 6, but the break was so clean it felt a lot lighter.

If you get a new hammer, it should be fitted by someone who knows what he's doing. As good a time as any to have him adjust the trigger pull and perhaps add a Wolfe spring kit.

[Wordupmybrotha]

Personally, I would grip the gun differently. If I think about how I shoot my various firearms, I modify how I shoot it. Is that the right thing to do? I don't know.

For example:

Glocks: I grip it high and I could do that, because it's clean. There's no safety or slide stop getting in the way. I have to point my wrist lower than my other pistols. Glocks tend to shoot higher for me. I also hold at the 6 O'clock position.

1911: Grip slightly lower than Glocks and I have to drop my right thumb below the safety.

CZ SP-01: Grip similar to Glock, but my wrist can be more neutral. I hold on the bullseye.

Revolver: I bend my support thumb slightly and make a conscious effort to keep it away from the front of the cylinder. I try to maintain similar thumbs forward grip just like I shoot my semi-autos. However, some people overlap the thumbs when shooting the revolver to control the recoil.

.22LR lever action (Marlin 39a): I keep my shooting thumb on the side of the stock. My thumb doesn't come over the top. That allows quicker action.

.38SPL/.357 magnum lever action (Rossi 92): My thumb has to come over the top and I have to have a firm grip before firing, to keep the rifle steady to control the recoil.

I don't think it's tactically disadvantageous to modify the shooting method depending on the firearm. People can adapt. For a self defense weapon, I train the same way to forge a muscle memory, but for a fun range gun, I don't see it being a bad thing to shoot it a different way and being flexible. It's also fun to do it differently. Could serve as an element of training too.

[trigger945]

Fair point about modifying the grip to suit the gun. I used to do that when I had various platforms. Maybe I am just more stubborn now? Or maybe I learned how to be more efficient. Both?

I consciously parted with a lot of my handguns to focus on similar ones. Hence, my stable has 1911's and CZ's and clones for semi-autos, and double-action revolvers, predominantly L- and K-frame Smiths. I found that I shoot better and more consistently now.

My grip, as described above, comes naturally to me now. It was not the case when I started. Now, whenever I shoot someone else's gun, say an M&P, FNX, modified or stock Glock, Beretta, Sig, etc., I grip it the same way. Then I "know" which one may suit me. I thought this BHP would suit me, being a close "copy" of a 1911 and being the gun that the CZ 75 tried to clone. But alas, not quite. Or not yet, at least.

There are certainly varying schools of thought here - at least two that I can cite.

One says we gotta be able to shoot any gun. I would like to think that I can despite my grip preference. Maybe not shoot any gun as well as the other, but can shoot it well enough, I think.

Another says keep what you shoot the best and focus on that. This is what I did and still try to do. But of course, there are guns that pique one's interests, and the BHP is that one for me.

Anywho, no regrets whatsoever. I don't think I will with this beautiful gun. Just really wanted to share my experience. And maybe pick a brain or two in the process. And hopefully help someone, too, whether through my write-up, pics or through the posts and tips of various members.

[SparkYZ]

If you send the gun to one of the good smiths, they can weld on a beaver tail and refinish...its $$$ though.


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[thomgetch]

I hold high as well, even a commander hammer would leave a raw area after a range session. The hammer was good, the bite not so, this is where I ended up.



Love this BHP, completely reworked on all internals with the garthwaite trigger, hard sear, match transfer bar and more.

[Wordupmybrotha]

Alternatively, you can always just take it out of the safe periodically, caress it, fondle it or whatever, and just dry fire it. No hammer bite then

[trigger945]

^^^Not a bad alternative at all

@thomgetch : Were you getting a pinch between the tang and the hammer? Or were you getting a bite from the spur? Just curious, as I was getting a pinch.

@sparkYZ: Yeah, $$$ and I have to think long and hard before I refinish this beauty. The bluing is from the older days, not the coat on today's BHP guns.

[thomgetch]

^^^Not a bad alternative at all



@thomgetch : Were you getting a pinch between the tang and the hammer? Or were you getting a bite from the spur? Just curious, as I was getting a pinch.



@sparkYZ: Yeah, $$$ and I have to think long and hard before I refinish this beauty. The bluing is from the older days, not the coat on today's BHP guns.

For me mostly spur but I also relived a bit of the shank. For you, mark the portion of the shank that is the offending area, pull the hammer and relive that small area with a half round file just untill you think it will clear your hand. Test fire, if all good, just hit that filed area with a little cold blue. Will have to look hard to see it when done and not a high notice area. Should solve your problem.

[sigstroker]

The time I shot a Hi Power I was bleeding after 3 shots. The hammer pinned the web of my hand when the slide locked back. I couldn't reach the slide release with my right hand, and the pain distracted me for several seconds before I figured out to drop the slide with my left hand.

OP, there's little resemblance to the 1911 in the Hi Power. Almost everything is different (and superior) in the Hi Power. No bushing, barrel lockup, the barrel tilting, the trigger, etc, etc.