I want my girsan hi power ! And I want it now !

[Tere_Hanges]

Colt is certainly not the Rolex of 1911 based guns anymore, and haven't been since the early 1970s. Currently that would be Wilson (for production guns anyway.) Maybe Wilson is even more like a Patek Philippe.

Nighthawk, Les Baer, and Ed Brown would be close seconds, akin to Breitling, Omega, or Tag Heuer.

Colt is more like a nice Seiko, Pulsar, or Casio at this point.

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Don't know what the Rolex thing is about. But I do have a series 80 Colt Government that is the least desirable 1911 to own, I think most people would rather have an RIA than a series 80 Colt. Anyway, the jokes on them because my series 80 is one of the most accurate guns I've ever shot. The thing prints tight groups exactly where I point it at with ease. I'm always impressed how well it shoots. Always leaves me with a smile on my face after shooting it.

Have no interest in a Wilson or Nighthawk. If I ever get another 1911 it's going to be a Dan Wesson stainless CBOB. That is a nice gun.

[sigfan91]

I actually wouldn't buy anything new, I prefer older guns when fit and finish was considered a fine art.

I agree with this. I prefer German (actually West German, better yet, Swiss) Sigs over any American Sigs. However I will buy a Girsan HP just to try. I have no experience in any HP. I have never handled one, never shot one, never taken one apart, actually never seen one in person. Girsan HP is around $550. I figure that is not too high a price for me to get familiar with the HP platform. If I like it, I will look for FN HP. If not, I?m not out too much money.

[Tere_Hanges]

I agree with this. I prefer German (actually West German, better yet, Swiss) Sigs over any American Sigs. However I will buy a Girsan HP just to try. I have no experience in any HP. I have never handled one, never shot one, never taken one apart, actually never seen one in person. Girsan HP is around $550. I figure that is not too high a price for me to get familiar with the HP platform. If I like it, I will look for FN HP. If not, I?m not out too much money.

Prepare to be underwhelmed. The HP is probably the most hyped handgun of all time.

[sigfan91]

Prepare to be underwhelmed. The HP is probably the most hyped handgun of all time.

Really? How so? Does it not shoot well or not point well? Is it not ergonomic?

[Tere_Hanges]

Really? How so? Does it not shoot well or not point well? Is it not ergonomic?

The HP isn't known for having a very good trigger. Even with the MDM removed and lighter mainspring, the break is little heavy. There's just a lot of hype about them so people expect them to somehow shoot better than most guns. But in reality they don't shoot any better than a Glock 17. Points no better than any gun. Ergonomics are average, plenty of polymer framed guns with more modern ergonomics. I put Hogue wraparound finger groove grips on my HP. It feels nice.

[triplestack3]

My experience with Turk pistols is that when you get one that works, they are an amazing value.
The Browning HP is iconic, but kind of expensive for what you get. The Girsan copy gives the same feel and vibe for a lot less coin, so it's kind of appealing.

[Tere_Hanges]

The Browning HP is iconic, but kind of expensive for what you get. The Girsan copy gives the same feel and vibe for a lot less coin, so it's kind of appealing.

Good summary.

[jcwatchdog]

The Hi-Power always had a MDM, and it's easy to remove. I took one out of my surplus FN, no problem.

What I'm interested to see is what the CLI will look like.

But I already got an FN and honestly I'm not impressed. I never shoot it. I only have it to pay homage to JMB. I'd rather shoot any other gun I have. Other than historical significance, I do not see what all the fuss is about. The 1911 is a superior shooter IMHO. I don't find HPs to be very attractive either.

If you don't already have one, you aren't missing anything.

Here?s the indicator on the Ca model.

[Tere_Hanges]

Here?s the indicator on the Ca model.

Thats actually not bad looking at all. Thanks for sharing.

[smle-man]

girly hands huh?

Come check them out and see

[The Gleam]

How so exactly???? Colt never claimed to be a ?Rolex.? Some 1911 fans themselves may have believed in their own minds that it?s at a ?Rolex? status level, but I never did. Not even a factory unmodified Gold Cup have I ever thought of as on par with a ?Rolex.? What Colt does have however is a proven history of being a reliable tool in ultra harsh combat conditions and lasting for decades and through more wars and battles than any other pistol, except maybe the Hi-Power.

Sure a Colt might need some minor tweaks like a ramp-polishing job for hollow points and maybe a polished trigger if that?s one?s thing. But don?t tell me that Wilson and Staccato don?t take those measures to the extreme as well. Why would anyone spend a siht-load of money on a Rolex, Lamborghini, Maserati to take it into combat? Does a plumber take a $4K Gucci purse as his tool bag to the job site? Nobody uses a ?show-dog? as a working military or police K9 either.

That?s the difference. Do you want a God-awfully expensive piece that?s only pulled out of the safe to stroke one?s ego for most owners? (Which I don?t have a problem with either. To each their own). Or, do you want a proven and relatively affordable ?shooter? (Colt) that will last a lifetime and will still hit a vital organ when aimed properly?

I guarantee that a Colt 1911 will take out a bad guy?s heart just like a Wilson or a Staccato?. And for much less. If one just wants an expensive show piece at the range then sure, Wilson or Staccato.

Everything you posted, I agree with, and was exactly my point. Other people have classified guns into luxury tiers, and someone else said Colts were the Rolex of 1911s. So I extrapolated on that.

If we are talking watches, a Timex works just as well as a Rolex, a quartz watch even better.

Want to pay a lot for pretty, refinement which adds slight advantages, and marginally better reliability, with a better guarantee and service than Colt provides AND is American owned? By a Wilson.

I don't own a Wilson, nor a Nighthawk, never have. Sure are nicer than Colts though. I have a couple of Ed Browns, and a Les Baer.... but dozens of Colts!

(Yet, I'm grabbing my Glock 19 or 26 when things get out of hand.)

For that matter, I would never buy a Rolex. Not because I can't, but because I won't. Same can be said about a new car, makes no sense. Phil Anschutz, billionaire - wears a Timex out of spite, drove a used Buick for years. I bet Phil would buy an RIA, were he to go shopping for a 1911.

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[The Gleam]

Don't know what the Rolex thing is about. But I do have a series 80 Colt Government that is the least desirable 1911 to own, I think most people would rather have an RIA than a series 80 Colt. Anyway, the jokes on them because my series 80 is one of the most accurate guns I've ever shot. The thing prints tight groups exactly where I point it at with ease. I'm always impressed how well it shoots. Always leaves me with a smile on my face after shooting it.

Have no interest in a Wilson or Nighthawk. If I ever get another 1911 it's going to be a Dan Wesson stainless CBOB. That is a nice gun.

Agree on every point, including about the Dan Wesson (which ironically is also CZ, with Colt now being CZ too.)

I have some nice 1911s, but can't get my mind to qualify the cost of a Wilson or Nighthawk.

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[Batman]

I actually wouldn't buy anything new, I prefer older guns when fit and finish was considered a fine art.

Look at the underside of these two slides. Guess which one is the original Browning and which one is the new Springfield SA35? And the outside of the Browning is meticulous.



Billy Joel said it well.... The good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems.

Oh, and the reference to a Rolex? It was because buying a Girsan was referred to as buying a fake Rolex as opposed to a real Browning.

[The Gleam]

Look at the underside of these two slides. Guess which one is the original Browning and which one is the new Springfield SA35? And the outside of the Browning is meticulous.



Billy Joel said it well.... The good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems.

Oh, and the reference to a Rolex? It was because buying a Girsan was referred to as buying a fake Rolex as opposed to a real Browning.

Context of the year of that Browning? And it was built by Browning, and not during an occupied period? It certainly seems to have seen much more abusive use out of historical purpose alone. Early, war-time production, or just after the war?

Only curious, because any of my Browning Hi-Powers from the 1950's onward certainly don't look like that; they look as good as the Springfield in your photo.

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[brownfeathermedic]

I only have two BHP, and I fell in love with this gun way before all the wonder nines came in to being. For me, if I would compare it to a Woman, it would be just like Raquel Welch. This gun is pleasurable to shoot with, IMHO