New production Hi-Powers are once again available as EAA begins importing the Girsan MC P35.
Girsan MC P35 Features:
- 9mm, 15+1 Capacity
- Single-Action
- Ambidextrous Safety
- Matte Black Finish
- Checkered Synthetic Grips
Ever since Browning discontinued production in 2018, your choices for a Hi-Power have been limited to the secondhand market. Another Turkish-made clone, the Tisas BR9, was available briefly as well but was apparently discontinued due to quality issues. EAA is now attempting to revive this classic John Browning design with a new Turkish clone we’re seeing stateside for the first time—the Girsan MC P35.
Classic Design
Development of the Hi-Power started under John Browning and was finished by his assistant at the time, Dieudonné Saive. Browning’s achievements need not be repeated, but Saive was responsible for pioneering the double-stack pistol magazine which would prove to be the heart of the Hi-Power design. He would also go on to design the iconic FAL. The Hi-Power was instantly well-received by its users and its popularity around the globe would only grow in the decades to come.
Many people claim that the Hi-Power is the most ergonomic pistol they’ve ever shot, and many of those who disagree only do so because they prefer pistols that were derived from the Hi-Power like the CZ-75. The requirements driving the Hi Power’s development necessitated that it be accurate, powerful, durable and have a high capacity (for the time). Assuming that the Girsan MC P35 is a decently manufactured reproduction, it should have similar accuracy and reliability as the original. Its capacity has already been improved upon by shipping with modern, flush-fitting 15-round magazines rather than the initial 13-round design. The Girsan MC P35 also includes an ambidextrous safety right out of the box, as well as an improved external extractor and a rounded, no-bite hammer.
One original feature that the Girsan MC P35 retained that could have been left off is the magazine disconnect safety. This was one of the original military requirements for the Hi-Power and was included solely to prevent poorly trained troops from accidentally shooting themselves while cleaning the gun. The inclusion of this device unfortunately means that the trigger is not as good as it could have been without it, and in my opinion, it makes operating the gun more tedious with no real benefit.
Here To Stay
While its popularity may have declined some in recent years, the Hi-Power was one of the most prolific sidearms in the world for several decades. It was the go-to pistol for many American special forces soldiers when working abroad in this time period due to how commonplace the spare parts and magazines were. With the millions of Hi-Powers built and distributed over the decades, it's safe to say that this iconic design isn’t going anywhere. So if you’re considering the Girsan MC P35, parts availability shouldn’t be a concern. Magazines, aftermarket upgrades and accessories like holsters can all still easily be found.
Bigger, heavier and more primitive than most handguns on the market today, the Hi-Power is still an excellent design that one could feel confident trusting their life to. If the Girsan MC P35 proves to be a well-made clone, a pair of wooden grips and a leather shoulder holster would make for one classy CCW setup.
With an MSRP of $528, the Girsan MC P35 looks like a very promising pistol. It’s always nice to see the classics being kept alive. Hopefully this Turkish clone proves to be a faithful reproduction of John Browning’s work and continues to be imported for years to come.
For more on the Girsan MC P35, please visit eaacorp.com.
More On Hi-Powers:
- Going Old School: Carrying The Browning Hi-Power
- Hi Power Or High Power: What's In A Name?
- Upgrading A Surplus Browning Hi-Power
- France, Belgium, Nazis And The FN Hi Power
- Nine Iconic John Browning Firearms
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I just hope that I have the willpower to hold out for the beavertail model!
This is good for sidearm good to pair with the speedloader i buy at https://amzn.to/3l4yKQC
I have mixed emotions on this gun. True the Turks make some good guns but remember everyone is using junk MIM internal cast parts these days. I am guessing the frame will be junk casting as well. I am also wondering if it has the later model passive firing pin safety on it.
If you do not have a high power and are not willing to pay the big bucks for an original then maybe this is the gun for you. Only time will tell if the gun holds up as well as the originals did.
Be aware that the High Power went through a lot of changes in its manufacturing cycle. The first came when they went from the internal extractor that was extremely strong put got out of whack very easily by the average Moron gun owner dropping a round directly into the chamber which forces the extractor to snap over it. The later models all had a pivoting extractor and although it was less strong it was pretty well gun owner moron proof.
I have mixed emotions on this gun. True the Turks make some good guns but remember everyone is using junk MIM internal cast parts these days. I am guessing the frame will be junk casting as well. I am also wondering if it has the later model passive firing pin safety on it.
If you do not have a high power and are not willing to pay the big bucks for an original then maybe this is the gun for you. Only time will tell if the gun holds up as well as the originals did.
Be aware that the High Power went through a lot of changes in its manufacturing cycle. The first came when they went from the internal extractor that was extremely strong put got out of whack very easily by the average Moron gun owner dropping a round directly into the chamber which forces the extractor to snap over it. The later models all had a pivoting extractor and although it was less strong it was pretty well gun owner moron proof.
As time went on FN added a passive firing pin safety. Big mistake. The design they used hogged out a huge hole in the slide leaving less than a 1/16 of inch of metal behind the firing pin stop plate. Dry firing this newer model resulted in a cracked slide. This model also now had the next change which was a spur hammer instead of the rowel hammer. By the way if you pull back the slide and lock it open and then flip the gun upside down you can immediately tell if you have this model because of the huge gapping hole in the underside of the slide. If you are even half ways mechanically inclined you will immediately turn green around the gills at the sight of it.
The next big change came when FN decided to chamber the gun in the hated 40 S&W caliber. The frame of the original gun although forged was never designed to hold up to the recoil of the .40 S&W so FN had to strengthen the frame by giving it a harder heat treatment but that would have meant increase machinery wear so FN took the cheap way out and made the frame thicker but also made it by using a junk casting. The extra circumference of the grip made the High Power feel very different in the hand. I hated this model with a passion even in 9mm. FN also went to an ambidextrous safety but made it out of a junk casting. If you bumped it hard it went snap , crackle and pop. Some of the internal parts were also made of junk castings.
FM of Argentina also made a detective model that had a shortened slide which I now wish I would have bought as a carry gun but of course its workmanship was no where near that of any of the FN guns.
Hungary made a High Power clone that had a very nice gloss bluing on it but it did not have the heat treatment the real FN High Powers had nor the accuracy either. I shot one of my friends guns and I was not impressed. The trigger pull was not that good either.
Another clone if I recall came from the Philippian Islands that had the Dan Wesson name on but it had a weird shallow v notch express sight on it which made shooting it accurately a total joke and it went over like a lead balloon with the public.
My father carried a High Power in WWII in a U.S. G.I shoulder holster that was actually made for the 1911 (he threw the 1911 in the nearest ditch) . He also carried an FN 1906 .25 acp in a sewn in pocket in his hat so if he was ever captured with his hands on his head he could slip his hand under his hat shoot a Kraut and then make his escape. Luckily he was never captured and the gun was so uncomfortable up there in his hat he soon stopped doing it.
I once shot a white tail buck that on the hoof was about 180 lbs, it dressed out at 160lbs. I was using a Remington 125 grain hollow point (no longer made) that was designed to feed even out of the finicky German Luger and P38 which it did. The buck took one right behind the shoulder and it stopped and looked right at me and then sank slowly to the ground. The Remington bullet worked flawlessly in any High Power even crudely made WWII Models.
As much as I hate to admit it the High Power is a heavy gun to actually carry compared to the more modern made light weight junk plasticky pistols but most modern pistol feed expanding ammo much better than the very steep angled feed ramp of the archaic High Power that was originally designed for fmj bullets only. I have had some success in polishing and throating the barrels of High Powers but as they say its like putting a band aide on a gladiatorial wound.
The other problem with a High Power is the very, very, very, long trigger reset. If you disbelieve me try firing off a magazine as fast as you can pull the trigger and if you do not let the trigger come fully forward (most people won’t) the gun will suddenly stop working and you will not know why. Now you are in a very dangerous position if you do not know what happened because when you relax your trigger finger the trigger moves forward and the gun is now armed and ready to fire. You can shorten the trigger reset somewhat if you are good (real good) at working on the sear trip lever. Its a long tedious process if you have never done it before and you can ruin the bar so do not do it unless you have a spare one.
The other problem with the High Power is the hated magazine safety. If you remove it you can reduce the trigger pull by at least 1 lb and sometimes on some guns by 2 lbs.
Over the years workmanship deteriorated on the original High Powers as the guns made in the 60’s often had trigger pulls as light at 3 lbs with the mag safety removed (you read that right) and gradually the pulls went up to as high as 7 1/2 lbs. and this was with the magazine safety removed.
I never has a problem with accuracy in any of my High Powers and some shot as accurately as the much worshiped holy grail of all 9mm pistols the original Sig-Neuhausen P210 (not that cast iron piece of trash being made today)
The balance of the original High Powers (pre- 40 S&W cast iron trash) was superb as it felt like and extension of your hand while pointing your finger at something. Only the Sig-P210 might be considered better by some but just barely.
At one time I lucked out and took a chance and bought 4 original HP magazines made in Australia. They held an astonishing 16 rounds and yes they worked flawlessly. The only problem was the springs were so strong they had to give you a heavy forged steel magazine loader because a plasticky junk one would have went nuclear on you the first time you tried to use it.
Conclusion, if you are lucky enough to own an “original High Power” in mint condition consider yourself a very lucky man but if you actually want to carry a gun, especially if the cops stop you and take it, the plasticky garbage is the better way to go as they shit them out every day by the thousands.
That front sight has GOT TO GO!