FM Hi Power any good?

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  • Bluedragon

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    Thinking about picking up an Argentine Hi Power after work from a friend of a friend who needs the cash to pay bills. Wanted to ask about the qaulity of the pistols and if they are interchangeable with the Belgain variants? I had a FEG back in 08 and it turned out to be a crap shoot that couldn't even use FN grips.
     

    shooter521

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    Thinking about picking up an Argentine Hi Power

    Wanted to ask about the qaulity of the pistols and if they are interchangeable with the Belgain variants?

    IME, the Argentine Hi-Powers aren't bad at all.

    From Wikipedia:
    The Rosario, FM90 and FM95 models are manufactured by FM. The Rosario is an almost exact copy of the Mark II intended for Argentine and Latin American sales. The FM90 was an export model based on the Mark II, but with a "Colt style" slide without the characteristic beveled front end. Rubberized pistol grips (similar to the Pachmayr grips used for P35s) with finger grooves were used in place of the traditional slabside wood grips. The FM95 was the current export model (until 2002) based on the Mark III, also with the "Colt style" slide. The last model, until 2010, are the M02 AR (modernized version of the M95, with a new single action system by Fabrique nationale) and the M03 AR (not dated 2003, as it would seem, actually a .40S&W version of M02 AR) with their Detective versions. The Detective is a short-slide HP produced by FM. The Detective slide group is also available without the frame, and is interchangeable with other FM and FN Hi-Power P35s.

    And:
    http://feghp.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-02-06T11:30:00-05:00&max-results=2

    The Argentine FM90 and FM95. Unlike the Hungarian pistols, the Argentine Hi-Power pistols, began life as license-built FN/Browning P-35's built under full sanction and oversight of Fabrique Nationale in Argentina between 1969 and 1989

    I had a FEG back in 08 and it turned out to be a crap shoot that couldn't even use FN grips.

    FEG has produced a number of Hi-Power based guns, some exact clones and others not so much. IIRC, the PJK-9HP was 100% compatible with the original, as was the Charles Daly Hi-Power, built in the USA using FEG parts. Perhaps you had a different model?
     
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    CarmelHP

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    FEGs have always been crappy and are not direct clones. The FM is a decent high power clone, and the license built models, pre-89, were simply excellent with a baked enamel finish tougher than the FNs.
     

    88E30M50

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    We have an Argentinian FM Hi Power and it has been a great gun. There has been no problem swapping grips out with standard Hi Power grips and last year I added an extended safety using a standard Hi Power part. It dropped right in. You will probably want to remove the mag safety to clean up the trigger a bit, but it's not the worst trigger if you don't. As mentioned above, the finish is not the nicest around, but it's durable. If the price is right, go for it. They really are good guns.
     

    Bluedragon

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    IME, the Argentine Hi-Powers aren't bad at all.

    FEG has produced a number of Hi-Power based guns, some exact clones and others not so much. IIRC, the PJK-9HP was 100% compatible with the original, as was the Charles Daly Hi-Power, built in the USA using FEG parts. Perhaps you had a different model?


    Mine was a PJK-9HP and the grips I tried to install were factory MK3 style grips from FN. The right panel would fit but the grip got in the way of the mag release and prevented me from actuating the release to remove my magazine.

    I went ahead and picked up the FM a few hours ago, will post pics asap.
     

    Bluedragon

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    We have an Argentinian FM Hi Power and it has been a great gun. There has been no problem swapping grips out with standard Hi Power grips and last year I added an extended safety using a standard Hi Power part. It dropped right in. You will probably want to remove the mag safety to clean up the trigger a bit, but it's not the worst trigger if you don't. As mentioned above, the finish is not the nicest around, but it's durable. If the price is right, go for it. They really are good guns.

    That's good to hear, I just got done giving her a good cleaning. The only thing I really intend to change on the gun is the grips. As for the price being right I picked it up for $200 and based on what I am seeing on Gunbroker I think I did alright.

    311054_10150797354615596_667380595_20525613_1440527222_n.jpg


    314343_10150797354005596_667380595_20525607_262199924_n.jpg
     

    Bluedragon

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    lol thanks! :D I have to say though I sorta just lucked into it, because he called me asking if I would be interested because his friend needed money. I had no plans buying a gun until it happened. :D:D
     

    Indy_Guy_77

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    $200 bones for an FM HP in that condition is a STEAL.

    They're very serviceable pistols, for sure. They're not "clones", however. They're actual licensed copies of the FN HP; made in Argentina for their military & police on tooling that FN sold them.

    If you look online hard enough, you can find commander length slides / barrels / springs. You can have yourself a 4" HiPower!

    As you can tell, fit & finish on the FM is a bit rough; but they were all produced to be service weapons, not BBQ / Presentation pieces.

    All HP parts should interchange flawlessly should you need or desire.

    -J-
     

    Bluedragon

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    Thanks for the info! I am very pleased with it, I had been wanting a Hi Power for awhile now.. but you don't see to many around here, and the FN's ive seen at the 1500 even in rough shape is a little salty. Though someday I would like a decent MK3 for safe queen reasons. :D

    Just wondering does anyone know where I can find a set of Uncle Mike's rubber grips similar to what was on the Charles Daly HP's? I believe the grips were made by someone named Craig Spiegel?
     

    BBSparkle

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    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    Awesome find.

    I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for another one of these to come around.

    Maybe ONE day I shall find one...
     

    P-Shooter

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    Just wondering does anyone know where I can find a set of Uncle Mike's rubber grips similar to what was on the Charles Daly HP's? I believe the grips were made by someone named Craig Spiegel?

    Cylinder and Slide sell his grips, but they are all exotic wood and $70. From what I've read on the net, those Uncle Mikes grips haven't been made in years and are hard to come by. I'm running the Hogue wrap arounds with finger grooves, you can get some pretty nice looking wood slabs on ebay for under $40 along with the factory Browning grips for about $25.

    Congrats on a great buy, that's much less than what I paid 10 years ago for a new one. And you're right, the ones you see at the 1500 are a little high for their condition IMO. The 4" barrel version mentioned earlier is called the "Detective". If you find a kit, it's everything you need to convert it and is a drop in. A friend of mine picked one up years ago and used it as his daily carry for quite some time. No problems whatsoever. The only real mod I've done to mine, aside from the aforementioned removal of the mag safety, is the replacement of the original safety with a paddle safety that's much easier to manipulate. I want to say mine was made by Novak, but it's been so long I honestly don't remember. Here's a pic though so you can compare.

     

    David

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    These are both FMs, the Detective has a Cylinder & Slide hammer and sear and the other has a C&S safety, C&S springs in both of them, no problems installing any of the parts. The Detective has Uncle Mikes two piece rubber grips, they are available through Numrich, kind of hard to find because they are just listed as "grips". I'll look around and see if I can find a part number.

    I like Hi Powers as well or better than any other 9mm i've shot, mainly because I prefer single action triggers. The triggers on both of these were pretty stiff when I got them, the C&S parts and the removal of the mag disconnect helped a lot, still not 1911, but not bad. Also, if you want a drop free magazine, take the flat spring out of the rear of the mag well, straighten it out and reinstall it. If I could find these for $200 apiece I'd buy as many as I could get my hands on.
    IMG_0616.jpg
     

    jbombelli

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    I don't think those grips are available anymore. I looked for a while to find a pair, because they are NICE. I ended up with the Hogue wrap-around grips, same as P-Shooter.
     

    David

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    Sorry to get your hopes up, but they appear to be out of stock. Numrich part # is 1203070B, maybe they will find more but I rather doubt it. I bought mine about six months ago and I think they were listed at the time as low inventory, aparantly they weren't kidding. I have seen them from time to time on Ebay, but for significantly more than the $15 Numrich was getting. I also have a set of checkered black two piece grips that I think I got from Brownells that are virtually identical to the rubber ones in size. They work as well in warm weather for me, I got the rubber ones more for shooting in colder weather where they help improve my grip. The rubber grips are on the gun, the others (micarta I think) are next to it. The hard grips are slightly thinner than the rubber ones, so if a thinner grip is what you want you might like those.
    IMG_0617.jpg
     
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