Browning Hi-Power

Fabrique Nationale Browning Hi-Power

The Browning Hi-Power is a semi-automatic pistol first made by John Browning, then finished by FN Herstal (a Belgian gun company) in 1935 after Browning's death. There are 9x19mm Parabellum models and .40 S&W models of the gun. Although the gun was largely based on the M1911, there were several major changes made. Since it was finished outside the United States and since it fired the non-American 9mm bullet, the Hi-Power was not used very much in the US. However, it was very popular outside the US. In fact, it was one of the most used military pistols ever. As of 2017, it was still being used or was only recently replaced in over 50 countries.

The Browning Hi-Power has many other names such as the HP, BAP, BHP, GP, P-35, and HP-35. It was called the "Hi-Power" because it could hold a large number of bullets. It could hold 13 9mm bullets when other pistols at the time held far fewer. For example, the Luger only held 8 bullets and the M1911 only held 7.