Picked up my new toy.

[Mity2]

So I finally picked up my HP copy today that I put in layaway(see the original thread here ->http://www.pafoa.org/forum/pistols-4...me-advice.html

Anyway, super quick review before the dinner.


Just as I picked it up. Empty case envelop states gun was made in 6-28-06. Inspected by dude name Ben Tertin.



Look real rugh, but I believe its from preservetive. I'll go get some gunblast later and see.


So far, without disassembry, only imperfection I've noticed


Its not rusty. Its just how lighting is in my room.


generally dirty. Looks like they didn't bother clean the gun after test fire.

I'll post more pics later

[dragonofpa]

Nice handgun. What is that, 9mm?

[Lycanthrope]

Nice handgun. What is that, 9mm?

That's what the barrel says.

Lycanithinkthrope

[Mtbkski]

Nice new pistol. Soooo, you selling that M&P yet????

[Hokkmike]

You did an excellent job with the pictures. Really fun to look at!

[FordDieselSteve]

Nice pistol Mity

[Mity2]

Nice new pistol. Soooo, you selling that M&P yet????

Not yet Randy!!
I'm still trying to locate 357Sig or someone with it so that I can try it out.
You know you got the first dib when I do sell it.


I still have to pick up my Snubby tho. Infact, i was gonna pick that up first, then pick HP as Xmass gift, but i wanted to mess with this gun bad(i know snubby is gonna work right out of box. But this one is still iffy)

[markheck1]

Not yet Randy!!
I'm still trying to locate 357Sig or someone with it so that I can try it out.
You know you got the first dib when I do sell it.


I still have to pick up my Snubby tho. Infact, i was gonna pick that up first, then pick HP as Xmass gift, but i wanted to mess with this gun bad(i know snubby is gonna work right out of box. But this one is still iffy)

HUH? why would a brand new gun be iffy as to work out of the box?

[Mity2]

HUH? why would a brand new gun be iffy as to work out of the box?

Ahhh your giving manufacture too much credit. Just because its new in box does not mean it works well. While most new guns today are great right out of box, some aren't
I have yet to see any kimber works straight out of box to this day - although i've only seen 3 Kimber only. One front sight fell off after 6rds, other one needed to reshape the feed ramp, and 3rd one had an issue with extracting.
All 3 were sent back, and o cameback with no issue(1st, and 3rd one). Second one, he still had feeding issue, and after dealer told him that they'll buy it back if he wants to buy something else, which he did.


FN High-Power(or Browning or FEG varient) are well proven gun. Been around for many many years, and are whats considered as "True" Hi-Power.
But this one - Charles Daly HP are fairly new, Made in US (All others aren't) with manufacturing process not well known (my best guess based on limited research is that internal are made by FEG of Hungary, Frame and slide are manufactured in US by Magnum research, assembled at their facility in Minnessotta), and Hi-Power royalist would turn blue in disgust when they hear Charles Daly or Norinco

While very few report I have seen online are feverble one, this is one of gun that its reliability is truely not well known.

Guess I'll find out.

Edit - So i had it taken apart to clean it.

Few things becomes very appearent.
One thing you'll notice right away is the rough toolinng mark of barrel. And some internal parts.
I guess this could very well be FEG made parts. I remenber thinking my old PA63 also shown some rough tooling mark.
Do know that tho however, while no an eye candy, toolmark on barrel would no way hinder the performance of gun itself any way or form.



Over all internal fit&Finish is not great nor bad. Its about that of my S&W 3913. While look slight rust, Its whatever the preserve oil they used. One spray from gun blast took it right off



Other thing which I would look in to before i do anything to this gun is to improve the trigger feel, and mag that sticks.
Trigger - While trigger brake itself is clean, its heavy, and pisspoor feel to it. U can actually hear the spring compress as you pull the trigger. Horrible feel. But when Mag is out, its about as smooth as any modern day single action trigger. So its something to do with Mag disconnect. I've already contacted Xring to take car of this one way or other.
I myself is not a beliver of mag diconnect. I think its stupid, and pointless. But when you get a gun with mag disconnect, but magazine would not drop free when you press release, then magdisconnect is oughtly useless. In struggle, you press magrelease to disable the gun, but mag only slide out about 1/4", so that thug can just slap it back in, and shoot you. Pisspoor design. Gun should come without it(Any gun IMO).
the mag disconnect activating lever is flat metal plate that points up as you insert the mag. mix with parkarized finish on mag, it also act as sort of wedge to keep mag in the gun.
But from my research, I guess mag disconnect on Hi-Power(any Hi-Power, not just this one) aren't the best. Just poor design all together.


Gun does feel good in your hand. Original high capacity pistol is still somewhat skinny compares to Beretta 92 or Sig P220. And while not big fan of rubber grip(Gun should only sports wood grip. Period), but Uncle Micks rubber frip that comes with gun does makes it very comfortable to hold the gun. (But I'll replace it with wood grip here I'm sure)


And the sight - It feature XS big dot sight. what can I say about this type of sight? its far from traditional sight. Some people obsolutery hates it, and some people obsolutery loves it. its hard to tell unless I actually shoot it, but when you bring pistol to shooting position from hip, it does aquire target quick. Much faster then that of my traditional square notch on my M&P. So after some practice, it may proves itself as better combat sight, If thats the case, I'll then keep it, because as of right now, I'm gonna look for more traditional replacement night sight, unless it proves itself. There are some notable things - Safety lever is HUGE improvement over original. I can use the lever with ease, unlike those miniscure lever on originals. But while disengages nicely with click, engaging safety does feel little on lose side.



So after hour or so of scrubbing and 1/2 bottle of gunblast, it cleaned up quite nicely. Especially for $319 NIB gun. Overall finish on the gun is great - although I did notice some inconsistancy on powdercoating on frame near slide release on left side of gun.
So so far without shooting it, To do list are

Improve the trigger feel
Make mag to drop freely when mag release is pressed.

But then I've seen FN and Browning that aren't perfect either
My hope is that this gun would turn out to be great bargen for its price - even equal or surpass the original.
I HATE Hi-Power royalist that are soooooo hung up on names. you know the type - one screams "Kimber is the best", "Colt 6920 is the King", "FN HP and browning is the shit".
I would like to prove them that more then likely that they are paying extra $400~$500 for the same gun, so that executive of Browning can drive his/her Mercedes Benz..


I'll take it to range sometime this week and run it through its paces and hope for the best!

[Mity2]

SO i took it out to range today. Since I'm impatient bastard.

It was a hardly an ideal shooting day - It was cold, snowing fairly hard, and since range is located at middle of state gameland in the middle of hunting season, prolly wasn't even safe to be there. Anyhow, I guess all I can say is that this gun can shoot more then the shooter.
Below are at 20yrd off hand shooting.


Now, before you go on yapping that it should shoot better, lets keep couple of things in mind.

It was snowing hard. It was cold, and getting dark.
I was shivering, and getting harder to see the target.
And this XS sight - first time for me.
I only shot about 30rds before I called it a day.

You can see that heavy concentration of impact is generally at upper left corner.
I first start shooting at 10yrds. it shot high. then I shot at it from 15yrds, it shot bit lower. and 20yrds, even lower. and below pic is at 25yrds. Where i put few in center.


So clearly, I'm not using sight right. I have to do some more shooting to see how to use this sight.
But as for combat shooting, I would say its more then acceptable. I have no doubt that with sandbag and proper use of sight, grouping would be much smaller.

as far as function itself goes, first 2 mags - first round did got hung up. with light tap to back of slide is all i needed to make it go in to battery.
after 2 mags, it fed with no hick up.

Also, I think most of us who shoots polymor framed pistol forget how nice to shoot full metal framed 9mm that has some weight to it.
Its light on recoil, and generally soft shooting due to little more weight to the firearm. M&P is nice to shoot, but this gun was simply joy to shoot. Its definately worth $319 i paid for.
Note that gun was somewhat wet, and ice cold. She'll need to be cleaned up real good. This is my first non-Stainless Steel gun ya know?



I do have however have some negative to report too.
i got hammer bite once. it hurts like hell. i needed to change how I was holding the gun. But i may change hammer to spur type in the future.
Another down is that after I got home, upon cleaning, I noticed that my gun actually have small hole on side of frame. It look almost like machined hole where pin for trigger would go through, but up on close examination, its clear that thats not what it is. Rather, more like air got trapped in during casting process.
I have called CD about it, only to find their service dept close at 4:30. So I'm gonna be calling up tomorrow first thing in the morning.
This is, while noway hinders function of the gun, but ... wtf... I espected little more then this from US manufactured Frame of this firearm...


I mean this is just pisspoor final quality inspection.... They better gime a new frame

Edit - I just got e-mail from dealer. He is sending this gun out for me to CD.