Looking at a browning high power mk3 we tech

[parramoom]

Ive heard these are super bad but i really love the look of them so are they as bad as everyone says? 

[EDcase]

They have a particularly bad design for a piece which breaks very easily.

It is part #30 here

B Series Hi-Power (MKIII) #30 - B Series (MKII, MKIII) Hi-Power Browning - WE Pistols (GBBP) - Parts (kyairsoft.com)

As you can see the parts are available and not hugely expensive but it took almost 2 months to get mine back in 2019.

 

When a magazine is inserted into the gun it catches the spring (#31) which is also the valve knocker.

Because the spring is mounted to part #30 by a small pin it only takes a few of these hits from the magazine to break the pin rendering it unable to fire.

 

There are two solutions.

1. Always rack the slide BEFORE inserting a magazine.  This retracts the valve knocker so it does not get hit by the magazine when inserted.

This means that the hammer would have to be carefully lowered afterwards to prevent its spring becoming fatigued.

 

2. Make a stronger part #30 out of steel.  Its possible as its not a complex part and using an original as a template would make it much easier but I've not heard of anyone doing this though.

 

WE Browning Hi-Power MK3 failure and how to avoid breaking it. - YouTube

 

The trigger spring also broke on mine so don't manipulate the trigger a lot.

Other than this its an OK pistol.  I love mine but wouldn't use it on a game day.

 

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by EDcase

[parramoom]

Isnt the spring valve knocker a really old system?

[EDcase]

Yeah think so.  Its exactly the same as their earlier Hi-Power P35

 

The spring is meant to be able to bend out of the way when a mag is inserted and still act as the knocker when fired but the pin holding the spring is just too weak.

 

I still can't believe no other company is making the Hi-Power considering how ubiquitous it was in the 80's

[Stratton Oakmont]

[Cyberlawyer]

I have two of these that I do skirmish and I love them for the look and the cool factor. Why do I have two, simply because even as a backup sidearm I wont trust one to last a whole game day........

 

I also have a stock of Part #30 (I order them 10 at a time and will order another 10 when I get down to 5 left) as I basically regard them as a service item like 'o' rings, its not a case of if it will go bad just a matter of when.

 

Also the hop-up is terrible, it works ok, but is awful to set and doesn't hold adjustment well and is reliant on a non-standard little rubber 'patch' and a minute brass grub screw that loves to work its way out and get lost. Again I hold a small stock of these so I can skirmish the pistol.

 

In short if you are really committed to them they can be skirmished and perform ok, but a WE Glock cost less, shoots better and is far more reliable and uses a readily available hop rubber when it does need maintenance.

P.S. Just to add this isn't my main skirmish pistol, but on the rare occasion I break out the MP5 and black overalls it would be rude not to...

[Nick G]

As above, the valve knocker is prone to breaking, I do plan to see about getting some steel ones cut when I can get to a local engineering place. They are very cool, mine has full British army trades, and can be skirmished but the knocker will fail at some point.

 

Get one !

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, Nick G said:

As above, the valve knocker is prone to breaking, I do plan to see about getting some steel ones cut when I can get to a local engineering place. They are very cool, mine has full British army trades, and can be skirmished but the knocker will fail at some point.

 

Get one !

and where, pray tell, did you get a HIgh Power with trademarks?

[Nick G]

6 minutes ago, rocketdogbert said:

and where, pray tell, did you get a HIgh Power with trademarks?

I had them added. Jim at LC's engineering did them for me on mine and a mate's one.  they were the first ones he did so he spent wuite a bit of time getting fonts etc as close as he could to the referance pictures I sent him. Have to say I am very pleased with the result. I've added real steel grips and the small single safety for a more specific look. 

[EDcase]

1 hour ago, Nick G said:

...I do plan to see about getting some steel ones cut when I can get to a local engineering place...

Make several.  I'd be interested in buying one 😉

[Nick G]

41 minutes ago, EDcase said:

Make several.  I'd be interested in buying one 😉

Will do, I suspect there would be a demand. Was thinking about getting a dozen or so, one each for myself and the mate with one, couple of spares and then a few that others can buy.

[Cyberlawyer]

Just to add also don't store the pistol with a magazine in. Prompted by this thread I dug out my Browning for a quick plink and realized I had left a mag in it since its last outing. This was enough pressure over time to bend the chinesium metal pin that holds the spring that forms the valve knocker. 

 

Good job I have spares. It really is a crap design.

 

 

[EDcase]

I don't keep mags in pistols 'just in case'

[Cyberlawyer]

I don't normally must have packed up in a hurry last time it was out. Still got to scratch the itch as I have 2 for exactly this reason, but now I have to remember to fix this one before its next outing (or more likely forget to do so and only remember at the last minute and decide to just take a more reliable pistol instead!!!!)

[parramoom]

On 01/03/2022 at 20:30, Nick G said:

I had them added. Jim at LC's engineering did them for me on mine and a mate's one.  they were the first ones he did so he spent wuite a bit of time getting fonts etc as close as he could to the referance pictures I sent him. Have to say I am very pleased with the result. I've added real steel grips and the small single safety for a more specific look. 

You got the fonts and stuff im looking to do it at jd airsoft 

[Nick G]

9 hours ago, parramoom said:

You got the fonts and stuff im looking to do it at jd airsoft 

Afraid not, I just sent Jim a load of pictures and left it to him. I do know he spent quite some time matching them as closely as he could.

[k.a]

On 01/03/2022 at 20:30, Nick G said:

I had them added. Jim at LC's engineering did them for me on mine and a mate's one.  they were the first ones he did so he spent wuite a bit of time getting fonts etc as close as he could to the referance pictures I sent him. Have to say I am very pleased with the result. I've added real steel grips and the small single safety for a more specific look. 

 

Is the single safety from the old WE Browning with tangent sights mate ?

[Nick G]

2 hours ago, k.a said:

 

Is the single safety from the old WE Browning with tangent sights mate ?

Yes it is, along with real grips

[k.a]

On 04/05/2022 at 17:28, Nick G said:

Yes it is, along with real grips

 

Thanks mate, I had the safety on order from KY on hunch, good to know it won't go to waste.

[k.a]

On 01/03/2022 at 20:30, Nick G said:

I had them added. Jim at LC's engineering did them for me on mine and a mate's one.  they were the first ones he did so he spent wuite a bit of time getting fonts etc as close as he could to the referance pictures I sent him. Have to say I am very pleased with the result. I've added real steel grips and the small single safety for a more specific look. 

 

How much did the trademarks set you back mate ?

[Nick G]

18 hours ago, k.a said:

 

How much did the trademarks set you back mate ?

From memory £60 which I felt was reasonable for the amount and quality of work.

[k.a]

4 hours ago, Nick G said:

From memory £60 which I felt was reasonable for the amount and quality of work.

Thanks mate, and yes, definitely reasonable for the quality of work.