Browning

[rolandtg]

Originally Posted by Eugen

Last month I found this minty, seemingly unfired, 1969C Browning High Power 9mm at a LGS and had to add it to my 9mm shooting arsenal.

I have this thing for European 9mms.

After a range trip and 150 perfectly cycled and tightly grouped rounds, we are now good friends.

That is a beauty!
The BHP is my favorite shooter pistol.
The first one I ever saw belonged to a friend who owned a small general store. I used to watch the store for him when I was teenager and he kept an old wartime HP under under the counter.
I noticed it fit my hand really well. Several years later I bought a new one and never regretted it.
Mine has the "epoxy" finish that Browning started using in the 80's. I was skeptical about how it would wear but almost ~30 years and thousands of rounds later it still looks almost new.
I still keep my eyes open for a reasonably priced tangent sight model.

[sheepherder]

Does anyone know why the FN/Herstal Hi-Powers had the *inside* of the grips painted red???

When fitted to the pistol, the red color was not visible...So why paint them???

[Eugen]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Does anyone know why the FN/Herstal Hi-Powers had the *inside* of the grips painted red???

When fitted to the pistol, the red color was not visible...So why paint them???

It was applied to act as a moisture barrier for the grip panel. Lastly, the color red apparently was coincidental and had no specific significance.