The legendary Hi-Power is going out of production after 82 years of service. Thanks to Nighthawk and Turnbull, it’s going out in style. (Photo: Nighthawk/Turnbull)
Nighthawk Custom has teamed up with Turnbull Restoration and Manufacturing to celebrate the last of the Browning Hi-Powers. Late last year Browning announced that the company was halting production of the iconic handguns.
Because of this Nighthawk is sending off the Hi-Power right. By working with Turnbull they are able to deliver a final batch with hand-stippled burl grips, case-hardened frames and deep blued slide and controls.
Nighthawk has been building top-quality custom Hi-Powers for a long time and these sendoff pistols come with the works. Everything from a complete action job with a light, 4-pound trigger to the Heinie target sights including a 14-carat gold front bead and French borders for detail.
These are target pistols with crowned barrels and hand-stippled frames. Each one comes with Nighthawk’s cocobolo checkered medallion grips, a contoured magwell and extended beavertail.
For a final touch, every pistol comes with a display case, even though they are hard-use service pistols. They look great and can do both jobs for a lifetime.
Gun enthusiasts and historians around the world were surprised by Browning’s Hi-Power announcement. The pistol, while not as successful in the U.S. as other Browning designs, is the true successor to the 1911.
The design, started by John Browning more than 90 years ago, was completed by his assistant Dieudonne Saive in 1926. It is the first great double-stack pistol chambered for 9mm Luger, starting production in 1935.
After the Hi-Power was adopted for service by France in the ’30s the design would see adoption in dozens of countries around the world. No handguns would see more success until much more recently when Glock’s pistols took the global stage.
See Also: Nighthawk Hot-Rods the Hi-Power: Full Review
Like the original Hi-Power the Nighthawk pistols are 9mm handguns with a 13+1 capacity. Each comes with two magazines where available.
Nighthawk is taking orders for these guns over the phone. They have not listed any price for these celebratory handguns but their standard Hi-Power builds run over $3,000. It’s likely that these cost more.
If you’re interested in owning one of the last, greatest examples of one of the best service pistols ever made, head over to the Nighthawk Custom website and give them a call.
It will only be a matter of time before another company starts producing new Hi-Powers again, but this is the only chance to get one of these very limited-edition handguns by Nighthawk and Turnbull.
I always wanted a Browning Hi-Power and almost bought one a years ago about $850.00 or so, but life has a way of changing priorities got a Argentina clone and a Hungarian army clone and still had money left over. I seldom fly first class but, I have fun and feel safe with either of these guns. I know Ruger, Taurus, Smith & Weston can offer a pleasing retro version for less money if they want to, or price high and get in a bind and not selling their product. Just a thought. I still have my guns I am 74 years and going.
Actually the first great double stack handgun would have been the c96 broomhandle Mauser
I am never surprised when a very expensive gun goes out of production. Americans, although not exactly spend thrifts, are not in the same class as other people apparently. Young kids over 18 and under 30 (most unmarried) might own some, but will be selling or hocking them shortly after marriage out of necessity. Ordinary people do not have that kind of disposable income to spend north of three grand for a pistol no matter how beautiful. I’m 71 and after a lifetime of scrimping and saving I now can afford them, and yet I won’t buy them, because I have lived a life of thrift and see the folly of waste it is. Buy something for ten dollars that is beautiful and look at it when you need to feel rich. Don’t get me wrong, I long for them as much as others do, I just have enough brains not to drop that much cash for a gun when I can shoot any gun for much less. If I just want it to look at, read above.
OK. Now someone, as in Springfield Armory, Ruger, Taurus etc, start building them. Maybe in stainless, alloy frame, commander length. Everything that has been done so brilliantly to the 1911, duplicate it with the P-35 Hi-Power.
Beautiful pistol.
I was thinking just the other day as I read through yet another article praising a 9 m/m 1911 to the stars and back, that why don’t they just get a Hi Power and be done with it? Oh . . . so that’s why.
Nearly as iconic as the 1911, and I believe perhaps more so in other lands where the 1911 didn’t rule the roost.
It was accurate, safe, and extremely reliable in all conditions, and a truly great handgun.
I’ve been told that it was highly desirable among both Allied and Axis forces in the ETO, second only to the Lugar for a war trophy, but considered better by those who intended to use it for it’s primary purpose.
A far better trigger than the Lugar.
But, I suppose in this day and age, some “timeless designs” just aren’t so timeless.
Pity.
I’ll get two of these.
Soon as I remember to purchase a winning PowerMillions or MegaBall lottery ticket, that is.
$3k+ for gun with a dot matrix serial number. Seriously? Pretty sure they can afford engraving.
I’m sure NHC and Turnbull have the ability to re-engrave beautifully but that would be illegal. Since the guns started off as factory FN/Browning guns and they applied the original numbers going over them would be a violation of GCA ‘68. It is a pity, though, that a company like Browning skimps our on something as basic as a nice, clean number.
Agreed. I almost never climb on board cost related issues. If it’s too much – you can’t afford it.
In this case though, they tout the “custom” and attention to detail and throw that Taurus-grade serial number on there?
BIG stumble on their part.
And for Josh – those ARE re-applied by the builder which is perfectly legal so the lapsed attention-to-quality-detail is kind of inexcusable considering this roll-out. They eradicated the factory number with the grip stippling.
If they can’t match factory markings when applied on the same plane – they should have stuck with applying it to the forward edge of the grip so they are not immediately comparable.