1911 vs P35 Hi Power - Which is the BEST Military Service Pistol

[@derwinmoss9485]

Great video, as usual, and I agree with your conclusion. It’s the 1911 for me as well! My Dad was a WWII Combat Paratrooper, and one of my Uncles served under General Patton in WWII. Both were HUGE 1911 fans. In fact, I bought my Dad a Colt Series 80 1911 for a Father’s Day present. When my Dad passed away in 2013, it was left to me, and it rests comfortably in my safe. I love everything about how it feels. What a fantastic design. BTW, Thank You for Your Service, Hrfunk!

[@hrfunk]

The honor is all mine Derwin. Thanks for the comment!

[@frankdavis6751]

I have both - my wife prefers the 1911, and I prefer the Hi-Power. She was a Marine! (My mistake “is” a Marine). I truly like them both, but the “ease of maintenance” aspect - for me - makes the Hi-Power the hands-down winner. I have NEVER shot my spring across the room with the Browning - twice with the 1911. The Browning just is easier for me to strip, clean, and reassemble - by far. Thanks for the video. I sat up straight the whole time. Good job. And I knew you were going to choose the 1911.

[@hrfunk]

Ha, ha! Thanks Frank. Happy Thanksgiving, and Semper Fi to your wife.

[@eugeneshowty6454]

The most informative video between 2 weapons I have seen

[@krihanek117]

I'm getting a Springfield Armory SA-35. What a great gun. Not selling my 1911s, love those too.

[@hrfunk]

Good luck. I’ve been looking for an SA35 since they were announced and I haven’t found one yet.

[@willwilliam217]

I have a sa-35 on order, when you find your sa-35 it will make a great comparison video vs the browning. Also fn is rereleasing the hi power, but the made the grip larger to make a 17 round capacity to beat Springfield’s 15 rounds. Major downside it cost twice the price.

[@christopherbarger6112]

All I could ever ask for is a Hi-Power with a 1911 trigger. That would be the best handgun hands down.

[@varjagg]

Try HP Competition version someday, it's great.

[@shaun1293]

Christopher Barger didn’t the original 1911 have a stiff trigger like a stock Glock?

[@DavidDoingLife]

Christopher Barger that’s why I pinned the safety on my 1911. Have exactly what your describing

[@bobocacco]

The Wilson EDC-X9 kind of fills that niche. It's a slim gun. The grip is not too fat at all. You get a 1911 trigger and safety too.

[@SvenTviking]

WW2 German Hi powers had the magazine safety removed.

[@RobWhittlestone]

Hi Howard - Dieudonné Saive was not only responsible for the Hi Power double stack magazine but also designed another of my favourites: the FN FAL (British Self Loading Rifle (SLR) L1A1). My vote goes to the P35 since field strip is simpler, 13-round capacity, natural pointing and marginally (100g / 3.5 oz) lighter. All the best from Switzerland, Rob

[@hrfunk]

Thanks Rob!

[@scooterbob4432]

I have the RIA/Armscor 1911 A2 with a double stack 13 round hi-capacity magazine (10 in California). An all steel clone of the Para Ordnance P14-45, It has very thick grips and quite heavy but is accurate inspite of the WW2 GI sights and so far, a very reliable pistol.

[@joejhurojr3914]

I cut my teeths on the 1911-A1 in the summer of 1963 in theUS Army. That's why i have five of them. i love the 45 ACP. also love my 1917 S&W and my S&W 625 JM. in 45 ACP. Great video. 1SG., J J Huro Ret.

[@hrfunk]

Thanks Joe. I’m glad you liked it!

[@skipboyer1889]

I was a Corporal in the Marine Corps in 1975 at the ripe old age of 18. I had 18 months in of a 3 year stint and all we had to carry for a sidearm was the 1911. Every day at Camp Lejuene (sp) we could "fam fire" 1911's. It was during that time that I came to loathe them. In fact, it was years after I was released from active duty before I ever bought my first one. At the time I shot them, you would be more likely to hit what you were aiming at if you threw the pistol at the target rather than pulling the trigger. That being said, I did finally buy one, but not ever a Colt produced one, and found out that if they were taken care of properly, they were some of the most accurate pistols out there. I did purchase a Smith & Wesson (I'm really a wheel gun guy) when they first came out and fell in love with it. Since then I have had Springfield 4", Taurus full size (which is one of the most accurate firearms I have ever shot and won several local competitions with it) an RIA that I have completely redone myself along with a Kimber Carry Pro HD. All of them function just fine and are accurate. Since I am getting up there in age, I have found several things that keep me from carrying a 1911 for personal protection. #1: Every gang banger has more capacity in their bottom fed $100 special than a 1911. #2: The thumb safety. Disabling the grip safety may not be wise but it is practical IF you are getting older and you don't have the hand strength you once had. Getting older causes one to loose mobility in small motor skills. Hence, "snicking" the safety off in order to get rounds downrange can be problematic depending on how sever your condition is. There is a solution to doing this in the heat of the moment but few folks have the wherewithal to carry the firearm in condition zero. That has to be done prior to engagement.....which, in and of itself can be problematic to ascertain. #3: The weight. I too have lost over 60 lbs in the last few months but still, my belt can be pulled down by the weight of an all steel firearm. I know there are lighter variants available but......if you go that route, there are a lot of other options that remove all of the other problems of carrying a 1911 from my perspective. Buy a Glock. ;-) I have plenty of ammo in one. There are no safeties to mess with. They are combat accurate and with proper trigger control and a few polishing sessions the trigger and reset are easily as good as the 1911 and they can be shot accurately. I did have a Browning High Power Practical and I dearly loved that firearm. The one I had was in 40S&W. Much like the early Glocks, they had a tremendously unsupported chamber and handloading for it proved a challenge. It is the only firearm I had a "kaboom" in. Thankfully, I learned from it and safely loaded for my Glock 22 for a long, long, time. Just my thoughts on the issue and, you did say: "If you have comments, leave them below" (paraphrased I'm sure) I also must admit, I appreciate your videos. You are very knowledgeable and I consider you my Leatherneck Brother. Thanks and God bless!

[@hrfunk]

Semper Fi Skip! I dearly love the old 1911 but I understand your comments regarding a pistol that has a less complicated manual of arms and a greater magazine capacity. I think too, a LOT if the bad feelings guys have about the 1911's they were issued in the miltary comes from a lack of training. As an MP I trained extensively with the 1911, and it was pretty much an extension of my body for 4 years. If someone only got the abbreviated training in boot camp, and then just fam-fired it occasionally, I can understand how that could cause problems. Thanks for the comment!

[@wehrewulf]

There isn't a Glock trigger mod, or aftermarket trigger in existence that approaches a 1911 trigger.

[@willwilliam217]

Thank you for your service, I was in about the same time as you March 1974 to June 2002 as a Seabee. I had lots of experience with the m16 but none with the 1911. By the time I ranked high enough to lose my m16 and take over a handgun as my primary weapon it had been changed to the beretta 92. After my initial six year active duty enlistment (4 yr 10 mo active, the rest reserve), I joined active reserves until I retired. Has the pleasure of two active duty’s at Lejuenne, one construction at socc (sniper) and camouflage base and one military training (got to go to mortar school, great instructors).

[@skipboyer1889]

@@wehrewulf You need to try one of the new Timney Glock triggers. They will rival any 1911 trigger, any. Bold statement, I know, but trust me, Timney changed the geometry and function in their design while retaining all of the safeties.

[@skipboyer1889]

@@willwilliam217 Thank you for your service as well sir! God bless!

[@MTMILITIAMAN7.62]

The 1911 hasn't been the pinnacle of military sidearms since the P35 came out, and hasn't been relevant to military sidearms since the CZ-75 came out. The trend in military/defensive/service handguns has been towards lighter weight and more firepower. When the 1911 was being compared to revolvers and other single stack autos with similar capacities, it ruled the roost. When the Browning High Power introduced the world to a double stack handgun, the 1911 became, if not obsolete, then at least, old news. The US government is large and slow and cumbersome and stubborn-bound by tradition and ruled by lawyers and politicians. So they adopted a pistol for the 1970s in 1985 and a pistol from 1995 in 2017. In my opinion, automatics are about lightweight, concealable firepower. The advantage the .45 has over the 9mm is not nearly so large and quantifiable as the difference the 1911 has in capacity against pretty much any double stack 9mm, from the High Power to the Glock 17. The 9mm offers nearly double to almost triple the capacity in nearly every case for the same or less size and weight. Statistics show that all handguns are inconsistent and unreliable stoppers. The concept of "stopping power" as it applies to handguns is a myth. All handguns regardless of caliber will fail to stop and assailant nearly 1 in 3 times, regardless of how many times they are shot in the torso. Statistically, you are going to miss, and you are going to have to hit the assailant multiple times. It is notoriously difficult to shoot a handgun accurately under duress and nobody is as good a shot when they are dodging bullets as they are on the square range. If you add multiple assailants, even one of which is armed with a high capacity 9mm themselves, you could find yourself doing a lot more dodging than shooting. It isn't going to be like great grand-daddy said when so-and-so killed an entire banzai charge with his pistol. It isn't going to be like an old western with two guys squaring off in the street and one falling dead in his boots. It is going to be more frantic and desperate than that. Double stack pistols changed the dynamic of how handguns are used and what is expected of them. The Browning High Power led that charge. I guess, either way, regardless of whether you understand the Browning High Power is better or incorrectly prefer the 1911, the lesson here is that John Moses Browning was a God damned genius and knew how to design a good service pistol.

[@mauserwaffen982]

Well said! I completely agree with everything that you said!

[@OutnBacker]

Huge fan of both for over 40 years. But, my preference was settled the instant I first shot the Hi-Power. The ergo grip, the light recoil which comes back to target instantly, the capacity, pointability and just good looks. For decades, it was easier to find 9mm all over the world, but not .45ACP. Now, it's hard to find either. As to the effectiveness of the .45 over the 9mm: You just give 'em two instead of one. Currently own a 1978 mint condition Combat Commander, which is my favorite Colt iteration. For those who think the 1911 platform is divinely reliable - no, it isn't. I've been down a few roads here, and in mty experience only the original Colt has been flawless. Mess with bells and whistles and you're into a hobby - not a true combat pistol. Hobbies require tweaking and exploration. I don't want to have to do that when my life is at stake. I shoot them out of the box til they're smooth. For those interested in the Hi=Power, the SA-35 seems to be everything the orignal should have been. I'll wait til I find a used one, after they come out with a stainless and everyone trades "up" for that.

[@NCBikerBoy]

This is a well thought out and informative video, with proper respect paid to both firearms. While I have a particular affinity for the Hi-power (it was one of the first guns I ever learned to shoot), I have to agree that in any situation where you are bound by the rules of engagement to use only FMJ ammo; the clear winner has to be the 1911 due almost entirely to its much larger, heavier, slower-moving round. That said, in any environment where the use of modern expanding ammo is allowed, the nod has to go to the P35. My personal choice for an EDC pistol would be a Hi-power with a detective slide and match grade barrel, a colt commander-style skeletonized hammer, an extended beavertail, and a proper trigger job. 15 round magazines would also be a quality upgrade, in my opinion. Thanks for your insight, hrfunk. Well done, Marine!

[@hrfunk]

Thank you!

[@peterhill1944]

As an old bullseye .45 competition shooter from the '60s, you can do all you want to a HiPower but you will never get that super high quality match trigger that is possible on a 1911.

[@NCBikerBoy]

@@peterhill1944 I agree that few things in life are as satisfying as a quality match trigger on a 1911; owing most likely to the way the trigger functions on a 1911. That said, I've personally fired some customized Hi-Powers that are easily in the same class; and I would have no reservations carrying one of them every day. Each to his or her own, though.

[@brighter22]

It was fun to hear my dad complain of the 1911 poor accuracy in Korean conflict. I bet there were all wore out wwii ones.

[@dragoneye6642]

No the reason the 1911 was inaccurate was because of John Browning making it with loose terence's for reliability that's why today you hear some idiots complain that it jams all the time because today's 1911's are to tight and it's causing reliability issues

[@johnryan6658]

@@dragoneye6642 with a 1911 you can have reliability or accuracy. With a SIG you can have both.

[@SvenTviking]

Why would they wear out? Soldiers don’t generally fight with handguns. Officers were armed with pistols at the start of the war, but they soon started carrying rifles or SMGs so they couldn’t be identified from normal soldiers, something they forgot from WW1. Pistols were really backups or for waving at POWs. Even artillery and truck drivers got M1 carbines.

[@michaelboyle1805]

Meanwhile in Canada, we still use WW2 Hi Powers to this day lol

[@michaelboyle1805]

@Cobra Kai man I couldn't get through a mag with the army issued hi powers without having at least one stoppage every other shot. They're so bad lol

[@therugbee]

Thanks. Well done. Theonly solution is to own both.

[@alanfaulkner6329]

The hi power of course. Despite its shortcomings. Fabulous weapon.

[@joevangorder1006]

Outstanding Marine!!! You made my night with your obviously well informed conclusion lmao!!! It would've hurt me on some level had you gone the ithe way on that even though I absolutley love both platforms. God bless

[@hrfunk]

Thanks Joe! I'm glad you liked it!

[@ms.annthrope415]

That was my BDU uniform pattern when I was in the army in the early 1980s. I received my army officer's commission in 1983 and served 1 tour to 1986. I learned the 1911 in officer's trainig and every so often got a 1911 handed to me when I had to pull reserve base security. My first semi auto I bought was a cheap ass AMT Hardballer 1911 that woukd choke on anything other than hardball. I also bought a Browning HP after I left the army and just had to have a legend. Since FN ceased making them, I retired my HP and after waiting for over a year I got thr call to get the Springfield Armory SA35, a 95% clone of thr BHP. Love my SA35.ove my BHP. Love all 6 of my 1911s.

[@hrfunk]

You have good taste in handguns!

[@mynameislegion7144]

Enjoyed the video greatly and the conclusion cracked me up!

[@hrfunk]

I'm glad you liked the ending! I had fun doing it. This was kind of a light-hearted treatment of the subject, and I wanted it to be entertaining as much as informative.

[@mynameislegion7144]

Mission accomplished.

[@jerrymaynard2059]

I will never replace my p35 with a Glock 17

[@EvanEverhart911]

I will never own a Glock. I have a single polymer frame pistol, and I find it generally inferior to my steel framed pistols in all other respects other than weights as O wear it and DONT shoot it. I have an M&P Shield, at least it has safeties, and a better grip angle than a Glock, but otherwise, still not as good as a Hi Power or 1911 in most other regards.

[@diosdadoapias]

if I am not mistaken, the original design of the 1911 was it has no grip safety; but the US military upon seeing the prototype 1911 pistol without a safety grip, required that it should have one. So JBrowning put that safety grip. His 2nd design was the high power which has no safety grip.

[@arnbo88]

The P35 is very much an improved version of the 1911. One thing missed here is the external extractor of the P35. This solved some issues in the long run.

[@VMEMotor5]

The original design of the HP had an internal extractor. It changed sometime after WWII.

[@MarkBerg-tk8js]

For sure Ole Swan and Fritz, for sure

[@Ari.Atland]

P-35, they are both NEARLY the same pistols, but in a war zone it'll take more than a couple pistol rounds to stop a hostile. Thus the P-35 wins me over for the higher capacity

[@wehrewulf]

Thet are not nearly the same pistol.

[@l.peytonadams8570]

Browning never touched anything that was not touched by a genius.

[@mobilechief]

True

[@jc-vc7xq]

Well I own both these guns and like them both. That said I always liked the hi power a little more between the two. It does point better and my 70’s series 1911 won’t feed expanding ammo reliably but my 1975 hi power does

[@bartforren312]

Very professional and informative!

[@WillyTheScotchMan]

Which is better the Browning or the Browning? The answer is Yes! Honestly this the best side by side VS video on these 2 war pistols. I could never part with either. I would honestly carry the Hi power more today. I mostly carry Glocks and CZs today. I absolutely love a well made 1911. I feel comfortable carrying a 1911 on a daily basis and have. However I have naturally found myself reaching for my G19s, G45s, P07s and P10Cs for EDC. Nothing feels as good as a 1911 trigger that is a fact. My 1911s are more like "my precious" (Insert my Smegol impression). My revolvers, HKs, S&Ws, and other higher end pistols are kinda treated the same. My Work horses are treated as such, Even my Custom CZ SP01s. Love the ending of this Video lol Great stuff.

[@hrfunk]

Thank you! I’m glad you liked it!

[@bertg.6056]

Good video, thanks for your analysis. I have a BHP for 9mm shootability and capacity, and a Glock 21 .45 cal for stopping power and capacity.

[@jmfa57]

I have a Hungarian copy of the Hi Power, and I absolutely love the ergonomics of this pistol. I have three 1911s (Gold Cup, S&W Scandium 1911 and Springfield Armory GI .45.) I would pick the 1911 to carry for one reason - - the magazine will drop out of a 1911 when you push the release button. In the Hungarian Hi Power (an unlicensed part-for-part copy that I bought in 1986) requires that you PULL the magazine out of the pistol; it won't simply drop, as it is retained by the nasty magazine disconnect. Still, in states other than California, New York etc. which limit magazine capacity, the Hi Power has nearly double the number of rounds, so... Also, you are spot on with every other observation, especially the short thumb safety on the military issue Hi Powers. The obvious answer is to avoid the agony of choice and own examples of both. GREAT video, thanks, and thanks also for your years of service keeping folks like me safe!

[@hrfunk]

You’re welcome. Thank you for the great comment.

[@Atpost334]

Another great video. I have both pistols. I shoot and like both. To settle the long debate let me just say emphatically that the Browning Hi Power is the best combat service pistol that is not a 1911!!!

[@shuttlemanjack]

For a fighting pistol that had to accompany me anywhere in the world..... I'd always choose the HP. Ammunition availability, Parts Availability, ergonomics, and just plain "pointability". The 1911 in it's stock form is not a natural fit. It's a bit difficult for my thumb to engage the slide release without rotating the gun slightly to the left and even the stock HP safety feels more natural to me. I can pick up any HP in the dark and it just points more naturally. But that's just me.

[@worldwideinterests1]

interesting. Capacity, Browning wins it. Safety, the 1911 does. I really don't like the thumb safety on the original Browning, and as shallow as it is I like the aesthetic of the 1911. Most everything from 1911 looks weird today - cars, clothes, typewriters, etc. - but the 1911 still looks just right.

[@danshearer7627]

I own them both. Carry them both. Either one suits me just fine. Easy to use and dependable.

[@Ryarios]

Exactly. I would be tickled with either. I favorite handgun though is a 1911. It came with thinner slabs and just fits my hand perfectly. It’s so accurate, that sometimes I feel I just have to point in the general direction of my target and the bullet will curve to the target. 😬. My high power was an old beater of a gun that was Canadian surplus. It still shot just fine - especially after I removed the magazine safety. But nothing beats my 1911. It’s cycle is as smooth as glass. It has never failed to fire once the the 10’s of thousands of rounds I’ve put through it. It’s trigger break is a crisp 5 pounds. It doesn’t have any of the bells and whistles I DON’T want anyway.

[@trenacook7694]

Enjoy your content. Thanks for all you do. 2 great classic pistols.

[@jimeckenrode1271]

I have shot a custom 1911 that I was very impressed with. I own a Hi Power and am impressed with it's accuracy and being a natural pointer. So like you I am very partial and I choose the P35 as the best of the two. But most of all THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. USMC #1

[@hrfunk]

You're welcome Sir. The honor is all mine.

[@christianlibrul]

The Hi Power holds twice as many bullets. End of discussion.

[@Paladin1873]

Unless you count mass. 14 rounds x 124 grains = 1736 grains; 9 rounds x 230 grains = 2070 grains

[@angelmartin5054]

Jake mate

[@XHitsugaX]

obviously. Its a 9mm pistol while 1911 is .45acp

[@superkjell]

@@Paladin1873 In the end a slower, bigger projectile and a faster, smaller projectile = almost identical energy. So 14 is better than 8.

[@Paladin1873]

@@superkjell That debate has been going on for over a century and I doubt it will ever be settled. I will say this, if you miss eight times with a Hi Power, you don't have to reload for the next six shots.

[@yankeeastronomer1927]

1911... I've never had a problem with the grip safety. Mine has a great factory trigger. For concealed carry with a 8, plus one load out.. thirteen rounds of French wimp cartridges really doesn't seem like that much of an advantage. Quality 9mm may expand, but .45 won't shrink. I prefer apple pie to croissants.'

[@markshinn7837]

Very informative video ! Ending made me laugh too. Great job. One final thought, never saw an ammo dealer anywhere but USA that didn't have 9mm.

[@hrfunk]

Good point. Thanks for the comment!

[@willwilliam217]

Most of 2020, most of 2021 no 9 mm ammo, who could have saw that coming.

[@ancientheart2532]

First thing to change out in a HP is that dang mag. safe trigger with a non-mag safe wider pad combat trigger. Night and day.

[@hrfunk]

I’ll be addressing that very issue in about an hour.

[@Aaron-ro9vr]

Rarely have I respected an online presenter to this extent. Well done.

[@hrfunk]

River Walleye Guy Thank you!!!

[@Aaron-ro9vr]

You got me at the end. I'm a BHP man.

[@hrfunk]

River Walleye Guy I cant knock you for that. They are great pistols!

[@Pussilover56]

During World War 2, it was my father's service gun. These pistols were colloquially called "Belgian Browning." They were probably made in Belgium.

[@hrfunk]

They were made in Belgium and other places. They were actually used by troops on both sides of WWII.

[@nursesteve12]

I love them both. I carry both depending on my mood and keep one or the other on the nightstand. Usually the 1911 is at bedside for knockdown power and the P35 travels with me on the street for firepower. Not a fan however of the new S&W SA 35. Might be made of better metal but not a better gun.

[@hrfunk]

Just FYI, the SA35 is made by Springfield Armory.

[@ericsnow3663]

I'm lucky enough to have both in my little collection. Both are outdated in my opinion for carry in their original configurations but great fun on the range. The 1911 is my favorite for the reason the veterans loved it. It puts really big holes in things. A great thing when they were trying to get home alive. 🇺🇸

[@junbu8958]

i love the history you share during your videos , I have had a 1911 almost 25 yrs bought new NO complaints , and no need for modification

[@hrfunk]

Yep! They are still that good 108 years later! As an aside, I think a firearm’s history is part of what gives it some mystique!

[@junbu8958]

hrfunk you bet , thanks HR. As a side note my son is today doing the Murphy workout he is hanging out with Marines thinking of joining, I am stressed out about that as much as I am a solid military supporter and many family members Military, my Father was a Vietnam Vet , I have trouble letting go of my son

[@hrfunk]

I get that. My daughter is nearly 16 and she’s still my baby girl in my mind. That said, I got so much from the Marine Corps that made me the person I am today. It really does turn boys into men.

[@ancientheart2532]

Replaced my HP orig. trigger w/ a combat trigger and spring. There is no option for that damm mag. safe. In addition, the combat trigger is wider and has a much better feel to the orig.

[@bretoneer]

The ending - classic! Ps love your videos. Educational, entertaining, and you could be on tv (well I guess you already are in a manner of speaking!) or radio as you are extremely well spoken. Love the affable disposition too. Well done.

[@hrfunk]

Thank you!

[@bretoneer]

You are very welcome sir, and thank you for your service.

[@spookyelectrik]

its not difficult to remove the hi-power magazine disconnect. it also allows the magazine to drop free rather than hold into the frame on some magazines.

[@hrfunk]

Agreed. But the point of this video was to compare the pistols in their "as issued" condition. That means the GP35 would have the mag disconnect in place.

[@spookyelectrik]

@@hrfunk thanks for the quick reply, i have shot better groups with my 1911 on the range, the recoil pattern works better for me and follow up shots.

[@HardcoreHalo]

The 1911 is my number 1 favorite handgun, I also like the Browning Hi-Power too!

[@hrfunk]

There's a lot to like with both of them!

[@HardcoreHalo]

@@hrfunk I agree

[@PpAirO5]

Browning Hi Power would be my choice, which was also the real winner 👍

[@bennwj]

Great video. I have a cousin who carries his Hi-Power daily. Fantastic gun, and if it had a 1911 trigger I MIGHT consider using one myself.

[@hrfunk]

They are great guns and the trigger can be managed with training. Thanks for the comment!

[@jimnaz5267]

well done. fair comparison. thank you for sharing.

[@hrfunk]

You’re welcome, thanks for watching!

[@bobsplanesboatsandallrcact4932]

Carried them both, well a Colt Commander and the P35. Different guns for different purposes. Former for the field, and the latter for when they (?) don't fight back much.

[@DavidDoingLife]

I think a hybrid is best. That’s why I pinned the grip safety on my 1911. It’s now effectively a hi power with the 1911 trigger

[@wehrewulf]

Uhhhh. No.

[@mistermusik]

This is a tough choice. I have no experience with a Hi Power, but I have a couple of CZ clones (EAA Witnesses), and a 1911. They are different. I swapped out the slightly wiggly stock trigger on my 1911 for a larger flat faced trigger from EGW. After some sanding down there is no wiggle, no sharp edges and perhaps only a millimeter of take-up before a crisp 4-5 lbs break. All I could ask. The Witnesses are nice with their SA/DA and slightly higher capacity (10+1 45 acp). The polymer frames do not seem to be the greatest (although I'm sure they're just fine, all in my perception). Also, being that these particular Witnesses are budget pistols, the front sight is part of the slide, no swapping the front sight! Not a problem with my 1911, swapped the sights for night sights, which is why I can carry it. The Witness does come with a rail, so I can mount a light on it. Both can and have been carried cocked and locked. So again, I find them to be just different. IIRC, neither gun has ever malfunctioned, whether with cheap re-man. ammo or high quality JHP. Personally, I am more accurate with the 1911, so I'd pick that one. And with a Cobra Mag, I have 8+1, so I don't think I'm severely under-gunned compared to the Witness.

[@92vanguard]

I would argue that the caliber of ball ammo does not relate as much to damage as you would think. Even 22lr creates cavitation and massive tissue damage.

[@Ryarios]

Heavier slugs also shed their energy more slowly so the .45 will hit harder at longer distances.

[@Gumby56]

I may have been an USAF security policeman issued a model 15 .38 but I agree with the 45 over the 9, 30 years in law enforcement taught me that.

[@IronChefBklyn]

Ya got me🤣...I thought after all that the P35 was the clear winner, then you held up the 1911🤣..then admitted your bias! lol...great vid, thank you!

[@hrfunk]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching Robert!

[@garyK.45ACP]

I have, and love, both. The Hi-Power has become my favorite RANGE gun, very pleasant to shoot and the ammo is cheaper. That does not make it the better MILITARY handgun. Both of mine are perfectly reliable.

[@Jeremyho439]

For personal preference. The hi power is a piece of collection. For defense, my S&W Shield 2.0.

[@tim7325]

You definitely look like an MP.... I was an Army MP for five years... Cheers

[@paulwilliamson2067]

Entertaining presentation of a un-winnable argument.

[@hrfunk]

Thanks for the "entertaining" part!

[@gunnarkvinlaug7226]

The M1911 also came in 9mm Parabellum, then with 8 rounds magasin.

[@justinbailey1756]

The fact most of the word preferred the browning hipower over old glory, explains exactly why America pretty much ruled the world, at that time at least.

[@LarryC213]

I have never been able to understand why FN and/or Browning insists on continuing to make the Hi-Power with that stupid magazine safety. There are many very safe designs on the market that do not have that feature and all that it does as far as I am concerned, is to screw up the trigger-pull on the P-35. Oh, just a couple more things, sir. One is thank you for your service to our nation and two, sometime back in the eighties or early nineties, there was a Detroit Police Detective named Evan Marshall, he did a lot of research concerning the ability of a cartridge to stop an adversary. I remember reading that in FMJ form, the difference in effectiveness between the .45ACP and the 9mm, was a whopping one-percent. I remember a line from the story was something about Jeff Cooper's old saying about how they all fall to hardball was proven to be far from true. The .45 was 61% effective with a center torso hit and the 9mm was 60% effective with a center torso shot. Personally, I think that almost all handgun ammo is underpowered when your goal is to put a man down. I know a guy who was shot four times with a long barreled Ruger .44 magnum. He was shot with 240 grain JHP's. He ended up driving himself to the hospital. Now, once he actually arrived at the hospital, he was not able to keep going. But he lived and was able to return to work in construction within a year of his shooting. Mentally it took him longer than one your to recover. Today we would call it PTSD.

[@hrfunk]

Your story proves the point that the most important consideration in handgun effectiveness is shot placement. The writings of Evan Marshall and his associate Ed Sanow made for entertaining reading back in the day. At this point, however, his stopping percentages are controversial to say the least.

[@stoutdog56]

After all the debate about pistol, caliber, ammo and ballistics, it all comes down to shot placement. BTW, I bought a Browning 1911-22 and it has a magazine disconnect safety too. I can only ask Why???

[@gunnarkvinlaug7226]

9mm Parabellum may use the same bullet as the . 380 but the cassing is longer and holdes more power!

[@hrfunk]

@jeff lockaby That's cool! I would enjoy having an opportunity to talk with him.

[@ratscoot]

The HP35 was called high power because of the 9x19 chambering. A first for FN as their previous most powerfull handgun was the Browning 1903 in 9mm Browning long. They wanted to advertise the fact the new gun was in 9x19. Greetings from Belgium.

[@hrfunk]

Thanks for the comment! I was under the impression the P-35 was called "Le Grande Puissance" as a reference to it's magazine capacity. When it debuted in 1936, 13-rounds was quite impressive.

[@robertbrandywine]

The 1911 grip is too small for my hands. It always feels like the pistol is going to squirt upward out of my hand. The HP fits me perfectly.

[@johnparrish9215]

In my experience, it was easier/quicker to get a Novice Shooter to shoot the P35 good enough to be effective VS the 1911a1.

[@kamikazekunze]

Love the video and channel. Where can I get a set of those P-35 grips. Fellow Jarhead asking. Desert shield, Desert Storm. Thanks Devil Dog.

[@hrfunk]

Semper Fi! Here’s a link Marine: bhspringsolutions.com/index.php/product/1911-masters-grips-usmc-tribute-ready-for-immediate-shipping-usmc100/

[@ryanstucke7811]

Love the sabaton intro

[@PBMS123]

7:09 at what range? The 45ACP is a far slower round. They have similar muzzle energy, but in one you have single stack 7 or 8 round, and the other you have a double stack mag.

[@georgehorner1578]

no one ever bought a nine because they loved the round , it was and is about capacity.

[@mausercal65]

The final verdict cracked me up 😊 I agree completely but the way you said it made me laugh out loud .

[@hrfunk]

Ha, ha! Good! I hope it brightened your day.

[@stoutdog56]

Very informative and accurate video. Simper Fi and thank you for your service to our great nation! I own and enjoy both pistols. The Hi-Power (Practical) was my first pistol based on my research on it's world wide usage back in the pre-Glock era. My Hi-Power has the magazine disconnect safety removed as I agree with the comments of my colleagues. The Hi-Power is a sweet shooting pistol. I have more 1911's and just love the design, versatility and plethora of accessories for it. If I could only have one pistol, I would be hard pressed to choose between the two. That being said, I would agree with you and would choose the slow moving, hard hitting power of "O'l Slab Sides." Long ago I read a comment from an "Old School" lawman who said "every Hombre I ever shot, I always saw the bottom of his boots before his head hit the ground."

[@hrfunk]

Thanks, I’m glad you liked my video. That’s a great quote, by the way!

[@jamescooper2618]

The P35 has always been a cool handgun, but I am a heavy-bullet at moderate velocity fan, When modern 9mm lovers talk about capacity, I just tell them to carry more magazines, They are easy to change and it can be done quickly. I don't see much problem there. Again, excellent video!

[@hrfunk]

James Cooper Thank you!

[@chrismc410]

James Cooper the Hi Power with the right ammo is a formidable, reliable and excellent weapon. 124 grain, +P Speer Gold Dots is no slouch in the stopping department. I've carried mine for 19 years and it has gotten me out of trouble many times. I own a 1911, CZ-75, PT-92, Makarov, S&W Model 29 and Ruger Security Six and would bet my life on any of them. My Hi Power is my first choice among those.

[@tmartin3151]

Well the HI Power should be a better gun, it had 24 years to product improve over the 1911 which was busy fighting a world war and winning it. I personally don’t trust any firearm with a magazine disconnect. I’ve seen too many people accidentally drop a mag under the stress of a shot clock or on a two way range but are able to send at least the one in the chamber before mitigating said issue and had they had a disconnect it would have ended differently, and not in a good way.

[@hrfunk]

Interesting. I personally have not seen that.

[@tmartin3151]

@@hrfunk Hey, I’ll send you two KZbin links. There are two videos, One is in Houston for a PO who accidentally ejects his magazine in an all out gun battle. And the other is a Florida deputy who accidentally ejects his magazine in the middle of an ambush.

[@tmartin3151]

@@hrfunk kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXS8pHpjnK2FmZY

[@tmartin3151]

@@hrfunk kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmaacmqGd5yBbMk

[@tmartin3151]

I’ve also personally seen it during training with a newer officer which at the time I wrote off as them being inexperienced and handling their firearm wrong (I’m not a range master, I’m talking about standing around watching others qualify after I’ve qualified). But my personal observation and these two videos all have a common theme, Sig Sauer’s P320 striker fired handguns.

[@albertmcmichael9110]

Language lessons aside the 1911a1 is the best US military service sidearm. The P 35(aka Browning Hi Power) is the best foreign (IE European) sidearm. Couldn't make up my mind as to which one to get so I have 2 of each!

[@hrfunk]

That's the best solution I can think of!

[@khalilabukabeer815]

Albert Mcmichael You’re so true, man should own both

[@diosdadoapias]

The 1911 was made by John Browning and so is the Browning high power.

[@fondelmaddick5085]

@@diosdadoapias is Colt separate from John Browning?

[@yongli8276]

Fondel Maddick John sold licensing to colt to make 1911. He gets loyalty for it.

[@bldlightpainting]

AGREED! I've been carrying a 1911 on and off the job for over 20 years with no issues.

[@hrfunk]

Semper Fi!

[@hrfunk]

Still, this doesn't look half bad: file:///var/folders/97/7psqfdqd1f9fctzm3b9txg7w0000gp/T/IMG_1667.jpg

[@GuyWithAnOpinion2]

Great O Henry ending! 😆

[@brianwinters4991]

Love this video ! Which is best , who nows , you just have to own both !

[@colt10mmsecurity68]

I own 6 Colt 1911’s and one Ithaca from WW2. That being said, I love my FN Hi-Power more and also my newest, Springfield SA-35 clone. The Hi-Power design, fit and feel is just superb in my book. Albeit, my FN needed some gunsmithing work done to make it a “great” shooter, but it was a project gun of mine. I have some cylinder & slide parts, as well as BH Spring Solutions work done on it. Now, it’s a smooth fun gun to shoot and carry.

[@larkinoo]

Watched and enjoyed this installment Howard. I have both iterations of those pistols and enjoy them just as much as my other babies. The one thing I need to do on my High Power though is get rid of the stock safety. I have been meaning for years now to put a similar safety lever that you have on yours. Gee, I think I'll give Brownell's a call today. Signed, Doug.

[@colt10mmsecurity68]

“Do-da-nay Sss-ive.” Rhymes with “five” or “hive.”

[@hrfunk]

Thanks.

[@diosdadoapias]

Sir may i suggest also that since their is a half-cock notch on the hammer of the 1911 to serve also as additional safety feature to catch the hammer if it will release from the full-cock notch, then why can't we carry the 1911 on Condition One with the thumb safety off. The Glock is actually carried in Condition One without any external safety engaged. The 1911 is far safer than the Glock.

[@ms.annthrope415]

If you have problems woth thr standard grip safety in the 1911, install a new grip safeties woth a memory bump. ED Brown invented the first grip safety with a memory bump and now every 1911 manufacturer and after market has memory bump grip safeties. They will remove any problems with not depressing it down correctly.

[@ScottGpa]

I will refrain from stating that any firearm is inferior primarily because I wouldn't wish to be shot with any of them. I will however suggest that after the 1911 and the GP35 were designed and introduced to the world, all future sidearm designers might have well been sent home because in my opinion there was nothing left for them to design, it had already been done. Not even does the M17 have any value. If you have to create a "Modular" firearm just in case you want to switch caliber then you did a poor job of planning and probably shouldn't have been assigned the task of selecting a firearm to begin with. I hope that I am never in a situation where I would have to choose between my Colt or my Browning. Thank you for your comparison and post.

[@hrfunk]

You’re welcome. Thank YOU for a great comment!

[@chmd22]

This is so true. Handguns must be one of the least improved upon product in the last 100 years. As military sidearms, the 1911 and BHP have been supplanted, mostly I think because they don't have enough firepower relative to their size and weight, and also they are more expensive to make than a modern Glock or polymer Sig, but for civilians to own, collect, compete or just plain have fun with at the range, they are hard to beat.

[@SimplyRed66]

FN Browning HP35 👍

[@bill154cub]

The 1911a1 the best military service pistol of all time no doubt about it in that 45acp of course. I don't care for the 9mm round but it took me three decades to purchase a pistol in 9mm. The cz 85db which is a cz75 amberdexterious. I like the double action first shot. The 1911 is designed so well it feels like a extension of my arm when it's in my hand. It feels that solid. Thank you for your videos.

[@hrfunk]

bill porciello You're welcome! I'm glad you like them. Enjoy your 1911s and your CZ!

[@Chris-Brauch]

Very well done video! 👍🏼 thank you sir. Thank you for your service to our country 💪🏼

[@hrfunk]

It’s been an honor. Thanks for watching Chris.

[@larryruby6936]

I was an MP and carried the 1911. Nice firearm, but I'd take the P35. I have one in my safe

[@enigmaa7]

Very professional and informative 👏🏼

[@hrfunk]

Thank you!

[@bobbowie5334]

The Browning for carry.........the Colt Series 70 to look at.

[@gunnarkvinlaug7226]

The M1911 also served true WWII on both sides, for Germany it was produced by either FN in Belgium or Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk in Norway, still in . 45 ACP! The Norwegian ones are easy to recognice by the larger slaidrelece.

[@hrfunk]

Thanks Gunnar. I didn’t know Germany used the 1911.

[@rickmansberger4136]

My firearms s mentor, Airborne Sargent James Ray Redmond would advise me about a firearm that I should have and then I would secure it. He was a huge 1911 fan and a P35 fan alike. Overall, he said John Moses Browning was a gift from God himself. Luckily I always listened to Mr. Redmond and I have 2 1911s, and 2 P35s, all Belgium made. I carry my P35 and enjoy my 1911s. Thank you Mr. Redmond for making me.... Redmond Ready Redmond Approved

[@hrfunk]

Sergeant Redmond obviously had very good taste in firearms!

[@AICW]

If you want a Hi-Power without a mag disconnect... buy a CZ 75B in single-action-only mode in 9mm.

[@chrismc410]

AICW they did make limited production runs of the Hi Power without it. They're on the used market if you can find one. You could also go to Brownells', buy the Wide Combat Trigger which has no provision for the Magazine Disconnect by following the same procedure for removing the trigger to remove the Magazine Disconnect in the first place. 20 minute job, $60 for the part. Not a bad deal. Way cheaper and easier than a lot of 1911 tweaks.

[@sheriffpapa396]

Or you could just remove the magazine disconnect like I did.

[@jamessprecher7594]

I have carried both quite a bit, and am very fond of both. Which one I would chose just depends on the day. The Hi Powers I have carried have the mag disconnect removed.

[@hrfunk]

The good news is that there's really not a bad choice between these two!

[@georgetreepwood1119]

Great ending...great video..I want to buy a matched pair of Colts or Brownings but I live in a Colt/Browning free zone...somewhere on the East Coast ...but I can have a Glock or a SIG - though only a plain non-engraved one..engraving or plating makes it a different gun don't you know..Thank God if you live in a free state...

[@hrfunk]

George Treepwood I do! And I also feel bad for you.

[@reaperaf9511]

George Treepwood i feel for you... you just made me glad i live in texas!

[@georgetreepwood1119]

Thank you...I actually have a joke where I pretend to call out West looking for political asylum and when I pretend the person asks what country I'm from I say "Massachusetts"

[@myvenusinuranus]

1911 by far is the better gun, all the controls are right there within reach, better stopping power, safer, no magazine safety if you get rid of the magazine safety on the hi power and if the thumb safety was easier to reach and had a positive detent then it'd be a lot closer to the 1911

[@neiljohnson6815]

I own both and have carried both the 1911 and Hi Power as a duty gun and as concealed carry. But I have gotten old. I have finally started carrying a Glock for self defense. As I sit here and watch this video I am wearing a Glock 48. It's single stack 9mm with 10 round magazine. I have added after market sights and had the front strap on the grip stippled. Otherwise stock.

[@1LRLRG]

When I went through basic it was the Hi-Power we were trained on. Still like it, never fired a 1911 but I'm looking forward to it. Had a BDA in 45 and quite enjoyed shooting it so I can't say either one is better than the other. Personal preference I feel is the best answer.

[@hrfunk]

Interesting! May I ask what service you were with? Since you were trained on the Hi Power, I'm certain it was not a branch of the US military.

[@1LRLRG]

@@hrfunk Canadian forces, Navy

[@hrfunk]

Cool! Thanks for the reply!

[@bryanshaw4434]

Just saw this video. I scrolled through the comments but didnt see anyone asking about the Hi power grips. Where did you get them? I also am a former Marine from 70 to 73 and am a big 1911 fan. Just bought a hi power & like it a lot. Great video.

[@hrfunk]

Here's the video I made when I got the grips: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gILWppudhsSdfrs

[@Hibernicus1968]

Dieudonné Saive would be pronounced "dyew-done-ay sev." That's as near as I can represent it in non-phonetic script. The "ai" is not a diphthong, it's a single vowel sound, just like in the French verb "faire," so it would be pronounced "sev" - one syllable.

[@hrfunk]

Darren O'Connor Thank you, that is helpful. I hate mispronouncing his name, but I've never heard anyone say it who I was confident said it correctly. So Saive would have the same vowel sound as the word "said" correct?

[@Hibernicus1968]

That's about it, yes. Fortunately, French orthography is pretty consistent, so once you learn how the letters are used, and what sounds they represent, it's pretty easy to work out pronunciation from the spelling. Actually this is true of most Indo-European languages. English is the exception thanks to the Norman conquest in 1066, after which, for several centuries, French was the language of the ruling elite, and English the language of the common people. By the time the Normans were completely assimilated and English began to reassert itself as the dominant language, it had changed so much, and lost so much vocabulary, that it borrowed tons of words from French. Our screwed up spelling is a legacy of this large-scale French intrusion into the language -- users of English had to cope with words from two different languages, both of which used the same Roman alphabet, but which each used those letters to represent sounds differently. Our tendency to borrow words from many other languages since then (and leave the spelling the same as in the original language) has only made English orthography more complex still. On the plus side, the very same process simplified our grammar enormously. This is why English verbs are usually simpler to conjugate, and it's why English, almost alone among European languages, doesn't have useless embellishments like grammatical gender to complicate the language needlessly. It used to -- Old English had three genders, just like modern German does, but it shed them during English's centuries in the wilderness as a language of commoners and peasants.

[@hrfunk]

Wow! I missed this when you originally posted it and I find it quite fascinating. Interestingly, I consider myself a student of history, but I always hated English classes. As I have gotten older and wiser over the years, I've grown to understand just how closely the two are related. Unfortunately, I'm embarrassingly uneducated in terms of all things linguistic in nature. Is there a good source for exploring the history of languages, or am I bound to wallow in ignorance?

[@Hibernicus1968]

You might try "Empires of the Word" by Nicholas Ostler. It's a good introduction to the subject.

[@stevenkennedy4130]

Trigger and safety are better on the 1911. Both are great weapons, IMO. Thanks for the share!!