The Arcus-Ranger Browning Hi-Power variant that *briefly* stumped firearms expert, Jonathan Ferguson

[@SuitsTheRedcoat]

Other KZbinr merch: T shirts, hoodies, plushies Royal Armouries merch: "so if you wanna buy a sword..."

[@softcatmonster]

Now, if only the Tank Museum will just sell us a tank. Something like a Renault FT would be nice.

[@inquisitorbenediktanders3142]

Only a replica tho. The real ones are too rusty and have too much historical value.

[@derekp2674]

Thanks Jonathan and team, it was really interesting to see those obscure GP-35 inspired designs. I used to live (and shoot) fairly close to Hereford, where there was a great gun shop, John Slough of London. In the early 1980s, they produced their own CZ-75 inspired design, the JSL Spitfire. I see you have seven versions of that at Royal Armouries and even the IWM has one.

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

We also have on loan his original prototype in a nice frame with wax seal!

[@derekp2674]

@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries Thanks - that's good to know. I used to visit two different gun shops in Hereford, an 'ordinary one' where I imagined local gentleman farmers would go and JSL, where there were racks full of AR's and such like, inside the 'inner sanctum'.

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

@@mistermann7579 I do :)

[@m.j.mahoney8905]

Speaking of obscure British pieces, do you have a Victory Arms MC5? I've never been able to find out much about them. Cheers!

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

@@m.j.mahoney8905 We don't unfortunately. We do have several of the 'Tranter' CZ clones though.

[@kebabsvein1]

Stumped me as well! The shape of the back and trigger guard caught me off guard! Good video as always!

[@UlookinMe]

Those Arcus Hi power-ishs were imported into the Us as the 98 and 98C I believe. They were different then the 94’s. Quite good guns too. I have one floating around and used it in a shoulder holster for horse back rides for years.

[@TheArmourersBench]

"The Arcus-Ranger Browning Hi-Power variant that *briefly* stumped Sword Salesman, Jonathan Ferguson" ;P

[@derekp2674]

Does that make him a 'sell sword' ?

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

@@derekp2674 Am I going to have to separate you two?

[@derekp2674]

@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries That sounds like we're back in primary school :)

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

@@derekp2674 That was the idea :D

[@CeltKnight]

Fascinating. Glad to know I'm not the only one who drives others crazy by pausing videos and researching the weapons of shows. :) I carried a MkII Browning Hi-Power as a police duty weapon (SE USA) for several years back in the early 1990s. Still have it and the design is still very much a true classic. I almost hate to see those beautiful lines "ruined" by the Arcus incarnation, but then again, someone had to like them. ;)

[@rainonmyscug]

He likes Utopia, he is the chosen one

[@Aaron_mf]

Such a great show that no one has ever heard of!

[@Youcannotfalter]

Not surprised he likes it, Jonathan likes the cool stuff.

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

This may be nearer the truth than you think. I am one of the few proud owners of a copy of The Utopia Experiments ;)

[@wayneelliott8277]

The archive has the manuscript

[@Youcannotfalter]

@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries Where is Jonathan Ferguson?

[@philm9593]

Nice that you mentioned the CZ75. Carried one for years. I6 with one in-line, DA on the first round which was nice. However, I still prefered old school condition 1. AkA cocked and locked.

[@Quaker521]

Thanks Jonathan, that was very interesting. I'd never heard of the IDS Ranger - every day's a school day. And yes, I'm one of those nerds that often points out the weapon anomalies seen on the screen. 😁

[@scootertart]

Thanks Jonathan for another great video, big fan of both Utopia ( shame Channel 4 only made two seasons) and the Hi-Power, Always interesting to see all these old variants which were issued to the British military over time. My only experience of the Hi-Power was in the ACF in the 80's , the examples we saw were pretty knackered and probably been dropped by many a squadie over the years ;) sadly as spotted teenagers in the cadets - they did not let us on the range with them ;( thanks again.

[@busboy262]

Another great vid. In the states, we've seen a new copy of the Hi-Power from Springfield and the re-imagining of the original by FN. The example that you brought was an older copy that I had never seen before. Thanks you. Now, just going by looks, it's what I imagine if Sig made their own copy of the old classic. I don't hate it. But it looks like it could be even heavier than the original design. The sword looked lighter.

[@sergecashman4822]

It's very interesting. I used hi power back in the 90s and I didn't know it was a hi power. We called it an FN. It had a weird grip angle compared to the Jericho I was trained with, and some other weird stuff, but was very slim and high capacity. Easy to conceal. Also very rugged. I would much rather use a modified hi power than a modified glock.

[@matthaught4707]

Looks like a P226 and a Hi-Power had a love-child

[@MHSMokeEater]

Love the Hipower happy to see FN brought it back as a new Version.

[@jonatan0909]

Jonathan Ferguson the legend!

[@Robaperas6]

Thanks to Jonathan I watched Utopia, what an incredible series, exhilarating and bleak.

[@jeroendesterke9739]

Got one today in a local gun show in Phoenix, Arizona. I'd NEVER seen one or even heard of the marque before. A 98DA in phosphate finish made in Bulgaria with CAI import markings as per usual, as they import a lot of hardware. I assume 'Ranger' is no one else than the ubiquitous Mick Ranger? a mover and shaker in the firearms world.

[@oscargustavoarcosruiz8793]

I am a fan of Utopia, the original, and it seems correct that such an unusual series also uses unusual weapons

[@engineeredlifeform]

It needed another series,... I'd hoped the remake was going to properly conclude the story, but no.

[@dmg4415]

FEG in Hungary made HP clones, my wife had a HP and needed an additional magazine, the gun dealer had a FEG and it's magazine worked well in the HP.

[@robviousobviously5757]

Looks very much like a Browning HiPower & a Sig Sauer P226 had a love child.

[@benstoyles1297]

Strongly reminiscent of the Vektor SP1, but with the H-Power "angularised" rather than the 92FS.

[@nigeh5326]

As a kid in the 70s I had a .177 air pistol that looked just like a Browning Hi-Power. Can’t remember who made it but for a .177 pistol it was heavy and great fun to shoot model aircraft with in the garden 😊

[@johnnunn8688]

I spent ages putting together an Airfix Shorts Sunderland, painted up quite nicely. Then took it out in the garden, hung it from the lilac tree and tested my BSA Meteor .22 on it. The Sunderland lost 😂🤣. Or, ☹️☹️🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️.

[@nigeh5326]

@@johnnunn8688 I had 300 Airfix model soldiers and a lot of Airfix models. I used to set them up and spend hours knocking them down and shooting them to pieces. I also used to melt the soldiers with a magnifying glass 😃

[@johnnunn8688]

@@nigeh5326, those little, plastic soldiers? I used a ‘machine gun’ on them. You take a Biro pen, remove the cap and inner ink tube. You then take a handful of raw rice and put it in your gob, then place pen tube to your lips and blow. Hey presto, rice machine gun! 😂🤣 PS Don’t get me started on shooting and dead, with an elastic band, plus those wood lice they had for tanks….

[@GunsmithSid]

Johnathan - very curious about the ‘throw-away statement’ at 6:21 where you say the CZ-75 is a parallel development of the Browning. I find the pistols to be very different and unrelated as far as development. They both use a similar Browning Linkless barrel locking/unlocking system, but the lockwork and slide mounting are very different. Firing pin retention, slide stop retention, magazine catch, extractor, ejector… Nothing seems to be related to the High Power except the barrel system. What can you tell us about the beginnings of the CZ-75 and how it derives even as a parallel design to the Browning High Power? Sound like a good segment to me!

[@edmonddesbiens]

I believe he meant parallel as "at the same time period" not "related design"

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

Oh absolutely - it's far more derived. That doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't part of the 'family' - there's an interesting discussion to be had there, but certainly the received wisdom (whether wrong or right) is that it's a developed BHP - I am by no means the first to say so. :) It's the first major design to use Browning's linkless lockup - this alone makes it a more meaningful comparison than, say, the AK and the vz58 (which of course is only 'inspired by' the AK and is mechanically completely different. There is another link back to Browning (albeit not the Saive redesign) insofar as the CZ internal slide rails are there in the original Browning 1922 patent. On the other hand, you're quite right to say that they threw away a LOT of the BHP.

[@GunsmithSid]

I didn’t take it that way because he said ‘That’s a parallel development OF the Browning High Power’ not a parallel development TO the Browning High Power. But, it was not really intended to be a studied statement, just a casual comment that I’ve heard countless times and think it would be good to see where that thought process came from and maybe if it has truth to it or not so much… 😮

[@recce8619]

The “recent” Hi-Power appearance that I liked was No Time To Die, a great choice for Bond’s personal pistol

[@douglasfur3808]

A gun marked "E.D." seems apt in a humorous way.

[@not-a-theist8251]

Scholagladiatoria is an amazing channel for anyone thats interested in swords

[@tekdev]

Mick Ranger, IDS's owner, was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison in 2012 for arranging a deal to sell missiles and handguns to Azerbaijan, a country with an arms export ban since 1992.

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

Indeed.

[@Mr_T_Badger]

Can I convince you to cover the CZ75, preferably Pre-B, in a future episode?

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

I'd like to - the difficulty would be my poor colleague having to post some obscure image of it so that everyone didn't immediately guess 'CZ-75'! :)

[@Mr_T_Badger]

@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries hmm, fair enough, thank you anyway. 😀

[@F1ghteR41]

​@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries Come to think of it, wouldn't some obscure ČZ-75 derivative be better for that purpose? Some British-made, perhaps - JSL Spitfire, Tranter, that sort of deal?

[@stevenhoman2253]

Hi Johnathan, I am overly intrigued by the rifle in the rack behind you, to your right. It stands out due to its thick fore stock. I have been curious about this for so long. Could you please let me/us know what it is?

[@davidwallwork3623]

I've wondered if it was the Anschutz mod.54 I gave to Leeds University Rifle Club after I left in the late 60's after being captain for two years.

[@norwegianwiking]

UK pistol manufacturing as late as 2002 surprised me. Kinda figured it would have died out quicker post-97

[@joearnold6881]

Well now I have to find out what “Utopia” is

[@adrianp618]

Hi Johnathan. Any idea how many of the Arcus-Ranger HP's were made?

[@ImGlassy]

Jonathan is a fan of Utopia? This man gets better and better every video

[@schizoidboy]

I was wondering if those pistols are either single - action or did they update with double - action. Incidentally my entire family has a tendency to point out the inaccuracies in movies. I study history myself and I know how inaccurate movies can be especially with history. For some reason I remember my Dad, a federal agent, and I were watching Silence of the Lambs and he was remarking how an agent wouldn't do those things Jodie Foster's character was doing, but I do remember after she shoots the villain she reloads her gun, which my Dad said was something you would do in a combat situation.

[@andreweden9405]

Handsome pistol! Bulgaria does indeed make some fine firearms.

[@mikeblair2594]

The Toto on the sword blade would be the makers touch mark wouldn't it? Like the running fox from the German maker of a later era that a lot of blade smiths copied.

[@S37H0]

jon ferguson isnt just a firearms expert but an an expert of quality tv

[@mrsquishyboots]

I remember the Arcus 98 was the budget gun of the internet for a while. less than 400$ back in the day.

[@scroggins100]

If you have a long index finger you dont need the mag to release the trigger and drop the hammer. Also, what is that target rifle? at the end of the rack over your right shoulder please?

[@Techcensorshipbot]

Does anyone know what parts of the browning hi power JMB contributed to? I know he died during its development and someone else had to finish it.

[@norwegianwiking]

Don't know if anyone has studied whatever FN has in their archives. Dieudonne Saive had 9 years to tinker after JMB kicked it in '26.

[@Kaboomf]

Ian covered some of this in a video on the immediate precursor to the HP, kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3zbqIKHiqiarq8

[@mooneyes2k478]

As someone once noted, the Hi-Power is probably the first thing that comes to mind in handguns, if you say "Browning", to most. Which is interesting, because 1911. But most likely think "Colt" at that point, and not Browning.

[@tommitchell1249]

I surprised there was any pistol manufacturers in Britain after Dunblane the civilian market would have died and most large scale military contracts would more than likely be fulfilled by the Germans or Americans.

[@zoiders]

Austria.

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

As I hope I explained in the video, this is just prior to Dunblane.

[@tommitchell1249]

@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries That's true for the 1995 ranger but the arcus ranger was produced in 2002 was it the case that after the switch to the bulgerina company they there no longer assembled and/or sold in the UK?

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

@@tommitchell1249 Ah sorry, I see what you mean. The change in the law didn't prevent manufacturers and dealers from making and selling abroad, and to those in the UK (movie armourers, museums, people in Northern Ireland) who could still possess them.

[@tommitchell1249]

@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries Got you thanks for the clarification.

[@julianmhall]

Another clue to the cutaway Browning being military issue (I thought it was a clue anyway) is the lanyard hole in the hammer. Perhaps for an MP?

[@justinholland9844]

Actually, ring hammers were standard on the Hi-Power before the spur was introduced, and it continued to feature on some models like the Mark 3 Practical.

[@douglasmcdowall5006]

I'm still having trouble trying to figure out the actual date of my military hi-power!

[@vac65]

Brilliant! But you need some improoved lighting. More than half of the video is quite dark an rather hard to watch. Cheers!

[@Sableagle]

If you really want to tear into a gun design mistake, check out the upcoming _Evil West_ game, as mentioned in recent Outside Xtra video. I can't share screenshots here, so here's the timestamped link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3Kyq2SYfNeJgcU Things we think those guns include: Colt SAA ejector rod Cap and ball cylinder Webley-Fosberry automatic revolver zig-zag track (bumpmap not 3D model, so looks like a dent) LeMat revolver's central shotgun Cap and ball cylinder loading lever link Bronze frame for the main part, but a steel grip frame Bunch of Hiragana down each side of the grip. Also he seems to be wearing a couple of bandoliers of .45-70 for some reason.

[@anthonyschofield7807]

The Hi-Power I owned in the 80’s had a tangent rear sight calibrated to an optimistic 800 metres,wooden grips and Eagle and Swastika proof marks. I always regretted selling it.

[@JB-nw1lc]

Pyrocyinical should be happy at the utopia mention

[@PBMS123]

LOL Australia still uses the Hi-Power as the in-service pistol. Insanity.

[@EvanEverhart911]

Hi Power is a great and reliable pistol.

[@JS-ob4oh]

I never understood why the BHP which was a good pistol in its day was never updated (until now) by FN or any one else. Simple generational improvements like getting rid of the magazine safety or reshape the hammer or a better trigger took over70 years to be incorporated into the design. At this rate, it will be another 70 years before FN adds rail, fiber optic front post, or decocker to the BHP.

[@Getpojke]

Think the sword says TOTO as it was for St. George & the Dragon or for Holding The Line...[Sorry, rather obscure, old person's music joke about the rock band TOTO]. Interesting video as always, didn't know much about those Hi-Power offshoots. Off to look at the swords; shame our laws are so tight on replica firearms as copies of some of the collections tastier guns would have been good too.

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

I am, unfortunately, also old enough to remember Toto - it's all I could think about when doing that bit!

[@Getpojke]

@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries Hehe, I've had the song "Africa" as an ear-worm since you mentioned TOTO.

[@ph43drus]

This was cool, but the screen grab bugs me because the actor is aiming the pistol with the hammer down.

[@Paladin1873]

It looks like a Hungarian FEG PK9 DA copy of the Hi Power I once owned.

[@hankpb1]

had 3 on fac. untill taken off me. stupid UK gun laws

[@TheArmourersBench]

Ahhh yes, Imperial Defence Services.

[@derekp2674]

I wonder if they made a mint...

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

The scamps...

[@TheArmourersBench]

@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries I was familiar with their ARs, not with these! Very interesting. You'll be doing the Spitfire next haha.

[@johnnunn8688]

What is the legal ramifications of owning a repro sword, indoors display only, in a secure case?

[@chooseyouhandle]

Swords also? This is really branching out.

[@maxwall8456]

how about a video on how the MOD ruined the browning hi power with the RG2Z over powered round. An excellent pistol ruined by an SMG round.

[@tonyjmcd]

I do love that start, you are probably all the same people, yes, yes we are. Not sure how are partners put up with us

[@jasongordon9811]

When I watch programs like that with my misses declares this show is for entertainment purposes only. Not a historic document.

[@sergeyshubin352]

It's fascinating how this talk about the lineage of pistols with its evolution, missing links and derivatives looks like an anthropologist's talk about human evolution with the very same concepts

[@ROOSTER333]

Do you have any bows and other arms from Britain's past?

[@Satosuke]

Jonathan Ferguson is secretly the War Doctor, isn't he?

[@mikeblair2594]

Anybody want to tell me what the original Utopia was about?

[@chrisball3778]

This is all very interesting... but... where's Jessica Hyde?

[@cosmo9882]

Awesome

[@Moredread25]

Man a bunch of the swords are already sold out. I want one, but there's no justification for me to buy one.

[@russelsellick316]

I have handled an Arcus that was double action...

[@alwolf2325]

Why not just contact the company?

[@rickansell661]

See comment by Łukasz Krupiński above - the owner went to prison (for trying to export to a country under an arms embargo) in 2012 so the firm and it's records are probably no longer around.

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

We simply don't have time to do this for everything. In this case there was no critical question I needed to get answered (see also Rick's reply). This is not to say that we're not open to more information from designers/makers/sellers - we are!

[@JamesBrown-s7m]

I believe the parts were made in Canada ilingls company

[@HypocriticYT]

Canadian Army still using 78 year old HP made by Inglis. Now to be replaced siting lack of replacement parts. Made in 44,45 to shoot Nazis!!

[@TJH1]

Oh, how I loved Utopia season one. Season two was also great but I didn't love it as much. It was a crying shame Channel 4 cancelled it. The Yank remake was dreadful.

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

I was disappointed with season 2 as well, at the time. I keep meaning to give it another whirl now that we know what we know. However, let's not be disparaging of our American cousins - the real fans there hated it too :)

[@sh4dowchas3r]

I thought the first episode of the second series was particularly clever (and good) but, I don't really know why, I kinda gave up on it after that episode.

[@skeven0]

You might find the exact model by contacting the people who suplied the series with guns/props

[@m3m3d_]

Get Pyrocynical on this lmao, just for the Utopia reference.

[@edm240b9]

Huh. Never knew my name actually meant “2002.”

[@wakeupworld7673]

I always believed that Tommy Gun's pistol was better than Action Man's...

[@PremeTeamTX]

Looks like Browning/FN and Sig had a love child

[@koushiro86]

Hi Sauer

[@JoriDiculous]

Oh yeah, Utopia. The show you cant decide if its good or bad. Over the top is one way to put it, but also not. I enjoyed it, for the most part watching it when it came out. Nice take on the virus situation...

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

Not sure about not being able to decide - it's at 100% and 92% on Rotten Tomatoes :) The British original, not the awful recent remake...

[@JoriDiculous]

@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries remake? there is no remake! 😂 Its a strange show. Took me a little while to like it and get in to it. Might have "gotten it" faster if i was English :)

[@stevenhoman2253]

Yes I am Johnathan.

[@pyeitme508]

Wow

[@New_user-hn7gx]

Those are bulgarian made arcus 98da

[@ThunderChunky101]

Utopia was absolutely excellent BTW. One wonders why they decided to make an obvectively terrible remake right in the middle of the pandemic. Makes you think, right?

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

Exactly! Wake up, sheeple! I managed to cause quite a fuss on the subreddit a while back by posting scans of my copy of the 'Utopia Experiments' graphic novel that they produced as a crew gift...

[@ThunderChunky101]

@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries 😂👌

[@MeFee100]

Where is Jessica Hyde?

[@flatmoon6359]

How can you say I went to The Royal Armouries to see if we had one without causing so much jealously. You so cruel Jonathan. As a curator you should have more sympathy.

[@snowflakemelter1172]

They achieved the goal of making a thorougbred design Hi Power ugly and chunky.

[@DanteICE]

"You're probably all the same sort of people!" How dare you imply I'm someone who points out errors and interesting facts whilst watching moving pictures. I mean, I am that person, but I resent the accusation on grounds of erm....erm....well it's just not gentleman like. That is all.

[@randyhavard6084]

I like the original better

[@life_with_bernie]

You're a good host and you give an entertaining video, but whoever made the decision to try and show a predominantly black firearm against a dark room and you in a black jacket and mostly black shirt needs to be fired. The guns are almost invisible. If not for your blue gloves and the occasional shot that has your skin in the background you could be holding an entirely different pistol and we'd never be able to tell.

[@salty4496]

:)

[@ethanmac639]

abolish NATO

[@ethanmac639]

oh give it a rest, it is a Hi-Power, just a variant is all