Browning BHP sights - upgrades

[Denis]

A friend needs a pistol for duty carry and possible self-defence. He wants it in 9mm Luger, so I suggested a used Browning BHP, which are available relatively cheaply here in Belgium (having been the sidearm of police and armed forces for many years). It should also not be expensive, as his resouces are limited.

However, my friend is not so young (50+) and might need to rely on the pistol in the dark, so I figure it would need decent night sights (tritium?).

Would the BHP experts (Randy & co...) here be so kind as to chip in with suggestions for and sources of

a) good BHP night-sights
b) a good BHP duty holster

Cylinder & Slide comes to mind as a BHP specialist. Any other good sources?

Thanks in advance.

[blackeagle603]

Maybe cheaper just to upgrade to special glasses.

[Aglifter]

XS makes big dot sights for BHPs. I like mine... I should, I've put them on... 6? pistols...

[randy]

Wayne Novak is one of the other premier BHP smith's in the US. By reputation I'd put him on a par with Bill out at Cylinder and Slide.

My .40S&W has Novak low profile sites (w/o tritium, future upgrade) and I like them, especially for concealed carry.

One possible issue is if he gets a BHP model without the dovetails for the sights. My 1982 vintage 9mm does not have front dovetail and the work in replacing the front sight was more than I've ever wanted to do.

The closest I've ever come to a duty holster for BHPs is theBianchi UM84 commercial version of the US Military M12 holster. (link as example only, no endorsement of that site) Very versatile (flap, thumb break, or combo, left hand, right hand, belt, drop or has a shoulder/chest harness available). Mine have held up well over the years.

For concealed carry I've had good luck (as I've stated before) with the Ted Blocker ST-17, Fobus paddle holster and the Galco Miami Classic shoulder holster.

Many holsters designed for full sized 1911's will work with the BHP, but you need to test before committing to one.

[Whirlibird]

A friend needs a pistol for duty carry and possible self-defence. He wants it in 9mm Luger, so I suggested a used Browning BHP, which are available relatively cheaply here in Belgium (having been the sidearm of police and armed forces for many years). It should also not be expensive, as his resouces are limited.

However, my friend is not so young (50+) and might need to rely on the pistol in the dark, so I figure it would need decent night sights (tritium?).

Would the BHP experts (Randy & co...) here be so kind as to chip in with suggestions for and sources of

a) good BHP night-sights
b) a good BHP duty holster

Cylinder & Slide comes to mind as a BHP specialist. Any other good sources?

Thanks in advance.

One thing to consider when putting a front sight on a GP-35 is that the slide is thinner at the front than a 1911. The conventional .075" deep dovetail is too deep and will occasionally cut into the barrel channel. A shallower cut of .060" is warranted with the GP-35's.
The MkIII variant with it's built in dovetails does not have this problem.

But for a GP-35 I'd recommend the Heinie sights, the front is built appropriately. The rear requires milling the slide (Slant Pro looks best) but done properly looks like it was built into the slide originally.

As for a smith, Wayne Novak as well as C&S are two of the best Hi-Power shops out there.

Of course it also depends on where your friend is. Over on the 'continental' side, I wouldn't have a clue where to go or who to talk to.

As for holsters, those are too personal a choice to recommend one.
But I'd say look at Galco first.

[Denis]

All, thanks for the detailed feedback. I would have guessed C&S or Novak for BHP sights. Heine is new to me. The BHP is common here (where it's known as the "GP"), so I suppose there might be local alternatives, and there are certainly enough smiths competent to work on the arm - I can think of at least two whom I know personally.

Alas, the market for as-new cheap BHPs seems to have dried up here, while I wasn't watching. For a while - around the time of the gun confiscations in 1996-7, the gunshops couldn't get rid of them. I paid 200 euro (US$275) for mine. I should have bought two at that price... the asking price is up to around 400 euro now, even for the old models. As Whirlibird says, putting decent modern sights on those would require expensive gunsmithing work so, sadly, they're right out of my friend's price range.

However, all is not lost. My friend the gunsmith suggested a slightly-used old-style Glock 17, in good condition, with decent night sights, for 200 euro. For a forester, who spends a lot of time outdoors and in damp places, a Glock might be just the ticket - light, rust-resistant, and not too demanding of care and attention. Aesthetically, it's not a patch on the BHP, but it might be functionally as good or better, for this particular user.

Anyway, thanks again for the advice. I'll let you know what he chooses.

[Combat Controller]

The Glock may just be the ticket then (I can't believe I wrote that), and night sights will drift right in...