Gun Of The Week: FN America High Power

Designed with input from John Browning and improved by Dieudonné Saive, the original High Power was one of the most popular military pistols of the past 100 years and was used by both sides in conflicts during and after World War II. However, in the 21st century the device became somewhat obsolete, and in 2018 the FN ceased production. However, there has been something of a high-powered revival in recent years and FN decided to seize the moment by releasing a completely redesigned gun designed for the modern world. Watch the video above to see the latest FN High Power models used in the NRA Tech range.

The new FN superpower bears no resemblance to its historic predecessor and has been finely tuned. This is a longer lasting 6oz gun. It is bigger than the original, longer and longer than the previous one. And the changes don't stop there. It is important to note that FN investigated and corrected some of the weaknesses of the original Hi Power design. The external extractor has been moved to the inside of the bolt and has been significantly increased to provide more reliable extraction.

FN also developed a bolt lock on the original Hi Power, which uses a series of recoil lugs that lock the mating lugs to the top of the barrel. When the system worked, it was not as reliable as it could have been, which caused problems with the more powerful 9mm Luger Hi Power bullets. The new Hi Power uses a square barrel that locks into the bolt ejection port, which is used in most modern 9mm pistols and is strong enough to handle +P loads.

Another significant change in the new high power is the release mechanism. Earlier designs required the user to depress the bolt lever, which consisted of a threaded pin through the frame, to lock the bolt assembly in place. With the new high power, simply remove the rifle, rotate the takedown lever 90 degrees, pull the bolt back slightly, then slide it forward of the frame.

The new FN's high-powered shot was noticeably different from the old high-powered shot, and much of that was due to the added weight. While the extra weight makes the gun a bit difficult to carry, the recoil is absorbed by the metal construction making it more comfortable to shoot.

We particularly like the mirrored controls, which include an ambiguous thumb safety, mirrored slide stop lever, and reverse magazine release. Like earlier Hi Powers, the rifle can be loaded and cocked by engaging the safety. We also like the gun's textured grip panels, and FN offers several versions that allow users to customize their guns.

FN America is very durable.
Manufacturer : FN America
Type of action : Semi-automatic centerfire pistol.
Chamber : 9mm Luger
Barrel : 4.63" stainless steel; with six flutes and 1:10" right hand bend.
Frame : Alloy; Brushed stainless steel with PVD coating
Door : stainless steel; Brushed stainless steel with PVD coating
Sights : adjustable, metal; U-back, front kickstand
Purchase : As a replacement box for 17 cartridges.
Trigger : single action; 4 pounds 9 ounces of paint
Total length : 8 inches
Height : 5.63 inches
Width : 1.30 inches
Weight : 38 ounces.
MSRP : $1,384

A modern version of the legendary FN High Power pistol.