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Work order — Browning Hi-Power

Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: high.

Shop difficulty: Tier 3 of 3

No parts count found. The frame strip has to be done with the hammer held cocked while the sear, sear spring, ejector and spring-loaded thumb-safety detent come out, the trigger pin is press-fit and needs special punches, the trigger and magazine-safety plunger come out as a unit, and on later guns the firing pin flies when the sear lever is pressed; a dedicated 'third hand' tool exists for it. Harder than a 1911. Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.

Bench time: strip ~40 min, rebuild ~60 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______

Special tools:

• BH Spring Solutions 'Third Hand Tool' (or a second pair of hands) — Holding the hammer cocked during the frame strip
• 3/32 in. and 5/64 in. roll-pin punches; 1/16 in. punch for ambi safety pin — Sear lever pin, extractor pin, ambi safety lever
• Wide brass punch and specialty 3/32 in. nail/non-slip punches — Press-fit trigger pin
• 1/8 in. wide screwdriver — Quarter turn of the magazine catch spring guide

Watch for:

• Much of the frame strip must be done with the hammer held back by hand (or a dedicated 'Third Hand' tool) while other spring-loaded parts are removed and replaced. (both; Shooting Illustrated (NRA))
• The trigger pin is a factory press fit and takes force, care and special punches to move without marring the frame. (disassembly; Shooting Illustrated (NRA))
• On later Mk II and Mk III guns the sear lever is also the firing-pin block, so pressing it launches the firing pin and spring once the retainer is out. (disassembly; Shooting Illustrated (NRA))
• The thumb safety only comes out when it lines up with the rotated ejector, and its detent and spring are compressed and under tension. (both; Shooting Illustrated (NRA))
• The trigger comes out with its related parts as one unit and they must go back in together; the magazine catch is locked out with a quarter-turn of its spring guide. (reassembly; American Rifleman (NRA))

1. Clear and make safe

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Press the magazine release and remove the magazine.
   Tip: With a magazine disconnect fitted, the trigger will feel dead with the magazine out. That is normal and is not a safety check.
3. Retract the slide fully to eject any chambered round, and lock it open with the slide stop.
4. Visually and physically verify the chamber is empty.
5. Remove all live ammunition from the work area.

2. Disassemble

Field Strip

1. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure. Remove the magazine and visually confirm no cartridge remains in the chamber. Put on eye protection.
   Warning: Wear eye protection. Springs and spring-tensioned parts are what come loose here.
2. Pull the slide back and lock it rearward by engaging the safety lever into the disassembly recess on the slide.
   Tip: The safety lever is the takedown catch on this pistol. There is no separate takedown lever.
3. Remove the slide stop: push the protrusion on the right side of the frame, lift slightly on the serrated portion of the slide stop to disengage it, and pull it out of the frame.
4. Grasp the slide firmly, pull it rearward slightly, and move the safety lever down. The slide will run forward under spring tension and off the frame.
   Warning: Keep hold of the slide. It is under spring tension and will leave the frame on its own if you let it.
5. Holding the slide, press the head of the recoil spring guide forward to release it from the barrel, then remove the recoil spring and guide.
6. Lift the barrel lug and slide the barrel out of the slide toward the rear.
   Tip: Rearward, not out the front. The Hi Power barrel does not come out the muzzle end of the slide.
7. Stop here. Browning states this is sufficient for normal maintenance and that no further disassembly is recommended.
   Warning: If further disassembly ever becomes necessary it should only be done by Browning's service facility or an authorised service centre. Incorrect reassembly could render the pistol inoperative or unsafe.

3. Refinish

The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks "factory fit" should not be swapped or reworked.

No manufacturer statement of materials or finish is recorded. Identify each part's material before choosing prep and cure.

4. Reassemble

Reassembly

1. Replace the barrel into the slide.
2. Replace the recoil spring and guide into the slide with the head of the guide positioned rearward. Compress the spring by pushing on the head of the guide until the head can be inserted in the concave recess of the barrel lug.
   Tip: The retainer tab on the recoil spring guide is offset. Check it is aligned in the barrel lug correctly before you go further.
3. Replace the slide on the frame, hold it fully rearward, and lock it there by moving the safety lever up into the recess in the slide.
4. Replace the slide stop in the frame.
5. Pull the slide slightly rearward, move the safety lever down, and let the slide run forward.
6. Insert a completely unloaded magazine and lower the hammer to the dropped position, then perform the function check.
   Warning: Confirm the magazine is empty before this step.

5. Torque

No manufacturer torque values are recorded for this firearm.

Fit or check on rebuild

• Trigger, trigger lever and magazine-safety plunger reinstalled as a unit — They come out together and must go back together
• Trigger pin re-seated without loosening — It is a factory press fit; a loose pin after removal may need replacement
• Sight position / re-zero — Drift or pressed sights moved for coating shift point of impact unless witness-marked and returned to the same spot
• Full function check (trigger reset, safeties, slide lock-back, drop of striker/hammer only on trigger) — Standard after any fire-control strip; confirms springs and sears went back correctly

6. Function check

• Verify the pistol is unloaded before each check.
• With a magazine inserted (required if the magazine disconnect is fitted), cock the hammer and engage the safety. Press the trigger — the hammer must not fall.
• Disengage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer should fall.
• Remove the magazine and press the trigger. With a magazine disconnect fitted, the hammer should not fall.
• Hold the trigger back, rack the slide, release slowly for the reset, and press again.
• Confirm the slide locks open on an empty magazine.

If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.

Sources

1. Browning Hi Power Pistol Owner's Manual — Browning primary
   https://www.browning.com/support/owners-manuals/hi-power-pistol.html
2. The Classics: The Browning Hi Power in WWII — Shooting Illustrated (NRA), article by Philip Schreier, Director, NRA Museums, March 17, 2025 secondary
   https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/the-classics-the-browning-hi-power-in-wwii
3. Browning Hi Power Custom Build Part 4 — Shooting Illustrated (NRA) secondary
   https://shootingillustrated.com/content/browning-hi-power-custom-build-part-4
4. Exploded View: High Power Pistol — American Rifleman (NRA) secondary
   https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2020/9/15/exploded-view-high-power-pistol/

Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown

Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.