The Browning Hi Power pistol is a classic gun in the minds of many firearms collector. Unfortunately, and to the disappointment of gun lovers, due to less expensive options being available in the marketplace, the manufacturer of the Hi Power, Fabrique Nationale, has discontinued production of that model.
But, take heart because another company has taken up the mantle in an effort to provide a reproduction of this classic pistol. Andrew Butts writes,
Fortunately, the Turkish firm TISAS (Trabzon Silah Sanayi A.Ş.) is producing a faithful copy. This copy, called the Regent BR9, is now being imported into the United States by LKCI Limited in Heath, Ohio.
The Regent BR9 is available in carbon steel with a black Cerakote finish as well as stainless steel with a bead-blasted matte finish. This makes the BR9 the first and only mass production Hi Power I’m aware of to be available in stainless steel. Fit and finish on these pistols appears excellent. Both the painted and the stainless models are nicely machined and free of crooked lines, rough tool marks or dangerously sharp edges. Sights fit cleanly without any large or unsightly gaps showing underneath. The BR9 appears to be a clone of the Belgian original but is an interesting mix of old and new features. Front and rear sights are dovetailed in and are a 3-dot type. The pistol uses the latest pattern flat feed ramp for reliability with hollow point ammunition. It also has the slightly larger ejection port that was standard on the late production Hi Power pistols. Departing from the later Browning pistols, the BR9 does not have an active firing pin block safety. Also departing from the late production guns, the BR9 uses the old style flat serrated safety and the early pattern big ring hammer.
So, admittedly, the TISAS Regent BR9 Hi Power keeps many of the classic elements of the pistol, it is not an exact replica. Still, if you want a new firearm in the vein of this design, TISAS’s pistol may be the right choice for you.