John Moses sure knew what he was doing when he designed the 1911.  Those lines are beautiful.  I had a pre-WW II Hi-Power for years.  Wish I still had it.

Okay my Hi-Power story.  My late ex-father-in-law served in Europe in WW II.  He brought home the Hi-Power, s/n 6676.  He was very close to his brother, Fay, a KCMO policeman.  He gave Fay the gun.  Fay carried it on duty (or so I'm told.)  Fay passed away and his widow gave the Hi-Power back to dad.  

Dad gave it to me.  I questioned him then as he had three sons by birth but he insisted I take it.  When I divorced his daughter, I offered it back to dad.  He sent me a very nice note telling me to keep it and eventually give it to one of my boys, if not to them, then to Ray (his oldest boy).  Dad passed.  Years passed.  

After 25 years of having the gun (and having almost no contact with my ex-in-laws), Ray calls.  Fay's boys have nothing to remember their dad by.  They had tried to track Fay's other three guns but had had no success.  They were asking me to give them the gun (I think I see why their mom gave the guns away.)  I thought about it a couple of days, reflecting on how much my Dad's gifts mean to me.  I'd really be sad if I didn't have something of my Dad's.  

I told Ray about the note from his dad.  Ray's a good guy.  I could hear him choke up.  He wondered if he could see the note.  I made a copy and took it to him.  I could see that note meant the world to him.  Tears were welling up in his eyes.  My words to Ray were roughly 'Ray, I can see the note means the world to you.  Now, it is pretty ballsy of your cousins to ask, after 25 years,  to be given something worth as much as a $1,000, especially when we all know it was a very bitter divorce.  (Side note:  In the divorce, I got the house, the car, sole custody of the kids, child support and only had to pay limited alimony.  And while I didn't file bankruptcy, I easily could have.  It was an ugly situation.  Enough said.)  Your dad's directive to me was to give the gun to one of my boys.  If not them, then you.  I'll talk to my boys.  You think about it.  If it were your gun, what would you do?'.  

I talked to my older boys about it.  While they kind of wanted the gun, they were concerned about the crap and pressure they would catch from that side of the family.  They decided to pass.  (Makes me proud that they had the wisdom to see the weight that goes with that gun.)  

I went back to Ray.  As I said Ray is a good guy.  He said he would give them the gun.  I asked him which one of the boys would get it.  He couldn't answer.  (My read on Ray is that he would regret giving them the gun but he is tenderhearted and doesn't have boys of his own to give it to.)  

I explained my concern to Ray that it was one gun among four boys and that they would fight over it, that anyone involved in the ownership was going to be a possible target of that family's bickering.  Still I remembered that I will always treasure the items that were my Dad's.  

I made the offer to give the gun to Fay's oldest boy, the one who had worked for a police department all his life with some conditions.  Those condition are that that family agree not to fight over the gun (I hope they don't but they probably will.), that they never ask for anything from me again and that the gun never be mentioned to my ex wife.   Ray understood I was trying to keep him out of it and still give those boys something to remember their dad by.

Fay's boys accepted the offer.  The oldest one has the gun.  He was at a loss for words when he picked it up.  He could barely get thank you out.  He didn't hold it like a gun.  He held it like it was his dad.  

A few days later, Ray called.  The boys remembered a holster, could they have that.   I just shook my head and told him it was long gone.  (I hope that gun gives that family some joy.)

Man that old Hi-Power was a sweet shooting gun.  

PS.  I've got four handguns, one for each of my boys.    Guess that just means I need to buy four at a time in the future; just to keep things even.    

Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedInShare on Pinterest

DWA_Midwest said:

Lil' Dan  did do some damage to HP cover (computer side cover)!  and yes the splats were the 38+p's JHP's, Ruger P-90 added a couple of them FMJ and maybe a few 9x19's for the over hole count! 

How close where you?I need one of those Lil Dans

Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedInShare on Pinterest

41 mag monson 4" VH,LB Ebony grip,millet sights

Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedInShare on Pinterest

722 slotted shroud, gripper grip, monson mass.

Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedInShare on Pinterest