The "Browning Bite"
Moderator: Cajunkraut
- Pyroxene
- Admin Emeritus
- Posts: 1820
- Joined: Wed Jul 03, 2002 9:35 am
- Location: San Marcos, TX
- Contact:
The "Browning Bite"
If you plan on getting a Browning Hi Power, beware of the Browning Bite.
It happens when the hammer comes back and pinches the webbing on the shooter's hand. The gun bites on my hand but I don't mind.
If you have big hands, it could be a problem. For some shooters, it's not. I believe the problem can be corrected. Talk to you gunsmith.
I read a review in a gun magazine the other day about a new pistol coming out. It had the ring hammer and the article reported the exact same thing. Shooters complaining about the hammer pinching them in the hand. Proving that those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it.
Pyro.
It happens when the hammer comes back and pinches the webbing on the shooter's hand. The gun bites on my hand but I don't mind.
If you have big hands, it could be a problem. For some shooters, it's not. I believe the problem can be corrected. Talk to you gunsmith.
I read a review in a gun magazine the other day about a new pistol coming out. It had the ring hammer and the article reported the exact same thing. Shooters complaining about the hammer pinching them in the hand. Proving that those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it.
Pyro.
- binkmeisterRick
- Stealer of Wallets
- Posts: 16926
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2004 3:22 pm
- Location: Chattering with these old bones
- IndianaCollins
- Archaeologist
- Posts: 225
- Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2002 8:18 pm
- Location: The Well of the Souls, located in GA, not Tunisia
- Contact:
- Michaelson
- Knower of Things
- Posts: 44484
- Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:55 pm
- Location: Out here knowing stuff and things and wishing I were with the family at Universal Studios Orlando
- Bufflehead Jones
- Legendary Adventurer
- Posts: 3191
- Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2004 10:11 pm
- Location: Maryland
I used to carry a wheelgun, eventually had to go with a semi-auto for the increased firepower. I have carried a Berretta 92FS on a daily basis, since Berretta became the U.S. Military firearm, however many years ago that was. With proper training and trying to be careful, knock on wood, I have never been bitten by the Berretta. I have pretty large hands, not fat, but large with long fingers. However, accidents do happen and when they do, it can be ugly. I guess that's why they call them accidents, if you meant to do it, they would call them intentionals.Michaelson wrote:That's why I'm a wheel gun man myself. I've been bitten to many times by semi-autos to get past that and embrace them as a side arm. Regards. Michaelson
-
- Laboratory Technician
- Posts: 154
- Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2002 10:25 am
- Location: Somewhere in Mississippi
-
- Museum Curator
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2004 4:54 pm
- Location: East of Swindiana
-
- Archaeology Student
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2002 5:57 pm
- Location: Utah, USA
I've got 2 Hi Powers -- A Browning with a spur hammer and a FEG clone with a ring hammer. The spur hammer has never bitten me, but the ring hammer will bite me HARD when doing drawing exercises.
About 3 days ago, I replaced the hammer with a spur hammer that I got from ebay. No more biting. Of course, the spur hammer may still bite people with huge hands... it depends on the person, but it is generally recognized as "less bloodthirsty" compared to the ring-type hammers.
For those of you that don't want to change the hammer, there are a couple of options.
1) Don't grip the pistol so high. This is naturally what you want to do when you draw (which is why I got bit), but practice gripping so that the web of your hand stays below the grip tang.
2) Pyro is right: some good WL gloves will eliminate the problem, but some have dexterity issues (like trouble operating the safety or mag release).
3) There is a product that can be found here: www.comkydex.com that will take care of that problem as well. It is a kydex (polymer) beavertail that fits underneath the grips. It has some good reports on www.fnhipower.com and is much less expensive than having a gunsmith put a real beavertail on your HP.
Wes
About 3 days ago, I replaced the hammer with a spur hammer that I got from ebay. No more biting. Of course, the spur hammer may still bite people with huge hands... it depends on the person, but it is generally recognized as "less bloodthirsty" compared to the ring-type hammers.
For those of you that don't want to change the hammer, there are a couple of options.
1) Don't grip the pistol so high. This is naturally what you want to do when you draw (which is why I got bit), but practice gripping so that the web of your hand stays below the grip tang.
2) Pyro is right: some good WL gloves will eliminate the problem, but some have dexterity issues (like trouble operating the safety or mag release).
3) There is a product that can be found here: www.comkydex.com that will take care of that problem as well. It is a kydex (polymer) beavertail that fits underneath the grips. It has some good reports on www.fnhipower.com and is much less expensive than having a gunsmith put a real beavertail on your HP.
Wes
-
- Archaeology Student
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2002 5:57 pm
- Location: Utah, USA
My grandfather was a tanker in WWII and he brought home a Walther PPK with Nazi markings on it. His was the only one I've ever seen that had flat-bottomed magazines rather than the ones with the extended grip on the bottom. I made the mistake of showing my cousin the gun once when we were kids, and later when Grandpa died, my cousin asked for the Walther and got it. No good deed goes unpunished.
I don't remember a bite, but then I don't have big hands.
I don't remember a bite, but then I don't have big hands.
- Solent MKIII
- Museum Curator
- Posts: 1332
- Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 7:42 am
- Location: Sharing living space with a near-sighted scrap pile
Oh, yeah. Those suckers can chomp ya' pretty good if you're not careful.Scandinavia Jones wrote:Anyone here ever fired the broomhandle Mauser? Heard they were known to deliver
deep, nasty bites too...
I've fired a bolo broomhandle ( shorter barrel and smaller grip ) and that
thing nipped me several times before I moved my hand down lower on the
grip ( having large hands doesn't help, either ) There's no stop for the web
of your hand on the back of these pistols and the hammer comes down
pretty far as the slide goes back into battery. If you're ever gonna buy a
broomhandle, pick up the standard model - the larger grip is a little easier
to get a good grasp on.
Very neat gun to shoot - you just gotta grip 'em right! :junior:
-
- Laboratory Technician
- Posts: 153
- Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:09 am
- Location: Anchorage, Alaska
The Walthers are better known for slide bite than hammer bite.Forrestal wrote:I’m considering buying a Walther PPK/S. I’ve heard similar stories about “bite”. Anyone have any experience with this?
Regards,
Forrestal
A lot of folk's hands rise up high enough that the sharp edges of the slide cut into the web of the thumb as it cycles. You get parallel cuts that allow you to measure common household objects in units of "Walther slide width".
-
- Archaeology Student
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2002 10:25 pm
- Location: The Freak State..Maryland
PPK Bite
The current new U.S. Made PPk has an extended tang on the frame which eliminates the slide or hammer bite. Walther (S&W) has managed to do this without making the pistol overly large. It still conceals well.
When I first sarted carrying and shooting 1911s back in the early 1970s, it was accepted that you were going to end up with a red mark in the web of your hand by the thumb. This was caused by the long spur and short tang..It was worn as a sign of honor.
Later when the extended tang was made available, just about everyone went to them and soon the red spot was gone.
As far as slide bite, the worst I ever had was from a Beretta 950 in .25A.C.P. which would leave two perfect blood grooves between the thumb and index finger. Needless to say I did not keep this one for long.
When I first sarted carrying and shooting 1911s back in the early 1970s, it was accepted that you were going to end up with a red mark in the web of your hand by the thumb. This was caused by the long spur and short tang..It was worn as a sign of honor.
Later when the extended tang was made available, just about everyone went to them and soon the red spot was gone.
As far as slide bite, the worst I ever had was from a Beretta 950 in .25A.C.P. which would leave two perfect blood grooves between the thumb and index finger. Needless to say I did not keep this one for long.
- cooncatbob
- Laboratory Technician
- Posts: 113
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:38 pm
- Location: Carmichael, CA
- Contact:
- TheMechanic
- Dig Leader
- Posts: 597
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 4:56 pm
- Location: In a skillet with potatoes & onions