SDS Arms has successfully done for the classic 9mm Browning Hi-Power, what they already did for military style M1911A1 pistols. They sourced an excellent gun maker in Turkey where the cost of skilled labor and precision manufacturing are lower, made a very high quality near clone, and passed the savings on to the American gun enthusiasts. SDS Arms made four Hi-Power models. All of them exceptional values. Three have an MSRP ranging from $600 to $670 and the fancy all color-case version is $791. They seem to be retailing for $100 less than their MSRPs. The base model L9A1 sometimes sells for less than $500 and in testing I found it had a higher overall build quality than my 1989 Fabrique National (FN) Hi-Power MkIII and it was comparably accurate. The Inglis L9A1 is essentially identical to my FN MkIII Hi-Power but with a black Cerokote finish, military plastic thumb rest grips, round hammer, lanyard loop, 15 round magazine instead of the traditional 13 rounder, and no controversial magazine safety feature. If you didn’t look at the markings, the L9A1 resembles a typical late Cold War military contract Hi-Power, significant numbers of which are still in service!  Â
Firing from a bench rest at 25 yards, the L9A1 averaged 5 shot groups with three different ammo types that ranged from 2.37 to 2.80 inches with the standard issue, high visibility three-bar, Partridge sights. The Inglis guns represent the best deal on the market for a pistol that is arguable the world’s very best military single-action autoloader. Compact (5 x 7.2 inches), lightweight (2 pounds empty), reliable, battle proven rugged, ergonomically excellent, with a 16+1 capacity, the Hi-Power remains relevant today for personal defense and military service. For more information on this lean warrior, visit www.SDSArms.com.
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