So he soon outfitted himself with a pair of 9mm Hi-Powers, knowing that the 115-grain 9mm hardball had a reputation for better penetration. Naturally, his next gunfight was with a crook who just stood up and shot it out. The Ranger fired four or five shots before his opponent fell down. Thinking that most of his shots must have missed, the Ranger was amazed to find that he'd put all of his 9mm rounds into the bad guy's chest. They had just zipped through the man's body and hadn't imparted enough force to knock him down. Frustrated, the Ranger sent the outlaw's body off to the morgue and went back to carrying his .45s.

Fortunately, 9mm bullet design has come a long way in the past few years. Today we have some really proven fight stoppers like the Federal Hydra-Shok, the Hornady XTP, the Winchester SXT, and the Speer Gold Dot. These bullets give much better expansion and impart a good deal of energy into the target. In addition, Browning has offered the Hi-Power in .40 S&W for those who prefer the heavier bullet and larger caliber.

I have owned quite a number of Hi-Powers over the years. I bought my first one when I was a young patrolman in Denton, Texas. Back in those days, we were required to carry a revolver in our duty holster, but nothing was said about our choice of backup guns. So I packed a Smith & Wesson Model 19 loaded with hollowpoint man-stoppers and used a Hi-Power loaded with 9mm hardball for my backup gun. My idea was to use the high-capacity auto pistol in the event of car chases, where the 9mm would give better showing on car bodies than would the .38 Special loads in my revolver.

Like many of you, I have been an inveterate gun trader, and I found that all of my Hi-Powers had gone off in one swap or another. Accordingly, I contacted Browning and made arrangements to buy one of the Mark III Hi-Powers in 9mm. The Mark III has a matte finish, fixed sights, plastic grips, and ambidextrous safeties.

My next step was to contact Robbie Barrkman, head honcho of Robar Co., Dept. ST, 21438 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85027; 623-581-2648; www.robar guns.com. Besides being a nice guy, Barrkman is a very knowledgeable firearms man with more than a passing knowledge of gunfighting needs and techniques. Under his watchful eye, his crew of gunsmiths applied the NP3 finish to my Hi-Power. At the same time, they replaced the factory sights with fixed Novak sights and replaced the ambidextrous safeties with a single safety of combat configuration. The action was tuned, and all of the pistol's sharp edges were removed. When I got it back home, I topped this classy gun off with a set of checkered cocobolo grips that were a kind gift from one of my readers.

My custom Hi-Power is more than just a pretty handgun. The old thing will shoot, too. When loaded with ammo it likes, and when I'm doing my part, the gun will produce two-inch groups at 25 yards. When I'm packing the Hi-Power, it is usually loaded with Hornady 115-grain XTP ammo or Federal 115-grain Hydra-Shok loads. Either will get the job done.

By all accounts, John M. Browning was a quiet, gentle man who just happened to design some of the best fighting guns we've seen in modern times. There's just no telling how many lawmen, soldiers, and honest citizens are alive today because they had a Browning Hi-Power on their hip.

Any time you decide to make a list of the classic firearms of our time, be sure to add the Browning Hi-Power to it. That pistol is a true classic in every way.