Hello. Made for a few years during the '80s, the FN Competition Model is no longer produced by FN...or anyone else that I can find.
Some parts will interchange with the standard Hi Power models, while some are unique to the Competition only. The hammer hooks differ a bit in their height from the standard versions though a standard hammer could be used if needed and the magazine disconnect is in the frame rather than the trigger and does not interfere with the trigger pull. It has the small, classic HP thumbsafety and is not ambidextrous. Stocks were Pachmayrs. Finish is a dull olive green parkerized finish on this gun, but I'm told that some were black. Mine was not imported by Browning, but by Cassi.
The frame and slide are the same size as for the "regular" HP, but the gun has a 6" bbl that has flats on the sides near the muzzle and is threaded for a nut that in conjunction with two screws, holds a muzzle weight with integral front sight onto the extended bbl.
Rear sight is click adjustable for windage and elevation, but is about the goofiest looking thing I've seen. It appears to be made of spring steel as the sight itself provides upward pressure against the elevation screw via a tab extending from the sight to the top of the slide. It's not the sturdiest looking thing, but if the gun's intended only for the target range, I guess it'll have to do.
In any case, it does work and holds zero when set.
The front sight is a non-serrated post integral to the muzzle weight. In the picture, though out of focus, you can see the opposing screws and the nut on the muzzle weight.
Front sight:
Rear sight:
Test Gun: Though a stock gun is described above, the gun I used
is very lightly modified.
Its original spur hammer has been slightly bobbed to prevent hammer bite.
It's now wearing Spegel blk, checkered, delrin stocks.
Magazine disconnect is gone. (I know it didn't effect the trigger pull, but I do NOT like these things.)
A factory extended thumbsafety was fitted to the gun. The right-side safety lever's been removed with the pin dressed down as I don't care for ambis on the HP.
It has a standard strength, factory recoil spring in it as well as a Buffer Technology shock buffer. The recoil spring that comes on the Comp is lighter than the standard as the extra weight on the end of the longer bbl does slow unlocking. The standard spring worked fine with standard pressure and one +P load.
In this picture, you can see the gun's "left" side with the extended factory safety, Spegel stocks, and bobbed hammer.
Here's the other side.
The serial number's not on the front of the grip strap, but on the ejection port-side of the slide and frame.
Ammunition: Eight types of ammunition were used with the pistol today in two different bullet weights.
Federal 115 gr standard velocity JHP ("9BP")
Federal 124 gr M882 FMJ
Federal 124 gr Nyclad Hollow Point
Handload: 124 gr Rainier PRN over 6.9 gr Blue Dot
Winchester USA 115 gr FMJ
Fiocchi 115 gr FMJ
PMC 115 gr FMJ
Corbon 124 gr +P "Bonded" JHP (Gold Dot JHP)
The picture below shows the 10-shot groups fired two-hand hold, standing at 15 yards. I had assumed I'd find one that outgrouped the others. I
think the Federal 115 gr JHP did, but the human error present could be masking the true accuracy load of these. Data is visible for the handload as well as which maker's ammo was grouped where. (The three pasters on the left side of the picture didn't stick to the cardboard and had been stapled, but were removed by the impacts. That's why you see only holes on that side. A flyer is noted. The rest felt "right."
These two groups were also fired at 15 yards and the ammunition used is visible in the picture. Note: Only 7 rounds of the Corbon was used. (I only had 17 rnds with me and needed the other 10 for another target test.)
All of the ammunition shot very well for me and all group well enough for my purposes. Cases with the standard velocity loads landed in a neat cluster about 5' to my right while the +P load about doubled that distance.
I am not a good enough shot to say for sure what is the best load fired today. Observations:
The gun's reliable with all rounds fired today as well as some other JHPs (Triton, Winchester, handloads, Hornady, etc) I've fired in the past and the thing
"shoots." Recoil from the already-low recoil 9x19mm round is somewhat less, but muzzle flip is greatly reduced. It occurred to me that while the pistol's not designed for it, it could do double-duty as a home defense pistol. To that end, the following target consists of 5 sets of controlled pairs fired from a Weaver stance @ 10 yards.
That's where I used the last 10 Corbons. This thing's a shooting machine and the notch in the rear sight is wide enough to find the front sight at speed. I did NOT have a timer, but would estimate each pair was fired in around a second. There was no draw and I started from a "high ready" position.
A while back, I happened to've chronographed some of the same ammunition brands used today out of the longer bbl. Ten-shot averages fired from 10':
Winchester USA 115 gr FMJ: 1223 ft/sec
Fiocchi 115 gr FMJ: 1287 ft/sec
124 gr Federal Nyclad HP: 1190 ft/sec
Handload (See above): 1308 ft/sec
If this pistol were to be used for defense, I'd likely use either the Federal 115 gr JHP or the Nyclad. With the longer bbl, you get into +P velocities.
If you like Hi Powers and want an accurate pistol for the range or small game hunting, I think this one is definitely worth looking at. They can be found.
Best.
GREAT REPORT STEPHEN 
