Hello, BigBoy, and welcome.
Which HP to buy really depends upon what you want.......and what you can find with so few new HPs around. If you want to collect, some of the old "T" series can still be found, but at higher prices. If you like to shoot, I much prefer one of today's MkIIIs. I like the fixed sight version and have found most to have their sights well-regulated from the factory. These newer guns, have a slightly changed ejection port that's less "oval-like" than the older guns and more closely resemble the 1911's port. This allows for a bit more metal at the lower rear corner to prevent cracking.......although I've never seen a HP cracked. The fixed sights are adequate in terms of being visible and I do no better with my Novaks than the original fixed sights.
Do not let a poor trigger pull put you off if you otherwise like the gun, unless you're fortunate enough to have enough guns to take your pick. A competent 'smith can put a very decent trigger on a HP, but don't be expecting one as nice as a finely tuned 1911.
You can get a very clean, usuable trigger pull, however. Most of the MkIII HPs have cast frames, but a few of the early ones have the forged frame. To quickly tell the difference, look at the magazine well. Their will be "ripples" if it is cast. The cast frame is stronger than the forged one, or so I am told. It seems that the forged frames would not hold up to the forty cartridge, so the cast frame came into being as it would. FN just incorporated it into the entire line, probably as a cost-saving step. These frames are a tad flatter across the frontstrap, but don't significantly change the feel of the pistol. The Practical is available with fixed or adj sights and has the "matte" finished slide on a hard chromed frame with the Browning ball hammer rather than the spur hammer on the MkIII. Both guns have extended, ambidextrous safeties.
For aftermarket parts, I'd check with Cylinder & Slide.
Best.
Which HP to buy really depends upon what you want.......and what you can find with so few new HPs around. If you want to collect, some of the old "T" series can still be found, but at higher prices. If you like to shoot, I much prefer one of today's MkIIIs. I like the fixed sight version and have found most to have their sights well-regulated from the factory. These newer guns, have a slightly changed ejection port that's less "oval-like" than the older guns and more closely resemble the 1911's port. This allows for a bit more metal at the lower rear corner to prevent cracking.......although I've never seen a HP cracked. The fixed sights are adequate in terms of being visible and I do no better with my Novaks than the original fixed sights.
Do not let a poor trigger pull put you off if you otherwise like the gun, unless you're fortunate enough to have enough guns to take your pick. A competent 'smith can put a very decent trigger on a HP, but don't be expecting one as nice as a finely tuned 1911.
You can get a very clean, usuable trigger pull, however. Most of the MkIII HPs have cast frames, but a few of the early ones have the forged frame. To quickly tell the difference, look at the magazine well. Their will be "ripples" if it is cast. The cast frame is stronger than the forged one, or so I am told. It seems that the forged frames would not hold up to the forty cartridge, so the cast frame came into being as it would. FN just incorporated it into the entire line, probably as a cost-saving step. These frames are a tad flatter across the frontstrap, but don't significantly change the feel of the pistol. The Practical is available with fixed or adj sights and has the "matte" finished slide on a hard chromed frame with the Browning ball hammer rather than the spur hammer on the MkIII. Both guns have extended, ambidextrous safeties.
For aftermarket parts, I'd check with Cylinder & Slide.
Best.
