Before Glocks ruled the streets, and before the Beretta 92FS became Hollywood’s darling, one pistol quietly dominated both real-world combat and the big screen: the Browning Hi Power.
And in Beverly Hills Cop (1984), it found a new home — as the trusted sidearm of Axel Foley, Detroit’s street-smart detective with a plan, a laugh, and zero interest in playing by the rules.
It wasn’t the loudest gun in town. But it might’ve been the coolest.
🔫 The Hi Power Legacy – Designed by Legends
The Browning Hi Power was the final design project of John Browning, completed after his death by FN engineer Dieudonné Saive in 1935. It delivered:
- The world’s first 9mm double-stack magazine (13+1 rounds)
- Browning’s legendary reliability and ergonomics
- Global adoption across over 50 military forces
Its influence is everywhere. If you own a modern double-stack semi-auto? It traces back to the Hi Power.
🎬 Why Did Axel Foley Carry It?
In 1984, most U.S. cops were still carrying revolvers. So when Axel Foley shows up with a semi-auto 9mm, it instantly sets him apart.
It says:
- I don’t follow the rules.
- I’ve worked undercover.
- I want more than six shots.
The Hi Power fits him — fast, low-profile, and always one step ahead.
🔍 Variants and Collector Talk
My video zeroes in on the C-Series and Mark I Hi Powers — and my personal example is a 1972 C-series, featuring:
- Forged frame and slide
- Parkerized military-style finish
- Adjustable target sights (unlike the film’s fixed ones)
It’s almost identical to the one Al Pacino used in Serpico — down to the grips and finish. Holding it feels like holding a piece of movie history.
Original MSRP? $137. Today? You’ll pay $1,500+ for a clean, all-original example. And it’s worth every penny.
🛠 Why the Hi Power Mattered
Beyond its influence, the Hi Power just feels right in the hand:
- Slim grip, even with a double-stack mag
- Short, crisp trigger pull
- Fixed barrel with excellent natural aim
Compared to chunkier contemporaries like the Beretta 92 or S&W 59, it’s compact, elegant, and deliberate. It’s one of those guns you bond with the moment you press out that first shot.
🎞 Where Else You’ve Seen It
The Hi Power may not shout, but it shows up everywhere:
- The Matrix
- The Untouchables
- Die Hard
- The Man with the Golden Gun
- Serpico (Pacino, again — with a 1972 model just like mine)
- The Bodyguard, Ronin, Leon, and more
It’s often the pick for professionals, assassins, special agents — the kind of characters who know what they’re doing.
🧢 Final Thoughts
Axel Foley didn’t carry a gun for intimidation — he carried one for performance. The Browning Hi Power gave him an edge over everyone else in Beverly Hills — and in the hands of a real shooter, it still does.
🎥 Watch the full breakdown, usage analysis, and screen accuracy scoring right here:
