We have one of those firearms milestones coming up. It is the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the Hi-Power pistol.

This classic handgun is still made in Belgium and possibly in Argentina. In the past, the Hi-Power was made in several other locales, both as a copy and as a licensed (by FN of Belgium) version.

It may be the first pistol specifically designed for the 9 mm Luger cartridge and has had a long history of service to fighting men around the world.

Hi-Powers were the choice of such diverse users as the British SAS, Belgian police detectives and Saddam Hussein. Exactly who is responsible for this classic handgun is still debated, but it is most likely a combination of ideas from John Browning and Dieudonne Saive, who was working for FN when the gun was introduced in 1935. Browning had passed away in 1926.

As a practical matter, it really doesn't make much difference. Regardless of who created it, or where and when, the old Browning is about as reliable a firearm as any man could ever have created.

Even with some of the mediocre aftermarket magazines that are out there, this elderly design continues to perform with only occasional stutters. It's accurate, reliable and very shootable.

Besides that, the gun has kind of an old world look, with distinctive contours made from machined forgings. The 13-shot magazine was a first for the industry and the gun's most copied feature.

Most of all, the Hi-Power is a gun that prospers with improved grip panels and a few other custom touches. I have tried to like the pistol chambered for the .40 S&W, but the re-engineering required just changes it too much. The Belgian import was best in the original caliber— 9 mm Luger.