Gun Review: Century Arms Centurion 14 Hi-Power Clone

Not long ago, I began a review by stating, “It’s a strange thing to live long enough to see something that was once commonplace become…unique.”  Yet here again I find myself preparing to tell a story about a gun that in my youth was so commonplace that no one really needed to explain its history or significance. When I started writing firearms-related articles in the early 1990’s you didn’t need to spend time telling the story of the Browning Hi-Power, AKA the P35. The majority of gun people already knew it.

Now, thirty years or so later — wow, have I been writing that long? — we have an entire generation, maybe two, who weren’t raised on the old WWII or Cold War guns. Some of those people confuse the term Hi-Power with Hi-Point. About a year ago, my friend Nicholas Orr wrote a book discussing the historical significance of many small arms used during the last century and a half; A Pipe Hitters Guide to Small Arms & Weapons. With Mr. Orr’s permission, I’ve pulled an excerpt from that book.     

P35 Browning Hi-Power

The Browning Hi-Power, also adopted by the British Army as the model P35, is often considered the “9mm 1911”. John Browning had passed away before the pistol was completed by engineers at Fabrique Nationale Herstal, the Belgian arms manufacturer. The Browning name carried a tremendous amount of clout and it did not hurt to have his name attached to the pistol. 

Operation: Chambered in the 9x19mm cartridge, the P35 functioned in a nearly identical fashion to the M1911A1. The manual thumb safety on the left side of the frame remained. However the grip safety of the M1911A1 was removed and substituted for a “magazine disconnect” safety. The P35 Hi-Power would not fire without a magazine or if the magazine came unseated. Firearms aficionados rightfully blamed the magazine disconnect safety for a poor/heavy trigger press on the Hi-Power versus the M1911A1.

While the Americans used the M1911A1 throughout WWII, the British, the Canadians, and other allies used the P35. Just as the M1911A1 saw action all over the world during the post-WWII era, so the P35 Hi-Power was used all over Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Approximately 1.5 million units were manufactured. As of 2022, both Springfield Armory and FN America were producing new units. 

Caliber: 9x19mm

Action: Single Action (semi-auto)

Capacity: 13 + 1 (original)

Barrel Length: 4.7 inches

The Centurion 14 9x19mm from Century Arms

Just as Century Arms has imported a Turkish-made M1911A1 variant under the “Centurion 11” name, they have also imported a Turkish-made Hi-Power/P35 under the name “Centurion 14.”  

The model I had on hand has the same black finish as the “11” does and appears to be a near exact replica of the original P35 with the exception of the sights. Some of the original P35 guns had small, fixed iron sights and some had Tangent rear sights to adjust from 50 out to…wait for it…500 meters. Yes, they were really optimistic back then. On the Centurion 14 the sights are fixed steel with three white dots.

Both externally and internally, the Centurion 14 is very much a faithful reproduction of the P35 Hi-Power, to include the magazine disconnect safety feature that match shooters hate and gunsmiths love to remove. Rather than stick with the original 13-round, double-stack magazine, the Centurion 14 comes with a new 15-round version. Keep in mind that in 1935, when the British formally adopted the pistol, 13 rounds in a handgun was considered a lot.

As for the controls, the trigger, hammer, manual safety, slide lock and magazine release button are all original designs. Some of the old Hi-Power versions had lanyard rings and some didn’t. The Centurion 14 does not. Just as with its brother, the Centurion 11, the Centurion 14 comes in a padded plastic case with a single magazine, cleaning kit, owner’s manual, and obligatory trigger lock.

Disassembly for cleaning is exactly as it was back in the old days. Regarding the old, which is better the M1911 or the P35, when it comes to field-stripping for basic cleaning the nod definitely goes to the P35. That gun has fewer parts and is simpler to take apart and put back together. 

Before heading to the range, I stripped the gun down and used some Froglube solvent to remove the shipping/packing oil. Then I applied the green Froglube extreme to the places where lubrication is required on a semi-automatic handgun.     

Range Time

In addition to the pistol, I went to my “box of magazines” and found some Mec-Gar USA 10-round Hi-Power versions left over from the “bad old days” of the Clinton era assault weapons ban. Though limited to 10 rounds, these are exceptionally well-built magazines with padded bases and two of them have baseplate springs to help eject the mags when empty. Thanks to the magazine disconnect putting pressure on the magazine, empties don’t drop free and must be stripped out with the support hand.

As this gun was designed for use with traditional full metal jacket or “ball” ammunition, that’s what I chose to fire through it first. I had the OD green steel ammo can filled with a variety of 9x19mm ammunition. I used the highest quality FMJ that I had on hand from Defiant Munitions. The brass-cased Defiant ammo ran like a champ in the pistol and I had zero issues. 

Next I moved to a more traditional 124 grain JHP from Black Hills Ammunition. Again, 100 percent feeding and functioning from the factory mag and my Mec-Gar 10-rounders. Feeling froggy, I decided to use some of the more economical training ammo…FMJ with steel and aluminum cases.

Drills were run with both hands, right hand only and left hand only. After two separate sessions and many hundreds of rounds fired, I hadn’t encountered any stoppages or problems with the Centurion 14.

Parting Thoughts

From the WWII era until somewhere near the end of the 20th Century, the M1911A1 and the P35 fought a battle for service pistol supremacy. As significant as the M1911A1 is to Americans, John Moses Browning’s other gun, the P35 Hi-Power, holds the same historical significance to the British and their allies. 

Another interesting note is that Dieudonné Saive, the firearms engineer who famously designed the FN-FAL rifle, is also credited with finishing the P35 Hi-Power that Browning started before he departed this world.

As for the Centurion 14 from Century Arms, the gun is a faithful reproduction of the original Hi-Power/P35. It runs like a champ and it is extremely reasonably priced. With it’s 15+1 round capacity, the Centurion 14 is a great, affordable way to experience an all-time classic. 

Specifications: Century Arms Centurion 14 Pistol

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1 rounds
Barrel Length: 4.7 inches
Overall Length: 7.75 inches
Width: 1.4 inches
Weight: 25.6 ounces
Made In: Turkey
MSRP: $409.99 (about $370 retail)

 

Paul G. Markel is a combat decorated United States Marine veteran. He is also the founder of Student the Gun University and has been teaching Small Arms & Tactics to military personnel, police officers, and citizens for over three decades.