NAZI FN-Browning Hi-Power

vonmeer · 01-12-2005, 01:46 PM

Hello,
I have a Nazi FN-Browning Hi-Power (It has waffenmarks a'plenty)
Serial Number 38446a.
It's parkerized and has the eagle and swastika and what looks like walnut handles. ALL original serial numbers and original finish. Anyone have a date for these serial numbers?
FABRIQUE NATIONALE D'ARMES DE GUERRE
HERSTAL BELGIQUE
BROWNINGS PATENT DEPOSE

01-12-2005, 05:25 PM

Originally Published in Guns Magazine
February 2004

Into The Crucible
Then came Hitler's invasion of the Low " Countries. Belgium was quickly conquered, and the FN factory annexed to the Third Reich's cause. Saive and some of his colleagues managed to flee to free countries. Saive was instrumental in founding a production line at the John Inglis Company in Canada, where the Hi-Power would be produced throughout World War II for Canada, England, China, and other Allied nations.

Meanwhile, some 319,000 Belgian Hi-Powers were manufactured by the Nazis during their occupation. By the time the Allies liberated Herstal, the German occupying forces had had to resort to forced labor, and the guns they were producing were the worst Brownings of all time, with ugly finishes and often poor fit.

Time marched on. In the second half of the 20th Century, the Browning Hi-Power became the overwhelming choice of service pistol for most of the NATO nations and virtually all of the British Commonwealth countries. It was said that the Hi-Power was the only firearm in common use on both Allied and Axis sides in World War II. Nor would this be the last time men with Brownings would face other men with Brownings in battle. The P-35 was the standard sidearm of both sides in the Falklands intervention, and many were used by both Israeli and Arab forces in the Middle East.

from http://www.cylinder-slide.com/bhptoday.shtml

NRAJOE · 01-12-2005, 06:55 PM

Ask these guys bro...they know it all:

http://www.fnhipower.com/

:nod:

lefty o · 01-12-2005, 10:47 PM

joe is pointing you in the right direction, i'd love to help but i know the newer hi powers and besides the mechanicals have very little knowledge of the older pistols.

G Hollingsworth · 01-13-2005, 07:42 AM

R.L.Wilson prints booklet on this info. I only have Colt and Winchester. Can be accessed on the net for address.

01-12-2005, 01:46 PM	#1
vonmeer Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 8	NAZI FN-Browning Hi-Power Hello, I have a Nazi FN-Browning Hi-Power (It has waffenmarks a'plenty) Serial Number 38446a. It's parkerized and has the eagle and swastika and what looks like walnut handles. ALL original serial numbers and original finish. Anyone have a date for these serial numbers? FABRIQUE NATIONALE D'ARMES DE GUERRE HERSTAL BELGIQUE BROWNINGS PATENT DEPOSE

01-12-2005, 06:55 PM	#3
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 18,892	Ask these guys bro...they know it all: http://www.fnhipower.com/ :nod: __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

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01-12-2005, 05:25 PM	#2
Logansdad Guest Posts: n/a	Originally Published in Guns Magazine February 2004 Into The Crucible Then came Hitler's invasion of the Low " Countries. Belgium was quickly conquered, and the FN factory annexed to the Third Reich's cause. Saive and some of his colleagues managed to flee to free countries. Saive was instrumental in founding a production line at the John Inglis Company in Canada, where the Hi-Power would be produced throughout World War II for Canada, England, China, and other Allied nations. Meanwhile, some 319,000 Belgian Hi-Powers were manufactured by the Nazis during their occupation. By the time the Allies liberated Herstal, the German occupying forces had had to resort to forced labor, and the guns they were producing were the worst Brownings of all time, with ugly finishes and often poor fit. Time marched on. In the second half of the 20th Century, the Browning Hi-Power became the overwhelming choice of service pistol for most of the NATO nations and virtually all of the British Commonwealth countries. It was said that the Hi-Power was the only firearm in common use on both Allied and Axis sides in World War II. Nor would this be the last time men with Brownings would face other men with Brownings in battle. The P-35 was the standard sidearm of both sides in the Falklands intervention, and many were used by both Israeli and Arab forces in the Middle East. from http://www.cylinder-slide.com/bhptoday.shtml

01-12-2005, 10:47 PM	#4
lefty o Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: mn Posts: 4,543	joe is pointing you in the right direction, i'd love to help but i know the newer hi powers and besides the mechanicals have very little knowledge of the older pistols.

01-13-2005, 07:42 AM	#5
G Hollingsworth Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 227	R.L.Wilson prints booklet on this info. I only have Colt and Winchester. Can be accessed on the net for address.