2 Waffenamt marked Brownings

[beachgrip]

Greetings Guys,
You need patience being a handgun collector in Australia. I finally picked these up from my local firearms dealer last week. I bought them in the February Rock Island Auctions 6 months ago. After waiting for an import permit from my states firearms registry on my collectors licence, finding an exporter in the US to get an export permit from the State department and then waiting for shipment, they finally cleared border force after their tests and a slight modification to make them compliant with our firearms legislation.
Still, I think they were worth the wait, a Hi Power in 9mm and a model 1922 in 7.62mm, both Wa marked.
IMG_6073.jpg IMG_6066.jpg IMG_6072.jpg IMG_6069.jpg IMG_6070.jpg IMG_6071.jpg IMG_6067.jpg

[bodes]

I love Hi-Powers...Yours looks to be a nice one, but have to ask if that is rust/wear on the grip below the triggerguard?....Bodes

[beachgrip]

I love Hi-Powers...Yours looks to be a nice one, but have to ask if that is rust/wear on the grip below the triggerguard?....Bodes

Hi bodes,
Thanks for your interest. Two photos under lights, definitely no rust on this one. Something i've heard is that Hi Powers made under German occupation are unreliable shooters because at least half were sabotaged by the FN factory workers. Any one else heard that? IMG_6074.jpg IMG_6075.jpg

[bodes]

Hi bodes,
Thanks for your interest. Two photos under lights, definitely no rust on this one. Something i've heard is that Hi Powers made under German occupation are unreliable shooters because at least half were sabotaged by the FN factory workers. Any one else heard that?

I'm talking about further down in the grip area....It's shown in the bottom photo of the first set you posted....Appears to show scratching and unusual wear....Personally never heard of sabotage when it came to hi-powers....Bodes

[Alan Smith]

Just curious: In the case of your Browning pistols imported from the USA, what constitutes "a slight modification to make them compliant with our firearms legislation"? Apparently some alterations of the pistols?

[tejanofig]

I have a Hi Power like yours and it shoots great. I would take it out more often but I'm afraid of breaking something. So I take out my 1940 P38 instead.

[beachgrip]

Just curious: In the case of your Browning pistols imported from the USA, what constitutes "a slight modification to make them compliant with our firearms legislation"? Apparently some alterations of the pistols?

Hi Alan,
The required mod was just cosmetic. My firearms dealer (acting as the import agent) had to grind a small depression in the surface and paint red dots in both pistols, visible when the safety was off to indicate "ready to fire'. You can see it on the HI Power shots in the original post, not so much on the model 1922.Of course I'm not happy about it, because it detracts from the originality of the weapons, but the law is the law.

[beachgrip]

I have a Hi Power like yours and it shoots great. I would take it out more often but I'm afraid of breaking something. So I take out my 1940 P38 instead.

I would love to shoot my guns, but I only have a pre-1946 collectors licence which means I can collect, but not shoot my pre 1946 pistols. I'm in the process of joining a pistol club which might let me shoot them, but only after a years probationary membership. Like you though, I would be reluctant to put too many rounds through them bearing in mind they are 80+ years old.

[beachgrip]

I'm talking about further down in the grip area....It's shown in the bottom photo of the first set you posted....Appears to show scratching and unusual wear....Personally never heard of sabotage when it came to hi-powers....Bodes

Hi Bodes,
Yes I see what you mean. Definitely scratches but no rust that I can see. IMG_6077.jpg IMG_6076.jpg