My new Browning Hi Power

[bigschuss]

I'd like to say thanks to the fine gents who helped me decide to go for this pistol. It's my first Hi Power, and probably won't be my last. It is a vet bring back and walked into my local small town gun store recently. He had it listed for $745, but told me if I wanted it he could do better...about $600.

I ended up giving him $200 cash and trading in a mix-master K98 I bought for $275, so I've got $475 into it.

The finish is very weak, it has one small piece of the grip broken off, and an unmarked magazine. It also has some decent surface corrosion. Probably not the best example, but mechanically it is sound, and the bore is nice.

Some shots outside...

[bigschuss]

...and indoors.

[Mark C.]

I personally like these type of guns ,lots of character .I either like them like this or pristine both if I can find them, cool Browning,I myself am trying to get one of these from a Vet I know that has one .Congrats

[bigschuss]

The holster is kind of neat. At first I thought it was just a piece of junk. But after the purchase I looked at it more carefully and realized it is a field made holster the G.I. probably had done in theater.

He used some kind of a German leather holster. It looks like he undid all of the original seams, removed some kind of a spare magazine pouch on the front, and then used a piece if leather (maybe from a 1911a1 holster tie string) to sew it back up. One of the original leather belt loops on the back came undone...so he tried a wire to hold it, until he probably just decided to add the G.I. wire web gear loop. The stud on the front that secures the flap also looks a lot like the stud on a 1911a1 holster.

It has some kind of a waffenamt on the reverse.

Can anybody help me identify what kind of a holster this was before the custom field job?

Thanks in advance,
Blair

[bigschuss]

All kinds of old stitching marks????



And the leather string holding it together....

[bigschuss]

The wire repair job to the belt loop...



...and the G.I. web gear wire thingy...



...and the waffenamt.

[Cincylance]

Glad to see you bought it. I like it. The holster is kind of neat too since it's been with the pistol for so long.

Cincylance

[pvluger]

Lots a character indeed. I'm guessing that the holster must have been modified from a Luger type?

[vitts]

I have a couple of late war models like yours and the blueing is a kind of thin on them also. The wear on you pistol looks like it came from being stored in the holster. The acid from the leather will what I call "Freckle " the blueing on the pistol. This is one reason why I never store my collectable pistols in the holsters. If I do I oil the gun up real good and put it in a large ziplock baggy and then put it in the holster. It keeps the gun nice and keeps the holster in good shape also.

Good price on it by the way, but be careful they will start popping up all over for you now. I looked for 3 years to find one and then found 6 within the next 8 months.

frank v.