Browning Hi Power for discussion...

[crotter]

Greetings,

I have a Browning Hi Power which belonged to my grandfather that I have some questions about. Maybe some experts on these pistols can help me out.

I know it is a post war pistol but I think it is still pretty old. Here are some pictures I took of it:






Can anyone tell what year it was built and what country it may have served with? Or would it have been a private purchase? Unfortunately my grandfather received it from his father and he is long gone so I don't really know where this gun came from!

Any information provided would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

-Christian

[Douglas Jr.]

All I can tell you is that it was made between 1945 and 1959. The reccess that yours has on the right side of the slide was dropped by FN in 1959.

That's all can do for now. Maybe I can add further info later.

Douglas

[crotter]

Thanks for the dates Douglas,

I was hoping maybe the stampings with the lions "PV" and the "*M" would provide some clues to the pistols origin as well...

-Christian

[Douglas Jr.]

The Lion/P.V. is the nitro proof for rifled barrels and pistols and was introduced in 1924. The *M mark can provide additional information, but I need to check.

One correction: I would date your pistol as made between 1946 (when full scale production was reassumeed by FN) and 1959.

Douglas

[Douglas Jr.]

A few more information about your Hi-Power, that a friend collector from another board was kind enough to share with me:

"The * over M is the mark of the inspector.
The "E" prefix is the reputed marking for an English contract in the early 50s that was diverted to the commercial market. The grips should be wood, with a pale orange coated/painted interior. If those are brown bakelite grips, then the grips would be late WWII German and would be desireable as people are looking for them to restore their late WWII German Hi-Power."

Hope it helps you to know better your gun.

Douglas

[crotter]

Douglas,

Thank you very much for the additional information. This is very interesting, I am glad to finally know the history of the pistol!

As for the grips, I think they are just black plastic they don't appear to be the German bake lite ones.... Not sure when or if the gun was ever re-gripped.

Anyways, thanks again for your time!

-Christian