Later versions of this pistol are still used by authorities in many countries even today.
BELGIAN BROWNING HIGH POWER SERIAL NUMBER 245NM18002 LICENSE
The pistol being highly popular that time it was manufactured with or without license in several countries like Argentina (FM), Hungary (FEG), Indonesia (Pindad), Canada, Nigeria, Venezuela, United States and Israel (Kareen). After World War II FN continued their production and high-power pistols were purchased by dozens of countries (among them Belgium, Denmark, Great Britain, Netherlands, Austria and West Germany) in addition of Belgian military and police. The Germans knew the pistol as Pistole 640(b) and Allies mostly called it "Browning High Power". During the second World War some 319,000 were made in Belgium by FN and some 150,000 by John Inglis & Co in Canada. During World War II this pistol was used by both sides and manufactured both in occupied Belgium for the Germans and in Canada for the Allies (mainly UK, British Commonwealth and China). The pistol was immediate success, during the few years before World War II some 70,000 (or 56,500 depending sources) were made and sold to Armed Forces of Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania, China and Peru. Unusual for European pre-World War II pistols was also location of the magazine release switch - typically it was located below grip in European pistols of that time, but in FN GP it was located next to trigger guard. The pistol had two safeties: Magazine-safety (which unfortunately often have somewhat poor trigger with uneven trigger pull) and thumb-operated safety switch in left side of the grip. Otherwise the basic structure of pistol used basically same "tilting barrel" concept, that Browning had used earlier in Colt M1911, but the concept had been somewhat modified. In this magazine cartridges were in interlocking array, which made magazine quite short but allowed it to carry large amount of cartridges at the same time. Name Grand Puissance (High Power) came from magazine capacity, which was larger than other pistols of 1930's. Better known in English speaking word as High-Power this pistols design was started by John Moses Browning and after his death (1926) finished by D.J. Also issued in large numbers to Finnish pilots during Continuation War. Finnish frontline troops used some during the last weeks of Winter War and in larger scale during Continuation War. EW Accessories: Holster stock, cleaning rod Barrel Length: 4 - 5/8" Caliber/Bore: 9mm Para FFL Status: Curio & Relic Manufacturer: FN Model: Hi-Power Serial Number: 12564ĬORRECTION: "Finnish use: 2,400 bought from Belgium in February - March of 1940. There is a small import mark on the magazine well lip indicating importation by Simpson, LTD. Action works appropriately when cycled by hand, bore is excellent with strong rifling. Leather holster is also very good with some expected tenderness at flap and scuffing. Stock is very good with some marks throughout. Frame appears to be the original bluing with haloing around stamps and wear commensurate with slide. CONDITION: Very good with the barrel and slide having undergone an old high quality reblue with vast majority of that reblue remaining with some pings visible under the blue and some wear consistent with holster wear and handling and operation since reblue. Magazine with split toe baseplate and "SA" in lozenge at rear. Brass cleaning rod in compartment in holster. Accompanied by a flat board stock with rivet attached holster with number 12836 near iron. Someone has electropencilled "783" on rear strap oriented to read with magazine well up. Slide with "H" in a square, "C" in a circle, and "H" in a triangle on interior. Round cut barrel with small "B" in front of lug. Matching numbers observed on frame, slide, and obverse of barrel. Checkered walnut grips with painted interior. Right side with serial number, barrel with Belgian proofs. Slide marked on left side with FN roll mark and Belgian proofs.
Low Estimate: 2,000 High Estimate: 4,000 Drift adjustable front sight, 500 meter adjustable tangent rear sight.