It has obviously been shot but not shot out. Checked the barrel and the rifling was very good. Needs a good cleaning but has a very nice look.
Any idea the value?
Any idea the value?
As a collector piece, I have no idea. As a shooter, probably not what they're asking for it. Hi Powers are fine weapons, but get the much more modern MKII or MKIII versions if you want a shooter. As said above, when the Germans overran Belgium in 1940, they took over the FN plant, turning out HP's for the Wehrmacht. Late in the war, the production of shoddy weapons was quite common. Counterfeit Nazi-proofed guns are also quite common. Nice as a historical curiosity, but I would stay well away from buying it.
My experience with the Mk II and later HP's has not been positive. Browning was producing a softer metal product than they had turned out in the 1960's and 1970's. The slide stop notch in the slide was becoming misshapen and the frame was showing signs of wear when I traded off the nice looking Mk II Practical I owned after only a few 1000's standard pressure rounds.
The WWII era ones would have to be considered as of suspect metal.
The WWII era ones would have to be considered as of suspect metal.
Around 1988-89, Browning began using cast frames instead of the forged frames of the earlier Hi Powers. The cast frames were designed to hold up under the recoil of the .40 S&W cartridge (.40 Hi Powers shared the same frame with their 9mm siblings, but had a beefier slide). All MKIIIs had the sturdier, cast frame, and all Practical models were MKIIIs. I've had a half dozen or more MKIIs and MKIIIs (including a Practical and a .40 S&W), and I have never had the frame problems you describe.
I'm sure it's possible, but other than a different, higher quality, steel to begin with, I can't imagine any possible way a cast frame could be stronger than a forged frame.
I don't know, ask Ruger.
There is a way. It's called thicker and heavier.
Glocktogo, I am still not convinced. Ruger has been casting 1911 frames and slides for Kimber, S&W, Caspian and many others and no one has mentioned the "thicker and heavier".
It's in pawn with no idea if it will be for sale. Just showed to me and it looked cool.
It is an FN GP 35. What we know as the Hi-Power. I have one that is an Israeli police surplus.
https://www.okshooters.com/threads/browning-hi-power-9mm.222162/
https://www.okshooters.com/threads/browning-hi-power-9mm.222162/
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