I also own one that was produced early in 1943. Jason’s Hi-Power in the photo above, was made in the latter part of 1943, based on the serial number.
#Browning serial numbers hi power serial number#
This pistol has a matching serial number in the barrel, frame and slide. WaA140 waffenamt and swastika eagles visible on both slide and frame Unfortunately I forgot to photograph the headstamps on the ammunition it came with. Jason was kind enough to let me photograph this interesting pistol. His grandfather brought the pistol with him when he returned home from fighting WWII, along with a holster and loaded magazine. His pistol has a WaA140 waffenamt in it, which indicates it was produced in Belgium between 19 and inspected by the Wehrmacht inspectors in Luttich, Belgium. My friend Jason owns one of these war-production Hi-Powers. When in early ’42 the pre-war inventories ran out, the German led war-production was started up, and most Hi-Powers after that had wooden grips, unlike the synthetic grips used on prior production guns. The pre-war inventories of parts at the FN were used to produce more of the Pistole 640(b), all bearing Nazi Waffenamts and the typical swastika-eagle stamps.
The Hi-Power was immediately liked by the Germans, and reassigned the designation Pistole 640(b) When the German forces invaded and occupied Belgium in 1940, they also took over the FN (Fabrique Nationale, in Herstal Belgium) plant. For comparison, the German issued P.08 Luger and P.38 held 8 rounds of 9mm each. Designed by John Moses Browning, and completed by Dieudonne Saive, the pistol was chambered in 9mm and had a 13 round capacity, and was a desirable military firearm. The FN P35 “Hi-Power” had been in production since 1935.
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