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Post by metalbender on Aug 24, 2023 22:51:32 GMT -5
New member here. Bought a supposed FN Hi Power a few years ago. Upon researching the serial number, it came to light it was in fact a counterfeit. It's registered in our Canadian system as a Hi Power. It has a B 20XXX serial number. Bluing is beautiful. Has all the stampings except Made in Belgium. No Hungarian stamping. Even the grips are painted red on the inside. From all the great information here it seems to be one of the Iraq embargo guns. Haven't seen a pic of a similar gun here so far, maybe I've missed something. Thanks for all the info that confirms my thoughts. Thanks for allowing the rant. Fred
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Post by tnorris on Aug 25, 2023 5:46:42 GMT -5
New member here. Bought a supposed FN Hi Power a few years ago. Upon researching the serial number, it came to light it was in fact a counterfeit. It's registered in our Canadian system as a Hi Power. It has a B 20XXX serial number. Bluing is beautiful. Has all the stamping except Made in Belgium. No Hungarian stamping. Even the grips are painted red on the inside. From all the great information here it seems to be one of the Iraq embargo guns. Haven't seen a pic of a similar gun here so far, maybe I've missed something. Thanks for all the info that confirms my thoughts. Thanks for allowing the rant. Fred
Please, show us some pictures!
With a B serial number it is likely from FEG and made in 1986 or so. There is also a difference in the serrations on the slide with the FEGs having a half serration at the front. Easy to see once you know what you are looking for.
Cheers,
Tim
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Post by metalbender on Aug 25, 2023 11:24:21 GMT -5
Thanks for the reply. I had a close look at the serrations. Mine looks like there is no half as pictured. Can pics just be posted off the phone? There are no holster wear marks, just a couple little hash marks on the front of the grip. Fred
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Post by ToddSig on Aug 25, 2023 13:36:12 GMT -5
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Post by metalbender on Aug 25, 2023 15:48:02 GMT -5
Thanks Todd. I'm going to fire up the old Canon and get the pics on the computer instead of working from my phone. The milling on the FEG seems quite rough. Fred
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Post by metalbender on Aug 25, 2023 17:45:22 GMT -5
Seems the phone has better resolution. A couple pics.
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Post by metalbender on Aug 25, 2023 17:58:58 GMT -5
Well, I guess that's not going to work. Phone pics are too large. Any way to shrink them to thumbnail size? Old guy, technology challenged. Fred
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Post by tnorris on Aug 25, 2023 20:21:33 GMT -5
Well, I guess that's not going to work. Phone pics are too large. Any way to shrink them to thumbnail size? Old guy, technology challenged. Fred
They just need to be under 1 meg each. Limit of three pics per post. take the pics on your iPhone and send them to your email address as "small"or "medium" size.
Cheers,
Tim
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Post by ToddSig on Aug 26, 2023 18:45:57 GMT -5
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Post by ToddSig on Aug 26, 2023 19:10:31 GMT -5
I counted 22 1/2 serrations, so FEG Counterfeit HP. Which is pretty cool, and in great shape with strong bluing. A lot of the counterfeit HPs I have seen are not as in good condition as yours. I am looking to add one to my collection. BTW, if you have not seen it, some good information on the origins of the counterfeit HP by FEG, here on the forum. highpowercollectors.proboards.com/post/7494/thread
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Post by metalbender on Aug 26, 2023 20:17:32 GMT -5
I did quite a bit of research on it when I found out it was a counterfeit. Probably ten or twelve years ago. Let it ride as a lesson. Paid a good dollar. Don't know if the seller knew or not, because the reg said Browning Hi Power. A high power has been on my bucket list since I held one as a kid in the early 60's. How this came to be registered in our Canadian system as a Hi Power with the obviously wrong serial number is odd. I even had the armorers at the RCMP firearm range look at it. They had no answers. We compared it to an FN model, could be twins. I worked for the Mounted police in the garage so had supervised access to the range. Also had a chance to go to the Forensic Lab gun room. Should have had a diaper on my mouth to catch the drooling. A couple thousand guns of every type, mostly confiscated. Looked at a couple Inglis ones, well worn. All kinds of original Colt SA, lots of Saturday night specials. Even hefted a Thompson with a drum mag. Could have spent hrs in there.
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Post by tnorris on Aug 26, 2023 20:27:52 GMT -5
How this came to be registered in our Canadian system as a Hi Power with the obviously wrong serial number is odd. I even had the armorers at the RCMP firearm range look at it. They had no answers. We compared it to an FN model, could be twins.
It is a High power, as much as any other. It was just made by FEG, who had a license to produce High Powers, and adorned with counterfeit origin markings to satisfy a contract with Iraq.
It's a pretty cool bit of High Power history!
Cheers,
Tim
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Post by tnorris on Aug 26, 2023 20:47:58 GMT -5
Even hefted a Thompson with a drum mag.
Way off topic but...
While working on a story about Al Capone for CBS Sunday Morning years ago, we visited the Berrien County, Michigan, Sheriffs Office. Among other cool things, they have two Thompson's recovered from a local crime scene a long time ago. These two were matched to the two Tommy Guns used at the St Valentines Day Massacre in Chicago back when matching spent cases to a firearm was a pretty new thing.
I was allowed to fire 20 rounds from one of the rifles... what a blast. The correspondent and camera guy went first and just pulled the trigger once, blasting away at the target. I aimed and took it slow to make the experience last a little longer!
Cheers,
Tim
Link to the transcript of the piece, but not the video:
... and me firing the Thompson!
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Post by metalbender on Aug 27, 2023 8:28:05 GMT -5
Thanks for the uplift. Thanks Todd for doing the pics. I don't feel bad about spending FN dollars for a counterfeit because it has it's own somewhat shady history. Didn't feel like opening a can of worms by calling the central registrar asking questions. During my research someone posted that Browning contracted FEG to manufacture a run of these for Iraq because being in Belgium, they couldn't due to the embargo. Hence, they had all the standard Browning stampings less the made in Belgium, but no made in Hungary either. Then the guns were rejected due to being made in Hungary. Sounds like a good story, gives it a hint of intrigue. It's a good shooter without hiccups even though I've only put a few hundred rounds through it. Really appreciate all the newer information posted here. Thanks again. Fred
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Post by tnorris on Aug 27, 2023 9:12:39 GMT -5
Thanks for the uplift. Thanks Todd for doing the pics. I don't feel bad about spending FN dollars for a counterfeit because it has it's own somewhat shady history. Didn't feel like opening a can of worms by calling the central registrar asking questions. During my research someone posted that Browning contracted FEG to manufacture a run of these for Iraq because being in Belgium, they couldn't due to the embargo. Hence, they had all the standard Browning stampings less the made in Belgium, but no made in Hungary either. Then the guns were rejected due to being made in Hungary. Sounds like a good story, gives it a hint of intrigue. It's a good shooter without hiccups even though I've only put a few hundred rounds through it. Really appreciate all the newer information posted here. Thanks again. Fred
Fred,
You can read more about the story from a Hungarian member here, beczl, who has access to FEG and their records. I would trust the details of his account over everything I had heard or learned about FEG prior to his detailed information.
FEG HIGH POWERS
FEG FACTORY REFERENCES AND INFORMATIONS
Jan 12, 2021 at 2:25pm page 2 - 9th post or so...
LINK:
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