WW2 Browning HP Info wanted

[benc]

Hi all. I found this site after starting to investigate what i think is a Browning HP that i inherited from my grandfather. He brought it back after the war, and it stayed in his drawer for the rest of his life. Fabrique Herstal Belgique. Appears to have a Lufwaffe Eagle engraved on slide. Serial #9497 with a cursive letter/symbol after the SN. No sight rail. Exposed hammer. Wood grips. Trigger is a sliver/ half moon, not the kind that recesses back into the grip. Not sure how to post pictures. Id really love confirm what i think i know, and to learn more about this piece of history. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[benc]

Correction. No adjustable site rail. Simple V-style/military sights.

[tnorris]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Without pictures it's difficult to identify what you have. I purchased a GI bring-back Occupation High Power a couple years ago... searched the internet and bought a couple very nice books on High Powers to get an idea of when it was made.

This morning I found a rather concise post at LugerForums which will help get you started. It is post #4 at the following link:

www.lugerforums.com/threads/hi-power-information-German-marked.20177/

#4 · Sep 22, 2009 (Edited)

There is data available from several European sources that provides the following information for German Browning P.35 production. I hope this helps. Dennis

Year Start Finish Made
3,433 Belgian
1940 50,001 58,500 WaA613 8,500

1941 58,501 65,000 WaA613 6,500
65,001 90,000 WaA103 25,000
90,001 124,200 WaA140 34,200

1941 total 65,700

1942 124,201 204,800 80,600

1943 204,801 212,000 7,200
00001a 93,800a 93,800
1943 Total 101,000

1944 93,801a 99,999a 1,200
0001b 63,000b 63,000
1944 Total 64,200

Grand Total 330,000 + 3,433 Belgian

*If I interpret the list correctly, the fields are:

Year Produced / SR# Start - Finish / Waffenmacht / number produced.

In years where multiple Waffenmacht codes were used, there is also an annual total (1941, 1943, 1944).

If the cursive letter following the serial number is " a " it was made in 1943 or early 1944. If it is " b " it is from 1944.

Mine is marked WaA140 / 25342 a , which would indicate it was #32,542 (25,342+7,200) of 101,000 High Powers produced under occupation in 1943. Presuming a steady rate of production at 1942.3 pistols per week, mine could have been produced on April 27, 1943, or more roughly, springtime of 1943. A song from "The Producers" with Zero Mostel comes to mind :-).

Cheers,

Tim