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Post by bluegrass on Aug 29, 2023 17:43:26 GMT -5
Hi Folks- I have a MKII, 245PN, FN Hi Power. Love it. While cleaning, I noticed an odd mark inside the slide, it looks like an ampersand (&). I have read everything I can find on here but I see no mention of this mark. On the S&W boards, they say it's placed after a factory refinish. I don't think this gun was sent to S&W! There's also a cryptic mark next to the Star of David. Any idea as to the meaning of the two marks? Gun came from CDI a few years ago. Thanks for any help! Attachments:
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Post by sams1 on Aug 29, 2023 23:41:44 GMT -5
Hi Bluegrass,
I'm not sure about the ampersand mark in the slide but I can tell you about your second picture regarding the 'cryptic' mark...
As you may know, the Star of David mark usually comes with the Hebrew letter inside it that would be 'equivalent' to the English letter "P" for Police (Mishtara, in Hebrew). So these are usually Israeli Police surplus/Turn/in pistols which have been imported to the U.S for sometime. In this one, the "P" that should be inside the Star of David seems to appear right above it (under the second mark). Clearly, whoever punched this mark clearly didn't do a good job... The second mark above the star was also pretty much botched. It is the Hebrew letter that would be equivalent to the English letter "I" for IDF or in Hebrew 'Tzahal' - Israel Defense Forces.
Having both Police and IDF marks on same pistol is unusual and I beleive, it indicates that this pistol was part of a batch that was transferred from police inventory to the IDF's. By the way, the IDF marked pistol have also been imported to the U.S. I haven't, until now, seen one that showing both.
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Post by bluegrass on Aug 30, 2023 19:25:03 GMT -5
Sams1,
Thanks for that information. Very interesting history to this gun, it seems. Hopefully someone will have some ideas on the ampersand, as well.
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Post by ToddSig on Aug 31, 2023 8:33:40 GMT -5
Sams1, Thanks for that information. Very interesting history to this gun, it seems. Hopefully someone will have some ideas on the ampersand, as well. There are so many different and strange marks placed on Hi/High Powers, many are FN factory markings. According to Vanderlinden's FN Browning Pistols, FN applied a number of small markings as part of their own quality control. These markings (can) indicate the following:
- Which operator manufactured the part
- Which inspector inspected the part
- If a part was rejected
- When a part was made [this we know]
- FN final inspection
So some we are aware of and are documented, such as the date marks, proof marks and some inspector marks. Others we dont know, and there are a lot of strange marks on FN pistols. Here are two slides I have with a crescent, pi and a star/pin wheel shape. For many of these odd marks, I dont think we will ever know, and outside of Vanderlinden and general Belgian proof marks, I dont know of any other reliable documentation on some of these unique and unusual marks. Would love it if someone does know or can point to a resource beyond what is now commonly known.  |
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Post by alabamafats on Sept 13, 2023 12:23:04 GMT -5
Just to add a quick data point - I have a 245PT (1986) High Power with the Ampersand in the slide with a numeral 9 right next to it. I know it is a numeral nine as it has a horizontal line under the "9" to show it's orientation - I beleve. The symbol (ampersand) us also in the slide of a 1987 High Power. An associated mark is unclear due to weak strike. Attached is photo of the mark in the 1987 pistol. Attachments:
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