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Post by greyghost1962 on Apr 23, 2022 16:50:33 GMT -5
With my first FN Browning Hi-Power, the Browning chart lead me to the date. I just picked up another and I can't figure it out, although I may just be dense and not following the chart. The serial number is T314131 and the slide, barrel and frame all match. I would appreciate any help.
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Post by ToddSig on Apr 23, 2022 19:32:08 GMT -5
With my first FN Browning Hi-Power, the Browning chart lead me to the date. I just picked up another and I can't figure it out, although I may just be dense and not following the chart. The serial number is T314131 and the slide, barrel and frame all match. I would appreciate any help. Welcome to HPC greygohost1962. The Browning website serial number chart for T series Hi Powers, for the date range 1964-1968 dose not reveal the whole story. FN actually produced the “T” series 1964 through +/-72. Therefore a “T” series pistol may be outside the listed date range on the Browning serial number page for Hi Powers. There have been FN T Series serial numbers up into the 380,000 range with production extending into 1972. It is commonly known that FN manufactured both the T series and the early C series pistols at the same time. You might wish to check some of the individual parts for manufacturing dates. Small numbers with box like lines around them. Probably diamond shaped lines around the small number. Which will tell you when they were manufactured. If you spot them, let us know and we can get a date, typically down to the quarter when the part made. Look on the barrel lug (good place to start) trigger, the hammer, on the frame, on the firing pin block on the underside of the slide. Below image of my surplus FN T Series with serial #377390. Second image of barrel manufacture date. Probably 1st quarter 1972, although some lines are lightly struck.
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Post by greyghost1962 on Apr 25, 2022 1:16:46 GMT -5
I found this symbol 3 times and it looks similar to the one that you have on your's. I found this on trigger guard, outside of barrel chamber and the underside of the firing pin block as you suggested. There is a mark in a diamond on the barrel lug, but it is so feint, I can't get a picture of it. I used a magnifying glass, and it almost looks like a 9, but it is oriented differently than yours. If you look at the lug in the orientation of how it would be in the pistol when firing, it looks like a 9, but it is really tough to tell. It could also possibly be 0. Thanks in advance.
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Post by ToddSig on Apr 25, 2022 15:08:26 GMT -5
I found this symbol 3 times and it looks similar to the one that you have on your's. I found this on trigger guard, outside of barrel chamber and the underside of the firing pin block as you suggested. There is a mark in a diamond on the barrel lug, but it is so feint, I can't get a picture of it. I used a magnifying glass, and it almost looks like a 9, but it is oriented differently than yours. If you look at the lug in the orientation of how it would be in the pistol when firing, it looks like a 9, but it is really tough to tell. It could also possibly be 0. Thanks in advance. <button disabled="" class="c-attachment-insert--linked o-btn--sm">Attachment Deleted</button> From what you can make out, it appears parts were manufactured either in 1969 or 1970. Given the serial number, perhaps lean toward 1970. The pineapple or bee shaped marked is a Proof House at Leige nitro mark, used on pistols since 1968.
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Post by bigkeith on Apr 30, 2022 6:28:40 GMT -5
Hi I just Bought a HP here in Northern Ireland can anyone help me with any info Age etc: the Hammer Grips and sights would suggest going by my limited knowledge it is pre 1965? serial Number is E05632 Attachments:
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Post by tnorris on Apr 30, 2022 8:26:24 GMT -5
Hi I just Bought a HP here in Northern Ireland can anyone help me with any info Age etc: the Hammer Grips and sights would suggest going by my limited knowledge it is pre 1965? serial Number is E05632
Good morning!
Very nice looking pistol. It seems very well cared for.
The internal extractor puts it at earlier than 1962.
The mark [ *L ] is the mark used by Controller of Proof Antoine Salmon from 1937-1968. The mark on the left front of the trigger guard is a date code. Yours was stamped in the first quarter of 1951. I believe the serial number prefix [ E ] indicates it was part of a contract for the British.
If I have gotten anything wrong, someone should be along shortly to help correct me.
Enjoy your fine High Power and welcome to the forum!
Cheers,
Tim
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Post by ToddSig on Apr 30, 2022 8:31:28 GMT -5
Hi I just Bought a HP here in Northern Ireland can anyone help me with any info Age etc: the Hammer Grips and sights would suggest going by my limited knowledge it is pre 1965? serial Number is E05632 Edit, typing as Tim just posted. I agree with Tim. Welcome to the HPC forum bigkeith. From the serial number, you have what is called an E series High Power. There wre some false reports of the E series pistols being part of the British L9A1 contract, but according to Vanderlinden's book, that is false and not the case. The E series pistol and E serial number was just an "FN inventory control method." Date range would be early 1950s. From what I can see iht images, your High Power has the number 1 on the trigger guard with lines around it and an open top. That is a production date marked for 1st quarter 1951. Other parts could be slightly earlier or slightly later, but it looks like you are in the 1951 date range. Thanks for sharing. Here is an image of my E series, which I date to 1951 based on the latest production date marks.
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Post by bigkeith on Apr 30, 2022 23:34:07 GMT -5
Thanks vwry much for the help your knolage is impressive
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Post by CXM on May 3, 2022 5:09:53 GMT -5
Century Arms imported a bunch of HPs from Austria around 1998 or so. Some were in like new condition in original boxes. As I recall the like new examples sold for about $249.00!!! It is pretty likely this pistol arrived in the U.S. via Century Arms. FWIW Chuck When you get the High Power, check the magazine, there could be production date marks on it as well. Pre 1962/63 magazines should have an aluminum follower. The slide may too have some marks on the firing pin block. In looking at the holster I see it is stamped LGK-NO??? This mark is found on some High Power pistols and should be similar for holsters as well. Per Vanderlinden, page 345, LGK refers to Landesgendarmeriekommando - State Gendarmerie. The following two letters after LGK are for the province. Your holster looks like "NO" (the second letter is a bit smudged). If "NO" it refers to the province Niederosterreich (Lower Austria). According to Vanderlinden, in 1955 the LGK ordered about 10,000 High Powers. The pistols were marked with LGK so I dont believe yours was part of that contract. The other mark on the holster appears to be "unbrauchbar" which translates to unusable. Perhaps marked that way when taken out of service?
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Post by coffeeandcruisers on Feb 27, 2024 23:20:56 GMT -5
HI all. I just registered in the hopes someone here could help me track down more information on a high power I just took ownership of. The serial number doesn't match anything on Browning's site. It starts with 13-7. It's stamped on the barrel, the slide, and the frame. Any help would be appreciated.
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Post by ToddSig on Feb 28, 2024 7:22:28 GMT -5
HI all. I just registered in the hopes someone here could help me track down more information on a high power I just took ownership of. The serial number doesn't match anything on Browning's site. It starts with 13-7. It's stamped on the barrel, the slide, and the frame. Any help would be appreciated. welcome to HPC. Please post images your new HP. Full images of each side as well as detail images of the various marks. With that we should be able to figure out what you have.
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Post by coffeeandcruisers on Feb 29, 2024 0:12:06 GMT -5
HI all. I just registered in the hopes someone here could help me track down more information on a high power I just took ownership of. The serial number doesn't match anything on Browning's site. It starts with 13-7. It's stamped on the barrel, the slide, and the frame. Any help would be appreciated. welcome to HPC. Please post images your new HP. Full images of each side as well as detail images of the various marks. With that we should be able to figure out what you have. Here is a link to an Imgur album with photos of it. Let me know if you need more. imgur.com/a/dR5HvOE
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Post by ToddSig on Feb 29, 2024 8:50:44 GMT -5
coffeeandcruisers Looks like you have when of the FM licensed High Powers which were made in Argentina. These were made by FM under licenses and supervision of FN engineers. When you Hi Power was manufactured, FM was called DGFM which stands for Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares, later to Fabricaciones Militares or FM for short. Our forum has a post on the FM, it states "In 1969 the Argentine government negotiated an agreement with FN in Belgium to manufacture their High Power pistol under license in Argentina. The guns produced under this license are Browning High Powers in every respect, being essentially a copy of the 1965 version of the High Power. They were built from FN plans to FN standards, and are generally considered to be the qualitative equal of the European High Powers. These pistols are “license-built copies,” and were produced until 1989." Here is a link to the post, scroll down to Hi Power number three, there is also an image highpowercollectors.proboards.com/thread/201/copies-browning-high-powerWhile not manufactured in Belgium, the early FN licenses and overseen Hi Powers are considered by most to be of very high quality and similar standards to those manufactured by FN. Here is a link to an American Rifleman article on the FM High Power www.americanrifleman.org/content/this-old-gun-argentine-fm-fap/
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Post by coffeeandcruisers on Feb 29, 2024 20:44:53 GMT -5
Thank you for the information and the links!
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