Fabrique Nationale Hi Power 1944 9mm Pistol (WW2)

Description This is a C&R Pistol Exempt from the California Handgun Roster WE DO NOT SHIP TO TYPE 3 C&R FFLs Pistol: WW2 FN Hi-Power 9mm Pistol Make: Fabrique Nationale, Herstal, Belgium Model: This is an excellent example of a WW2 FN Hi-Power 9mm Pistol made for the Nazi military at the Herstal, Belgium Fabrique Nationale factory under German control. Serial Number: 13296b Year of Manufacture: 1944 Caliber: 9mm Action Type: Single-action hammer-fired semi-auto Barrel Length: 4.69” Extractor: Internal Front Sight: Fixed front sight Rear Sight: Fixed rear sight Markings: Left side of slide marked FABRIQUE NATIONALE D’ARMES DE GUERRE on one line; HERSTAL-BELGIQUE on a second line; BROWNING’S PATENT DEPOSE on a third.  Right side of frame, right side of slide and right side of barrel visable through the ejection port stamped with serial number 13296b. Waffenamt WaA140 stamped on barrel bushing face below barrel, left side of slide, and left side of frame. Nazi eagle proof on left side of slide and left side of frame. MR stamp on the left side of the trigger guard. Grip Panels: Brown Bakelite (resin) grips. Checkering is very well defined. There are no nicks, chips, cracks, or handling wear. Grips are in excellent condition (NRA Antique Firearm Condition). Finish: Factory salt bluing. Finish Originality: Original. Bluing, about 97%. Barrel and Bore Condition: The bore is very bright with very sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore. Condition is 9 out of 10 (10 is mint). Mechanics: The action functions correctly and there is no play between the barrel assembly and frame. The hold-open latch keeps the action open on an empty magazine. Magazine safety disconnect has been removed. Magazine: The 13 round magazine looks to be original to this pistol. It has no dents and includes intact feed lips and a strong spring. It is fully functional and we would rate it in excellent condition. NRA Antique Firearm Condition: Excellent. All original parts; over 95% original finish; sharp lettering, numerals and design on metal; unmarred grip panels; fine bore. History: The Browning Hi Power Pistol is a single-action semiautomatic pistol. John M. Browning and Dieudonné Saive designed the Hi-Power. It was first produced by Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium in 1935. When Germany occupied Belgium in 1940, they captured the Fabrique Nationale (FN) factory and continued production of the Hi-Power, designating it the Pistole 640(b). Thus, the Hi-Power was uniquely used by both Allied and Axis forces during World War 2. In occupied Belgium, the FN plant built over 300,000 pistols for the Nazis. Early wartime production retained the high-quality pre-war features, including adjustable tangent sights, walnut grips, and slots for a detachable shoulder stock. As Allied liberation approached, manufacturing shifted to hurried, simplified construction utilizing forced labor to maximize output. Features: As raw materials dwindled and Allied bombing disrupted supply lines, late-war production of the 640(b) was severely degraded: Feature Cuts: Tangent sights and shoulder stock slots were eliminated in favor of fixed rear sights. Material Changes: Wooden grips were substituted with cheaper, molded Bakelite. Worker Sabotage: Forced laborers at the FN plant actively resisted by deliberately mis-treating metal. This resulted in late-war pistols with visible machining marks, poor tolerances, rough finishes, and questionable metallurgy. Simplified Mechanics: By the very end of the war, the factory omitted the magazine disconnect safety to speed up assembly. Overall Assessment:  For nearly one hundred years, the Browning Hi-Power have been the chosen sidearm by armies and police forces across the world. Over 50 armies and 93 countries adopted the Hi-Power during its service life. Those numbers make it the most used and highly regarded pistol in history being continuously manufactured from 1935 until 2018. Many consider the Browning Hi Power is the best 9mm fighting handgun one can possess. This WW2 FN Hi-Power 9mm Pistol is an excellent minty example of an FN Browning High Power issued to the Nazi military during late WW2. This variant was made in 1944 and does not have the tangent sight or slot for a shoulder stock. It is all matching and has the proper “Waffen 140” military proofs throughout. The proof marks are very distinct. It has retained about 97% of its original finish. There is very minor wear around the high edges and an area of wear on the front strap. The pistol comes with excellent Bakelite grips and a period-correct magazine. The bore is mint. We would rate this WW2 FN Hi-Power 9mm Pistol overall in excellent condition (NRA Antique Firearm Condition). Therefore, own a piece of history that is a highly collectible pistol and a practical steel frame, low -recoil self-defense or target shooting firearm. Residents of States with High-Capacity Mag  Restrictions: Determine whether you can own this Hi-Power C&R pistol in your jurisdiction.  We will ship the pistol  to your FFL without the 13rd (high-capacity) mag unless your FFL can legally receive a high-capacity mag and restrict it to 10rd capacity for transfer to you. Exemptions for law enforcement officers or other individuals to high-capacity restrictions may apply in your jurisdiction. Post Views: 15