In House Shipping:
Make: Fabrique Nationale of Belgium
Model: Browning Hi-Power
Serial Number: 45412
Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1951-1952
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine, Thumb Safety, & Magazine Disconnect Safety
Barrel Length: 4 5/8”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade forged to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut panels with smooth borders. There are some light marks on the smooth borders. The checkering shows light wear but is generally sharp. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good Plus Condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 97% of its metal finish. There is faint thinning at all leading edges. There are areas of faint scarring and finish loss on the grip frame. The slide serrations are sharp. The screw heads are sharp and the pins are lightly marked but not peened. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Excellent Condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The magazine disconnect functions properly. The trigger is crisp. There is a tiny amount of play between the slide and frame. We have not fired this pistol. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one unmarked though factory original parkerized 13-round magazine.
Our Assessment: The Browning Hi-Power was designed by legendary firearms inventor John Moses Browning and his protege Dieudonne Saive in 1921 in response to a French government request for a new 9mm pistol capable of carrying 10-15 rounds. Browning began with his 1911 pistol, and Saive developed a double-column, single-feed box magazine. Browning passed away in 1926, but Saive continued to make strides in the pistol design, and finally perfected what became known as the “Grande Puissance”, or “Hi-Power”, in 1935. The final product featured a recoil-operated blowback mechanism, external hammer, and 13-round mag. They would be made for the next 80 years, and some of the early post-WW2 versions were absolutely beautiful.
This Post-War Belgian FN Commercial Browning Hi-Power Semi-Auto Pistol was made ca. 1951-1952 and is in Excellent Condition. It features a 4 5/8” barrel, about 97% of its elegant, original blued finish, the classic two-piece checkered walnut grips, a crisp parkerized 13-round mag, correct markings, matching numbers, solid mechanics, and a bright bore with sharp rifling and no erosion. These guns have seen a surge in collectibility in the last decade, and this is a wonderful example of an early Post-War Belgian FN Browning Hi-Power.