To set the scene. I am located in Northern Ireland and a member of the local Gun Club.
I recently purchased a T Series Browning Hi Power with 500-meter tangent rear sight and a Butt Slot for $380. which I regard as a steal. The weapon is in stunning condition .
View attachment 841504 View attachment 841504 View attachment 841505 View attachment 841506 View attachment 841507 View attachment 841508 View attachment 841509 View attachment 841504 View attachment 841505 View attachment 841506 View attachment 841507 View attachment 841508 View attachment 841509 The Serial Number is T374208 which i cannot locate on the Browning Web Date your Gun Site. T Series seem to run out T258001-261000 1969.
Questions 1. can anybody help me date the weapon
2. I am aware the T Series is much sought after due to the superior craftsmanship and finish, what would the true value of this weapon be
Nice BHP and a excellent price. You stole that gun IMHO. So as to the date of the manufacture of the pistol. The Browning site is horrible for dating a pistol beyond the very basic date codes for C series and later guns. The serial number for pre C series guns really only gives you a range of when it was made and you need to look at other marks in order to narrow it down. FN Herstal's record keeping is more art than science. They often resused serial numbers for different contracts and often mixed parts from different versions to meet contract requirements. I can give you a WAG based on what I see.
The serial number is beyond what most people list as the serial number range for T series BHPs. Most people site 1969 as the end of T series production and the start of C series pistols in 1970. The reality is that T series BHPs continued until 1972. C series BHPs started in 1969. Based on your guns serial number and guns I have seen in the past I would put it as a late 1971 or 1972. It has a T series serial number but the characteristics of a C series. Note the spur hammer not a ring hammer seen on T series guns.
The gun has a 2 piece barrel. FN changed over to the 2 piece barrel in 1962 but guns as late as 1966 shipped with 1 piece barrels. FN never threw away parts. They were the kings of using old new stock from out of production versions in newer production versions. Often pieces from contract overruns.
So based on the limited things I can see I would place the gun in the 1971-1972 range. You can narrow it down by looking closely at the gun for proof marks, inspector marks and date codes. These are found on individual parts. Look at the base of the mag well.
This is an inspector mark *K which was used Delsaux Walthere who used it between 1929-1969. So if you can find a letter with a * above it that can tell you who inspected and approved the part.
You can then look for letters like these. They are Belgian date codes like this.
Finally look for number with what appear to be incomplete boxes or diamonds. The 7 in a partial box on this barrel tells you it was made in the 1st Qtr of 1967.
If you can find enough of these other marks you can assemble a date range. Like on the barrel above the date code says 1st Qtr 1967 with a *M which was used by MAurice Scorpion between 1959 to 1969 so the barrel was made and approved between 1967-1969. The more codes you have the more you can narrow the range and come up with a best guess.
As to value it is worth exactly what you can get someone to pay you for it. If you were selling it here in the US on Gunbroker you I would see it selling between $1,200 to $2,000. It would push higher if you get the right bidders attention. If I was insuring the gun I would do it for $1800 which is sort of splitting the difference. The T series helps the value but a late T series is basically the same gun as a C series just like a early C series is the same as a T. The change from C to T except for the hammer change was not a "version change". It was an inventory designation change and incorporated a date code into the serial number. It was not like moving from a MKII to MKIII where there were design changes but small changes in the production process changed. On reason that the T series are prized because the bluing process changed late in the T series 1969-1970. The bluing and polishing process was automated during this change. This is why early Ts are more prized than later Ts. Hope this helps. If you post more pics of the small parts I might be able to tell you more.
