Picked up my 2nd Hi Power (pic heavy)

Nature Boy

Very, very nice, even if it was refinished! Looking forward to your first range report!

Very nice!! Am I being too nosy if I ask how much? I have a 1976 T-series I paid $750 for, so that price lacks all the historical value yours has.

Nice.

Pick up an extra extractor or two. They can be hard to find and pricey.

Pic heavy is good! Congratulations.

Perfect amount of wear on a fine old pistol. It just has the right look.

Thats a nice HP.

Nature Boy said:

View attachment 945216 View attachment 945217 I bought it from @jwxspoon on THR classifieds.

@WVsig help we with some of the history of this pistol. Based on his observations and some of the internet research I did it looks to be a WWII era German occupation Hi Power made some time in 1943.

It lacks the Waffenamts but those may have been removed by a previous owner as it looks to have been refinished.

Here’s some detailed pics of the markings I’ve found.

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I do not believe that the Waffenproofs were removed. The 2nd subset of "a" suffix guns did not have the Waffenproofs IIRC because they were assembled using a lot of parts that were already manufactured by FN Herstal prior to occupation. Speed of production was paramount at that time. This is also why the barrel does not have its final proofs. Most of what I am posting and what I told you in our PM exchange are basically WAGs based on my limited knowledge and my FN secret date decoder ring. I think for the most part I am pretty close on this one but with FN you never know. Enjoy it.

Nature Boy said:

Got to the range a bit ago and was pleased with the results. It’s as accurate as any of my other pistols

Standing at 30 ft

View attachment 945301

And then on the 3 to the last round it failed to eject. I cleaned the jam, loaded another round and it did the same so I’ll likely need to replace the extractor. I’ll probably go ahead and order 2.

I’m very please with it though. Looking forward to shooting it more.

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The extractor is not a simple install but it is doable. I would check the geometry and movement of the extractor clean, lube and test it before replacing it but as I suggested having a few in the parts bin is a good idea.

Nature Boy, if the extractor and ejector are working properly, magazines should not make any difference at all. From the trigger, it appears your gun does not have a magazine safety. So even if fired without a magazine, the gun should extract and eject properly.

Serials are in the right place, AFAICT.
Waffenampts would have been on either side of the trigger-guard, just above, and to the rear of the trigger, on each side of the frame. I believe VWsig is right, because the gun is too clean, and the frame would have shown some marks or distortion, if they were removed. IIRC, Germany was struggling to provide officers with sidearms, throughout the war, and the FN GP-35s went to senior officers, and airborne units.

Grips look right. I really like the earlier models, with the combat sights.

Nice pick, sir.

That’s a nice pistol.
If it could talk! That thing saw some seriously turbulent times

Dibbs

IIRC, Germany was struggling to provide officers with sidearms, throughout the war, and the FN GP-35s went to senior officers, and airborne units.

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I recall reading something along those lines in that among German troops during WWII, the Hi-Power was highly sought after by the Paratroopers.

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Those could have been taken from Allied troops. The GP-35 is one of the firearms with the distinction of having been used by both sides, in the conflict.

Nature Boy said:

$30 at Numrich. I’ve got 2 on the way

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You did well. In times past I've seen them listed for $100 and scarce as hen's teeth.

1MoreFord said:

You did well. In times past I've seen them listed for $100 and scarce as hen's teeth.

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These are reproductions but they work and are the best value out there. OEM are still $100+ if you can find them.

She's a beauty, Nature Boy.

I have made my Browning a safe queen but now itching to take it to the range! Nice find enjoy.