Browning Hi power serial number HELP

[Curiousity]

245NW82340

When was this hi power made?

please help thank you...i don't understand how to decipher it...thank you

http://www.browning.com/services/dategun/detail.asp?id=35

 

[belus]

1994

1976-1997
In 1975 Browning standardized its serial number identification which it followed until 1998.
1. Hi-Power Type: 245=9mm
2. Date of Manufacture is a two digit code
Z=1
Y=2
X=3
W=4
V=5
T=6
R=7
P=8
N=9
M=0
3. Serial Number beginning with 01001 at the start of each year.

245 NW 823xx
245 94 823xx

It's a Mark 3 with a cast frame. You should see grooves in the frame on the bottom of the magazine well.

 

[BHPshooter]

Yep, 1994.

My first gun was a '94 manufacture BHP. I love that gun.

Wes

 

[bannockburn]

I went out and bought my Hi-Power after reading an article about it in the September '85 issue of Combat Handguns. Finally I thought, FN had done something about the tiny sights, the hard to use safety, and the overly heavy trigger pull. Well they did, and I've been enjoying it ever since.
vvv[/IMG]

 

[Badmaster]

HP serial Number

I am kind of new to this, I am a old retired Marine First Sergeant. Can anyone assist me in finding more about this weapon? It is a Browning HP and the serial number is L 39575 The weapon has matching serial numbers. I am interested in when it was made and where? Every time I look this up, I get confused. There are no serial numbers starting with L and it is driving me nuts. I am sure it is operator error on my part! My email address is [email protected] Any help would ge thankful.

 

[Armed 24/7]

Wow, my 9mm Practical is a '91. Older than I thought, and Belus, thanks for posting this...

 

[dogtown tom]

Badmaster I am kind of new to this, I am a old retired Marine First Sergeant. Can anyone assist me in finding more about this weapon? It is a Browning HP and the serial number is L 39575 The weapon has matching serial numbers. I am interested in when it was made and where? Every time I look this up, I get confused. There are no serial numbers starting with L and it is driving me nuts. I am sure it is operator error on my part! My email address is [email protected] Any help would ge thankful.

I think you may have an FEG Hi Power, that's why you can't find anything with the "L" serial number prefix. FEG was believed to have made unlicensed copies of the FN/Browning Hi Power that even included the rollmarks that genuine FN/Browning Hi Powers had.

The good news is FEG made some pretty good copies.

 

[berettaprofessor]

What dogtown tom said about your gun being an FEG...see the quoted link below for more info, or search the hipowertalk.com forum.

http://hipowertalk.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2152&SearchTerms=serial,number

also:

http://hipowertalk.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1675&SearchTerms=serial,number

 

[AC45ACP]

so if I have a Ser# 75C357XX than that would mean it was made in 1975 right?

 

[dogtown tom]

correct

 

[Jim_D]

Sorry to bump an old thread.

I just bought a hi-power.

S/N is T301xxx

I looked at Brownings page and can't really match it up...maybe I'm just doing it wrong. It does say Belgium made on it.

Any input?

Thanks,

Jim.

 

[rellascout]

T Series 64 to '69: T136568 to circa T261000

I would put it late in 69 early 70.

 

[Mazudht]

I seem to have a similar problem I have a BHP with a s/n T277xxx I inherited the firearm and don't know what it was originally chambered in. Presently it is .41 ae. The "T" series ended at T261000 according to Browning.



Any clarification would be appreciated.

 

[chez323]

Looks like my hi-power was made in 1990, nice post. Thanks!

 

[Twiki357]

The original was probably in 9mm. My BHP serial no. is T171xxx. I bought it new in 1965.... Damn, I'm gettin' old.

 

[rellascout]

I seem to have a similar problem I have a BHP with a s/n T277xxx I inherited the firearm and don't know what it was originally chambered in. Presently it is .41 ae. The "T" series ended at T261000 according to Browning.



Any clarification would be appreciated.

9mm

 

[topshot46]

Date my FN Belgium Hi-Power was made ?

I just got a FN Belgiun Hi-Power 9MM Pistol , has on left side of slide FN Belgium , on left frame PW Arms Redmond Wa Hi-Power 9 x 19 MM , on right side of barrel and frame S/N 81xx . The finish is parkerized , wooden grips , rounded hammer , fixed sites. Can anyone tell me what date it was made and anything else about the gun. thanks

 

[KodiakBeer]

That sounds like one of the Israeli surplus pistols that came in under PW Arms. They're a mixed bag from all eras. If it has an external extractor, it's post-1962, an internal extractor would indicate it was made before that date. No FN pistols were parkerized, so that would be something done in an Israeli armory to a worn pistol.

The serial numbers aren't much help because most FN pistols of that era are military contract and they didn't follow the date code rules of the Browning stamped commercial pistols.

Those early Israeli pistols came from all over the place. Some are commercial pistols, some captured from Syria, some purchased used in small batches from other countries military stocks, etc.

To get the whole story you'd have to produce pictures of all the various proof and acceptance stamps.

 

[dogtown tom]

KodiakBeer: ....No FN pistols were parkerized, so that would be something done in an Israeli armory to a worn pistol....

Nope.

FN regularly used parkerization on many contract runs as well as commercial models. Pretty much every MkII Hi Power was factory parkerized.

I own two MkII Hi Powers, one FN with a greenish gray park, the other a FN/Browning with a gray black park.

 

[KodiakBeer]

I stand corrected. Neither of my Mark II's are parkerized.

 

[dogtown tom]

KodiakBeer I stand corrected. Neither of my Mark II's are parkerized.

Really? Polished blue MkII's are pretty darn rare.

Could you post pics?

 

[wrs840]

Thanks for digging this thread up. Now I know for the first time that the Belgium made BHP that I bought new in May 1988 was actually manufactured in 1986.

 

[KodiakBeer]

Both of my Mark II's had the enamel finish. Both are police contract.

1986 Austrian Alloy frame:

1990 Israeli Police:

 

[topshot46]

Thanks for all the info. My gun has a internal extractor , the back strap has a slot for a stock . I actually bought three pistols from this elderly gentalman , the FN s/n 81xx , another BHP , gloss black , external extractor , left side Browning Arms Co. Morgan Utah , & Montreal P.Q. RW ARMS Redmond Wa , right side Made in Belgium assembled in Portugal , s/n 245NX682xx , the third is a CZ-83 Browning 32ACP . Shot all three last week , i was very impressed with the way they shot . thanks

 

[dogtown tom]

KodiakBeer Both of my Mark II's had the enamel finish. Both are police contract....

Who told you they were MkII's? The top picture shows a "half moon" sight that is typically soldered in place. Can't tell on the bottom pic.

MkII's have these features:
-"drain hole" at muzzle end of slide
-straight feed ramp
-"rib" running on top of the slide between front and rear sights
-front sight integral with slide rib
-typically the rear sight will have a flat rear surface.

(info from "The Browning Hi Power Automatic Pistol" by R. Blake Stevens and from the late Stephen Camps website http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/What%20are%20the%20differences%20between%20the%20Mk%20II%20and%20Mk%20III.htm )

here's a pic of my gray/green MkII:

[/IMG]