FN Browning Hi-Power C-Series 9mm 4.7” Semi Auto Pistol & Mag, 1972 C&R

SOLD FOR: $1,125.00

LSB#: LSB250822BL070

Make: FN Herstal/Browning

Model: Hi-Power C-Series

Serial#: 72C51888

Year of Manufacture: 1972 / C&R

Caliber: 9mm Luger

Action Type: Semi-Automatic Pistol, Exposed Hammer Single Action with Detachable Magazine.

Markings: The slide is marked, “BROWNING ARMS COMPANY MORGAN,UTAH & MONTREAL, P.Q. / MADE IN BELGIUM”. The front strap is marked with the serial number, “72C51888”. The barrel is marked, “CAL.9m/mP”. There are small Belgian proofs throughout.

Barrel Length: 4.7”

Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a half moon blade staked to the slide. The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed to the slide.

Magazine Quantity & Condition: This pistol includes 1 x 13 round magazine in Excellent Condition.

Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two piece, checkered walnut panels with red interiors screwed to the frame. There is light handling wear throughout. The checkering is very sharp. There is a large chip at the top of the left panel and a few small ones on the right. Overall the grips are in Good condition despite the damage.

Type of Finish: Polished Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright, the rifling is sharp. There is no visible erosion in the bore but there is some faint stubborn fouling. The feed ramp is smooth and shiny. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9.5/10. 

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 99% of its metal finish. There are faint handling marks and hairline scratches throughout. The screw heads are sharp, the markings are clear. Overall the pistol is in Very Good condition.  

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box Paperwork and Accessories: This pistol includes one 13 round magazine, manual.  

Our Assessment: This 1972 FN Browning Hi-Power is a clean, high-condition example of the C-series pistols—one of the most recognizable configurations of the classic single-action Browning design. Built in Belgium by FN Herstal and imported under the Browning Arms banner, the pistol’s polished blue finish, red-backed walnut panels, and staked half-moon front sight reflect the period’s standard civilian/commercial production style. While earlier T-series pistols emphasized military-ready features like tangent sights and slotted frames, the C-series streamlined the platform into an elegant, practical 9mm pistol that quickly gained favor among law enforcement and civilian shooters alike. Chambered in 9mm Luger, the Hi-Power’s 4.7-inch barrel and exposed hammer single-action trigger create a familiar, flat-shooting sidearm that maintains its position as one of the most mechanically sound combat pistols of the 20th century. The bore is excellent—bright and sharply rifled with only faint traces of stubborn fouling, rating 9.5/10. Externally, this pistol retains about 99% of its original polished blue finish, with only faint handling marks. The checkered walnut grips display excellent texture, though a few small chips are present at the upper edges—cosmetic flaws that do little to diminish the feel or function of the gun in the hand. The included 13-round magazine and manual further complete the factory-style package.

As a C&R-eligible firearm in this state of preservation, this C-series Hi-Power bridges function and collectibility. It preserves FN’s legacy of high-quality European machining while showcasing the transitional era of Browning’s importation model, and it remains one of the most iconic and well-balanced service pistol designs ever fielded. For collectors of Cold War–era handguns, FN production variants, or Browning pistols more broadly, this Hi-Power is a textbook example of late pre-Mk. III production at its most refined. -R.E.