Browning Hi-Power C-Series Single Action 9mm 4 5/8” Semi-Auto Pistol C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,101.01
LSB#: LSB260427BB010
Make: FN/Browning
Model: Hi-Power
Serial#: 73C78726
Year of Manufacture: 1973 / C&R
Caliber: 9x19mm
Action Type: Semi-Automatic Pistol, Exposed Hammer, Single Action with Detachable Magazine.
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked, “BROWNING ARMS COMPANY MORGAN, UTAH & MONTREAL P.Q.” / “MADE IN BELGIUM” The barrel is marked, “9 m/mP” The serial number is on the front strap of the grip.
Barrel Length: 4 5/8”
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a round blade fixed to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a flat-top square notch dovetailed to the slide.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: This pistol includes 3x 13-round magazines with operational wear, in Very Good condition. One of the magazines has an “RA” stamp, indicating it is an Indian Ordnance Factory contract magazine.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two piece, checkered wood grips screwed to the frame. There are scattered handling scratches and compression marks. The checkering is sharp, and there are no chips or cracks. These retain the red paint on the inside of the panels. Overall the grips are in Very Good-Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright, and the rifling is sharp. There is no visible erosion in the bore. There is minor fouling in the grooves. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 95% of its metal finish. There are handling scratches and compression dings throughout. There is finish loss at the muzzle, trigger guard, frontstrap, as well as on the bottom and top of the slide. The blue is starting to show a light patina. There is some oxidation forming on the backstrap and frame. The screw heads are sharp, the markings are clear. Overall the pistol is in Very Good Condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The slide action is a little stiff. The trigger is crisp. 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 3 magazines and a canvas holster.
Our Assessment: The Browning Hi-Power is one of the most important 9mm service pistols of the 20th century, with its design lineage beginning with John Browning and later being completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale in Belgium. Introduced in the 1930s, the Hi-Power was groundbreaking for combining single-action operation, an exposed hammer, excellent ergonomics, and a double-stack 13-round magazine at a time when most military pistols carried significantly fewer cartridges. It saw extensive military, police, and commercial use around the world and earned a lasting reputation for balance, reliability, and practical shootability. This 1973 C-Series example falls within a desirable period of Belgian production and bears the classic Browning Arms Company Morgan, Utah / Montreal markings with “Made in Belgium” on the slide. C-Series pistols remain popular with collectors because they retain the traditional Hi-Power profile, blued finish, checkered wood grips, and refined FN manufacture associated with the classic pre-modern era of the model.
This FN/Browning Hi-Power is a C&R-eligible 9x19mm single-action semi-automatic pistol with a 4 5/8” barrel, fixed sights, blued finish, checkered wood grips, three 13-round magazines, and a canvas holster. The pistol retains about 95% of its metal finish with scattered handling scratches and compression dings, finish loss at the muzzle, trigger guard, frontstrap, and slide, light patina forming in the blue, and some oxidation on the backstrap and frame. The grips rate Very Good-Fine with handling marks, sharp checkering, no chips or cracks, and retained red paint inside the panels. The bore is bright with sharp rifling, minor fouling, and no visible erosion, rating 9 out of 10 in this writer’s opinion. The action functions correctly, the trigger is crisp, and the slide action is a little stiff. This pistol should appeal to Browning collectors, Hi-Power enthusiasts, C-Series collectors, and shooters looking for a classic Belgian 9mm with magazines and a holster. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! -MY