German Marked FN Browning Hi-Power 4.7” 9mm Pistol & Mag 1942-43 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,526.00
LSB#: LSB250731EK144
Make: FN Herstal, Belgium
Model: Hi-Power
Serial#: 206509
Year of Manufacture: Circa, 1942-43 / C&R
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Semi-Automatic Pistol, Exposed Hammer Single Action with Detachable Magazine.
Markings: The right side of the slide is marked, “206509”, the left side is marked, “FABRIQUE NATIONALE D’ARMED DE GUERRE HERSTAL-BELGIQUE / BROWNING’S PATENT DEPOSE”. The barrel and frame is marked with the serial, “206509”. There are various “140” Waffenamt and a Reichsadler on both the frame and slide. The magazine is unmarked.
Barrel Length: 4.7”
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a blade fixed to the slide. The rear sight is a U-notch dovetailed to the slide.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: This pistol includes 1 x 13 round magazine in Good condition.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two piece, checkered walnut panels screwed to the frame. There is moderate handling wear with scratches, nicks, and pressure dents throughout. There are some very small chips in various spots. The checkering is lightly worn at the peaks, there are no cracks. Overall the grips are in Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright, the rifling is sharp. There is light erosion and fouling in the bore. The feed ramp is smooth and shiny. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 85% of its metal finish. The finish is quite rough and thin, but this is normal from the factory during occupation. There are hairline scratches and handling wear throughout. There is light patina throughout. The screw heads are mostly sharp, the markings are clear. Overall the pistol is in 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. This pistol sports a thumb print extractor.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: This pistol includes one 13 round magazine.
Our Assessment: This 1942/1943 German-occupied FN Browning Hi-Power is a desirable and historically significant wartime pistol, manufactured during the N@zi occupation of Belgium at the Fabrique Nationale factory in Herstal. With matching serial numbers on the frame, slide, and barrel, and correct “WaA140” Waffenamt eagle proofs, this is a textbook example of a second variation occupation Hi-Power. These pistols were produced under German control for Wehrmacht use and are often associated with Waffen-SS, Luftwaffe, and other frontline units who prized the Hi-Power’s high capacity and fast handling in the field.
This example retains roughly 85% of its original blued finish, with typical signs of wartime machining shortcuts and thinning, as expected from mid-war production. Despite the utilitarian finish, the mechanics remain solid, and the bore is bright with strong rifling and only light erosion, rating a 9/10 in this writer’s opinion. The grips are original checkered walnut, showing honest wear, minor chipping, and pressure dents, but free of cracks. The pistol includes one 13-round magazine, though it is unmarked. The presence of the thumbprint extractor and matching serial numbers adds further collector value. For WWII and military arms collectors, this Hi-Power offers historical authenticity, wartime production character, and mechanical functionality in a highly collectible C&R-eligible package. -R.E.
