WWII German Marked A-Block FN Hi-Power 4.7” 9mm Pistol & Holster, 1943 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,082.00
LSB#: LSB250917RG007
Make: FN Herstal, Belgium
Model: Hi-Power
Serial#: 96331 a
Year of Manufacture: 1943 (A-Block Serial Number) / 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, “96331 a”, 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, “96331 a”. There are various “140” Waffenamt and a Reichsadler on both the frame, barrel, and slide.
Barrel Length: 4.7”
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is serrated barleycorn blade dovetailed to the slide. The rear sight is a sliding tangent V-notch pinned to the slide. The sight is marked out to 500.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: This pistol includes 1 x 13 round magazine in Fair condition.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two piece, checkered walnut panels screwed to the frame. There are scratches and moderate wear marks throughout. There are worn spots of checkering. Overall the grips are in Fair condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is light gray and the rifling is pronounced. There is moderate erosion, pitting and light fouling in the bore. The feed ramp is dull and worn. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 5/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 10% of its metal finish. There is heavy patina and wear throughout along with spots of rust. The fitment of parts is very crude from the factory. The markings are worn and blurry in several spots. The screw heads are lightly tooled. Overall this pistol rates in Poor 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. The magazine disconnect has been removed.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: This pistol includes one 13 round magazine, leather holster.
Our Assessment: The FN Hi-Power, also known as the Browning High Power, is one of the most iconic sidearms of the 20th century, and wartime production pistols—especially those with German occupation markings—are highly sought after by collectors. When the Germans occupied Belgium during World War II, they continued production of the Hi-Power at FN Herstal for use by the Wehrmacht. These pistols were marked with German inspection stamps and Waffenamt codes, most notably WaA140, as seen on this example. The “a” serial block and fixed “thumbprint” extractor place this pistol squarely in 1943, during mid-war production when fit and finish began to decline in favor of wartime expediency. This pistol retains only about 10% of its original finish, with a worn, patinated surface and evidence of both field use and rough factory machining, typical of mid-war FN production under German control. The bore shows moderate erosion and wear, rating 5/10, though the rifling remains visible. The original walnut grips show age-appropriate wear with softened checkering and field handling marks. The tangent rear sight, marked to 500 meters, remains intact—a desirable feature for early war examples, though its continued use into 1943 adds interest to this specific variant. The magazine disconnect has been removed—common in well-used wartime examples—and one wartime-style 13-round magazine and a leather holster are included.
For collectors of WWII small arms, especially German occupation firearms, this FN Hi-Power offers both historical significance and battlefield character. With matching serial numbers, Waffenamt proofs, and its period-correct configuration, this example is a representative piece from the complex and turbulent history of wartime Europe. -R.E.
