FN HiPower serial # information

B

Backwoods

New member
This is a repost from the night the server went down.

I'm trying to determine date of manufacture for my FN P35. I've been to the more obvious sites like "fnhipower.com" and some others and they all seem to have the same serial number list, which I suspect may be for "Browning" marked guns. Using the list they show would indicate my gun was made pre-1957. I'm going to list what information I have and maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

1, It's a standard blued HP that came with fixed sights and has the usual Belgian proof marks.

2, It has a 5 digit serial#, 45XXX, stamped on slide, frame and barrel. There are no letters or other symbols in the number. The "fnhipower.com" list starts at 1957 with ser.# 70000

3, I bought it, in Germany, in 1972,"unfired, second hand" from the original owner, who stated that he had bought it new at the base US Army Rod and Gun Club in Germany approx 2 years before. This leads me to suspect that there "may" have been different serial# blocks for european market HPs

4, The slide is marked with the standard European "Fabrique Nationale d'Arms De Guerre - Herstal Belgique - Browning's patent depose" and has the disassembly notch on the right side.

5, The extractor is the old style(like a 1911 colt), the only mention I've found of date of implmentation of the newer, pivoting style extractor is "sometime post war", I suspect somewhere in the 1960s. I seem to remember reading about the changeover sometime in the distant past, but that was too long ago to be certain.

So, does anyone have any ideas here? Was this HP made pre-1957 and unsold until 1970 or is there another explanation? Any help would be appreciated.

Don in Ohio
 
It is doubtful that the gun set unsold for 15-20 years, but an easy way to tell is to look at the extractor. Guns made prior to about 1960 have and internal extractor, it has a small oval 'plug' sitting diagonally in the slide serrations on the right side of the slide. A post 1960 gun has an external extractor, the extractor is visble, with the slide closed, right side of the slide just behind the ejection port. Not very specific, but should answer one of your questions.
 
It looks like it was a military pistol, not commercial. In the military pistols they assigned serial numbers based on what range the buyer wanted. So... no way to date military pistols without access to all of the contracts. Sorry.
 
I'm not sure that I agree with the notion that it's a military pistol. Back in '73 we were still saddled with the more stringent parts of the GCA '68. No importation of military weapons was allowed. In order to import this pistol, I had to certify to the BATF that it met thier list of requirements designed to eliminate military arms from importation. I think there were 5-6 separate criteria, I remember that tangent sights were verbotten, as was having a cut for a shoulder stock, and certain serial number configurations/ranges weren't allowed. The last 2 might have been parkerized finish and military markings. They might have disallowed lanyard loops too, it's been too many years back to remember. I still had the importation papers before our last move 2 years ago but Lord only knows where they are now.

Don in Ohio
 
Don, Based on the description you've given, it's probably a
'50s manufacture. External extractor began in 1962. I just traded for a '50s P35 a couple of weeks ago that was part of a contract to the Austrian Police, and I'm anxious to perforate some paper with mine. Have fun with your new toy.....Dan in GA
 
Dan: Thanks for that information! I've been trying to determine when the external extractors replaced the old style. It begins to look as though there are NOT 2 serial# ranges for "Browning" and "FN" marked HiPowers like I originally suspected. When I got my P35 it was pristine, in every way looking like a new, unused gun, I just couldn't believe that it could have been stored more than 13 years before being sold. I wonder how far back from 1957 serial numbers in the 45000 range would be!
BTW, it's not exactly a "new" toy, I've had it and used it for nearly 30 years now and intend to try for at least another thirty, God willing!
Thanks for your help!

Don in Ohio
 
Is there any sites that cover Sn.s for military contract FNs? I have one with a 1961 date on it and it is the old style T model with the internal extractor. It has a 4 digit No. and I would like to know how many where made on the contract. So your gun could have been made in 61 at least.:)
 
Don, Glad I could help. Serial numbers out of FN bounced all over the place based on the preference of the customer contract they were fulfilling, so identifying the actual year of manufacture in the '50s isn't easy. If the P35 was part of a military, govt, or police type contract, there's usually some additional identifying marks on the frontstrap, backstrap, heel of the grip, etc. that may help you tie the year of manufacture more precisely. Closest I can get to mine is early '50s manufacture based on the proofing stamps. Good luck......Dan in GA
 
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