I inherited a P-35 Hi-Power a few years ago...

M

Melvin-Purvis

New member
...with a four digit S/N, 96xx. FN Herstal has acknowledged verbally that it is a 1st production run (of 11,000) firearm from 1935.

It's a clean pistol with the original mag and grips, and a good shooter when using new mags and ammo.

The blued finish is about 80%, and there's no rust.

Any idea on the current value? Flayderman's gives $450, but I just know a 1st production year of a BHP has got to be worth more than that.

Frame/slide/barrel are are matched S/N's to boot.

I'm not interested in selling, I'm just interested in value.

The mainspring snapped on first firing, and has been replaced with a new factory spring...like I said, it's a shooter, with a little history. (Ok, so I didn't know it was 'that' old...)
 
Wow, wish I was that lucky. At least you know you've got something unlike the kid at the range that didn't know what a 1911 was, I had to show him how to work it, granddad's gun that grandma gave the kid, it was only an original Colt A1, with 95% or better finish, lanyard mainspring and mag. Arrrrgghhh! I wish I was a little more dishonest, I would have convinced him it was unsafe to fire and worth 100 tops, better sell it to me while you can. Arrrgh!
 
Whatever you do get it appraised by a professional; not JoeGunsmith at the local shop. The large auction houses have someone who specializes in weapons.

I have a friend who picked up a 4 digit serial number HP in the late 60s, off the dead body of an NVA officer. It's still in beautiful condition. He's been offered a "significant" amount of money for it, but refuses to sell.

Oh, and stop shooting it until you know what it's really worth. :D :D :D
 
Melvin,

Pre-WWII Commercial HPs in 98%-100% (and original) condition could fetch $1000-$2400, and depending upon the contract, pre-WWII military contract HPs in same condition might get anywhere from $575 to $2600, according to Blue Book. I recommend that you check some reliable sources to confirm what you have. Lots of P35's out there with 4 digit serial numbers(mine is 59XX), but not necessarily first year run. Mine is from a contract for HPs from FN to the Austrian Police in the early '50s. There are crestmarks and other markings on the P35 that will help you confirm, or get close to your date of manufacture and contract(if any). Try the guys at http://www.fnhipower.com/

"The Browning High Power Automatic Pistol" by R. Blake Stevens may also be of some help. ........Dan in GA
 
Dan, thanks for the forum link!

I posted the following over there in the hopes that someone there can help...

*I inherited an older Belgian Hi-Power a few years back that I'd been told was from the 1st production run, this prior to the inheritance.

I spoke on the phone a few years back with a contact, (name forgotten) at FN, that gave me a verbal agreement to what I'd been told.

So, this is what I know. It's definitely older, S/N 95xx clearly stamped on both Frame and Slide, one directly above the other, on the ejection port side.

There is what appears to be a lightly stamped number '9' stamped at the front of the trigger guard.

On the Safety side, stamped on the slide are the following words:
FABRIQUE NATIONALE D'ARMES DE GUERRE
HERSTAL - BELGIQUE
BROWNING'S PATENT DEPOSE

On both slide and frame, one line above the other, are a series of stamps.
A. a little running stick man (lion?)
B. in caps, P.V
C. a star over a sylized capitol U

These stamps are in parallel lines, 3 per line, two lines.

Other marks on the pistol are:
The same series of stamps on the barrel, with the edition of a crowned circle with letters that appear to be E over LG, over a small star, within the circle.

Crudely stamped on the front stamp in light uneven hand lettering are: LGKK, over 0942.

Any help on dating this piece would be greatly appreciated.

The pistol appears to be all original including magazine, checkered wood stocks, ring hammer, small sights and safety, and is darkly blued with 90+% of the original finish remaining.

Please feel free to email me at home if you can help answer these questions.

Thanks.*

I omitted the part about replacing the Main Spring because I wasn't looking to sell, or for approximate value. (I had the S/N wrong too, it's 95xx, not 96xx.

What I'm really interested in is date of manufacture.

Does your contract P-35 have markings similar to mine?

Thanks again for your help guys.
 
"Well fellers...

...looks like it's an Austrian contract Hi-Power circa 1954, imported into the states in the mid-90's...."

Oh freakin' well....

Heck, now I can shoot the heck out of it without feeling guilty...lol

Thanks for all of your help guys! Damn, that was quick too!

Mel

*out*
 
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