Put this 9mm Browning on layaway.

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Shadowplay

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I put a 1988 Browning 9mm on layaway today, anyone know if they can tell me what model it is? Mk lll or Mk ll? Can give the serial number if it'd really help.:confused: The pawn shop I got it from knew nothing about what guns they had, they never bothered looking up on the internet on what model it is, Serial # 245pp73428 Looked very nice. Got it for 640$. A decent price, if you're willing to pay it that is.
 
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The serial number listed is for a Mk II Hi Power made in 1988, should have parkerize or baked black enamel finish M.
 
And Mk. IIs should have a raised rib on top of the slide.
It should have a forged, rather than cast frame; cast frames have rows of serrations on the bottom, surrounding the magwell.
The Mk. III was introduced in '88, and apparently some of the very early ones still had the forged frame, but if your gun has the ribbed slide it should be a Mk. II.
I have a Mk. III, and it has been a great gun. Stick with factory/Mec-Gar mags if you don't want to experiment.
 
Hard to say for sure just based on the date code. The MKIII was introduced into production in the 1988. Browning dates of manufacture regarding the model changes are often fluid. Some early MKIIIs had the forged frame of the earlier MKIIs. They often used leftover parts throwing odd balls into current production.

On top of that guns that were built and supplied for contracts were often all over the place. Most of those were FN rollmarked vs the commerical Browning rollmarks.

What type of sights are on it? What type of thumb safety? You paid a fair price depending on actual condition.
 
I don't have the gun with me right now, It'll be paid off in a month and half. Other than that, I couldn't really look it over, I asked the man if he knew anything of it, he said no. I then continued to ask him if he knew the date and the model, no answer, the overall gun is very beautiful. The barrel looked clean. Forgot to check if it had the hole underneath of the barrel to see if it was a Mk lll or a Mk ll. Will call them and ask when I get the chance.
 
Great pistol, I had one a long time ago for IPSC "minor". It was worked over by Cylinder & Slide. You won't be disappointed.
 
Production information on years before 1962 is sketchy or nonexistent be it lousy record keeping or Nazi destruction at the end of the War so much of the information in circulation today is subject to conjecture. No matter the lack of historical data my pre war Belgium army issue, Canadian Englis, E series (about 1952), FN Mk II and Mk III Israeli police service pistols are some of the finest firearms produced.
 
Production information on years before 1962 is sketchy or nonexistent be it lousy record keeping or Nazi destruction at the end of the War so much of the information in circulation today is subject to conjecture. No matter the lack of historical data my pre war Belgium army issue, Canadian Englis, E series (about 1952), FN Mk II and Mk III Israeli police service pistols are some of the finest firearms produced.
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In general production information like date codes, actual production type and other build information is spotty for FN/Browning Hi Powers. Their record keeping historically has been less than accurate and less than logically.

They often reused serial numbers for on different contracts creating tons of confusion. The often used destinations of MKII vs MKIII were not lines drawn in the sand but instead a gradual changeover. FN was notorious for producing Frankenguns. They never wasted a part and if they found a bunch of forged frames post cast frame introduction they would use them anyway especially for contract guns. Found some ring hammers post T series production slap them into current C series or even MKII guns.

Even with that said some of the info out there is not conjecture. The two best books for historical BHPs are the R. Blake Stevens: The Browning High Power Automatic Pistol and Anthony Vanderlinden: FN Browning Pistols, Side Arms that Shaped the World History: Expanded Second Edition

As far as an online resource the late Stephen Camps site is very good for basic overview information and if you can find them on the various forums "submoa" and "Burgs". They often post on the 1911 forum. Submoa is goldmine of information. With a few pics, your serial number and basic info he can often nail down the year of any Browning/FN Hi Power.
 
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