HI_Power

[PALADIN85020]

The first two shown here were made by the John Inglis company in Canada during WWII. The Germans overran the FN plant in Belgium and some of the FN people who escaped assisted Inglis in setting up their machinery to manufacture the High Power.

This is an Inglis Type 1 (with adjustable sights), made in August of 1945. The shoulder stock/holster is stamped 1945.

(click for larger picture)

This is an Inglis Type 2, made in December, 1944. It has fixed sights and was arsenal reconditioned in 1962 with a painted finish. The marking is "F.T.R. 62" for Factory Thorough Repair - 1962.

This is an FEG clone of the High Power that I customized to my tastes.

(click for larger picture)

John

 

[federali]

Argentine Hi-Powers

While visiting my son in Salta, Argentina, I notice that virtually all male police officers were carrying Hi-Powers (hammer down) although I couldn't identify the specific manufacturer. Years of use and rain, rendered the guns rather gritty-looking but I would not have refinished it had I been able to legally procure one. Female officers, on the other hand, carried what appeared to be a SIG 228 or something very similar. I did not see any female officers with Hi-Powers.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Just a note about this in case you weren‘t aware:

There are no Mauser Hi-Powers with Wehrmacht markings. All Nazi-marked Hi-Powers were made at FN in Belgium under the occupation. The Mauser-branded Hi-Powers that appeared much later were actually made by FEG (see BB57‘s excellent explanation).

As I said, my views on Hi Powers are/were uninformed. Thank you for expanding my awareness.

 

[BAM-BAM]

While visiting my son in Salta, Argentina, I notice that virtually all male police officers were carrying Hi-Powers (hammer down) although I couldn't identify the specific manufacturer. Years of use and rain, rendered the guns rather gritty-looking but I would not have refinished it had I been able to legally procure one. Female officers, on the other hand, carried what appeared to be a SIG 228 or something very similar. I did not see any female officers with Hi-Powers.

Interesting and odd...................................

Maybe a single stack 225?



IIRC Wasn't there a South American made HP clone....... alloy frame? and a short slide "Detective" model ????????

Edit: See posts # 3 and 29 above.

 

[muddocktor]

This FEG Hi-Power has been sitting in a local gun shop for 4-5 months. I think it's a '86 model which would be first year production. I've been reluctant to get it out and look at it. They have a bad habit of coming home with me after I get my fingerprints on them.

I bet if you went there with 3 Benjamins he would get the paperwork going for ya right away.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I currently have two FN M35's, a matte T-series from 1968 and a Belgian made gun from 1988. I enjoy shooting them and find both easy to shoot well. I could not find differences in quality, or accuracy, in between the 1962 and 1988 vintage guns.

What is a M35? In all my years they have been refered to as P35's. Is yours different?

 

[Absalom]

What is a M35? In all my years they have been refered to as P35's. Is yours different?

The nomenclature for the pistol that started its official career as the “FN Model 1935” (there had been other developmental names earlier) is all over the map. P35 is as right or wrong as M35; either one may or may not have been the designation used in one of the dozens of countries that adopted it. The Germans during the war called it Pistole 640(b).

Even the trade name isn’t spelled consistently across the literature. Since I started reading gun-related stuff in the early 70s, I’ve usually seen it spelled as the FN Hi-Power, with or without hyphen, and not just in English, but Anthony Vanderlinden, the foremost FN historian, always spells it High Power.

From Vanderlinden's book:

 

[Flattop5]

While visiting my son in Salta, Argentina, I notice that virtually all male police officers were carrying Hi-Powers (hammer down) although I couldn't identify the specific manufacturer. Female officers, on the other hand, carried what appeared to be a SIG 228 or something very similar. I did not see any female officers with Hi-Powers.

Of course not. Women don't carry Hi-Powers. Too much metal-to-fingernail contact with a single-action auto. Might chip the nail polish. Not good. How can you be a fashion icon with chipped nails??



--------

 

[BB57]

The nomenclature for the pistol that started its official career as the “FN Model 1935” (there had been other developmental names earlier) is all over the map. P35 is as right or wrong as M35; either one may or may not have been the designation used in one of the dozens of countries that adopted it. The Germans during the war called it Pistole 640(b).

Even the trade name isn’t spelled consistently across the literature. Since I started reading gun-related stuff in the early 70s, I’ve usually seen it spelled as the FN Hi-Power, with or without hyphen, and not just in English, but Anthony Vanderlinden, the foremost FN historian, always spells it High Power.

From Vanderlinden's book:

GP 35, short for "Grande Puissance" is also used fairly regularly. I've heard it translated as both "Great Power" and "Major Power" but I think the correct translation is probably the literal translation of "High Power" for obvious reasons.

The "grande puissance" term was a carry over from the 1921 French request to FN for the development of a new service pistol that they called the "Grand Rendement", French for "High Yield", or alternatively "Grande Puissance". This request led to the Browning designed Model 1922, Model 1923, and Model 1924. In 1928, two years after Browning's death in 1926 and after the expiration of many of the Colt 1911 patents in 1926, Dieudonne Saive redesigned the pistol using a blend of Model 1924 and COlt 1911 features and eventually developed the design into the Hi Power in 1934, which entered production in 1935.

The French military, being French, did not adopt it and instead adopted the Modèle (Mle.) 1935A designed by Charles Petter, a Swiss engineer working for the French company Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques (SACM). However, despite losing the French military competition to the Mle 1935A, the GP35 designation still stuck to the Hi Power in French use.

The Mle. 1935A was chambered in 7.65x20 / 7.65 MAS, and much like FN and the Hi Power, SACM also produced the Mle 1935A as the Pistole 625 (f) for the Germans after the Germans acquired the SACM factory.

As an aside, in 1937 a license to produce the SACM Mle 1935A was acquired by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG) who used it as the basis for the Model 47/8 which became the SIG P210.

 

[Walter Rego]

Here is one of the Austrian Gendarmerie P-35's that were imported around 20 years ago. It came with 2 matching mags and the front gripstrap is marked with a property number and region where it was issued. This one was from Salzburg and carries a 1955 proof code.

 

[ruger 22]

I carried my BHP daily for over 40 years. Bought it new in 1968. It is a Belgian 'T' series and I never wanted anything better to this day. Actually I really haven't seen anything better for me.

 

[BC38]

Well, all I've got is this beat up old FEG, but she's a shooter!

 

[AManWearingAHat]

Ohhhh I really like this game! Nothing really special about either of mine, but they're special to me. Easily my most shot hand guns by a large margin. Both have a lot of cylinder and slide parts and custom work by yours truly in them. Both proven match performers as well. Excellent guns all around. Hi powers were practically cut for my hands.

 

[Kurusu]

Might as well add my only one. From 1951, or 1952 can't remember exactly right now

Edit. Almost forgot it doesn't bite me. Even dogs don't bite me.

 

[JH1951]

And there is always the Canadian contribution by Inglis.
Lots of intrigue and shadow operations gave us this contribution to WWII.

 

[squidsix]

Hipowers bite me but...

I know how to work a round file.
Mine is a T series with modern sights and safety.
Hammer relief work by me.

 

[dockmurgw]

Here's my contribution to the thread, a T Series. I also have a FEG clone, and a "Hi Powerish" FEG GKK45. The FEG clone is a Luger M80, and from what I have been able to learn, this particular version was made for export to South Africa, and can be identified by the large "Luger" in script, but I am having a hard time finding finding examples online that look the same as mine. RE: the GKK45, I guess I'm not man enough for it. My son can shoot it all day long, he hands it me and it jams on the second shot.

 

[BB57]

Here's my contribution to the thread, a T Series. I also have a FEG clone, and a "Hi Powerish" FEG GKK45. The FEG clone is a Luger M80, and from what I have been able to learn, this particular version was made for export to South Africa, and can be identified by the large "Luger" in script, but I am having a hard time finding finding examples online that look the same as mine. RE: the GKK45, I guess I'm not man enough for it. My son can shoot it all day long, he hands it me and it jams on the second shot.

The GKK-45 isn't Hi Powerish at all. It is however very "S&W Model 59ish"

The FEG P9R was not a derivative of the Hi Power, FEG P9, or first or second generation FEG P9M, but was very similar to the S&W Model 59 using the S&W locking system and the S&W DA trigger system.

The FEG P9R was followed by a shorter barrel FEG P9RK and the aluminum framed FEG P9RA.

The FEG P9RK spawned the single stack .45 ACP FEG ACK, which KBI imported as the GKK-45.

As an aside, the "GKK" came from the initials of Michael Kassanar's (owner of KBI) daughter.

The PJK-9HP was named for his wife, Pamela Jane Kassanar.
The MBK-9HP and MBK-9HPC for himself.
The PMK-380 was named for his father, Paul Martin Kassanar.
The GKK-45, GKK-92 and GKK-92C were all named for his daughter.
The SMC-380, SMC-918 and SMC-22 were named for his sales manager.

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The M80 was the FEG P9 imported by Mauser, who also imported the FEG P9R as the M90.

 

[Levallois]

I like the pre-war examples. First, a Finnish contract high power and second the matching Finnish marked holster/stock. Third, a Chinese contract example.

 

[zipty6]

Here's a Kareen from Israel:

This is my FEG that I've modified to my taste. Novak's milled the slide and installed new sights within the past few months.