Need help dating a Browning Hi-Power 9mm

[SDF71]

My father has a Belgian Browning Hi-Power 9mm. Sn is 39xxx.

Haven't had much luck searching online for dating info. The browning site shows sn's starting at 70000 when it was introduced in 1954. I'm assuming this info only relates to US models?

Any and all help appreciated!

[Shisno]

Man, I thought of something completely different from the thread title. Interesting mental image I must say.

[ALS]

Did a Google search and found some info on the net.

That serial number falls into the range of numbers 1-72250 which I can say was assigned to the Browning Hi-power from 1945-1954,and the records were not kept as to the serial numbers per year of production. You may find a more accurate production year by going to the browning web-site under customer service and looking under date your Browning.

So with your High Power a quick guess would put it in the 1949-1951 range.

[brownman]

http://www.browning.com/customerserv...tail.asp?id=35

Home | Customer Service | Date Your Firearm | Hi-Power Pistol

Hi-Power Pistol
The 9mm Hi-Power pistol was introduced to the U.S. market in 1954. Serial numbers from 1954 through 1957 are estimates only. From 1958 on, better records were kept and the serial numbers are more accurate. The 40 S&W caliber was introduced in 1994This pistol is still in production today.

To find your serial number, you will need to refer to your owner's manual. We have most owner's manuals online. You can go to those by clicking here.

Date Historic Information Serial Number Info
1954-57 The Hi-Power 9mm pistol was introduced in 1954. 70000-80,000
Accurate production figures are unavailable.
1958 In 1958 Browning kept better records of the Hi-Power pistol, so the serial number ranges are more accurate 80001-85276
1959 85268-89687
1960 89688-93027
1961 93028-109145
1962 109146-113548
1963 113549-115822
1964 In 1964 the product code for the Hi-Power was the letter "T" 115823-T136-568
1965 T136569-T146372
1966 T146373-T173285
1967 T173286-T213999
1968 T214000-T258000
1969-75 In 1969 Browning started using two digits for the date of manufacture which was followed by a four digit code that identified the type of Auto-5:
C=Hi-Power
This was then followed by the serial number beginning with 1000.
Example: 69C1000 = A 1969 Hi-Power pistol with a serial number of 1000. T258001-261000
C=Hi-Power
1976-1997 In 1975 Browning standardized its serial number identification which it followed until 1998.
1. Hi-Power Type 2W5=40 S&W
245=9mm
2. Date of Manufacture
is a two digit code Z=1
Y=2
X=3
W=4
V=5
T=6
R=7
P=8
N=9
M=0
3. Serial Number
beginning with 01001
at the start of each year.

Serial
Number Example:
245RT01001

This would be a 9mm Hi-Power pistol, manufactured in 1976 with the serial number 01001.

1998 In 1998 Browning redid the standardization of its serial number identifications to work with its new data base program, Oracle.
1. Hi-Power Type 510=Hi-Power
2. Date of Manufacture
is a two digit code Z=1
Y=2
X=3
W=4
V=5
T=6
R=7
P=8
N=9
M=0
3. Serial Number
beginning with 01001
at the start of each year.

Serial
Number Example:
510NN01001

This would be a 9mm Hi-Power pistol, manufactured in 1999 with the serial number 01001.

Sorry, thats what you already found from Browning. Looking for more info, rough day at work, can ya tell

This link http://hipowertalk.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=670 dates one at 1952 with a SN starting w 42XXX

Yours being 39XXX, I'd guess its a 52' as well.

[Noah_Zark]

My father has a Belgian Browning Hi-Power 9mm. Sn is 39xxx.

The BHP was introduced ~ 1936, and FN prewar serial number records were destroyed when the factory was bombed. Collectors have documented that BHP S/Ns from 1-47000 were made prior to Nazi occupation of the Belgian FN complex. Thus, it is unlikely that your father's HP is marked with Nazi "waffenamt" (abbrv. "Waa", translates as "weapons bureau") eagles and facility codes. The most common Waa for FN HPs is Waa 140.

Your father's pistol should have a "PV" proofmark which signifies being proof tested for smokeless (aka "nitro") powder.

HTH,

Noah

[SDF71]

Thanks for all the input.
I have been searching myself but found nothing absolutely conclusive

And yes the thread title gave me a chuckle looking at it now. Hahaha

[ROCK-IT3]

Man, I thought of something completely different from the thread title. Interesting mental image I must say.

Me to, and then I read the first line and thought "never date anyone your father has a relationship with".

[Alfons]

The BHP was introduced ~ 1936, and FN prewar serial number records were destroyed when the factory was bombed. Collectors have documented that BHP S/Ns from 1-47000 were made prior to Nazi occupation of the Belgian FN complex. Thus, it is unlikely that your father's HP is marked with Nazi "waffenamt" (abbrv. "Waa", translates as "weapons bureau") eagles and facility codes. The most common Waa for FN HPs is Waa 140.

Your father's pistol should have a "PV" proofmark which signifies being proof tested for smokeless (aka "nitro") powder.

HTH,

Noah

Hello,

John Moses Browning and Dieudonné Saive, FN's chief designer, worked together on the Browning HP 9 mm pistol which was approved for production by the end of 1934. (Originally to meet French Army requirements for a new semi-automatic pistol, not heavier than one kilogram, holding more than eight cartridges in the magazine, etc. etc.)
The HP exceeded the requirements, but french politics gave preference to something designed and made in France -

Production started in 1935 in Liège, Belgium, under the name of "Pistolet Browning, cal. 9 mm P(arabellum), Grande Puissance.

"Grande Puissance" means High Power in French.

In Belgium, where the gun was born it was simply referred to as the "GP".

As Noah says, about 47000 were manufactured before the Germans took over the production.

So, about 47000 made in five years is about 9400 a year, that makes it easy to estimate the year of production.

ALL pistols made (and sold) around those days in Belgium had to be registered. Sold to dealers, private owners, police, army, you name it. This means that, some official, in Belgium, now, MUST be able to trace it. In case of exports, customs archives could be consulted as well as they would also have noted the serial numbers and destinations.

I know this for sure as I have lived there for a long time and know a thing or two about that country.

Sorry if I repeat myself, but ALL FN sales, without exception, from, say, 1930 on, are registered somewhere, probably even with more than one belgian administration, for several reasons.

With best regards,

Alfons.