Make: Browning Arms, made by Fabrique Nationale in Belgium

Model: Hi-Power

Serial Number: 76C23545

Year of Manufacture: 1976

Caliber: 9mm Luger

Action Type: Semi-Automatic Pistol, Exposed Hammer, Single Action, Fed with Detachable Magazine with Magazine Disconnect

Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “BROWNING ARMS COMPANY MORGAN, UTAH & MONTREAL P.Q. / MADE IN BELGIUM”. The chamber is marked “CAL.9m/m”.

Barrel Length: 4 5/8”

Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a serrated blade fixed to the slide. The rear sight is a fully adjustable rectangular notch sight dovetailed to the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut panels with smooth borders. Some of the finish on the bottom of the left grip has peeled away. The checkering is crisp and attractive. There are no cracks or chips. Overall, the grips are in Very Good Condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright. The rifling is sharp. There is no visible erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9/10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 95% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows very little operation wear. There is thinning at some edges. There are a few small scratches on the slide that are hard to detect. Other than that, there are no notable imperfections in the finish. The screw heads are sharp and serviceable. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good Condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The slide action is smooth. The trigger is crisp. We did not fire this pistol. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box Paperwork and Accessories: This pistol comes with one vintage original parkerized 13-round magazine in Very Good Condition, and a Browning black leatherette soft case.

Our Assessment: The Browning Hi-Power was designed by legendary firearms inventor John Moses Browning and his protege Dieudonne Saive in 1921 in response to a French government request for a new 9mm pistol capable of carrying 10-15 rounds. Browning began with his 1911 pistol, and Saive developed a double-column, single-feed box magazine. Browning passed away in 1926, but Saive continued to make strides in the pistol design, and finally perfected what became known as the “Grande Puissance”, or “Hi-Power”, in 1935. The final product featured a recoil-operated blowback mechanism, external hammer, and 13-round mag. The French government ultimately decided to adopt a domestic design, but the Hi-Power was quickly appreciated by armed forces worldwide during WW2, from the Chinese Nationalists to the German Waffen-SS and the British SAS. They would be made for the next 80 years, and some of the post-WW2 versions were absolutely beautiful.

This Browning Arms Belgium FN Commercial Hi-Power Semi-Auto Pistol was made in 1976 and is in Very Good Condition. It features a 4 5/8” barrel, 95% of its elegant, original blued finish, the classic two-piece checkered walnut grips, a crisp parkerized 13-round mag, clear markings, solid mechanics, and a bright bore with sharp rifling and no erosion. These guns have seen a surge in collectibility in the last decade, and this is a wonderful example from the mid-1970s.