Hi Power question

[Nightcrawler]

When was the Browning/FN/whatever Hi-Power/P-35/whatever first available on the US market? It was introduced in 1935, obviously, but when were they first imported?

Canada used it as its sidearm in World War II. What about Britain? They still had lots of Webley revolvers, both in the extremely anemic .38 S&W round and the not-quite-as-bad .455 round. Did they use the Hi Power too? It would make sense, since their subguns were all in 9mm.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Yes, Britain used the High Power extensively. It was mainly issued to specialized troops such as paratroopers and commandos, though.

It was, to put it mildly, EXTREMELY popular with the British troops.

As for importation into the US, I get the impression that there were no significant numbers coming into the country until after WW II.

I bought a neighbor's High Power the year before last. He'd only shot it once, it was virtually perfect, with 2 standard cap. magazines. $300.

What an INCREDIBLE gun!

I recently put rubber grips on it to get past the wood grips that I dislike.

Whoa. MUCH MUCH better!

I was shooting with MTNBKR the other evening, and I cut one ragged hole with 10 shots at 15 yards with the thing!

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. I believe that the FN Hi Power was first imported into the US by Browning Arms in either the late '50's or early '60's.

Best.

 

[jar]

When I first started buying handguns on my own and from the store instead of mailorder, the Browning HiPower was available. That would have been around 1967 or so. When you went in, the majority of new guns were revolvers, mostly Smith and Colt. The first tier Semi-automatics were the Smiths and Colts from the US, the Beretta from Italy, Walther from Germany, STAR from Spain and Browning from Belgium.

The second tier guns were the Rugers from the US, the ASTRA and Llama from Spain, Sauers from Germany.

 

[Old Fuff]

The Brits. did not receive substantial shipments pf P-35 pistols from Inglis in Canada until early 1945. Consequently it did not play a large part with the English military until after World War Two. However it didn't take long to make a change-over, especially with SAS, Commando and paratroop units.

 

[JohnBT]

The Blue Book under FN, Post-Occupation Production saYs "commercial mfg. began 1944, first imported with BAC markings in 1954 (see BHP section.)"

JT

 

[Mike Irwin]

"Consequently it did not play a large part with the English military until after World War Two."

That's interesting, as quite a few of the references I've seen to the High Power in British service make it seem as if it was in rather common use with the paras and commandos during the war. No numbers, though.