At a local shop yesterday I found a FN Hi Power- Belgium made. SN A049 on frame, 049 on slide and again on barrel. There are other markings I cannot describe at various places, small letters/ triangles etc.
Pistol is blue, small fixed sights, condition about 75%, no papers, box or mag.
Grips seems original, checkered walnut; there is a thumb sized indention on the right side of the slide, forward of the ejection port; maybe to aid in press checking?.
Also on the right, in the area of the rear cocking serration is a oblong "inspection port?' on a bias.
Dealer wants $500 - Question: What model its it; will meg-gar mags work, what is the fair value as a collection piece?
As always - thanks in advance.
Wayne
I have seen one offered by Doug Smith (FGS) for $1,250 and another (by a different person) for $1,600. The $1,600 had a mint barrel. Exterior conditon on both was better that the one you mention.
The one you mention is in a much lesser condition -- but -- it is a much lower number.
It may not be a $1,250 pistol, but it is more than a $500 pistol. I woul think maybe $700 (considering the 75% finish and the replacement grips).
If you do not want it, let me know. I would buy it for $500 - assuming that it has not been refinished.
I would suggest that you acquire it and then put it aside for the future if there is sufficient money to do this.
If you do buy it, I would not shoot it. It was made in 1944, after the FN factory came back under Allied control. FN started producing Hi-Powers using parts that were left by the Germans. Obviously, it is the 49th pistol produced once regular production started.
Generally, you should find a WaA140 marking on the reverse side of the chamber (the part you cannnot seel unless the barrel is removed) and -- possibily - a "MR" on the left side of the trigger guard. With that early of a number, the finish should be rough - like the late war German pistols. (If not, then the pistol might have been refinished.) There should be no provision for a magazine safety. The grips should be the brown bakelite grips. Since they are wood, a change was made. (The brown bakelite grips can be fragile and it is hard to find original replacements.)
As to finish, the earlyHi-Powers were rough like the German version. As they progressed, they started doing a better job on the finish. Around serial number 300/400, the finish was much better. Around serial number 700/800 the finish was like normal production. Some place along the way, they did a better job of removing the german markings on all parts. Not so on the early ones though.
(I have A117 and A163. A117 has fixed sights. A163 has a stock slot and tangents sights.)
