Browning Hi-Power
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During World War II, the FN factory in occupied Belgium produced pistols for the Wehrmacht as the "9mm Pistole 640(b)"[1] In 2022, FN announced a new FN High Power series, which is an entirely new design with no parts in common with the original.[2] Between 1935 and 1966, when the 15-round MAB PA-15 appeared, the Hi-Power was the sole 9mm semi-automatic pistol offering a double-stack detachable box magazine.[3] During World War II, after Germany occupied Belgium, the FN factory produced pistols for the Wehrmacht as the "9mm Pistole 640(b)"; meanwhile, FN moved its production line to a John Inglis and Company plant in Canada to supply Allied forces, where the pistol was renamed "Hi-Power".[1]
What the maker and period sources say
A Browning manual states the Hi-Power pistol sets a standard on which other auto-loading pistols are judged.[4] Nearly every semi-auto pistol on the market incorporates some of the Browning Hi-Power's design features.[4] An FN America announcement describes the 2022 FN High Power as a completely reimagined pistol based on the legendary 1935 design.[5] FN America claims the new design includes improvements to ergonomics, fire control, accuracy, and an increased magazine capacity of 17+1.[5]
The "Before the High Power was the FN Grand Rendement" account explains that the story began with a French 1921 request for a new military pistol.[6] That source also states that FN engineer Dieudonné Saive developed a double stack, single feed magazine for the project.[6]
References
- Wikipedia, "Browning Hi-Power" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: MacGregor, "Shot by both sides – The Browning High Power in WW2", 7 December 2018 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Browning Hi-Power" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "FN High Power Series", FN America; Moss, "[SHOT 2022] The FN Hi-Power Is Reborn", TFB (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Browning Hi-Power" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Clapp, "MAB P-15", americanrifleman.org, July 24, 2012 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Internet Archive scan: "Browning Hi-Power 9-40" (undated). facts only; machine OCR of the scan. archive.org
- Moss, "[SHOT 2022] The FN Hi-Power Is Reborn", TFB. facts only, no text reused. thefirearmblog.com
- "Before the High Power was the FN Grand Rendement", 8 August 2022. facts only, no text reused. forgottenweapons.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Browning Hi-Power (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
More in Semi-Automatic Pistols
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Browning Hi-Power (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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