Belgian GP35: The First Military Browning High Power
Вставка
- Опубліковано 28 лип 2019
- / forgottenweapons
Cool Forgotten Weapons merch! shop.bbtv.com/collections/forg...
The Grande Puissance - High Power - was John Browning's last firearms design. In fact, he only began the design; it was taken to completion by his protege Dieudonné Saive at FN in Belgium. It was the best military handgun of the time, with a double-stack 13-round magazine capacity, and chambered for the 9x19mm cartridge. Belgium was the First Nation to adopt it for military service, purchasing 1,000 guns for field trials and approving them in 1935 for standard issue as the GP-35.
The Belgian trials guns have a distinctive oval ejection port, which would be changed on production models. They were also fitted with flat board shoulder stocks and tangent sights adjustable up to 500 meters. These features would last until German occupation of the FN factory complex during World War Two, when the guns were simplified under German occupation production.
Contact:
Forgotten Weapons
PO Box 87647
Tucson, AZ 85754
Sights out to 500m, reduced from 1000m. I'm surprised the military heads of the time didn't insist on a optional AA sight attachment ;]
You're forgetting the drum/snail magazine ^^
@@Trancefreakeh Indeed. Also the ability to mount it on a tripod/tank/naval destroyer.
There was a terrible accident at Bisley Ranges when a Policeman had a ND. The 9mm bullet left the butts at quite a shallow angle yet it's curve allowed it to clear a distant hill where on the far side it struck a walker in the head and killed him - nearly two miles if I remember and very well documented. IIRC it was in the '80's. The victim was incredibly unlucky but it just goes to show how far the lethality of a 9mm Para extends. I'm not suggesting that anyone tries this in a serious social situation! Best, Pete.
ptrisonic poor guy. however the point isnt that 9mm isnt lethal at long ranges, it just that it’s extremely unlikely that you will hit something (on purpose) .
@@rooseveltbrentwood9654 I agree but I bet the guys at Herstal tested it out at long distances. Mine started out with the Canadian army (fixed sights) and in comparison to my (beloved) Colt in .45ACP it was certainly a tad more accurate - yet I never got on with Browning's convoluted trigger action and after a couple of IPSC meets I sold it on. Best, Pete.
No wonder the Germans decided to continue production, the number of markings on this gun is certainly on par with German standards of the time.
I learnt to shoot full bore on a German version, that had been appropriated by the owner following the Liberation of the Island of Jersey on May 9th 1945.
It's kinda like west coast kids with .5 liter econoboxes and 747 wings. Stickers make cars go faster, proof marks make pistols shoot out to 1km.
Markings comes from a traditional workshop industry as the parts came from a network of small workshops. For example forging barrels, rifling, finish etc. All that needs accounting and quality control in between.
Dad was in 2/1 Army Gp ETO 44-45 brought one of these home afterwards-was my first introduction to this weapon until enlisting in British Army 1975-Igoined the shooting club and traained on yhe Hi-Power-love at second sight!!!=TOMMY27
Wronien español
I love how optimistic the military brass of that era was “ We need the capability to provide 9mm volley fire out to 1000 meters. That will help us win the war!”
Like what is the mechanical accuracy of a hi-power? 6 MOA?
Leo yeah pretty much Minute of Walmart at 1000 meters.... maybe
Beardoggin89 that made me laugh
It might not be that effective for one guy but a dozen soldiers with hi-powers shooting at another group in the distance should at least convince the other side to keep their heads down. Actually getting a hit would probably be down to sheer luck though.
While It’ll never happen, imagine how terrifying it’d be to suddenly come under a whole unit’s worth of 9mm volley fire at 500m 😂
It would hit about 1.5-2 seconds after it was fired so they'd have to lead you pretty well
One Doomed Spacemarine I’d have to do the free body diagram but I imagine it’d lost most of its velocity but then gravity would accelerate it a little on the way back down to earth. But that wouldn’t be a significant increase
It would keep your head down. Which in reality that's all they need to do at that distance
@@0neDoomedSpaceMarine Oh you'll notice it.
9mm Luger is leathal at that distance if you hit a target.
How optimistic do you have to be to mark a pistol sight to 500m
I mean its hard enough to get a decent hit with a rifle at this distance...
well its technically completly possible
The gun was designed to be used with a attached stock. Making it into a carbine.
Very.
WALTERBROADDUS still incredibly hard with those sights and sight radius. Not to mention it would be so small that holding it steady would be awkward.
Proudly served Belgium for over 65+ years. Now Belgium mainly uses the FN FiveSeven as the new military sidearm.
How to sell pistols in the 40s:
Step 1: be near Germany
Step 2: use 9mm para
Step 3: ??????????
Step 4: profit
Ben A
Step 1: get occupied by Nazis
Step 2: ...
Step 3: ???
Whaen a nasty man with lots of friends and very big guns says 'Why not build that for me?' The answer 'Over my dead body' is not appropriate.
Most finally ran by POWs if I'm not mistaken
the step 3 will be piss off germans
Sinister Thoughts But slaves are every companies dream. It cut down the wage cost to zero.
*Mosin Nagant:* There's a target about 500m out that way, not sure if I can hit him.
*Belgian GP-35:* Pssh, amateur. I've got this.
Replace mosin nagant with 1911
This was so ahead of it's time compared to other handguns of that era
My grandfather served in WW2 and was stationed in Germany and Belguim at the end. He disassembled and mailed one back. Always fascinated by it and loved watching him clean in. I’m now in possession of it but because there’s no serial numbers I just keep it in a case and do cleaning maintenance on it
I would shoot the heck out of that.
*not ATF clickbait.
If it was brought in the country before 1968 there is no requirement for a serial number
@@svtirefire same.
The Canadian production High Powers shipped to China have no serial numbers or manufacturers markings either- basically “black” pistols.
5:37 Magazine Déjà Vu?
Was thinking the same. Must be so good it needs mentioning twice!
A glitch in the matrix...
I thought the same
Must be a second take because he caught himself saying "parkerized" the first time.
I want to see how far a skilled marksman can actually hit with a stocked hi power and tangent sight. Maybe something for InRangeTV
I'd bet the full 500 with match grade ammo.
16 people hate John Browning for making something that wasn't in .45 ACP
Just wait until they find out about all his 7.65 browning (.32) guns
The 1911 is like my best friend at work... The hi power,is like discovering he has a super hot single sister....
Probably Australian soldiers who still have to carry it because the Crusty Bob Brass don't know the difference between retro and obsolete
@@SnoopReddogg my wife has shot a fair amount of hand guns, watching the 'natural' way and speed and accuracy she aims the hi power over ANY modern hand gun will make you realize it's NOT obsolete.
@@jackdundon2261lol it's still obsolete it. I can be better with a single action revolver than a Glock and the single action is still technologically outdated.
Browning Hi Power is in my top 5 guns of all time
Known as the Browning HP35 or just plain 9 mil in the British Army. It was, along with an SMG, my personal weapon for some time. I really liked using it. I was originally provided with a dreadful Canadian Inglis version, which rattled like an old truck. Fortunately, it was replaced with a brand new FN Browning and I was a happy soldier.
Undoubtedly one of the best sidearm ever created back then: It has a 13 round magazine, something that literally no other service pistols had.
Only channel I immiedatally watch notifications from
same here!
Here to!
Yes!!! Almost everything else gets swiped and maybe revisited later
It is a super good gun. I got it in the army in 1991. It was replaced by the Glock in 1995. (Dutch army.)
I remember it, I was issued one in 93/94 at Soesterberg. Loved it!
@robert lamotta Who the hell are you talking to?
i used it in the 70s in the Australian Army. good pistol
Glock is the Aldi version of firearms
Great service sidearm that served me well for years.
As a tremendous fan of the Browning Hi Power design, I really liked this episode!
Back in the early 1990s, in eastern NC where my department was located, there were several police departments and officers of other departments that used the hi-power.
So the magazines had a blued floor plate and a phosphated body AND a phosphated body and a blued floor plate eh? Cunning...
Probably an editing error.
@@tz8785 No just Browning DETERMINED! to make a good magazine! :-)
@@51WCDodge funnily enough the one thing Browning didn't design on the gun at all was the magazine
@@legochickenguy4938 Belgium overenginnering?
51WCDodge no he died before the magazine was designed
As a Belgian, I can never say no to watching one of your vids involving my heritage and on something I have an interest in, great video Ian 👌 if you ever want to do one on the FN self reloading rifle, let me know, I have one in my possession
I remember the Rijkswacht/Gendarmerie ( Federal law enforcement ) used these in the '90. Can't say they really were the GP-36 and not a modern kind of HighPower, but they were referred to as GP-36. I was around 10-14 back then. Could barely lift and aim the gun ^^. Now they Use Glock17 and S&W M&P.
I was using my issue Browning up to 2000 and it stayed in British Army service for several years after. Sadly it's gone now, but I am in the process of buying one for target shooting. Excellent reliable battle proven sidearm.
@@Gliese380 Hay, I never knew that! :D I though only the Navy used them FN uzi's!
S&W actually has overseas military contracts for the M&P? Wow. I thought the MA State police with their shitty M&P 45s were the only mil/leo organization to issue them.
About the S&W M&P, Belgian police had to recall 6000 of the pistols due to a manufacturing fault: www.thebulletin.be/belgian-police-recall-6000-guns-after-pin-block. I've heard of other complaints, too.
@@jenavevesnowolf13 Yeap, we're using M&P9. Afaik, they're quite happy with them. I guess Glock got too expensive? :)
Very nice collection of early models. Love the High Power! Very ergonomic and so comfortable to shoot. And they do have a tendency to be very accurate!
Oh my God, I'm so early Ian hasn't developed his obsession with french arms yet.
Nobody:
The Germans: Your pistols will make a fine addition to my collection
With Grievous' voice
Also germans: we like these guns so much we wont destroy the factory before we leave.
@@PerturaBased sir keobi...
Sparks thats my line
I remember shooting one of those, never got a chance with a 1911 to compare it. For 9mm though I always loved the P38.
Okay, I'll step forward and chance starting a forest fire. I just don't know any better. In the mid-60's I fired my first 1911 In training and in Vietnam. In the late-70's I was introduced to the Browning during training at a clandestine site in Virginia. What?! Where have you been? For me, remember for me, I found it to be a superior pistol not only to the 1911, but to anything else I had ever fired. Within weeks I purchased my own and still consider it to be the finest pistol I own. For me the 1911 is a great tool but the Browning High Power is nearly a work of art that has never failed in any regard or by any standard. I will now await the wrath of the 1911 owners of the world.
AWESOME !!!!
MY ALL TIME FAVORITE PISTOL.
The pistol that set the standard for almost all military pistol to this day.
Issued(military and law enforcement) in more countries then the FAL(so 120+ countries).
Yes !!!!!!!! Ian is showing a Browning Hi-Power. I absolutely love my Dads Browning Hi-Power Practical. Thanks for the knowledge about this awesome firearm Gun Jesus.
Great timing, my airsoft Hi-Power just arrived in the mail today. Man I love Browning guns.
Just want to say. Your patreon plug is the best, at the end of the contents and explaining why it is important. I sadly cannot be a patreon, wish I could.
I did all what else you ask, subscribe and tell friends about the channel.
I want to thank all patreon supporters from the bottom of my heart for supporting you financially and allowing us other viewers to have free access to Ian's wonderful contents.
Thank you Patreons!
1000 meters sights on a 9mm? Isn't that a little too...ummm...optimistic?
To a degree, but I think the Belgians were thinking along the same lines as the Germans did with the artillery-style Luger back before WW1. The idea is not so much that you, as one soldier, will be hitting man-sized targets at 500 meters, but rather that your team of soldiers, with stocks fit, will be able to create a veritable blizzard of bullets that will rain down on enemies, suppressing and occasionally harming them since 9mm has remarkable punch even at several hundred meters.
Depends if in your optimism you actually make contact. Probably not.
@@genericpersonx333 think you are right! the russian army sighted the tokarev pistol to a thousand yards too! mind you they alsp put a speedo with 120 mph top speed in the lada riva!lol!
@@sinisterthoughts2896 Even if the recipient is a candidate for the Darwin award, it's not a waste ua-cam.com/video/jJ3XwizTqDw/v-deo.html
@Poly Ten points for cheesy pun! :)
2:05 "Nice addition to my collection, general Kenobi."
Thanks Ian. Another great video on a cool gun.
I really enjoyed this video; especially since I am an avid collector and shooter of Hi-Powers. Keep doing the good work!
This is the second or third hi power video you have up on you tube. I love this pistol thought even mark 3s are outdated. You are showing the impact of this pistol in military history quite well. It seemed to have more impact than the 1911 on a European world scale.
I wonder If "germans simplified production" also mean they "got rid" of some factory personel.
If vi remember correctly the last German number was 580 and were built primarily by POWs and were known to be sabotaged. I have one of the later ones and it is terribly inaccurate
They did at the Radom factory
Almost certainly. Anyone seen as remotely undesirable in terms of ethnicity or background were sent to camps. They did this a lot, and replaced murdered personnel with POWs/slave labor.
Love to see Ian give a demo of a few of the pistols with shoulder stocks. Like to see how well they perform. Cheers.
My neighbor as I was growing up, he had fought in WWII and Korea, he had several GP-35 Hipowers. One with the Waffenamts and the holster similar to what you showed. He also had an Inglis with shoulder stock, which he said his brother who had served in China had brought home. He also had a commercial version he bought while he was in Korea and several much later commercial versions, one of which he carried as a police detective until he retired.
His only real complaint about his Hi powers was finding affordable reliable magazines.
I bought a Hi-Power in 1972. Had some custom work - S&W adjustable rear sights, new ramp style front sight, hand checkered front grip, trigger job, magazine disconnect them satin plated in Rhodesian chrome.
Father brought back our browning hi power when he was in the philipipnes in 1945. he landed at latye with the U.S. rail batailion. he wore it on his hip during the war.
" side note they all heard the first atomic bombs go off in the philipines and 3 days after the 2nd bomb, the company was mustered togather and told what it was they had heard"
father never told us how he got it or what happened in the war. he was the company cpl and
i figured he picked the best looking side arm in the pile. father died in 1996.
it was in 2000 when i was told what the gun was. we have only shot maybe 20 rounds thru it in 1980. its number is under 4000, and came with a black holster "looks like p 38 stamped in side of flap. there is one black clip and a green with black bottom clip like was showed.
never realised there was a slot for a stock. a gun nut showed me the british armory stamp and the stamp of the first fusiulars... i figure it came out of the fall of singapore from posablity one of general Persable's staff officer. i was told it was for an artillery officers side arm. love your show. never saw another gun like it before i watched your show.
and the stock, wow, now i know what i am looking for to complete it.
good work. great show. thanks
I moved from the 1911 to the BHP, twenty years ago, and never looked back. You MUST remove the mag disconnect to get a decent trigger pull (and perhaps go further if you are fussy about triggers), and after that you have a truly great carry piece. The new 15 round Mec-Gar mags are absolutely reliable, so you're right there with any of the current nines. Right now I'm carrying a customized aluminum framed Hi-Power made in 1984. A bunch of these came in a few years ago and the origins are very mysterious. Ian, when will you dig into these mystery alloy framed Hi-Powers?
I used the HP in British Army service for years. I was sad to see it go and frankly with a larger mag, there was really no need? I am going to buy one actually, so I am interested in the 15 round mag. I am not sure if we can get the larger mags in France, but I will check. Still 13 isn't bad.
@@gunner678 There was every need. The whole fleet was worn out and needed replacing. Glock is not only better but cheaper.
@@skepticalbadger How is Glock better when internally it is purely a Hi-Power clone? Glock has an awful trigger and was a great step back. You may have a point on expense, but copies of the Hi-Power have been made all over the world for far less than the original FN.
@@0neDoomedSpaceMarine They also make 19 round flush fit CZ75 mags, which is just great really
@@DocMitchell69 Molded plastic means more volume for the same strength and thus, poor ergonomics. Great for the manufacturer, but not so good for the shooter. We were just getting into aluminum frames when plastics came along. That movement to plastic was directed by cost, not quality.
Re your bling: I was in Vancouver BC this past weekend for a tech expo, and while eating with my son in the food court a gentleman much older than I (I'm 65) was there by his self asked my how long I'd had the tee shirt it was wearing. It was the French 75 tee, and I answered that I'd had it for several months. He told me it reminded him of him and his wife drinking those 50 years ago, told me what went in to making them, and we just chatted for a moment.
So I think you brought him a forgotten memory, and it was a really, really neat experience.
Thank you , Ian .
A Hi-power is on the top of my want list, sad that they went out of production a few years back.
Tau Neutrino tisas makes a clone that is pretty accurate copy. I think it’s the Tisas regent BR9
Its not like theres not millions already on the market.
Thats the problem with long running commerical guns that sold well on the millitary market, eventually the guns that get surplused off stomp the commercial ones by selling at a price the MFG cannot compete with.
Thats why CZ doesent import the CZ82 to the US anymore, the millitary surplus ones are just way cheeper than they can compete with
Enjoyed, Just rewatched this about the Classic HP. Been shooting/owning them since the 80s At one tome I had a 22lr conversion kit made by Pachmayr. Still a good pistol in 2021.
Ian, you should add a playlist of all of John Browning's stuff. He was a pivotal designer.
As well as a list (and maybe even a few videos on) of the best designed guns of their day. Not the most elaborate, or the simplest, or the most powerful - the best designed weapons of their era.
eg IMHO The Lee Enfield/Mauser rifle (very similar). The Colt .45.
Maybe the Uzi?
And a couple of Browning's achievements.
Amongst others.
A final idea, weapons that could have been built sooner, if the knowledge was there (basically time traveler shenanigans) like the AK-47, which could've been built for WW1. And the STEN could've probably been built even earlier.
My first police duty pistol was a BHP Mk2. I still have it and even through all the other guns I carried, I usually kept qualified with it as an alternative .. at least until my old dept went all SIG. I still shoot mine and still carry it sometimes, although it has some pretty sharp edges on it. Still, mine has an amazing trigger and while I dunno about 500 yard shooting, at 25 yards it can stack hits into a very small group. It's also, for me, a very comfortable pistol to hold.
The fireplace of cool weapons!
Brings back memories, every time I see a Hi-Power I was a dab hand with my little lady.
Always so excited to learn about fire arms and I’ve been holding how for some high power episodes ever sense the experimental lightened Canadian high point or I believe that is was Canadian regardless happy to see the video
I used to have one of these, my great Grandfather was a customs officer in Belgium
One of the most beautiful pistols ever made.
I just got gifted a model of this weapon by my grandfather, with golden engravings of his initials gifted to him from the factory, so ik u had a video of this weapon, thank u
Gifted in Venezuela, one of the countries this weapon branched out to,
Things I know about the Browning HiPower:
1. It had a reputation for very high reliability and toughness.
2. It was used by police officers present at the Iranian embassy siege in London in 1980.
3. It was used in the film "Silence of the Lambs" to shoot Hannibals decoy on top of the elevator.
I think those 'police officers ' were actually SAS soldiers .
4. Axel Foley has one.
My father had one (I am Belgian). The first gun I shot with when I was 12. Nice old gun but I remember shooting with the stock was impressive due to the proximity of the slide.
Just like those we had in Malaya & Borneo. The Royal Marines used to play with them at 900m, I don't know what success they had, but they certainly had some fun.
Been waiting for this video for a while
The timeless beauty of Papa Browning's disigns!
Dieudonné Saive's pistol....😏
Browning did the initial design, Saive finished and fine-tuned it.
@@Gliese38010 years and a different system makes Fine tune is a stretch. If any Browning should have credit, it is his son Val A. Browning. Val and Saive worked on the gun till production.
Can't believe I hadn't seen this video yet!
Love the Hi-Powers. I have a Mk.3 from the 80's, and a 1944-made with Waffenampts (really late-made, simplified rear sight, no mag safety, less than beautiful finish). They're just the best to me, the most accurate pistol in my hands.
Carried a near mint T series in Bosnia & Kosovo in '95. "Excessed" by USG in '99 for the 92SBF. Thank you, Uncle S.
Great video! I love these guns!
I have this version with the rifle tangent sights on top. Mine is called the "El Capitan" model adopted by the Argentine army & a few other Latin American country's. Love it, it has such a retro look & is beautifully Blued ! Mine has the 1,000 meter sight. Not a broom handle type though.
Finally ! A gun I own on this channel !
Found one of these with the oval ejection port for sale. Starting bid: $8,500.
Those look so cool with tangent rear sights :)
Ian never screws up , cut him some slack on the editing blooper
IMO those are the best pistols of the WWII.
The best pistol ever imho.
@@badpossum440 Until the CZ-75 of course
@@thegoldencaulk2742 ok i will give you that i do like my CZ-75.
My dad carried one in Vietnam in 1971 when he flew A6s off the Kitty Hawk. He also carried a Thompson. Back then pilots could carry what they wanted. One guy in his squadron even carried a 5in Colt SAA.
I carried it as my sidearm for years until switching to the Glock 19. The GP 35 is superb.
One thing is for sure, that is one mean-looking pistol. Definetly does not just go pew pew either.
Beautiful pistols! Makes me proud to be Belgian!
Fun fact, the Hi Power was adopted by the British Military designated the L9A1 and was recognised as the standard sidearm up until its replacement by the Glock 17 in 2007.
Even though the L9A1 was still the standard pistol in the British military in the early and mid 2000's, it saw barely any use in Iraq and Afghanistan as the British Government obtained Sig Sauer P226's as an 'Urgent Operational Requirement' which was temporary until the L9A1's replacement was found, subsequently being the Glock 17
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
Beautiful guns. I kick myself for not getting a Hi-Power when they were still reasonably priced. I may get one, yet.
Keep looking. Armies surplus these from time to time. I bought an Israeli issued one a few years ago. Outside had a lot of holster wear but the internals were immaculate.
LOVE the Grand Puissance!
"The magazines for the Belgian Army pistols have a few distinctive features as well."
You can say that again...
I used to have an oddball occupation-era Hi-Power. It still had the tangent sight, but it didn't have the stock groove. It had both German and Belgian stamps, and the stacked serial numbers matched. Unfortunately, I sold it some years ago to make rent and didn't keep a record of its serial number.
A good friend of mine is collector of Gp35's (we are From Flanders) and he has A Gp35 with German markings! He has around 10/15 Gp's
Belgium military used the GP till very recently.
They're being phased-out and replaced by FN's Five-SeveN at the moment.
Peter Schollaerts I would have thought they had switched over years ago. The Five Seven has been out for a bit (American).
@@capeclint Yes, though Belgium military is quite slow in that regard. I know some guys who just received theirs last year.
Peter Schollaerts can you blame them for being so slow though? It’s not likely Belgium will be invaded anytime soon lol.
Does Belgium participate in any of the US conflicts currently?
According to the Belgian Defence website, they currently have personnel in Irak and Afghanistan.
Thomas Vanstraelen I kind of figured that, but wasn’t sure thanks for the info
One of my favourite world war 2 pistol, of course except VIS :)
Deja Vu during the magazine explanation. I am now well informed, thank you Gun Jesus.
To Quote Easy Andy from the movie Taxi Driver 1976 "That's A Beautiful Little Gun"! The Belgians did a terrific job with this!🤔🔫🇧🇪
Ian I live in the UK, firearms are an absolute no no unless you're military, police (very small amount ) or a criminal - I absolutely love your channel, just thought I'd let you know, keep up the good work!
Nick - south London.
Or you have a legitimate reason, like myself who holds both shotgun and firearms certificates. If you live in south London and want to get into shooting find a clay shooting club and apply for a section 2 shotgun certificate (sgc) the forms can be found and printed off from you local forces website and providing you don’t have a criminal record you should get it granted. You will however need the security eg gun clamps, ammunition storage, gun cabinet. Before the police sign you off. Clay shooting is the easier option as you don’t need a reason to posses the shotguns nor is there any of the variations (22lr, 223, 243 etc) like on section 1 nor do you need land to shoot on, plus clay clubs are easier to join unlike vermin shooting.
Thanks I think I'll look into it, something I've always fancied having a go at.
I actually have a later production occupation Hi-power (no stock cut, no magazine safety, fixed sights). Mu grandpa got it when he was fighting the war by trading a P38 he’d captured and some cash. He liked it a lot which is funny because he hated the 1911. The thing still shoots great.
the regiment (SAS) used to train with Browning HP at up to 100m with both eyes open at standard human size target "hun" to be precise ! that was without stock, freehand !
As a detail regarding the Belgian GP35 I have seen and held while in Europe one with the Waffen Amt markings,. It came with an interesting holster which, in my opinion was unit modified as it was clearly and marked as a soft leather P38 holster with cuts in the leather magazine would accept the fat GP35 magazine. The farmer would not sell me the gun but he did sell me the holster which I still have. This particular modified P38 holster had other particularities. It features a metal Totenkopf and a SS star also metal indicating the rank. These particularities led me to research the history of the GP35 and I found out that most if not all were issued to SS formations as it seems that specially early in the war the Wehrmacht was very reluctant to equip the Waffen SS but as Belgium was an occupied land the SS had jurisdiction and Himmler was able to provide Concentration camp workers and obtain all the GP35 he needed. As another detail, I believe that perhaps it may have happened that GP35 equipped British Commandos faced similarly armed Waffen SS.
Argentine FM hipower the first 9mm pistol y ever shoot..parkerized finish with black plastic grips will never be forgotten by me.
I was on the Browning website recently and they have discontinued the Hi-Power. I think that is a shame. The HiPower is one cool gun. Browning has had its problems in recent years and I can just see them having even more as time goes on.
Not many designs get 75+ years in production.
Slightly leftfield question for anyone who knows: what happens to the economy of an occupied territory during wartime? Like, would the German occupiers still be paying the manufacturers to make the pistols? Would the manufacturers still be paying their employees? Did everyone take a "uh-oh, Germans" paycut, or did wages stay the same? (Just an aspect of warfare I've never thought about before.)
That holster at the end looks like it would be super inconvenient to use.
Cool. My grandfather got one of these in early 1941. A former Belgian army possesion that somehow found it's way to The Hague. He never told exactly how or from who he got it. Some time.after that he also got a revolver. But that is all we.know about it.
Are there any distinctive features on the magazines to the Belgian army pistols?
That sight looks like an ak47 rearsight
I think Ian did two different cuts of him talking about the magazine and left them both in.
The hi power is still the standard service pistol here in Australia
The fireplace collection strikes again!
Always loved the Hi-Power
this is the most accurate 9mm pistol i ever shot,the pistol doesn't move around alot when being discharged and it hits what you're aiming at,finest slide gun i ever owned,wife took it,never looked back