This series of posts discusses WaA 613 marked Browning Hi-Powers that have the tangent sight and which are slotted for a shoulder stock. There were very few of these originally and, needless to say, very few are in collections today.
Some period holsters for these WaA 613 marked Hi-Powers are also shown.
Basically there are three major variations of the WaA 613 marked Hi-Powers.
The first type of WaA 613 Hi-Powers were the Belgian proofed Hi-Powers that were acquired by the Germans upon the surrender of the Belgians. These have all or part of the Belgian proofs and Belgian military markings. Also, they are marked with the WaA 613 marking on the trigger guard web. The serial number on these will be found on the frame and slide below the ejection port. The barrel serial number is on the reverse side of the barrel.
The second type of WaA 613 Hi-Powers were made from parts on hand at the surrender by the Belgians. No Belgian proofs or Belgian military markings will be found on these Hi-Powers. They are marked with the WaA 613 marking only on the trigger guard web and the German test marking on the barrel. The serial number on these will be found on the frame and slide below the ejection port. The barrel serial number is on the reverse side of the barrel (as in the Belgian manner).
The third type of WaA 613 Hi-Powers were made from parts on hand at the surrender by the Belgians. No Belgian proofs or Belgian military markings will be found on these Hi-Powers. They are marked with the German test proof and the WaA 613 marking on the left side of the frame and slide. The barrel is also marked. The serial number on these will be found on the frame and slide below the ejection port and on the barrel which can be seen through the ejection port. This method is the same method followed by the Germans in the marking of the Hi-Powers through the end of (German) production.
The WaA 613 marked Hi-Powers were made/marked in 1940.
As to holsters, the Germans needed holsters for all the Hi-Powers that they acquired from FN and the Belgian military plus those that they were assembling and manufacturing. Like any bureaucracy, there was a formal procedure to be followed for the design and acceptance of new equipment. Certainly, any and all existing holsters were put to immediate use. However, there was an urgent need for many more holsters to hold the Hi-Powers and most often French revolver holsters were procured and modified for this purpose. Each holster was converted individually, and the modifications may sometimes vary slightly, but as a part of the conversion process, a spare magazine pouch was added to the front of each holster. Examination of the quality of these modified holsters clearly shows that the conversions were made by leather professionals; by and under official direction and control of German Ordnance.
The first of the new (standard) Hi-Power holsters were manufactured some time in 1941; not at the beginning of 1941, but since few are known, it was probably after several months. The earliest examples were marked inside an oval with the date, name and address of the manufacturer, (i.e., E. G. Leuner GmbH, 1941, Bautzen) and also have the Eagle/”WaA159" acceptance mark.
Two converted (French) revolver holsters are shown. One is German marked, but the other is not. Both converted to fit the Hi-Power and the magazine pouch is designed for the Hi-Power magazine.
The third holster is an early 1941 dated holster in the standard German pattern.
Some period holsters for these WaA 613 marked Hi-Powers are also shown.
Basically there are three major variations of the WaA 613 marked Hi-Powers.
The first type of WaA 613 Hi-Powers were the Belgian proofed Hi-Powers that were acquired by the Germans upon the surrender of the Belgians. These have all or part of the Belgian proofs and Belgian military markings. Also, they are marked with the WaA 613 marking on the trigger guard web. The serial number on these will be found on the frame and slide below the ejection port. The barrel serial number is on the reverse side of the barrel.
The second type of WaA 613 Hi-Powers were made from parts on hand at the surrender by the Belgians. No Belgian proofs or Belgian military markings will be found on these Hi-Powers. They are marked with the WaA 613 marking only on the trigger guard web and the German test marking on the barrel. The serial number on these will be found on the frame and slide below the ejection port. The barrel serial number is on the reverse side of the barrel (as in the Belgian manner).
The third type of WaA 613 Hi-Powers were made from parts on hand at the surrender by the Belgians. No Belgian proofs or Belgian military markings will be found on these Hi-Powers. They are marked with the German test proof and the WaA 613 marking on the left side of the frame and slide. The barrel is also marked. The serial number on these will be found on the frame and slide below the ejection port and on the barrel which can be seen through the ejection port. This method is the same method followed by the Germans in the marking of the Hi-Powers through the end of (German) production.
The WaA 613 marked Hi-Powers were made/marked in 1940.
As to holsters, the Germans needed holsters for all the Hi-Powers that they acquired from FN and the Belgian military plus those that they were assembling and manufacturing. Like any bureaucracy, there was a formal procedure to be followed for the design and acceptance of new equipment. Certainly, any and all existing holsters were put to immediate use. However, there was an urgent need for many more holsters to hold the Hi-Powers and most often French revolver holsters were procured and modified for this purpose. Each holster was converted individually, and the modifications may sometimes vary slightly, but as a part of the conversion process, a spare magazine pouch was added to the front of each holster. Examination of the quality of these modified holsters clearly shows that the conversions were made by leather professionals; by and under official direction and control of German Ordnance.
The first of the new (standard) Hi-Power holsters were manufactured some time in 1941; not at the beginning of 1941, but since few are known, it was probably after several months. The earliest examples were marked inside an oval with the date, name and address of the manufacturer, (i.e., E. G. Leuner GmbH, 1941, Bautzen) and also have the Eagle/”WaA159" acceptance mark.
Two converted (French) revolver holsters are shown. One is German marked, but the other is not. Both converted to fit the Hi-Power and the magazine pouch is designed for the Hi-Power magazine.
The third holster is an early 1941 dated holster in the standard German pattern.