[sauer]

Re: HP without WaA

I recently aquired a FN High Power,SN 38676a, that has the German Military aceptance stamps on the slide & frame, but lacks any WaA acceptance mark that I can find. The finish appears original, good bluing over a rough, milled finish, and the vet I bought it from assured me it was a capture piece. Can anyone comment?

 

[cpw]

You need to look at and read the post dated 9/6/03 in this section..

 

[sauer]

I did check out this post. Mine is a later war production with fixed sights, and a "A" code following the serial number. I posted it seperately because I felt it would be lost in the confusio of responses re: pre-war & Nazi takeover guns.

 

[cpw]

The post deals with "a" and "b" suffix WWII German Commercial Hi-Powers and your answer is therein.

 

[sauer]

Charlie

Thanks. I think I got it now. Interesting the Germans would give up any HP's to commercial sales so late in the war.

 

[cpw]

It is a matter of politics. If you done take care of the home front or don't take care of your supporters, then you may have rebellion.

While they had pistols, Hi-Powers and for that matter other brands as well, available on the commercial market, the situation was not as it would have been here. There you would have need a permit or other official approval to purchse a pistol. It was not a matter of anyone just walking in off the street and purchasing a pistol.

This does tend to reduce the demand.

 

[FNitis]

It is also important to remember that FN was not part of the military establishment during the war. Although taken over by the German army at first, it was turned over to the care of DWM, at which time the company was a German for-profit company, which sold primarily to the German army but not exclusively. FN was not an arsenal during the war.
Anthony Vanderlinden www.fnbrowning.com