Third Party Press

1944 Hi Power B Has anyone seen one like this before. Eagle over N and 140 marked Barrel.

M

Mlea

Well-known member
Has anyone ever seen one like this or have information on it? 1944 very late hi power with b prefix, plastic grips, and all matching. It has a 140 marked barrel, but Eagle over N proof marks on everything. It’s in very good condition for a very late one It also has the triangle with a zero in it A82F44C7-4CCE-40E2-B591-F083AE82B46E.jpeg0886DD23-CA0C-46A9-BF83-91EB6C96C371.jpegAF9C0E57-57B9-4C2D-9013-BC0EB8E24F69.jpeg4C61BF8D-36D7-4782-96C6-836BF2AC6462.jpeg068EEC13-8E34-42C7-B7C3-F784CC34EE72.jpeg
 
These are a known "commercial" variant. If you have Vanderlinden's FN pistols book he has a page on them. It is not in front of me or I would tell you which page. No one really knows who they were made for or why. Really neat variation and yours appears to be in fantastic condition.
 
ugafx4 said:
These are a known "commercial" variant. If you have Vanderlinden's FN pistols book he has a page on them. It is not in front of me or I would tell you which page. No one really knows who they were made for or why. Really neat variation and yours appears to be in fantastic condition.
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I don’t have it but read a post that quoted him that 5% were made like this he thinks. I can’t find that post now and trying to find examples or past ones that have sold like this are impossible. I know they are making a new book right now and I’m waiting for it before I buy it.
 
very hard to see the photos. but, makes sense I have seen a few E/N commercial fn1922 but, never seen a commercial HP.. one of those things buy it when you see it !!


Another thing to ponder is why ???? Why have commercial weapons this late in the war ? One possible thing is they didn't pass military acceptance for some reason so they commercially proofed them for resale ? But to who ? At this stage of the war there wouldnt have been much of an outlet for commercial weapons I would think ?
 
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mauser99 said:
very hard to see the photos. but, makes sense I have seen a few E/N commercial fn1922 but, never seen a commercial HP.. one of those things buy it when you see it !!
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The pictures aren’t the best. I’ll post better ones and more details once it get it in my hands. From what I have found the Vanderlinden's book on FN HPs thinks only about 5% were marked in this way, but not sure who for. Had to be imported for them to not go straight into the military in 1944.
 
its just the glare from the light and its right on the E/N proof.. I have see a few late fn/1922's same thing..
 
Same thing with the late Walther Mod. P.38 commercial pistols. Why commercial that late?
 
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Tiger 2 Tank said:
Yeah, his info isn’t accurate. I thought the capture papers were close enough. The pistol was a neat e/N variant.
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I found one that sold a few years ago on a website that had information from the main book on FN HPs. Was worried I over paid but seeing what they sold theirs for I feel a lot better.
 
You could over pay today, but tomorrow (meaning later in time) you’ll find you did just fine. I thought I over paid on some P.38’s a few years ago. I forgot about the prices on them and recently saw the prices I paid then to what they typically go for now…..yeah, did pretty good.
 
I have one of those around here somewhere. I need to dig it out. Nice that Vanderlinden gave them a page.
 
It would make the most sense if they were on the assembly line as the allies approached and ended up marked for commercial sales? Other plants put guns together for sales or trade to USGIs. The finish is more smooth than late military finish. That is the highest serial number I have seen. I am not sure what it is besides very interesting. What is the stamp above the safety notch?

I will try to ask Charlie. He is the man on these. He says they were regular German supervised production. He has one, 41000 serial range and has seen one other. He thinks these commercial marked pistols are less than 5%. .He has a regular Military in the 57000b range. German supervision serials ran to 60000b ish. Production post war went back to A.

Wrong caliber, serial, country, you name it are seen on capture papers. One Radom cap;ture paper listed the patient number as the serial number.
 
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mike radford said:
It would make the most sense if they were on the assembly line as the allies approached and ended up marked for commercial sales? Other plants put guns together for sales or trade to USGIs. The finish is more smooth than late military finish. That is the highest serial number I have seen. I am not sure what it is besides very interesting. What is the stamp above the safety notch?

I will try to ask Charlie. He is the man on these. He says they were regular German supervised production. He has one, 41000 serial range and has seen one other. He thinks these commercial marked pistols are less than 5%. .He has a regular Military in the 57000b range. German supervision serials ran to 60000b ish. Production post war went back to A.

Wrong caliber, serial, country, you name it are seen on capture papers. One Radom cap;ture paper listed the patient number as the serial number.
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That’s what I have seen in literature. That’s it’s 5% or less and the triangle with a O in it is another civilian sale marking. It’s found on other war time German pistols. Would love to know what government civilians or party members got these. Getting a small batch pulled from the line for come civilians during the hight of the war would have been a major deal. I get it Tuesday so I’m excited to see what it looks like in person.
 
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After Mike called me, I looked for my notes & found some of them. Mine is in the 41,000 (b) serial number block. Plastic grips. Mine also has a stock slot.

I acquired it in 1989. Talking with Bill Drollinger back then, it was thought that whatever parts that were on hand were used. And there was always sales available to the favored few of the Germans.
 
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