WW2-era Browning Hi-Power - what can you tell me?

[raskolnik]

That jives with what I know. My wife's grandfather was in China at some point, so it makes sense that he'd have a Chinese contract one. No Chinese characters anywhere on it, and no import markings (plus all matching serial numbers, as I said). There are the remnants of a sticker on the front of the grip; was mainly gold with some red and blue. No clue what that is, and the rim of the sticker is all that's left unfortunately.

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[Paul S.]

... No Chinese characters anywhere on it, and no import markings (plus all matching serial numbers, as I said). There are the remnants of a sticker on the front of the grip; was mainly gold with some red and blue. No clue what that is, and the rim of the sticker is all that's left unfortunately.

The China contract was actually a Lend Lease programme. Large numbers of the "Chinese contract" Inglis's never made it out of Canada let alone to China. Many went to Commonwealth countries as well. The sticker was a Lend Lease sticker. It had a Maple Leaf, and inscriptions in English, Russian and Chinese. Clive Law's excellent book, Inglis Diamond; The Canadian High Power Pistol, offers a detailed history and is well worth the cost.

[Major Bob]

That jives with what I know. My wife's grandfather was in China at some point, so it makes sense that he'd have a Chinese contract one. No Chinese characters anywhere on it, and no import markings (plus all matching serial numbers, as I said). There are the remnants of a sticker on the front of the grip; was mainly gold with some red and blue. No clue what that is, and the rim of the sticker is all that's left unfortunately.

I have two examples in my collection. A No1 with tangent sight and shoulder stock fittings with no military aid board sticker ( MAB ) and a No2 with a sticker. Altought the No1 has been called the ''Chinese '' contract, literature suggests most of it was used by Commonwealth troops and maybe some Brit and US special OPS units . All pistols made at Inglis it seems at first were destined for military aid so i deduct th at they all beared the famous sticker. Only late in the war did the Canadian miltary express interest in it and only after cancellation of the ''Chinese '' contract.. So exemples transferred to Canadian military custody would of been MAB marked. I have had access to 100's of Inglis pistols in my career and have never seen one with the sticker but th at is expected as they would of had received 60 plus years of cleaning and scrubbing . Only recently have i had acces to a No 2 with the sticker still intact. I have met officers from various Commonwealth countries with experience with the Inglis and one that marked my imagination forever. This gentleman had been in the Falklands with an Inglis No2 on a shoulder holster and had used it.. He did not mention the presence of a sticker ... More to follow