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

[Bruce McAskill]

What you have on the front of the grip is what is left of a sticker that was the Canadian Maple Leaf in the center and around it was a boarder in Chinese and English. Very colorful in red and yellow. A fuuny thing about Hi-Powers is you never know where they will turn up such as the Inglis in Nam. BUT China also had a contract with FN and crates of them came down from the north into South Viet Nam. The one good thing about it was the ammo that was also used was of very poor quality and there were many duds in the lots. I know of a barge full of FN made Hi-Powers that went into the Mekong after everyone there took what they wanted.

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[Major Bob]

I suspect that the first delivery to China eventualy fell into Communist Forces hands. They were used subsenquently against Canadian troops in Korea even as Betune , the famed canadian doctor was still being presented as an icon of Chinese idealism. Subsequent sea shipments to India and Pakistan for air transport to China over the Burmese ''hump '' were stalled on the warfs it seems, never being shipped to its intended end user . These ''lost '' and forgotten pistols the exact amount i do not recall but is in the literature already mentionned , ended up 62 years later in the hands of the Taliban used again against Canadian troops. My sources have not specified nor did i ask if the MAB sticker was still present....

[A square 10]

i have two in my collection a no1 and a no2 , i have the stock - here is what it looks like ,

[Major Bob]

Very nice there A-square.Any trace of the MAB stickers ? Are your magazines JI marked ? I have a nice collection of genuine canadian military holsters for them, 7 actually , all different. Where can i go to get instruction to post pictures on this nice site ? Thanks. Bob

[Major Bob]

Attachment 27867Attachment 27866Attachment 27865

This is what i was describing before.

Any comments ?

Thanks.

Major Bob

[Major Bob]

Attachment 27868

Here is my ''Chinese contract'' Inglis High Power with the wooden shoulder stock.The stock and the sights are oddities that we should not with hindsight critic .

The book says the Chinese were accustomed to the German Broomhandle.So they ordered what they knew.A better pistol , in a better caliber, with higher capacity magazine ..with a shoulder stock. But a sight that elevates to 600 meters ? Go figure ?

Thanks for your interest in this most interesting handgun with a very good and long service period.

Major Bob


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[A square 10]

i dont have that chinese holster but i have all of the others you show in your photos in my collection , no the stickers are gone from both my original finish no2 mkI* and my refinished no1 mkI* , im not looking for the stickers as that would be adding back what is legitamatly gone in my mind

[Major Bob]

Thanks A Square. High Power Canadian holsters From Right to left: Pattern 37, Chinese contract Pattern 37 but also used by Canadian forces in WW2 and Korea according to photographic evidence , Pattern 51 and finally Pattern 64. With the ''Chinese'' contract stock that is also a holster , that makes five . I have also three ( 3) more : 82 Pattern, 2000's Pattern ( a Bianchi holster similar to the US one for the M9 ) and a shoulder holster . If there is interest i will post pictures. In all that makes 8 different holsters for a pistol that has been in service for 67 years ! I have worn in the service in successive order : Patt 64, Patt 82, retired 2000's , tac vest and shoulder holster . Maybe a buddy who has been to Afghanistan could tell us how they wore their Inglis High Power ? It was issued to all ranks in that conflict .Thanks. Major Bob