1941 Chrome/Nickle FN HighPower info

[Waters5117]

Has anyone ever seen/heard of a 1941 FN Highpower 9mm made in Nazi-occupied Belgium that has a nickel or chrome finish? The one I have is stamped WaA 140 and the serial # is 61328b. It also has the fixed rear sight. I am looking for any info on this gun, and i would love to find a valuation. The condition is fair+ to good. I can text or email pics if it would help. Don't really wanna post here. Too much hassle.

 

Thanks in advance for the help.

Ryan

[Garufa]

Highly likely that it has been refinished which greatly diminishes collector value.

Edited February 25, 2018 by Garufa

[MacGyver]

But regardless of collectors value, we’d still like to see pics.   

[Murgatroy]

The serial number looks like it would be a late wartime run, however I am fairly certain it would be refinished. Many wartime trophies were refinished. At the time, no one thought they would be collector's items and many of them were in very rough shape.

[xtriggerman]

Normaly, a plated finish can be recognized by the non factory cut surface of the metal. Also, fine pitting can at times be seen in hard to re-cut areas like the finger groove cuts in the slide. Most platers will simply plate over them but they can still be seen along with some what rounded edges in various places. Any one who restores older gun can spot these things pretty quick.

[DaveTN]

I don’t think a factory nickel Hi Power was made before 1980. But I could be wrong.

[Tooreal]

My First 9mm was High Power (a Semi Satin Nichol) Not Real Bright and a very smooth finish too. It did have a Fixed rear sight too and was as accurate as the shooter! My Father was from Germany and He Helped me find that one in the early 1980’s. I’m sure that I traded it for something else but don’t remember what now? I had Pachmeyer Grips on it, but I’m sure it’s not the same one, the Barrel and trigger mechanism was plated too.

 

I had a Friend, a former Ranger that got me started shooting 8.5”x10” targets at 35 yards, I thought he was Crazy? He insisted if I wanted to learn more that I would have to get proficient at Placing every shot within a 3” circle. I practiced & started reloading and finally I could keep 30 Rounds I n the circle easy. He was there and said that’s Great!

Most handgun shootings happen within 8 to 18’, Do you think you will have any trouble hitting your target at that Range? I said No but is that all it was about, he said yes and No! Everyone should be able to engage and accurately Hit their target at that distance, it’s just Best for everyone involved, and Now having the ability to accurately hit a 3” target at 35 yards, you shouldn’t have any trouble even in a stressful situation at Close Range! I thought about what He said for a few minutes and it finally sunk in and I got it, Ha! That was with my Hi Power. 

[Whisper]

3" at 35 yards with 30 rounds?  Considering that the 10-ring on a 50-yard pistol target is 3.36", you are talking about High Master class shooting with a fixed-sight Hi Power.  That's an impressive feat.

[Tooreal]

On 3/7/2018 at 4:04 PM, Whisper said:

3" at 35 yards with 30 rounds?  Considering that the 10-ring on a 50-yard pistol target is 3.36", you are talking about High Master class shooting with a fixed-sight Hi Power.  That's an impressive feat.

Thanks Whisper, but that was after practicing for Months and firing thousands of rounds at that distance, and I was a Lot Younger at that Time in my late 20’s or Maybe 30? After that time, It was My Hope to get into the Competition Pistol shooting Matches? At that time it wasn’t easy for me to find a place that I could get involved in that was anywhere close to where I lived in the late 80’s early 90’s? I was living outside of Ashland City Not far from Cheap Hill and the Cheatham Dam, worked in Nashville and spent a Lot of Time on HWY 12 which was a 2 lane road. If you Happened to get stuck behind a Tractor Hauling Hay you’re Travel Time Could Triple?

That was my Passion Back then & I was in it Up to my ears. Family, Children work and Health eventually cut my path away from all that. 

I would like nothing More than to be capable of trying that again, and maybe one day soon I can try it again?