10/29/18 - This is an extremely rare find - an early Hi Power that was captured in the Arsenal by the German troops before it could be issued to the Belgian military. There are only a few known to exist, and this pistol is documented in Anthony Vanderlinden's FN Browning Pistols book. This pistol was delivered to the MAE arsenal on May 7th of 1940, just three days before the German invasion. It has the correct FN applied military parts acceptance markings but not the final arsenal acceptance marking as applied to the frame and trigger guard. The Germans seized the arsenal before this pistol could be accepted and issued to a Belgian officer. The pistol is all matching and original with stock slotted frame and tangent sight on slide. The frame is serialized under the right grip panel - standard for Belgian military. Minty wooden grips with correct, early red painted interior. Bluing rates in the low 90s with majority of finish loss along the top and high edges of the slide, with a little more on the front strap/trigger guard. Bore has good rifling but frosting and freckling throughout.
