my local gun shop has a Belgium browning high power it's beautiful gun like new 1979 model but they want 1900 for it, have they gone up that much?

Asking prices on GunBroker have gone up that much.

There must be Millennials out there with money to burn. Those are the only people who I can envision paying that much for a firearm that was in production for 82 years.

Maybe it’s a T-series with an original ring hammer. I forget at what point they switched from T-series serial numbers to C-series serial numbers.

With both Springfield Armory and Girsan making copies, I can’t see the point of paying these insane prices.

I looked in Gunbroker, the $1900 range seems common for that vintage.

I have a very old FN Hi Power, an ‘A’ before the serial number. I’d have to look up the history again. As I recall, it was made after the allies took back the plant from the Germans.

My 1989 BHP is my absolutely favorite gun to shoot. I bought it about 5-6 years ago at a regional gun show because the ergonomics were amazing and the heavily modded trigger was incredible. I had night sights added, refinished by CCR, replaced the guide rode and grips, etc.

So yes, I can believe folks are paying that much for one. That said, there must be hundreds of thousands of them.

Holy smokes, I had no idea they went for that.. I have one from that vintage and I have shot it a lot, great shooting gun. I smoothed out the trigger and added adjustable sights...Very accurate and does not mess up... 1900, I think I paid 400 new...

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Originally posted by 1860ARMY:
Holy smokes, I had no idea they went for that..
... 1900, I think I paid 400 new...

That's about when they first came out and they were a lot less expensive back then.....

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Originally posted by XLT:
my local gun shop has a Belgium browning high power it's beautiful gun like new 1979 model but they want 1900 for it, have they gone up that much?

My buddies father died about a year ago and had a massive collection of guns. He had two of the Belgium Hi Powers and a Canadien one in great shape. I better not tell him about that price as he sold the whole lot off for one price. He got $14k for over 120 guns. Most were Chinese rifles from the Korean War. I’m not a rifle guy but they looked like crap to me. He kept a handful of Glocks and packaged the rest up. I wish I knew those Hi Powers went for that much.

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Originally posted by Broadside:
Asking prices on GunBroker have gone up that much.

There's the key: "Asking" price.

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There must be Millennials out there with money to burn. Those are the only people who I can envision paying that much for a firearm that was in production for 82 years.

Prewar FN High Powers are scarce and collectible. FN wartime production was taken over by the Nazis and the High Power was issued the 640(b) IIRC and these are also collectible.

Beginning In late 1954, Browning Arms began importing the FN High Power into the United States and production continued into the first years of the 21st Century.

The High Power is in no way a scarce pistol, and there is no reason to bend over and let someone screw you for 1900 dollars for an example.

In 1973 I bought a HP with fixed sites for 99.00 brand new, adjustable was going for 109.00.

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Originally posted by blueye:
In 1973 I bought a HP with fixed sites for 99.00 brand new

Adjusted for inflation, that's equivalent to about $725 today.

sounds like they are going the same route as the hkp7m8 I had 3 jubilees with the walnut case and the coin bnib I think I sold them for 1200 each.

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Maybe it’s a T-series with an original ring hammer. I forget at what point they switched from T-series serial numbers to C-series serial numbers.

https://www.browning.com/suppo...hi-power-pistol.html

Browning states in the above link that the T-series production ended in early 1969 with the last s/n being T-261000. For a long time the Ts were the coveted postwar Hippos. Now it appears that the same kind of infatuation has spread to later vintages. Who knew? Maybe its rise in desirability is in part due to its placement in video games, in addition to countless movies and TV episodes. That in itself could make it popular among younger gun enthusiasts.

Getting back to the T-series: other sources on the web have recently been claiming that T-series production ran until 1972 or even as late as 1975, which contradicts what Browning has posted on their own website. I'd guess that it's more probable that it could have taken that amount of time to finally ship and sell off the last of the T-series production, while also shipping the subsequent successor C-series at the same time. After all, remember how long it took SIG to sell off their P-SIGs with 'Made in West Germany' slides after German reunification.

I'm going to swing by there again and I will look and see if it's a t series.

If it's from 1979, its not a T-series.

it looks much better in person imo. 1975 model

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Originally posted by XLT:
sounds like they are going the same route as the hkp7m8 I had 3 jubilees with the walnut case and the coin bnib I think I sold them for 1200 each.

Oh my, wasn't msrp more than that? Those would probably sell for around $4,500 now.

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Originally posted by ridewv:

quote:

Originally posted by XLT:
sounds like they are going the same route as the hkp7m8 I had 3 jubilees with the walnut case and the coin bnib I think I sold them for 1200 each.

Oh my, wasn't msrp more than that? Those would probably sell for around $4,500 now.

I think I paid 900 each for them off gun broker all matching ser # thought I was making a killing at 1200 lol

In california, you can't get a Hi Power unless it is over 50 years old, or you find someone you can physically meet at a gun shop, or on a local gun shop shelf. Our handgun list prohibits anything not on it, unless it is a Curio and Relic [over 50 years old].

Hi Powers fell off the roster a year or two ago. Girsan just got on the roster though.

As a result, stupid prices are being agreed to out here by those who want one, due to limited access.

I will confess to paying 'stupid' prices, but only for one: a 1987 Browning Hi Power GP Competition.

Noticed what looks to be a really clean 1966 T-series on That Auction Site for a $1200 starting bid (no bidders). Looks nicer than my '68 T but it's also about double what I paid for mine about 12 years ago.

Also on the site: it seems that well-used Hi Powers are still 3-digit pistols, though positioned closer to $1000 than zero. The prettier, unfired or low round count so-proclaimed "collector-quality" examples seem to consistently have the $1500 and up starting price points. Everything else appears to be in-between...well, aside from any of the more marginal ones demanding ludicrous prices by clearly delusional sellers.

Then again I never would've imagined that a pair of take-off, plain jane plastic factory SIG P-series grips (pre-E²) would ever have $100-$125 asking prices either, more than some of the superior aftermarket Hogue G10 models that were the reason why SIG owners replaced the factory grips in the first place. But there they are on GB.

Good night! I’ve got a Centennial Edition, original grips, presentation box, excellent condition. Wonder what it’s worth?