I do believe that is illegal.
C&R Hi-Powers at Aim Surplus
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I do believe that is illegal.
rdc
Ultimate Member
Yeah. I think getting rid of the import mark is a no-no. I don't know if there are repercussions if it happens to become a lot more faint during refinishing.
TapRackBang
Cheaper Than Diamonds
Importer's serial numbers, at least, cannot be removed:
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-id...text&node=27:3.0.1.2.3&idno=27#se27.3.478_134
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-id...text&node=27:3.0.1.2.3&idno=27#se27.3.478_134
Bertfish
Throw bread on me
Ok I should have noted that, of course, you can not remove the serial number. But I don't see anything there which says I can't get rid of the rest of the markings
Threeband
The M1 Does My Talking
Those dot matrix "engravers" leave little raised burrs around the craters, all bright bare metal. The mark can be polished and refinished with cold blue, cerakote, whatever, and end up less conspicuous and much neater looking. Still perfectly legible, but looking more like it's been there for 60 years.
It looks like the importer repeated the same serial number on the other side of the frame, adding a Z prefix. That's what they did last July.
Why? Same number, although the Z is just asking for confusion. It makes me think they're under pressure to go way beyond the letter of the regulation.
The law says the lettering must be at least 1/16th high, and include the importer's name, the caliber, and the country of origin. It doesn't say where the stamp must be.
Simpson's stamps exactly 1/16th lettering, very inconspicuous. There's no legal reason for the billboards, nor for the extra irrelevant information sometimes included.
I believe AIM's stamp on the Swiss rifles not only says "BERN, SWITZERLAND" (city/arsenal name not needed), but they add a new and different serial number even though the original is perfectly clear. That's just a recipe for confusion if there's ever a need to trace the gun. Bored and underpaid public servant enters a number into his computer: which number? Your gun gets stolen, then recovered, but is never identified because of the multiple serial numbers.
It's for the children.
It looks like the importer repeated the same serial number on the other side of the frame, adding a Z prefix. That's what they did last July.
Why? Same number, although the Z is just asking for confusion. It makes me think they're under pressure to go way beyond the letter of the regulation.
The law says the lettering must be at least 1/16th high, and include the importer's name, the caliber, and the country of origin. It doesn't say where the stamp must be.
Simpson's stamps exactly 1/16th lettering, very inconspicuous. There's no legal reason for the billboards, nor for the extra irrelevant information sometimes included.
I believe AIM's stamp on the Swiss rifles not only says "BERN, SWITZERLAND" (city/arsenal name not needed), but they add a new and different serial number even though the original is perfectly clear. That's just a recipe for confusion if there's ever a need to trace the gun. Bored and underpaid public servant enters a number into his computer: which number? Your gun gets stolen, then recovered, but is never identified because of the multiple serial numbers.
It's for the children.
johnnyb2
Ultimate Member
Depending on how old it is, and if it is a used military side arm, it would not be a bad idea to replace all the springs with Wolff replacements. I also bought one of the AGI video armorer;s DVD's on disassemble and such which was very helpful in showing me how to get rid of the magazine disconnect. Although there are a ton of U tube video's on how to do this. Made a big difference in the trigger feel/pull. I have owned mine since new, in 1972, and even though after about 6-8000 rounds the barrel still shot pretty good, I bought a Bar Sto drop in barrel for $215. They only make these barrels once a year now, so....still excited about it. Have not been able to get out in nice weather and shoot it. I want to shoot it long range now.....no place to go.....:-(.
I could not believe how TIGHT it was, not even a milli milla meter of play in it, none at all. I cannot imagine how a hand fitted barrel could be tighter.
I could not believe how TIGHT it was, not even a milli milla meter of play in it, none at all. I cannot imagine how a hand fitted barrel could be tighter.
Oldcarjunkie
R.I.P
Your old buddy OCJ will get rid of that pesky billboard for ya... 
BigDaddy
Ultimate Member
- Feb 7, 2014
- 2,235
CSI seems to have cornered the market on these. All are in the 230-270 range and similar cosmetics.
I agree
http://www.gunbroker.com/All/BI.aspx?IncludeSellers=2621012
After you get to GB click on 75 items per page and sort by price on the green bar just above the listings themselves.
FEG's, Mauser 80's and Kareens priced lower than FN/Brownings
One of the prettier FEG's or Mausers in the $270 range is probably the best deal on a shooter grade HiPower you will ever see. If you want something made of metal and wood that goes bang with 9mm ... you'll probably never spend a better $230 on ugliness, ever
Coles sets their lighting and camera to show the condition of these in the worst possbile light; each one looks dramatically better to the naked eye. Everyone who buys one from them makes this same comment. I've probably seen 100 people say the same thing on the HiPower forums.
Oldcarjunkie
R.I.P
what is the difference in the brownings they are selling VS the ones AIM had? Age??
Age (qualified for C&R) and AIM had only FN made "original" HiPowers made in Belgium. I'm not sure when, but later FN parts were made in Belgium and finished in Portugal. The cheaper ones Cole has are Hungarian and Israeli made "copies"
Cole has real FN's starting around $400, pretty pitted at that price ... and some pretty ones for more. In this case you are paying more for the name brand. I don't see any C&R FN's on Cole's GB listings right now ... but like I said, they usually sell very well for the seller. AIM's price for C&R HiPowers was a good deal: C&R holders could get them shipped direct and other Marylanders could have them transfered thru an FFL without having their HQL.
Mechanically, the early HiPowers had their ejector lever enclosed inside the slide; later HiPowers (and all the copies) have the ejector lever showing on the outside of the slide. Since this was a 1963 change, all HiPowers with their original slide with the internal ejector are C&R
Oldcarjunkie
R.I.P
Thanks, I seen the made in Belgium on the right side and and was curious.
somd_mustangs
-----
- Jul 1, 2012
- 5,737
"extractor."
Fortunately FN started consistently using S/N's in the late 50's so they can be more readily dated.
Note that the early numbering scheme used by FN was often to a contract so there is great potential for duplicate S/N's.
That may be why "Z" or another prefix is added by the importer?
http://www.browning.com/customerservice/dategun/detail.asp?id=35
Machodoc
Old Guy
I've bought a few guns from Coles, and have watched their auctions pretty closely for a pretty long time. My impression is that they seem to buy the guns that are culled out after other dealers and distributors have picked up the cream of the crop. This is not to denigrate them. They have good shooters for often-great prices, but you don't see many really nice collector examples there unless an unusually-marked example slips through ... as sometimes happens.
I think that I saw a serial number list that included a pretty large bloc of guns where the serial number was known to have been duplicated.
In any case, an early FN Hi Power was on my list, so I'll see how these look later in the week, I guess.
You could be right.
Sometimes there is a real gem, like a true unmolested German occupation HP. Very often there are FN HP's that have such a small spec/freckle that I doubt another retailer passed on it. About as often as the Mausers & Luger M80's there are FEG counterfeit FN's in condition that I doubt other retailers would recognize as not made by FN; Cole identifies them as such, the guns sell and Cole has a clear conscience.
It is confusing. My theory is that they got ahold of a pipeline to the biggest cache of surplus HP's in the world. So many are poor simply because they were not stored well.
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Bertfish
Throw bread on me
FFL accepted via email, crossing my fingers and hoping for a fine specimen!
Machodoc
Old Guy
Got a BBT truck delivery notice for tomorrow--one that requires an adult signature.
rdc
Ultimate Member
When did you place your order?
Machodoc
Old Guy
My error. That turned out to be another order--don't tell the missus. But I did get a 2-day UPS notice today from AIM, so maybe the FN will come in on Wednesday.
BTW - I ordered mine on Friday afternoon. Yep, I know that I could buy a cheaper Hi Power, and probably one that would turn out to be in better condition (hoping this one will be nice), but I have wanted an actual Belgian FN HP with a good steel frame.
Bertfish
Throw bread on me
I got the same thing. Maybe we'll have them Wednesday
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