Before the High Power was the FN Grand Rendement

The Browning High Power story begins with a French 1921 request for a new military pistol. FN engineer Dieudonné Saive developed a double stack, single feed magazine and John Browning adapted a Browning 1903 pistol to use it, and this was sent to France for consideration. This pistol worked well enough, but the French trials board requested changes...and they would continue requesting changes and more trials for the next decade.

By 1931, FN felt that the current iteration of the pistol - while still not meeting all the French requirements - was good enough to stand on its own as a service pistol for the Belgian Army and other clients. They named it the "Grand Rendement" (High Efficiency) and began marketing it. The Belgian Army showed a definite interest, and bought 1,000 pistols for field trials, based on the prototype example we have in today's video. These would become the Grande Puissance, aka the High Power.

For more details on this and other FN Browning pistols, I highly recommend Anthony Vanderlinden's "FN Browning Pistols", soon to be released in its third edition:

[TorquilBletchleySmythe]

I really enjoy it when we get a true Forgotten Weapon, one only a handful of people have ever seen or held. Thanks again for great content

[thegraytemplar]

Reading and hearing from you about the French interwar handgun trials shows that the French army likely never heard of the phrase “don’t let Perfect be the enemy of Good”

[nicolaspeigne]

The french army like to keep their magazines for decades.
In my time in the french army, i had a FAMAS F1 that was working like a charm, but all the mags were the early "disposable" mags, 1 in 3 of those mags are very very prone to firearm malfunctions.
Some mags could go no problem through the 25 rounds, others would make malfunction every 3 rounds.

[chrism]

One of the favorite pistols that I own is a Browning Hi-Power that I obtained in VN during my tour with USSF there. I brought it back as a "war souvenir" which I could do because it was not made in the US. A curious rule, but that is the way it was. I still enjoy shooting it. I had another one that I had purchased before I went to VN which was very close in serial # to the one I brought back. I eventually sold the one I had bought earlier, as I had a friend who wanted it and I did not need two examples that were the same design. I sometimes carried the Hi-Power in VN in lieu of my issued 1911A1.

[fratercontenduntocculta]

The one pistol on my surplus wish list right now. I have several friends who own HP's or clones who tell me endlessly about how much they love having theirs.

[jamesfairmind]

The greatest historical tragedy is that JMB could not use the stirrup trigger in the Browning HP because the patent ran for another 2 years and the French could not wait. Just imagine if we could have had that ! We know it would have worked because of the Para Ordnance P 14 and other double stack 1911's. A 1911 trigger in this beautiful 9mm! What a dream gun that would have been!

[joshuarebennack]

"Let's go back to the beginning of the story..." My favorite thing for Ian to say.

[russbetts]

As ever, Ian, a brilliant presentation of facts about my favourite pistol. Thank you. Must buy myself a copy of the new expanded 3rd Edition of the FN Browning Pistols.

[cameronmccreary]

I remember at a Los Angeles gunshow in the 1970s seeing one of these pistols. The workmanship was impeccable. I was able to look at it and it would have been great to have this model rather than the later version. The Los Angeles gunshows had all kinds of rare firearms back then.

[ningayeti]

Has anyone ever made a mag release where a soft press allows the mag to be partially ejected from the gun so as to protect it from hitting the ground and where a hard press forcefully ejects the mag for an emergency reload?

[wacky]

Serial number 205 !
That is a jewel of gold.

[aphale]

What an amazing gun. I own an Argentinian Clone (previously licensed) FM M95 (Fabricaciones Militares Modelo 95) and is an absolute delight to shoot with.
A design 100 years old that still holds strong.

[sonandsanford]

Thanks for the upload and info. I (sort of) accidentally bought a BHP in 2014. I was doing construction on a street across from a gun shop and would visit during lunch. I didn't own a gun at the time and fell in love with the Shield 9mm during one visit so I laid it away. I went in another time to pay on it and there was the BHP. Out of curiosity I asked about it and the salesman and another customer gave me the details on how great it was so I laid it away also still with little knowledge of it. I paid 600.00 for it and very happy with the purchase. It looked brand new but my researching dated it 1995. I was selfishly happy when it was discontinued and sad on its return into production. Oh well... I hope the value continues upwards.

[richardlahan]

My dad has Belgian Browning High Power. Great classic gun.

[zbyszanna]

Browning HP is one of the coolest guns ever.

[dayExploit]

I saw this gun in the Rock Island catalog for a recent auction and was hoping Ian might do something about it. BH Spring Solutions also has some good videos on the GR/HP evolution.

[ebm]

When i see the fireplace behind Ian i know it's going to be a very special weapon.

[marcelorezende]

Your channel must be the best and more knowledgeable gun channel in internet. I had never heard about this gun, let alone saw it. You deserve my most sincere complements. Greetings from Brazil!

[cbroz]

Excellent stuff, my friend...in another week I'll be giving a presentation to our collectors club in Lake Worth(less) on St John of Browning..I've ordered one of Vanderlinden's books from that large Brazilian river and another on the history of FN...The big book of his is beyond my means...

[QuickStrikes]

Very educational. I did not know how little Browning had a hand in designing it. Thank you for the video!