[tex45acp]

I stopped in a gunstore yesterday looking for a box of shells for my .308 rifle and as I passed the guncase saw a hi power....but this one was a little different. I noticed that the serial number in the front grip panel was noticably bright silver and well defined. I asked to see the gun. It was a new in box .40, but I also noted that the reason the serial number was like it was, is that it looked like it had been machine engraved, not stencil stamped and since it was not blued, really shone like a new dime, against the black surface. Thats when I really looked at both the frame and slide closely. It was not blued, rather it had some sort of coating on it. The coating resembeled the Armor-Tuff coating on my Wilson Combat CQB. It had all the newer Browning accessories, like the larger thumb safety, spring eject 10 round mags and the three white line fixed sights. I didn't know that Browning offered the coatings on their guns.....I even suspect that because of the brightness of the serial number, the frame might have been a lightweight material such as aluminum. But that's just a thought and I am probably all wrong....or am I????

tex

 

[Bob Reed]

Hello:

It sounds like you saw a MKIII Browning HP. The MKIII's have a Black Epoxy Finish and the bars on the sights are painted white.

The MKIII Model was introduced 1988 and it's still in production.

The machine cut serial numbers have been used for several years now.

The frame is cast steel.

 

[tex45acp]

Thank you Mr. Reed.

 

[Jimmy123x]

Mr. Reed is very accurate with it. BUT, I haven't seen the Browning stamped ones with the serial numbers in the color you're talking about. It sounds like an FN stamped one (mark III). I have one just like it. If it came with 3 magazines it is FN.

 

[Bob Reed]

Hello:

Keep in mind, regardless whether The High Power has FN Rollmarks, FNH-USA Rollmarks or Browning Rollmarks, their all made on the same machines in the same factory.

The serial numbers are being cut after the epoxy finish has been applied, and the numbers are left in "the white" i.e. bare steel. This is why they stand out so against the black finish.

I just checked a .40cal MKIII Browning with 2001 production "MZ" date code, and it has the machine cut numbers that's left in the white.

I have seen some production runs with deeper & rougher cut numbers than others.