German made Hi Power
- Thread starter kab37
- Start date
Several years ago a co-worker came to me with a problem. He said that since I had some handgun knowledge I might be able to help him. He had a pistol that was once his father's but it would not function properly.
Turns out his father had served in Europe during WWII and came back with a Nazi built Hi-Power. I did not take any photos of this gun but I remember it had the Nazi proof marks.
As my co-worker said, the gun was not functional. I do not know if it was deliberate sabotage or just so poorly made that it would not function. The sear spring was bent out of shape and would not apply proper tension to the sear. The sear and hammer also looked to be so poorly made that even if the sear spring was correct I would not trust that the hammer would stay cocked. I remember that after bending the sear spring to a shape to approximate one that I had in my parts bin, the hammer would still not stay cocked. I could push it forward and it would fall. No trigger pull needed to drop the hammer.
I replaced the suspect parts with current production Hi-Power parts that I had on hand. I shot the gun and it shot perfectly with the new parts. I cannot say if the frame or slide would hold up but I had no reason to doubt that with proper ammo it would continue to shoot for a very long time.
Turns out his father had served in Europe during WWII and came back with a Nazi built Hi-Power. I did not take any photos of this gun but I remember it had the Nazi proof marks.
As my co-worker said, the gun was not functional. I do not know if it was deliberate sabotage or just so poorly made that it would not function. The sear spring was bent out of shape and would not apply proper tension to the sear. The sear and hammer also looked to be so poorly made that even if the sear spring was correct I would not trust that the hammer would stay cocked. I remember that after bending the sear spring to a shape to approximate one that I had in my parts bin, the hammer would still not stay cocked. I could push it forward and it would fall. No trigger pull needed to drop the hammer.
I replaced the suspect parts with current production Hi-Power parts that I had on hand. I shot the gun and it shot perfectly with the new parts. I cannot say if the frame or slide would hold up but I had no reason to doubt that with proper ammo it would continue to shoot for a very long time.
Last edited:
I have encountered two wartime BHP's that were very soft. One barrel was so soft that the lugs battered after friring 20 rounds. The owner filed down the raised metal, and it fired OK, but for only another 15 rounds. He never did get it to fire a full box. The second had a similar problem but the slide and barrel were both soft. I am sure some are OK, but I advise folks to consider those guns collectors' items and not practical guns.
I have read that sabotage in Belgium took the route of spoiling the steel batches or messing up the heat treatment; apparently those were the easiest flaws to slip by the German inspectors, who were not metallurgists.
Jim
I have read that sabotage in Belgium took the route of spoiling the steel batches or messing up the heat treatment; apparently those were the easiest flaws to slip by the German inspectors, who were not metallurgists.
Jim
I had one about 45 years ago when I was in the army and stationed in Germany. It worked fine, though I wasn't able to shoot it extensively. However, it is highly likely that less well made pistols and other arms were produced as time went on, for more than one reason, including intentionally poor work. Pre-war weapons that were captured by the Germans would probably have been marked by the Germans, too.
Will Beararms
New member
They weren't German-made. They were made in Belgium under German occupation. This is reason we mandate that any company whether foreign-owned or not, must make our military small arms on our soil if I have my facts straight.
There was a lot of sabotage going on and some of it came from the slaves German's used to build a lot of their materiel.
Since I was on TFL earlier, I have worked through my bias against German people. Those alive today had nothing to do with what went on during the war. Generally speaking, they are bright, industrious people and many of the innovations you and I enjoy today came from research done during the reign of the Third Reich. In fact it's amazing. The lines of the Sigs and HKs are awe inspiring imho and fwiw.
Having family members on mom's side of Hebrew origin ----- some with ties to the holocaust, I was dead set against all things Deutschland most of my life. I now understand we can't hold it against someone just because they are German anymore than we can castigate Southern people in America for slavery nor should we.
Sorry to rant here and for taking this off track. Thanks for hearing me out.
I would research your serial number and find out exactly when it was made and try to make sure it was not sabotaged. The gun store owner may have checked this out first before he bought it.
What if this one was made before the sabotage occurred and the Nazi Proof marks were stamped on after the fact?
There was a lot of sabotage going on and some of it came from the slaves German's used to build a lot of their materiel.
Since I was on TFL earlier, I have worked through my bias against German people. Those alive today had nothing to do with what went on during the war. Generally speaking, they are bright, industrious people and many of the innovations you and I enjoy today came from research done during the reign of the Third Reich. In fact it's amazing. The lines of the Sigs and HKs are awe inspiring imho and fwiw.
Having family members on mom's side of Hebrew origin ----- some with ties to the holocaust, I was dead set against all things Deutschland most of my life. I now understand we can't hold it against someone just because they are German anymore than we can castigate Southern people in America for slavery nor should we.
Sorry to rant here and for taking this off track. Thanks for hearing me out.
I would research your serial number and find out exactly when it was made and try to make sure it was not sabotaged. The gun store owner may have checked this out first before he bought it.
What if this one was made before the sabotage occurred and the Nazi Proof marks were stamped on after the fact?
RockyMtnTactical
New member
Interesting history lesson. Thanks.
HisSoldier
New member
Another tidbit about the Nazi HP's, the Germans, understanding guns much better than more Europeans, mandated that their HP's have no stupid worthless mag safety, which is a huge plus for those .0002% noisy tortphobics who say you shouldn't remove it from an HP that has one installed. No lawyer in the world could say you bought the Nazi version JUST so you wouldn't have the worthless mag safety. 
(The whole argument is sooooo silly!)
(The whole argument is sooooo silly!)While there were deliberate attempts at sabotage going on, some of the problems also stemmed from the fact that the work force was inexperienced due to being "forced" labor. Hence, some of the problems. such as improper hardening and heat treating, were a result of lack of skill