High Power WWII Bring Back

[Claymore504]

So, my Father in Law's dad was a WWII, Korea and Nam US Army Veteran. I got to meet him once before he passed away. Not very talkative as one would guess. He did speak to me a little once he found out I am a US Army OIF vet. Anyways, my Father In Law told me about a handgun that his dad brought back from WWII and left to him when he died. I finally asked him to bring it over to the house and found out it is the High Power you see below.

From what he remembers, his dad told him he took it off of a Nazi Lt. He has the orinal grips somewhere, but thinks one is broken. The Pacmyer grips were put one since his dad was using it for home defense up until he died. I convinced him to leave it with me so I could go through it and clean it up to ensure it is preserved. From what research I have done it looks like it is a FN factory German occupation made gun since it has no magizine dissconnect safety. That matched the details my Father in Law said that his dad told him he got it in 1943 or 1944.

Overall it is in pretty good shape I think. Just wish the original grips were on it. You high Power experts chime in if you have more details! I tried to take close ups of markings I found on it.

[Gunnerdad80]

Nice piece. I can’t help with info but I’m finding myself more and more interested in High Power pistols. I’m not as much of a stickler for condition when a gun has a back-story like that. Do you plan to ask your father-in-law about the possibility of shooting it?

[Here2learn]

Ask him, if he finds the original grips, to keep them WITH it, but NOT on it.  You don't want the originals deteriorating more from handling. JMHO.

[Claymore504]

Ask him, if he finds the original grips, to keep them WITH it, but NOT on it.  You don't want the originals deteriorating more from handling. JMHO.

Good idea. I told him to please look for them and just know he has them. We can see exactly what is wrong with them and go from there. Storing them not on the gun is a good idea. I think we may put a few rounds through it soon.

He is not familiar with CZ handguns really. So, I brought out my 75b when he came to get the FN back. He was impressed with how much better the CZ felt in hand as far as ergonomics and he was suprised with how much better the CZ trigger was. The FN trigger pull is REALLY heavy!

[Tanners Owner]

Great story and history. That gun is a keeper on its history alone

[eastman]

That is a great historical artifact. My WWII HiPower is one of the Canadian-made pistols.

[bang bang]

nice piece of history.

something you may want to do.

 > document the provenance somewhere and someplace. 

 > get all that info a document. who/what/where.   overtime, people die/forget.

[AZ_CZ]

That’s pretty cool! Be careful shooting the HiPower. It’s just as easy to pick up the Browning bug as CZitis. A tuned HiPower is a joy to shoot.

[Oldbear]

Nice HP and cool story.   My Uncle Paul landed on D +3 and was there until the end of the war.   Back in the early 70’s I had a HP and was showing it to my Dad when Uncle comes in.  He then started talking about a “German pistol” he’d brought home ( taken off a Captain). Said he’d shot it some when he first got home but it quit working and he stuck it in the closet .  I’d read about substandard US 9 in the forties, so asked him to bring it over.   Turned out to be a cherry P-38 with holster, belt and 2 mags.  I cleaned it and oiled it and it promptly ran 200 rounds without a hitch.  Uncles old ammo was the problem.    Only problem with pistol was my uncle had scratched his initials PW in big letters on the right side of the slide.   When I asked why, he said “I had a nice Lugar and some SOB stole it.  I wanted to be sure  I could identify this pistol”.

[Gunnerdad80]

Nice HP and cool story.   My Uncle Paul landed on D +3 and was there until the end of the war.   Back in the early 70’s I had a HP and was showing it to my Dad when Uncle comes in.  He then started talking about a “German pistol” he’d brought home ( taken off a Captain). Said he’d shot it some when he first got home but it quit working and he stuck it in the closet .  I’d read about substandard US 9 in the forties, so asked him to bring it over.   Turned out to be a cherry P-38 with holster, belt and 2 mags.  I cleaned it and oiled it and it promptly ran 200 rounds without a hitch.  Uncles old ammo was the problem.    Only problem with pistol was my uncle had scratched his initials PW in big letters on the right side of the slide.   When I asked why, he said “I had a nice Lugar and some SOB stole it.  I wanted to be sure  I could identify this pistol”.

Can you post some pics of the P-38?

[Claymore504]

Nice HP and cool story.   My Uncle Paul landed on D +3 and was there until the end of the war.   Back in the early 70’s I had a HP and was showing it to my Dad when Uncle comes in.  He then started talking about a “German pistol” he’d brought home ( taken off a Captain). Said he’d shot it some when he first got home but it quit working and he stuck it in the closet .  I’d read about substandard US 9 in the forties, so asked him to bring it over.   Turned out to be a cherry P-38 with holster, belt and 2 mags.  I cleaned it and oiled it and it promptly ran 200 rounds without a hitch.  Uncles old ammo was the problem.    Only problem with pistol was my uncle had scratched his initials PW in big letters on the right side of the slide.   When I asked why, he said “I had a nice Lugar and some SOB stole it.  I wanted to be sure  I could identify this pistol”.

Can you post some pics of the P-38?

Awesome story! Yes please post pictures of the P-38! That is one gun I would love to get one of. I have loved that gun since I was a kid. May sound lame, but when I was a kid, my dad gave me a P-38 replica pellet gun and I loved that thing. Had with me all the time. Always swore I would get a real one when I got older. Never have yet. A guy in my unit let me fire his and it was sweet!

[Gma8877]

Enjoyed reading about pieces of history from WWII. Since my dad was in WWII all things from that period interest me especially Planes and guns!

[jurek]

Enjoyed reading about pieces of history from WWII. Since my dad was in WWII all things from that period interest me especially Planes and guns!

Gma8877, if you like such histories, look into VIS35  - one of the best pistols before and during WWII. Made in Poland, based on Colt M1911A1... however it also had a lot common with Hi-Power. Unfortunately Germans took over the factory and after WWII moved machinery to Steyr Works in Austria... and that was end of this great firearm 

[eastman]

Enjoyed reading about pieces of history from WWII. Since my dad was in WWII all things from that period interest me especially Planes and guns!

Gma8877, if you like such histories, look into VIS35  - one of the best pistols before and during WWII. Made in Poland, based on Colt M1911A1... however it also had a lot common with Hi-Power. Unfortunately Germans took over the factory and after WWII moved machinery to Steyr Works in Austria... and that was end of this great firearm 

The VIS35 was unusual being the only SAO pistol I know of with a de-cocker

[Claymore504]

Enjoyed reading about pieces of history from WWII. Since my dad was in WWII all things from that period interest me especially Planes and guns!

Gma8877, if you like such histories, look into VIS35  - one of the best pistols before and during WWII. Made in Poland, based on Colt M1911A1... however it also had a lot common with Hi-Power. Unfortunately Germans took over the factory and after WWII moved machinery to Steyr Works in Austria... and that was end of this great firearm 

Sounds very interesting. Will look into it for sure!