When Germany occupied Belgium in the summer of 1940, the took over the FN factory complex and ordered production of the High Power pistol to continue. It was put into German service as the Pistole 640(b), and nearly 325,000 of them were made between 1940 and 1944. The first ones were simply assembled from finished Belgian contact parts, and included all the features like shoulder stock slots and 500m tangent rear sights. As the war continued, however, production was simplified. The stock slots disappeared first, then the tangent sights, then the wooden grips (replaced by bakelite) and eventually even the magazine safety was omitted. Resistance among Belgian factory workers increased as well, with deliberate sabotage in the form of incorrect heat treating, errors in fine tolerance parts, and sometimes even spending lots of time to give a very fine surface finish instead of making more pistols.
These are a particularly popular subject of collecting, and there are a lot of nuances of the production and inspection marks that are worth understanding if you want to take them seriously. I highly recommend Anthony Vanderlinden’s 2-volume book “FN Browning Pistols” for very good detail on these, as well as other FN handguns: amzn.to/42Bc541
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German Occupation FN High Power Pistols
This video delves into the history of the Browning High Power pistols produced during the German occupation of Belgium in World War II. Host Ian McCullum discusses the variations, production processes, and the impact of German control on quality and design over the course of the war, highlighting the transition from Belgian to German production methods and the eventual decline in manufacturing standards due to resource shortages and sabotage by Belgian workers.
Key Points
Introduction to Browning High Power Pistols
Ian McCullum introduces a pair of German occupation Browning High Power pistols, explaining their significance and the variety of models produced during WWII. The video aims to trace the history from the start of the German occupation of Belgium to the end of high power production.
Belgian Production and German Occupation
Before the German occupation, Belgian produced the GP35 High Power pistols for their army. After Germany's invasion in 1940, the Belgians were forced to surrender their arms, including the high power pistols, which were integrated into German military service immediately.
Control and Production by FN
Despite being occupied, the Germans allowed the FN factory to continue producing High Power pistols due to their compatibility with German ammunition, unlike other captured factories. This section covers the transition in handguns from Belgian firearms to those assembled under German control.
Quality Decline Over Time
As the war progressed, the quality of the German production of high power pistols declined due to increased production demands and resource shortages, indicative of the challenges faced by manufacturers during wartime.
Serial Numbering and Markings
Discussions about the serial numbering system change during production, specifically how the Germans started their numbering at 50,000 to avoid overlaps and how they marked the pistols during both assembly and production, often omitting distinct German markings.
Simplification Changes
Starting in December 1940, the German military began making design simplifications to the High Power pistols, removing features like stock slots and tangent sights as part of their effort to streamline production.
Impact of Sabotage and Material Shortages
Belgian workers engaged in acts of sabotage during the waning years of the war, including either poor production quality or deliberately making finer guns to slow down the production rate, revealing resistance to German manufacturing control.
Post-War Production and Legacy
After the war, as FN reopens production for Allied troops, many mismatched parts and unfinished firearms are assembled, marking a continuation of the legacy of the High Power pistols from WWII into the post-war era.