From the Vault: Inglis Browning Hi-Power

Caleb reached into his personal gun vault and pulled out this Mark I Browning Hi-Power made by John Inglis & Co. in Canada. The P35 or Hi-Power, was one of the first autoloading pistols with a staggered-stack, high-capacity magazine (13, later 15, rounds). The name is a slight mistranslation of the French "grande puissance," which in turn is a slight misnomer for "high-capacity" (magazine). It's also unique in being manufactured and issued to the militaries of BOTH sides in World War II. Hi-Powers were made by Inglis for the British and Chinese and at the Fabrique Nationale factory in occupied Belgium for the Germans. Caleb's gun lacks the tangent rear sight and tang cut for the optional shoulder stock that are highly desired by collectors, nor is it one of the Chinese contract Hi-Powers, but it was manufactured at the same time. It came to him as a "rescue gun" covered with rust and crude layers of paint. He cleaned it up, re-blued it, added the nice checkered grips, gave it an action job - and turned it into the showpiece you see here. But it's still a working gun, second only to his SIG P226 as his favorite carry gun. The classy Hi-Power is more of a "goin' out on Saturday night," church, and barbecue gun, properly carried in a good leather rig. Does your carry gun have a similar "cool factor"? Tell us about it in the comments!