Fn nazi waffenamt p35
 

This is a FN highpower wartime manufactured? pistol that is in my brothers collection. He aquired this pistol about three months ago from a colector. Waffenamt marked 103. Well worn looks only about 40% finish left. Any input would be appreciated on this piece.

Per James Brown's FN Browning pistols pg 296,

"From April 1941 until November/December 1941 the 103 inspection mark was used before switching to the 140 marking. Approx serial number ranges for the 103 tangent pistols is 65285-93000. 27,715 pistols accepted with an average of 3,464 a month."

These would be the up there with the top collectable P35 wartime pistols behind the 613 inspection marked early occupation guns or the the 103/613 transition marked pieces.

Looks like correct split tail mag, does it have any markings?

Looks like it has old dried up oil/grease/Cosmoline here and there... :p

Does it have the stock slot cut in the grip???

A 103 would not have a stock slot.

613 between sn 50,000 and (approx) sn 52,200 would have a stock slot.

Nice pistol!

Really? I would have thought anything with a tangent sight would have stock provision...What use is a 1000 meter pistol without a shoulder stock??? :p

You ask a good question.

But first of all, the sights only went to 500 meters.

The Germans did not (new) manufacture Hi Powers with the stock slot and tangent sight, or just the tangent sight. When they took over the factory there were these parts of Hi Powers around and they used them. When they ran out of slotted frames, they then manufactured frames without slots. When they ran out of slides, they then made slides without the tangent sights.

There are a couple of speculations with respect to the above (based on common sense) but they are neither here or there as
there is no data as to them.