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| Browning Hi-Power | |
|---|---|
 Fabrique Nationale Browning Hi-Power Mark III | |
| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin |
|
| Service history | |
| In service | 1935–present[1] |
| Used by | SeeUsers |
| Wars |
|
| Production history | |
| Designer | |
| Designed | 1914–1935[1] |
| Manufacturer | |
| Produced | 1935–present |
| No. built | 1,500,000+[5] |
| Variants | SeeVariants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 915 g (32 oz)[1] |
| Length | 199 mm (7.8 in)[1] |
| Barrel length | 118 mm (4.65 in)[1] |
| Height | 127.5 mm (5.01 in) |
| Cartridge | |
| Action | Short recoil operated tilting barrel |
| Rate of fire | Semi-automatic |
| Muzzle velocity | 335 m/s(1,100 ft/s) (9mm)[1] |
| Effective firing range | 50 m (54.7 yd) |
| Feed system | Detachable boxmagazine
|
TheBrowning Hi-Power or1935 Browning 9mm GP orGrand Puissance pistol is a single-action,semi-automatic pistol available in the9×19mm Parabellum and.40 S&W calibers. It was based on a design by American firearms inventorJohn Browning, and completed byDieudonné Saive atFN Herstal. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized. FN Herstal named it the "High Power" in allusion to the 13-round magazine capacity, almost twice that of other designs at the time, such as theWalther P38 orColt M1911.
DuringWorld War II, Belgium wasoccupied byNazi Germany and the FN factory was used by theWehrmacht to build the pistols for their military, under the designation "9mm Pistole 640(b)".[6] FN Herstal continued to build guns for the Allied forces by moving their production line to aJohn Inglis and Company plant in Canada, where the name was changed to "Hi Power". The name change was kept even after production returned to Belgium. The pistol is often referred to as anHP orBHP,[7] and the termsP-35 andHP-35 are also used, based on the introduction of the pistol in 1935. Other names includeGP (after the French termgrande puissance) orBAP (Browning Automatic Pistol). The Hi-Power is one of the most widely used military pistols in history,[8] having been used by the armed forces of over 50 countries.[1] Although most pistols were built in Belgium by FN Herstal, licensed and unlicensed copies were built around the world, in countries such as Argentina, Hungary, India, Bulgaria, and Israel.
After 82 years of continuous production, FN Herstal announced that the production of the Hi-Power would end, and it was discontinued in early 2018 by Browning Arms.[9] From 2019 to 2022, with new Belgian Hi-Powers no longer being built, new clones were designed by various firearm companies to fill the void, includingGİRSAN,TİSAŞ, andSpringfield Armory, Inc. These new Hi-Power clones began competing with each other by offering new finishes, enhanced sights, redesigned hammers, bevelled magazine wells, improved trigger, and increased magazine capacity.[10][11]
In 2022, FN announced they would resume production of the Browning Hi-Power. The 2022 "FN High Power" incorporated a number of entirely new features such as a fully ambidextrous slide lock, simplified takedown method, enlarged ejection port, reversible magazine release, wider slide serrations, different colored finish offerings, and 17-round magazines. In contrast to popular belief, the new FN High Power might resemble a modern Hi-Power, but it is, in fact, a different design. One of the noticeable details is the lack of Browning-style locking lugs.[12]
The Browning Hi-Power was designed in response to a French military requirement for a new service pistol in the name of “GP” (French:Grand Rendement,lit. 'High efficiency';French:Grande Puissance,lit. 'High Power').
The French military required that:
This last criterion was seen to demand acaliber of 9 mm (0.35 in) or larger, a bullet mass of around 8 g (120 gr), and a muzzle velocity of 350 m/s (1,100 ft/s). It was to accomplish all of this at a weight not exceeding 1 kg (2.2 lb).
FN commissioned John Browning to design a new military sidearm conforming to this specification. Browning had previously sold the rights to his successfulM1911 U.S. Army automatic pistol to Colt's Patent Firearms, and was therefore forced to design an entirely new pistol while working around the M1911 patents. Browning built two different prototypes for the project in Utah and filed the patent for this pistol in the United States on 28 June 1923, granted on 22 February 1927.[13][14] One was a simpleblowback design, while the other was operated with alocked-breech recoil system. Both prototypes utilised the new staggered magazine design (by designerDieudonné Saive) to increase capacity without unduly increasing the pistol's grip size or magazine length.
The locked breech design was selected for further development and testing. This model wasstriker-fired, and featured a double-stack magazine that held 16 rounds. The design was refined through several trials held by the Versailles Trial Commission.
In 1928, when the patents for the Colt Model 1911 had expired, Dieudonné Saive integrated many of the Colt's previously patented features into the Saive-Browning Model of that same year. This version featured the removable barrel bushing and take down sequence of the Colt 1911.
In 1929, as an effort to find an alternative solution to the long-ongoing French trials, and with a pistol that they considered by then to be good enough to stand on its own to find other potential clients, FN decided to announce the "Grand Rendement", incorporating a shortened 13-round magazine, for sale in their commercial catalogue. They hoped to find a military contract which would in turn help them finance a production line, essentially through the same process as their previousFN M1900 pistol.
By 1931, the Browning Hi-Power design incorporated the same 13-round magazine, a curved rear grip strap, and a barrel bushing that was integral to the slide assembly. The Belgian Army showed a definite interest and bought 1,000 pistols based on this prototype for field trials.
By 1934, the Hi-Power design was complete and ready to be produced. Ultimately, France decided not to adopt the pistol, instead selecting the conceptually similar but lower-capacityModèle 1935 pistol. However, it was good enough to stand on its own as a service pistol for the Belgian Army and other clients. These would become the Grande Puissance, known as the High Power, in Belgium for military service in 1935 as the Browning P-35.[15]
Browning Hi-Power pistols were used during World War II by bothAllied andAxis forces.[16] After occupying Belgium in 1940, German forces took over the FN plant. German troops subsequently used the Hi-Power, having assigned it the designationPistole 640(b) ("b" forbelgisch, "Belgian").[8] Examples produced by FN in Belgium under German occupation bear German inspection and acceptance marks, orWaffenamts, such asWaA613. In German service, it was used mainly byWaffen-SS andFallschirmjäger personnel.
High-Power pistols were also produced in Canada for Allied use, byJohn Inglis and Company in Toronto. The plans were sent from the FN factory to the UK when it became clear the Belgian plant would fall into German hands, enabling the Inglis factory to be tooled up for Hi-Power production for Allied use. Inglis produced two versions of the Hi-Power, one with an adjustable rear sight and detachable shoulder stock (primarily for aNationalist Chinese contract) and one with a fixed rear sight. Production began in late 1944 and they were on issue by the March 1945Operation Varsity airborne crossing of the Rhine into Germany. The pistol was popular with the British airborne forces as well as covert operations and commando groups such as theSpecial Operations Executive (SOE), the U.S.Office of Strategic Services (OSS), and the BritishSpecial Air Service (SAS) Regiment.
Inglis High-Powers made forCommonwealth forces have the British designation 'Mk 1' or 'Mk 1*' and the manufacturer's details on the left of the slide. They were known in British and Commonwealth service as the 'Pistol No 2 Mk 1', or 'Pistol No 2 Mk 1*' where applicable. Serial numbers were 6 characters, the second being the letter 'T', e.g. 1T2345. Serial numbers on pistols for the Chinese contract instead used the letters 'CH', but otherwise followed the same format. When the Chinese contract was cancelled, all undelivered Chinese-style pistols were accepted by the Canadian military with designations of 'Pistol No 1 Mk 1' and 'Pistol No 1 Mk 1*'.[17]
In the postwar period, Hi-Power production continued at the FN factory and as part of FN's product range, which included theFN FAL rifle andFN MAG general-purpose machine gun. It has been adopted as the standard service pistol by over 50 armies in 93 countries. At one time most NATO nations used it, and it was standard issue to forces throughout the British Commonwealth. It was manufactured under licence, or in some cases cloned, on several continents. Former Iraqi rulerSaddam Hussein often carried a Browning Hi-Power. Former Libyan rulerMuammar Gaddafi carried a gold-plated Hi-Power with his own face design on the left side of the grip which was waved around in the air by Libyan rebels after his death.[18] A Hi-Power was used byMehmet Ali Agca during the assassination attempt ofPope John Paul II in 1981.
While the Hi-Power remains an excellent and iconic design, since the early 1990s it has been eclipsed somewhat by more modern designs which are often double-action with aluminum alloy frames and are manufactured using more modern methods. However, even to this day, the Hi-Power remains in service throughout the world. As of 2017, the MK1 version remained the standard service pistol of theCanadian Armed Forces, with theSIG Sauer P226 being issued to specialised units along with theSIG Sauer P225. The weapon is the standard sidearm of theBelgian Army,Indian Army,Indonesian Armed Forces,Australian Defence Force,Argentine Army,Luxembourg Armed Forces,Israel Police, andVenezuelan Army, among others. TheIrish Army replaced its Browning Pistols (known popularly as BAPs, or Browning Automatic Pistols) with theHeckler & Koch USP in 2007. From 2013 theBritish Army is replacing the Browning with thepolymer-framedGlock 17 Gen 4 pistol, due to concerns about weight and the external safety of the pistol.[19]
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In 2018, FN announced they would end production of the Mark III Hi-Power, which was expensive to produce and had been assembled in Portugal to cut costs. Early in that year, Browning officially ceased production of the Belgian Hi-Power for the first time since 1935. An unlicensed clone called the "Regent BR9" was produced in Turkey byTİSAŞ in 2019 and had gained some popularity now that authentic Hi-Powers were no longer being made and surplus Hi-Powers from other countries like Hungary and Argentina had dried up. The Regent BR9 design was more of a copy of the Mark I design, but did offer some modern design features, like a Cerakote or stainless steel finish and Novak-style sights.[10] The BR9 was soon discontinued, but, in 2021, another Turkish company calledGİRSAN began producing their own Hi-Power clone called the MCP35, imported byEAA. In 2021, American firearms companySpringfield Armory announced their own Hi-Power clone, the SA-35.[11] GİRSAN and Springfield Armory's clones began competing with each other by offering new design improvements that would help them compete in the oversaturated defensive handgun market. GİRSAN's MCP35 attempted to replicate the Mark III design as closely as possible, including the Belgian-style ambidextrous thumb safety, Mark III-style sights with a windage drift adjustable rear sight and dovetailed front sight, and Mark III-style black polymer grips. The MCP35 also retained the Belgian magazine disconnect safety. However, the MCP35 incorporated the original ring hammer design instead of the claw hammer design of the Mark III and also incorporated some design elements to appeal to the modern shooter, such as a 15-round Mec-Gar magazine and Cerakote finish.[20]
In 2021, American firearms companySpringfield Armory announced their own Hi-Power clone, the SA-35.[11] GİRSAN and Springfield Armory's clones began competing with each other by offering new design improvements that would help them compete in the oversaturated defensive handgun market.
The steady competition between the MCP35 and the SA-35 to make the original Hi-Power relevant to the market stirred up a great interest among both Hi-Power fans and new shooters. On 18 January 2022, after a four-year hiatus, FN announced they would resume production of the Browning Hi-Power, albeit with a number of upgraded features.[12] FN named the 2022 redesign the "FN High Power" and incorporated a number of features to help it compete with the improved Hi-Power clones being made by GİRSAN and Springfield Armory. FN incorporated a number of changes that would make the classic Hi-Power design more modern and ergonomic. The most significant changes included opening up the top of the slide to increase the size of the ejection port to ensure reliable feeding and ejection, incorporating an ambidextrous slide lock and reversible magazine release, a completely different takedown that is faster and simpler, and redesigning the barrel and recoil spring. Other changes FN made include removing the magazine disconnect safety, adding an extended beavertail and redesigned hammer to eliminate the issue of hammer bite, several sets of redesigned grips, new sights compatible with theFN 509 dovetail pattern, wider slide serrations, different coloredPVD or stainless steel finish offerings and 17-round magazines. The new FN High Powers will be made at FN's Columbia, South Carolina factory in the United States.[21][22][12]
In August 2024, another Browning Hi-Power clone, the Centurion 14, was announced byCentury Arms. The Centurion 14 is built in Turkey by Alpharms Savunma Sanayi, and imported by Century Arms.[23]
The Browning Hi-Power has undergone continuous refinement by FN since its introduction. The pistols were originally made in two models: an "Ordinary Model" with fixed sights and an "Adjustable Rear Sight Model" with a tangent-type rear sight and a slotted grip for attaching a wooden shoulder stock. The adjustable sights are still available on commercial versions of the Hi-Power, although the shoulder stock mounts were discontinued during World War II. In 1962, the design was modified to replace the internalextractor with an external extractor, improving reliability.
Standard Hi-Powers are based on asingle-action design. Unlike moderndouble-action semi-automatic pistols, the Hi-Power's trigger is not connected to the hammer. If a double-action pistol is carried with the hammer down with a round in the chamber and a loaded magazine installed, the shooter may fire the pistol either by simply squeezing the trigger or by pulling the hammer back to the cocked position and then squeezing the trigger. In contrast, a single-action pistol can only be fired with the hammer in the cocked position; this is generally done when a loaded magazine is inserted and the slide cycled by hand. In common with theM1911, the Hi-Power is therefore typically carried with the hammer cocked, a round in the chamber, and the safety catch on (a carry mode often calledcocked and locked in the United States ormade ready in the United Kingdom, or sometimes calledcondition one).
The Hi-Power, like many other Browning designs, operates on theshort-recoil principle, where the barrel and slide initially recoil together until the barrel is unlocked from the slide by a cam arrangement. Unlike Browning's earlier Colt M1911 pistol, the barrel is not moved vertically by a toggling link, but instead by a hardened bar which crosses the frame under the barrel and contacts a slot under the chamber at the rearmost part of the barrel. The barrel and slide recoil together for a short distance, but as the slot engages the bar, the chamber and the rear of the barrel are drawn downward and stopped. The downward movement of the barrel disengages it from the slide, which continues rearward, extracting the spent case from the chamber and ejecting it while also re-cocking the hammer. After the slide reaches the limit of its travel, the recoil spring brings it forward again, stripping a new round from the magazine and pushing it into the chamber. This also pushes the chamber and barrel forward. The cam slot and bar move the chamber upward and the locking lugs on the barrel re-engage those in the slide.
The pistol has a tendency to "bite" the web of the shooter's hand, between the thumb and forefinger. This bite is caused by pressure from the hammer spur, or alternatively by pinching between the hammer shank and grip tang. This problem can be fixed by altering or replacing the hammer, or by learning to hold the pistol to avoid injury. While a common complaint with the commercial models with spur hammers similar to that of the Colt "Government Model" automatic, it is seldom a problem with the military models, which have a smaller, rounded "burr" hammer, more like that of the Colt "Commander" compact version of the 1911.
Another flaw is that the original small safety is very hard to release and re-engage. This is because when cocked, the shaft the safety turns on is under hammer spring pressure. Later versions went to a larger safety to address this issue.[24][25][26]
The original P35, as noted earlier, featured an internal extractor. During World War II, it was manufactured by Inglis of Canada for Allied use, and by FN in occupied Belgium for German use. The P35s made under Nazi occupation were designated as the Pistole 640b. Most Canadian P35s were manufactured with a Parkerized finish, while most P35s manufactured in occupied Belgium had a blued finish.
Following the end of the World War II, the Hi Power went through several iterations in an effort to standardize and streamline the manufacturing process.[27] The most significant of which was released in 1962, when the internal extractor was replaced with a more durable and reliable external design, alongside other modifications, including a 2-piece barrel, nylon grips, and modifications to the locking system for simplification of manufacturing and improved durability. Later barrels and frames are not interchangeable with earlier ones.
Working on these changes, FN manufactured a new standard Hi Power from 1963 to 1969. These are retroactively referred to as theT-Series, from the letter T serial number prefix found on pistols of this era. This design standard continued into the similarly namedC-Series, produced from 1969 to 1975.[28]
Further iteration happened in the early 1970s. The Hi Power model of 1972 features several new modifications, including a spurred hammer to replace the previous ring design, a new electrolyte bluing process in lieu of the older rust and salt bluing techniques, and the provision for a rear adjustable target sight with raised front sight.[29]Available simultaneously with the adjustable sight model were two ‘standard’ versions;
The early 1970s is also when Hi Power first became available in the7.65×21mm Parabellum caliber. Released for markets such as France and Germany, where the civilian use of military calibers was restricted.[30]
In 1973, due to rising labor costs in Belgium, production of the Hi Power was partially moved toViana do Castelo, Portugal. FN would still continue to produce parts in Belgium, but finishing and assembly would henceforth be completed in Viana do Castelo.[31]
The Mark II, released in 1982, was the next significant iteration of the Hi Power series of pistols.
Designed in response to some of the long enduring criticisms of the Hi Power design,[32] the Mark II features several upgrades, including ambidextrous thumb safety, 3-dot low profile sights, and a throated barrel.
The Mark II can be easily recognized by the rib atop the slide, as well as the water drain hole below the muzzle.
The Mark III was another advancement over the Mark II released in 1989,[33] which featured a firing pin safety, adjustable front and rear iron sights, and a black epoxy finish.
The Mark III is the first Hi Power variant available in.40 S&W. Early variants of the Mark III featured forged frames, as was the standard for all Hi Powers, while later Mark III’s switched to a cast frame.
This change was prompted by reports of failure in pistols chambered for the then new .40 S&W cartridge. Cast frames were used on all Hi Power variants from the early 1990s to their discontinuation in 2018.
The name given to the Mark III variant with walnut grips, gloss finish, and choice of sights. A Standard is a Mark III model, but a Mark III is not necessarily a Standard.
Featured a silver-chrome frame and slide, and Pachmayr rubber grips. The magazines for the silver chrome BHP had a dull finish and a black rubber Pachmayr basepad.
Mark III variant that features adjustable tangent rear sights, a "ring hammer" like the early model HP35, checkered walnut grips, and a blued finish. It was reintroduced in 1993.[34]
Mark III variant featuring a slide finished in black polymer with a contrasting silver-chrome frame. In addition, this model has wraparound Pachmayr rubber grips and a "ring hammer".
The Practical has fixed or adjustable sights, and is available in either 9×19mm Parabellum or .40 S&W. Magazines for all Practical models sport Pachmayr base pads; magazines feature a cartridge capacity of 13 rounds in 9×19mm Parabellum and a cartridge capacity of 10 rounds in .40 S&W.[35]
The SFS (Safe-Fast-Shooting) is the latest Hi-Power Mark III variant with a modified firing mechanism. After the weapon is loaded, the hammer is pushed forward, which automatically activates the safety catch. When the shooter is prepared to fire, the safety is pressed down with the thumb, releasing the hammer to spring backwards into the usual, single-action position. A similar system is available for modifying Colt M1911A1s. Magazines are interchangeable with the Mark III and others.
Manufactured byFabricaciones Militares under license as theFM Hi-Power.
TheRosario,FM90, andFM95 models are manufactured byFM.[36] The Rosario is an almost exact copy of the Mark II intended for Argentine and Latin American sales. The FM90 was an export model based on the Mark II, but with a "Colt style" slide without the characteristic bevelled front end, first made in 1990.[37] Rubberized pistol grips (similar to the Pachmayr grips used for P35s) with finger grooves were used in place of the traditional slab side wood grips. The FM95 was the current export model (until 2002) based on the Mark III, also with the "Colt style" slide. The last models, until 2010, are the M02 AR (modernised version of the M95, with a new single-action system by Fabrique nationale) and the M03 AR (not dated 2003, as it would seem, actually a .40 S&W version of M02 AR) with their Detective versions.[35]
TheDetective is a short-slide HP produced by FM.[36] The Detective slide group was also available without the frame, and is interchangeable with other FM and FN Hi-Power P35s.
TheArcus 94 is a single-action semi-automatic pistol manufactured by Arcus as an unlicensed clone.[38] There is a compact version, theArcus 94C.[39] It has been succeeded in production by the double-actionArcus 98DA.[38]
TheKareen was made by KSN Industries.[40]
Pindad made a licensed version of the High-Power known as theP1.[41] Production reportedly started in the 1960s.[42]
Hi-Powers were made under license by theDefence Industries Corporation of Nigeria[43][44][45]
Unlicensed clones made in various workshops.[46]
TİSAŞ made theZIG 14[47] and theRegent BR9.[48] Alpharms Savunma Sanayi made theCenturion 14.[49] Özerbaş Makina manufactures theP-35 andGP-35 for SDS Imports.
GIRSAN makes theMCP35, released in 2021 and imported into the US by European American Armory Corp (EAA).[50][51]
Charles Daly firearms marketed theCharles Daly HP.[52] The first HPs were shipped by CD in 2003.[53] These are based on FEG-made clones.[54]
On 25 October 2021,Springfield Armory launched a reproduction of the Hi-Power called theSA-35.[55] It has the features of the original Hi-Power, but has a capacity of 15 rounds while the pistol can handle +P 9 mm Luger loads.[56]
Argentina[44]
Bahrain[44]
Bangladesh[44]
Barbados[44]
Belize[44]
Bermuda[44]
Bolivia[44]
Botswana[44]
Brunei[44]
Burundi[44]
Cambodia[44]
Chad[44]
Chile[57]
Colombia[44]
Cuba[44]
Cyprus[44]
Democratic Republic of Congo[44]
Denmark[8][44] - designated m/46[58]
Dominican Republic[57]
Ecuador[44]
El Salvador[44]
Estonia[8][59]
Ghana[44]
Guatemala[44]
Honduras[44]
Hungary: Identical copy was produced.[60]
Indonesia: General-issue sidearm forIndonesian Armed Forces, especially byKomando Pasukan Katak (Kopaska) naval tactical diver group andKomando Pasukan Khusus (Kopassus) army special forces group.[61] Made under license byPindad as the P1 from 1984, which is no longer manufactured.[62]
Iran: Used byIranian Navy special forces.[citation needed]
Iraq[44]
Jamaica: Issued to officers of theJamaica Defence Force.[63]
Jordan[44]
Kenya[44]
Kuwait[44]
Lebanon[44]
Liberia[44]
Libya[64]
Lithuania[8][44]
Malawi[44]
Malaysia: General-issue sidearm for senior-rank officers and special forces of themilitary andpolice.[65]
Mozambique[44]
Myanmar: Known in Tatmadaw service as theMA-5 MK-I.[66][44][67]
Namibia: Used by Namibian Police Force (NAMPOL)[68]
Nepal[44]
Netherlands[8][44][59]
Nigeria: Produced under license by theDefence Industries Corporation of Nigeria[69][44]
Oman[44]
Pakistan: Used bySpecial Service Group Navy.[70]
Panama[44]
Papua New Guinea: Supplied by Australia.[44][71]
Paraguay[44]
Peru[8][44]
Philippines[44]
Rhodesia[8][72]
Romania[8]
Rwanda[44]
Saudi Arabia[44]
Sierra Leone[44]
South Africa: Used by theSouth African Special Forces Brigade[citation needed]
Sri Lanka[44]
Sudan[44]
Suriname[44]
Syria[73]
Tanzania[44]
Thailand: Used by theRoyal Thai Air Force.[44]
Togo[44]
Trinidad and Tobago[44]
Tunisia[44]
Turkey: Used byGeneral Directorate of Security
Uganda[44]
United Arab Emirates[44]
Venezuela[74][44]
Zimbabwe[44]
Australia: Mark III is the general-issue pistol for theAustralian Defence Force.[74][44][75] DesignatedL9A1 a la British weapons.[76] TheSIG Sauer P320 began replacing the pistol in 2023.[77][78]
Austria: Used by theAustrian Armed Forces and theGendarmerie.[79][80] Used the Glock 17 by 1982.[81]
Belgium: Adopted by theBelgian Army in 1935.[74][82] Belgian Army replaced the Hi-Power with theFN Five-seven.
Croatia: 9,000 supplied byArgentina during the Yugoslav wars[83]
Finland: 2,400 Pistols imported from Belgium in 1939–1940, used during the last stages ofWinter War, common usage duringContinuation War, mostly issued to pilots. Retired in 1980s.[84][44]
France: Used byGendarmerie Nationale andFrench Air Force duringFirst Indochina War andAlgerian war.[citation needed]
Ireland: Used by theIrish Defence Forces, since replaced by theHeckler & Koch USP.[85]
Israel: Used byYAMAM before being replaced by Glock models.[86] Produced locally.[87]
Luxembourg:[74] Replaced byGlock 17.[88]
Nazi Germany: Over 300,000 pistols were made for theWehrmacht after the FN factory was seized by Germany. Pistols were designated the Pistole 640(b).[8]
New Zealand: Replaced by theSIG Sauer P226, which is being replaced by the Glock 17.[89]
Poland[90] Formerly used by Polish special forces (JW GROM), no longer in use.
Portugal: Since 1935, by the gendarmerieRepublican National Guard.[44][91] Replaced in service.[92]
United Kingdom: Used in limited numbers by British airborne and commando units as well as theSpecial Operations Executive during the Second World War. Formally adopted by theBritish Army andRoyal Air Force as theL9A1 in 1963,[93] a replacement for Webley and Enfield revolvers in 1954[1][74][44] and by theNorthern Ireland Security Guard Service in 1998.[94][better source needed]. Replaced by theGlock 17 Gen 4.[95] Also formerly used by PT17 units in the Metropolitan Police.[96]
Hong Kong: Used by theRoyal Hong Kong Regiment.[97]
United States:
Uruguay:[44] To be replaced byGlock 17[101] Delays reported in 2018 on fully adopting it, although it is use with Uruguayan law enforcement.[102]
Viet Cong: Some cloned by the North Vietnamese for the VC.[104]
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