Browning Hi-Power T Series Nickel?

RLL2966

I came across a Browning Hi-Power for sale at a local shop. It has what looks to be a high gloss nickel finish on it, that looks original. The whole gun is nickel including the magazine. It is marked made in Belgium and the serial # is T227XXX. It has fixed sights, a ring hammer, and checkered walnut grips. From the serial #, it would have been made in 1968. The only nickel finished hi-power listed in the Blue Book was made from 1980-85 and has a gold trigger. Were these earlier hi-powers offered in a nickel finish or has it been refinished? All the lettering is sharp and it's in very good condition. The asking price is $500. Should I go for it?

rufe-snow

I can't find any thing about a high polish, nickel plated High Power. In my references, dateing to the 60's. Without some form of documentation, substantiating that it's factory, would assume it has been refinished.

Spring Creek

NO "T" series Hi-Power was "Factory" nickled.
It's a "re-paint" as they say in the used car biz.

RLL2966

Thanks for the replys. I searched the web for about 2 hrs. looking to see if I could find anything on it. I did find something that said there were 100 nickel plated Hi-Powers imported in 1974. It said that the serial #'s started with 74C and that they were quite rare. I went back to the shop and looked at the gun again. It was refinished, a really nice job though and the underside of the grips are red. I ended up making a deal with him for a Browning Buckmark .22 that I had. I like the Hi-Power's and it is a very nice looking piece. Just for kicks, when I got it home I switched slides with my Silver/Chrome that I have. It looked pretty cool. A nickel frame, walnut grips, a matte silver slide, and black adj. sights. Then I put the nickel slide on the Silver/Chrome frame. That looked neat too. Matte silver frame, Pachmayr rubber grips, gold trigger, and the nickel slide. All in all I'm happy with it and I got a pretty good deal on it.