Belgium Legacy FN Herstal
Browning Hi-Power
A single-action semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and finalized by Dieudonne Saive, notable for its 13-round magazine capacity that was groundbreaking for its era. It became one of the most widely adopted military sidearms of the 20th century, serving with over 50 nations.
In service since 1935 · 50 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
50
m range
335
m/s
13
rds
💲 ≈ $700 — Approximate collector/surplus retail price
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Belgium export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 50 operators
In service since 1935. Status: legacy · ~1,500,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Effective range
Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope.
- 50 m Stronger than 50% of pistols
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 335 m/s Stronger than 12% of pistols
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 9×19 mm Parabellum
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 9 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 13 Stronger than 19% of pistols
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 0.2 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 1 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
- Barrel length
Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.
- 118 mm
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $700 Stronger than 26% of pistols
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 1,500,000 Stronger than 67% of pistols
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 50 Top 7% of pistols
Specifications compiled from public FN Herstal and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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IWI Desert Eagle Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power require? +
The FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power? +
The FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power's primary weapon is the 9×19 mm Parabellum.
What is the FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power used for? +
The FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power is a pistol & sidearm typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power? +
The FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power is operated by 50 countries.
How much does the FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power cost? +
The FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power has an approximate unit cost of 700 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
