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ULTRA RARE INGLIS ALLOY PROTOTYPE LIGHTWEIGHT HI-

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 15,000.00 USD
ULTRA RARE INGLIS ALLOY PROTOTYPE LIGHTWEIGHT HI-

POWER SEMI-AUTO PISTOL EX. BRUCE STERN COLLECTION. Cal. 9mm Luger. NSN. Bbl. 5" without markings, proofs or numbers. Mfg. approx. 1948 as trials pistol for Canadian Department of National Defense (DND). DND contracted with private firms for lightweight aluminum alloy and magnesium frames. The first six were machined aluminum. Later, 29 examples were "pressure die cast" of aluminum alloy or magnesium, Of the 29 rough cast frames, 21 were machined and delivered. 20 Of those cast frames were numbered and one was not. This pistol is the one that was not numbered which was sent to the DND for review as a frame only, then later returned and assembled. Pistols were numbered at the base of the mainspring housing just behind the magazine well; not on right side or on front grip strap. Finish on this pistols frame is of a type of paint such as baked on lacquer or some other painted finish; it is NOT anodized. Its oiled walnut grips are flat with a coarse cross hatch pattern that does not come to points. At lower left rear of frame is a screw in lanyard loop with ring. Slide has finger groove style lightning cuts before and after its cocking grooves; left side of slide marked with "BROWNING - F.N. 9 MM HP INGLIS, CANADA". Top rear of slide has metal removed as well leaving an integral fixed rear sight. Extractor is the early internal style. Finish of the slide is of a sand blast parkerized appearance. Front sight is the normal dovetailed style. The pistol has a ring hammer plus dimple in slide for takedown. Peened in place steel reinforcement rod is to secure the barrel and visible on the right side; covered by slide stop on left side. It has a standard magazine safety. MAGS: 1 near excellent JI marked parkerized 13 round with split tail base having alternate retention hole at mid point; normal aluminum follower. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: supplied photocopied pages (#182, 184 &185) from reference book, believed by Clive Law; explaining the Lightweights as mentioned in the description. CONDITION: slide is very good to excellent but finished over prior light pitting. Finish of the alloy frame has voids allowing aluminum base metal to show. Insertion of magazine is not always smooth and occasionally "hangs up" on the magazine safety attached to the trigger. Trigger link occasionally fails; usually functions with encouragement by letting the trigger "snap forward" to reset. Grips are near excellent. Bore and barrel have a new unfired appearance. PROVENANCE: Formerly of the Bruce Stern collection. (22-5762/NW). CURIO. $10,000-15,000.