Is there something special to this box and its content or is it just a box out of a dozen with 9mm from FN, loaded with Cooppalpowder which was once a famous Belgian powdermaker for over two centuries? The owner told me he thought it could be rare.
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ducjans -I cannot speak to the rarity of this box except to say I have not seen it before. I have about a dozen of this style FN 9 mm Para boxes in my collection, but suspect that is barely a start. It certainly is NOT a common box.
I have a similar label that mentions Coppal Powder. The layout is a little different, with the main descriptive line of print reading “25 Cartouches, Cal.9 mm, Pour Pistolet G.P., et Mitraillette.” It is on four lines which I have separated with commas, although they are not on the actual label. (English:
25 Cartridges, Cal. 9 mm, for Pistol Grande Puissance, and Submachine gun"). Your label and mine are the only types I have seen that use the “Grande Puissance” initials “G.P.” in the caliber designation. (English: High Power).
My label, which is only the box top removed from the box, unfortunately, is printed for "F.N. LOT 18 d/ 53. The very bottom line is somewhat unusual for an FN box of this type - “Cde S.A.A./ N° AP, 34/53/140” I do not know the meaning of that line of print.
It is a really nice label. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Well thank you for the response, Mr Moss. As a beginner, it is rather difficult to distinguish common and scarce. And of course, please forgive me, it should be
Grande Puissance as French is my second language.
Concerning the box label, shown by duqjans, since it only lists “G.P.” (Grande Puissance) I assume this indicates a contract loading specific (bullet & powder weight) for us in 9mm pistols.
Or would this be considered a “generic” loading by FN for the general military/defense market? Specifically oriented to those countries speaking French as a universal language?
Brian
Wasn’t this box intended for Belgian military and/or police use? That string of numbers and letters suggests, to me at least, a designator for a contract let for the contents of the package. Jack
Keep in mind that Grande Puissance (GP) is simply the commercial French name for the FN High Power pistol, as John already wrote.
I am sorry for the mistake in the spelling of Grande Puissance. I know better. I am a bit preoccupied these days, but where I cam up with leaving the last two letters off of Grande, I simply don’t know. The only 9mm Pistol I own as a serious pistol (I also have a P08 but I don’t think anyone really takes that pistol seriously, other than for collecting, since 1935) is an FN GP, and is the only 9mm Para-caliber pistol worth consideration as a weapon, in my view. But then, that is another story and argument that I suppose doesn’t belong here. I do not like to make spelling errors when using foreign words - it is insulting to people I think very highly of. In English, I don’t care much, since most of it is just being in a hurry all the time, and trying to type too fast.
thank you for correcting me, and I mean that sincerely. I have destoryed the evidence by correcting them in my original entry. :-)
John, I once had the opportunity to fire a High Power courtesy of Canadian Forces in Germany in a competition. Be assured that I totally agree with you that among the pistols of the 1930s it is the best pistol from a practical standpoint among the many designs originating around that time. It is pleasant to shoot, it shoots very well, and the large magazine capacity comes in handy.
Yes, quite possible it might be some Belgian inner contract as the label shows also a dutch word -buskruit- (gunpowder) where Cooppal delivered the powder. But destination looks still unknown as for armydelivery, it might be indicated with the abbreviation ABL (Armée Belge-Belgisch Leger). Belgian Gendarmerie-Rijkswacht (national police until 2001) had for many years the GP as standard service-weapon and as Mr Moss already stated, it is an outstanding pistol. But I do not know whether the Rijkswacht used it already in 1957.
Don’t know if it helps but here is a .30-06 box of the same era but different powder.
