Military HP Mag Markings???

mauser

mauser

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My Inglis Mk1* 9mm, serial number 4CH24XX has a magazine marked R.F.I. on the base. I've been told by CGN poster quite some time ago that this Chinese Contract HP was made in 1942. However, at the time I didn't notice the mag marks until I went to catalog my collection for my heirs and was taking close-up photos of markings, etc.

Got lots of good info the last time I posted on this gun so came back to the experts. CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT THIS R.F.I. STANDS FOR?

Many thanks in advance. mauser

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Yes, there IS a place for all of God's creatures: right next to the potatoes and gravy.
 
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Mauser,
All of the Inglis produced magazines have a 'JI' stmped on the foot plate. The orientation is towards the back of the grip and the letters are so closely spaced that they almost look like a graphic instead of initials.

If I am reading your cropped image correctly, the JI would be facing the opposite direction from the 'RFI' and above the round opening. Does this stamp appear on your magazine? Both the Dutch and Belgians applied additional stampings on Canadaian produced items. Perhaps yours is similarly marked.

India has produced bootleg Hi-powers at the Bhart Dynamics Limited plant. Perhaps your magazine was a subcontract to Ishapore from this company?

Anyway, it's all very interesting. I look forwards to what others can bring to this thread.

Regards,
MAxim08
 
I have about a dozen Inglis mags here so this is what I can tell you: An Inglis mag will have the JI both on the floorplate, and about a half inch up from the bottom on the mag housing. The follower will have a logo which is a circle with 3 small triangle on the edge at 10, 2 and 6 oclock, and the letters PC inside of it. Not sure who PC is, but they also cast things like the lever on the sten mag loaders, and the base plug on the 36M grenade. (Maybe somethng like precision casting, or peterborough casting, who knows?) The logo is located inside a hollowed out circle on the side of the platfrom.

Your bottom plate is Indian in manufacture. Looking for these other markings will tell you if any of it is Canadian.

BTW, the Chinese contract hi-power started production in 44, and was discontinued by end of 44, as it was realised the pistols were not making it to China, and they were also a low priority in aid to China.
 
Stencollector:

Although production of the Number 1 pistol configuration ("Chinese Contract") was discontinued for about eight months, it resumed in June of 1945 and continued through October of that year. In fact, the majority of "Chinese Contract" pistols were actually produced during that later period - (over 43,300 of a total of about 60,000 of that model manufactured.)

Mauser:

I suspect that the R.F.I. marking does, indeed, stand for Rifle Factory Ishapore.

As for the production date of 1942 you were given, that is simply impossible, as all Inglis High Power pistol production took place from February 1944 through October 1945.

To my knowledge, all of the original WWII Inglis magazines were the same - and should have a straight edge on the front of the floorplate (also sometimes referred to as a "baseplate") with the "JI" stamp on both the floorplate and lower front of the magazine body

Other standard Inglis magazine features:
- body and floorplate both parkerized (neither of them blued or whatever) - like the original finish on the pistol itself.
- cartridge follower (the internal "cartridge pusher") should be unfinished aluminum.

Here's a composite pic of one of my original Inglis magazines (on the left, in each image) with an aftermarket magazine for comparison. The "JI" stamp is visible on the Inglis floorplate - it should be essentially the same size and appearance on the front of the magazine body.

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More Info On The HP Mag

Below are more FYI pics. First is the 3/4 view showing alignment of initials R.F.I on the mag. Second pic is side view. Third pic shows follower which appears to be made of a black plastic. NO OTHER MARKINGS on this mag. Excellent all-steel construction (except follower) which is Parkerized NOT blued.

I note this thread was switched to Milsurp Forum. I pondered which Forum to post in. Milsurp, Handguns, or General.

I'm sure there will be more ideas, facts, opinions, etc. about this item. I look forward to learning more. mauser

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Although production of the Number 1 pistol configuration ("Chinese Contract") was discontinued for about eight months, it resumed in June of 1945 and continued through October of that year. In fact, the majority of "Chinese Contract" pistols were actually produced during that later period - (over 43,300 of a total of about 60,000 of that model manufactured.)
Click to expand...

Grant
You are of course correct; I was more trying to illustrate the start date (with regard to the 42 date which he was given) rather than the post war production to complete the Chinese requirements. His 4CH serial would have fallen in to the post war production.
 
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