Infantry Weapons

Browning Hi-Power pistol

The Browning Hi-Power is a classic 9 mm semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and completed by FN Herstal, documented in Islamic State hands in Iraq and Syria.

War against the Islamic StateIslamic State

Conflict side: Islamic State
Built by: FN Herstal
Built in: Belgium

Browning Hi-Power pistol, Semi-automatic pistol, Infantry Weapons

Image source: Flickr - ~Steve Z~ - 1971 Browning Hi Power 3.jpg

Profile

Type: Semi-automatic pistol
Conflict side: Islamic State
Origin: Belgium
Service note: 1935-2018

semi-automatic pistolhandgunsmall arms capturedislamic state

Service History

In service: Adopted in 1935 and widely exported; later documented in Islamic State stocks in Iraq and Syria.
Used by: Islamic State, Iraqi security forces, Kurdish forces
Wars: War against the Islamic State

Production History

Designer: John Browning and Dieudonne Saive
Designed: 1920s-1935
Built by: FN Herstal
Built in: Belgium
Unit cost: Varies by period and market
Produced: 1935-2018
Number built: 1.5 million+
Variants: Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, Hi-Power Practical

Specifications

Caliber: 9x19mm Parabellum
Operation: Short recoil-operated, locked-breech, single-action
Weight: About 1 kg unloaded
Length: About 197 mm
Magazine: 13-round detachable box magazine
Effective range: About 50 m

Conflict Usage

War against the Islamic State: Side: Islamic StateRole: Captured sidearmstrike
War against the Islamic State: Conflict Armament Research documented a Browning Hi-Power pistol used by Islamic State forces and captured from them in Iraq and Syria.

Browning Hi-Power pistol Images

Browning Hi-Power pistol, Semi-automatic pistol, Infantry Weapons - view 1 — Source: Flickr - ~Steve Z~ - 1971 Browning Hi Power 3.jpg

Browning Hi-Power pistol, Semi-automatic pistol, Infantry Weapons - view 2 — Source: Canadian Forces Browning Hi-Power.jpg

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Sources

Browning Hi Power PistolPublisher: Browning | Note: Supports the Hi-Power model name, U.S. market introduction, and production history. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Browning Hi Power 9mm Pistol/L9A1Publisher: Paradata / Airborne Assault Museum | Note: Supports specifications including caliber, weight, length, magazine capacity, and effective range. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Flickr - ~Steve Z~ - 1971 Browning Hi Power 3.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the image provenance and open-license context for the primary Browning Hi-Power image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Canadian Forces Browning Hi-Power.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the image provenance and open-license context for the second Browning Hi-Power gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Islamic State Weapons in Iraq and SyriaPublisher: Conflict Armament Research | Note: War against the Islamic State: used by Islamic State forces and captured in Iraq and Syria. | Accessed: 2026-06-21