*Browning Mini Hi-Power Custom Pistol by Austin Behlert

9mm Para. 3.875" barrel length. SN: 245PX75717. Brushed stainless steel finish to custom shortened frame, blued slide, varnished walnut grips, and mounting a matte finished barrel bushing. Short recoil operated single action autoloading pistol fed by detachable double stack magazines. Left slide is marked CUSTOMIZED BY Austin F Behlert above the original maker marking BROWNING ARMS COMPANY MORGAN, UTAH & MONTREAL P.Q. Right slide marked MADE IN BELGIUM/BY FABRIQUE NATIONALE HERSTAL. Caliber mark to right barrel and Belgian firing proofs to major parts. Slide mounts an adjustable rear notch sight showing BEHLERT/PAT'D marking paired with a matted front blade with red plastic insert. Backstrap shows fine checkering. Grip has been custom shortened and features a finger groove and a recontoured triggerguard with stippling to triggerguard and lower forward gripstrap. Item additionally mounts a Cylinder & Slide style ambidexterous safety lever, and a bypassed magazine safety.

Before compact and subcompact carry variants of modern pistols were available from the factory, it was up to custom pistolsmiths to fill the void. Austin Behlert was one of the first gunsmiths to produce a carry size version of the Browning Hi-Power pistol, which he then offered as a potential duty handgun to police eager to replace revolvers as backup guns. The shortened finger groove grip with custom stippling and checkering was intended to help ensure the end user maintained a great deal of control despite losing a full length grip. Paired with its adjustable sights and shortened slide, handguns like these were highly prized by their users in the 1970s, and inspired future Mini Hi-Power builds. {MODERN}

From the Collection of Jeffrey W. Sanner

This lot is located in Cincinnati.