Dieudonne Saive (1889-1973) was a clever engineer who worked for FN in Belgium. - He developed his compact double-stack magazine in 1921 and then offered it to John Browning who was the chief weapons designer at Fabrique Nationale - Browning worked the double-stacker magazine into his locked-breech design and applied for the patent with Colt - but then went and died months before the patent was granted.
Colts weren't interested in new designs as they were focussed on building and selling Brownings other, earlier design (the Colt 1911) - so Val Browning offered the patent etc. to FN where Saive had heaps of input into ongoing development of the semi-auto double-stacked 9mm that went into production as the "Model 1922" or "Grand Rendement" (High Yield) in 1922. - Then in 1935 the new version of this s/a pistol, much modified by Saive was released as the "Grand Puissance" - 'High-Power' .
West-German Police Hi Power.
Saive fled from German forces in 1941 to England where he re-drew all the plans for his pistol that went into production as the UK MkI model High Power.
The FN Browning High-Power had a capacity of fourteen rounds in a useable hand-sized grip and went-on to be adopted as the service weapon in Britain. The gun was built not only by the British Commonwealth nations but also by the Germans (65,000 renamed Pistole 640(b)
Canadian 'Inglis' Hi-Power.
Saive did much development work on other Browning designs at FN - and his own design for the gas-operated FN-49 Rifle was later developed into the FN-FAL select-fire Battle Rifle.
The British army were only last year (2013) replacing their Hi-Powers with the Glock 17. - That's a long run from 1941 - seventy three years.
There have been many different versions made, in more than 50 different countries - it would be quicker to list countries that haven't issued or used the Hi Power than to write those that have - but not many will have heard of the name Saive.
Marty K
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