Having owned a number of Browning firearms over the past 40 years, I have seen the changes in locations where Browning firearms are manufactured and assembled.
In the case of shotguns, what were once manufactured in Herstal, Belgium, are now manufactured in Japan.
While Japan is known for high quality products, the Belgian-manufactured products by Browning are held in higher esteem and, understandably, command a higher sale price.
Early Hi Powers were manufactured in Herstal, Belgium and stamped as such on the weapons' slides.
Later, when importation rules required the Belgium-built Hi Powers be stamped with the company of ownership (Browning Arms), this, too, appeared on the slides, with the "made in Belgium" below it.
As a cost savings, but still a division of the Browning Arms Company, assembly of the Belgium-manufactured Hi Powers was transferred to Portugal. These slides indicate, "Made in Belgium" and "Assembled in Portugal" below.
Have there been any noted issues with Portugese-assembled High Powers in recent years. There appears to be an inherent prejudice in these pistols, with the Herstal-built and assembled Hi Powers the preferred models. Unfortunately, it is only the early military and commercial models and later "T" models which were assembled in Belgium.
Can anyone shed some light on this matter?
Rusty Musket
"Two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights make a left."