[Anthony Vanderlinden]

Hi Gentlemen

Firstly, thanks for the source of so much information, keep up the good work!

My partner and I live in Switzerland, although she is Belgian and I am English. We have been shooting here for sometime but had no Belgian guns in the collection, Swiss, American, and English. For her 50th Birthday recently I bought her a GP35 as our first Belgian firearm and it seems to have started something! A word on Swiss gun law, you have to have a permis d'acquisition from the police to buy a weapon, but it actually gives you the right to buy 3! Naturally, since it costs 50CHF, you try to fill it, so we also picked up an FN model 1910 with holster (ex Valais Police I suspect) with the GP35. However, I was unhappy with the GP35, I wanted one that was made close to 1967, her year of birth, and this one was 1974.

We discovered another GP35, serial T31.... (another mystery, the serial is higher than the highest T series listed, T261....), which we decided to buy, and with it a 1906 we had seen on display. When we asked about the 1906 we found that the store owner actually had 3 of them, all at the same price (105CHF) so we were allowed to choose, we chose the one with the most interesting serial number although not the best finish. Searching through this forum I have not seen another seral like it! At first we thought it was a date, it is rendered as 12 5 12 with the gaps, but I realise now that it could not be 12/05/1912 as that would be several years after its manufacture. All seems right for an early model, flat trigger, no markings in the ejection port, and no safety. I have assumed that serial numbers were added by machine, this looks to have been hand placed on an unnumbered gun, is this likely? Given the serial and the information in this thread I am guessing on a year of manufacture being late 1906, early 1907?

We have shot the pistol, but it is wildly inaccurate, way right with a tendency to keyhole. The barrel internally is not really in good condition so this is not much of a surprise! The surprise is that it does not appear to be rifled, I can see no indication of rifling at all. Is it possible that it is so shot out that the rifling has been completely eroded, or were some pistols made like this?

Sorry about the photos, they are not really posed, I took them for my research purposes while I was cleaning the pistol after use. My biggest curiosity is the format of the serial number, as I have said above, is does seem unique?

Thanks

Bob

PS: for those of you who I have not lulled to sleep who were wondering about the third, we got a rather nice condition Baby View attachment 415010 View attachment 415018 View attachment 415026 View attachment 415034 View attachment 415042 View attachment 415050 View attachment 415058

Hi Bob,

Your number is not a date, more like an anomaly in manufacturing. Seems like a worker was having problems with the roll die machine that day. I have seen it before but it is not common. The Model 1906 is extremely accurate, I am afraid that your barrel is shot out as all were rifled. The proofmarks on yours indicate that it was originally rifled.

It seems like you are getting into collecting FN's and I congratulate you for it. Let me suggest our book FN BROWNING PISTOLS which will help you with many future purchases. You can contact me if you wish.

Thanks
Anthony

 

[Anthony Vanderlinden]

This early Browning 1905 in excellent condition and original presentation box on sale now in France .

SN 6298

View attachment 415066 View attachment 415074 View attachment 415082



Regards,
Vaclav

Interesting, most likely left over in production and fitted with the safety, or safety added at later date. Still unusual.

The frame seems refinished.

Thanks for posting.
Anthony

 

[Swiss_Bob]

Hi Anthony

Thanks for the quick reply. Already have the book, it was an early birthday present for me And yes, there will be quite a few more FN's coming I think, really want a FAL!

Cheers

Bob

 

[Swiss_Bob]

This early Browning 1905 in excellent condition and original presentation box on sale now in France

Am I missing something here, it has a 4 digit serial number but it has a safety catch? Surely that is not right?

@Vaclav, any chance of a link to it online please?

Thanks

Bob

 

[VAC]

Am I missing something here, it has a 4 digit serial number but it has a safety catch? Surely that is not right?

@Vaclav, any chance of a link to it online please?

Thanks

Bob

Bob,

The link sent in the personal message .



Regards,
Vaclav

 

[Humble Pie]

Bob, what a great acquisition! Too bad the barrel is shot/worn smooth, but I'd a thousand times rather the gun had its original, numbered barrel as yours does, regardless of bore condition. At least it's still all together and correct. I don't know what the other two examples were like, but I have a feeling I would have made the same choice as you did. I love early guns.

Vaclav, thanks for showing that really interesting pistol! What an intriguing example - 4-digit serial with a safety. As Anthony said, most unusual. Otherwise looks all correct for the serial number - early slide serrations, hand-stamped "Depose" marking, etc. The frame does not look refinished to me.

By the way, since you said it was for sale in France: has it been butchered in some way ("deactivated")?

 

[Swiss_Bob]

Hi Bob

I think it is all good! Vaclav shared the link with me, it is listed as category B1:

• Category B: Pistols; bolt action and semi automatic that exceed the capacity listed below. Pistols shall not have a capacity greater than 20 rounds, and rifles shall not have a capacity greater than 31 rounds. Also includes any firearm chambered in the following calibers : 7.62 x 39; 5.56 x 45; 5.45 x 39 Russian; 12.7 x 99 (also known as .50 BMG); 14.5 x 114.

• Category B requires the shooter to be older than 18, to be affiliated with a shooting range, to have followed at least 3 shooting sessions with an instructor and have a medical certificate. The shooter then receives a 5 year authorization for purchase and ownership of Category B (and therefore Category C firearms since they are affiliated with a shooting range). A shooter older than 16 can own Category B firearms if they participate in international shooting competitions.

from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_France

It has caused an argument in this household as I want to try to buy it, G/f is saying we have bought a few too many guns recently... (and that is b4 we look at import difficulties!)

Cheers

Bob

 

[Kris]

166896 with Colt-style safety.
Blueing +90% with some spots. Barrel worn.

 

[VAC]

166896 with Colt-style safety.
Blueing +90% with some spots. Barrel worn.

Another jewel !

Kris thank you for showing .



Best regards ,
Vaclav

 

[Humble Pie]

Just beautiful, Kris. A lot better than 90%, unless there are large losses on the areas not visible in the photos.

Any backstory you'd be willing to share with us? Was this an "out of the sock drawer" piece or a dealer/shop purchase?

 

[Kris]

Thanks guys. Indeed Bob, there 's no real blueing loss just some spots and wear. Nothing interesting as fornthe history, came out of an old collection.

 

[Fritz]

Well, here we have another German occupation model. Very interesting are some facts : Please note the partially crude workmanship inside the slide, frame and slide are accepted by another official than the barrel, the mag shows an unusually poor surface finish.
On the triggerguard on can read MI P 6. Obviously the I and P6 were stamped later. I think MI represents the typical WWII German FN origin labeling, but P 6 is unknown to me.


Fritz

 

[elmer1007]

SN: 76646, no safety, plain trigger, reblued.

 

[m1903a3]

I made this thread "sticky".

 

[JTPrice]

Another one!
220993, 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] style safety, plain trigger

 

[Bub]

Bob , Here is 739991 and Thanks for your time i really like all the info ... pictures are worth a thousand words in my book ... lol here you go ! i think there is an 8 on magazine floor plate ? and does anyone care to tell me about the markings in trigger guard web right side ? any info is appreciated ! she is in really great shape with a very clean bore .

 

[Humble Pie]

Thanks, Lance! (and all others who have posted). Haven't had time to update the list recently, but I do appreciate all info.

Lance, I can't speak with any certainty about the markings on the trigger guard and the mag floorplate; I would like to have Anthony Vanderlinden's input on this. Maybe he would be willing to comment. It's been a while since I read the section in his FN Browning Pistols book about proofs and markings, but I intend to break it out and freshen up.

Looks like a very nice example not long before the Perron disappeared from the proofs about serial no. 750,000 or so.

 

[Anthony Vanderlinden]

Bob , Here is 739991 and Thanks for your time i really like all the info ... pictures are worth a thousand words in my book ... lol here you go ! i think there is an 8 on magazine floor plate ? and does anyone care to tell me about the markings in trigger guard web right side ? any info is appreciated ! she is in really great shape with a very clean bore . View attachment 560058 View attachment 560066 View attachment 560122 View attachment 560090 View attachment 560098 View attachment 560106 View attachment 560114 View attachment 560082 View attachment 560074

Hello, you have some non-FN markings on your pistol. The top marking on the trigger-guard is not factory, nor is the "8" on the magazine. The right triggerguard was often reserved for inspection/acceptance delegations and customer markings, as seen here.

Many of these pistols were used in official capacities and arsenal maintained. It is not unusual to see added markings on small FN's, far more challenging is identifying these.

You can read more about the model in my book FN BROWNING PISTOLS.

I hope this helps
Anthony

 

[Humble Pie]

Great information - thank you, Anthony!

 

[Bub]

I really Appreciate your thoughts ... book in hand will start on it tonight !!!!

Thank You bub