Baby Browning!!!

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Prof Young

New member
Local auction had a handful of guns including a Baby Browning in 25 cal. I did some research and was tempted to buy. Thing went for $550.00. Definitely at the high end of the value if I understand my research correctly . . . but boy was I temped.

Life is good.

Prof Young
 
Not sure . . .

There were four names associated with this auction, and I don't recall them. This was in Greenville IL.

Life is good.

Prof Young
 
I have been noticing one on the website of an evil gun shop in Northern Mo I frequent. On consignment for $595. Don't know how much the owner will actually take. Been thinking about it also. Heading up that way tomorrow morning. But I've been burning up the plastic the past couple days ordering parts for an AR build I am getting ready to start. So I doubt the evil gun shop lady will talk me into it.
 
My slightly older and a little bit larger than the Baby Browning FN Browning 1906 is almost always in my pocket.

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Super reliable and with the grip safety in addition to just the manual safety, it's one of the few semi-actions I'm comfortable carrying in a pocket even without a holster.
 
"...at the high end of the value..." Condition is everything. However, auctions aren't really a good place to get accurate values. The auctioneer's job is to increase the hype and thereby increase the price he gets for his client.
 
A while back I was interested in those and checked completed listings on GB to get an idea of what they sold for. One guy bought one for $300 which had the lightweight frame. It had noticeable pocket/carry wear, but was still a very good deal for the buyer. I think it was a BIN listing, and probably would have gone for $600 with a regular auction.
 
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Note of interest- the lightweight Baby Brownings all had chrome-plated slides-not nickel.
The lightweight model is much rarer than the steel framed model.
 
I too, have always been enamored with the Baby Brownings. I always thought they were beautiful, well made pistols. I could just never justify spending $500+ on a 25acp that I would probably never carry. That being said, I scratched my itch to a certain extent when I picked up a very nice little Astra Firecat last fall for $150. That seemed like a better price for a range plinker.
 
I have heard some people say yes and some say no. It has seemed like a personal preference thing. I have carried mine loaded with the safety on.
 
...I picked up a very nice little Astra Firecat...
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I had a 1962 Firecat and was very impressed with how well it was made. Much tighter tolerances than the modern day stuff I've seen.
 
Years back I had a PSP clone. Supposedly licensed by fn. Nice reliable and accurate for its size. Gave it up as part of a trade. Later picked up a Bauer with feeding problems. Turned out to just be magazine related. I seldom carry it, but its still nice.
 
I have one similar to JAR except it only has a grip safety, no thumb safety. I inherited it from my wife's uncle. No idea of it's value.
 
I have one similar to JAR except it only has a grip safety, no thumb safety.
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Borrowed from the www:

The first variant of the FN Browning Model 1906, like Browning’s prototype, had no manual safety and featured only a grip safety. There was no mechanism to hold the slide open, either for reloading or for disassembly. The early trigger was a narrow, flat piece of machined metal, curved in front to fit the finger, with a smooth surface. Approximately 150,000 of the first variant guns were manufactured between 1906 and 1909.
 
Another extremely nice tiny gun that is often overlooked is the Bernardelli VP .25, or Baby in .22 long (not LR!) and/or .22 short.
They are 1/10" longer than the Baby Browning, but thinner.
 
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