I have a FN Browning M1922 that I just cant seem to place a year, or who the contract was for. Also I have NO idea what its worth. To start, it has the serial number 283297, no prefix. It has 17 serrations on the slide, Trigger guard has FN inside a box on the left side, above the trigger on the left side there is a symbol of a lion over PV * C. The grips say FN. The barrel also has the lion over pv * C, but also has a crown over ELG. The slide also has that same lion over pv * c. the right side of the trigger guard has a weird symbol that looks like it has 3 stamps on it. it *appears* to have an "A" inside half a box, a "P". MAYBE an "f" *if i can see it right* and an O or 0. it also has a lanyard ring on the left side of the grip. its in 32acp (7.65). any help will be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Browning Help! Cant figure out the year.
- Thread starter Alex_M
- Start date
Interesting - the Lion over PV is a Belgian commercial nitro proof, used after 1924, but the SN you give is not among known commercial SN's, which are 20000 to 215000; and suffixed SN's 1 to 100000 with suffix "a", "b", or "c".
AFAIK, military guns had a couple of military acceptance stamps, like "WaA613", "WaA103", & "WaA140", and 5-digit SN's, some with letter suffix.
There were also some high-polish WaA613's in the 288000-289000 SN range - higher than the SN you gave.
What is the finish on your M1922, high-polish, military, or rough military ?
Is the mag phosphated ? (The mag might have clearer stamps, if it's original to the gun.)
What kinda grip panels ?
.
AFAIK, military guns had a couple of military acceptance stamps, like "WaA613", "WaA103", & "WaA140", and 5-digit SN's, some with letter suffix.
There were also some high-polish WaA613's in the 288000-289000 SN range - higher than the SN you gave.
What is the finish on your M1922, high-polish, military, or rough military ?
Is the mag phosphated ? (The mag might have clearer stamps, if it's original to the gun.)
What kinda grip panels ?
.
"...commercial SN's, which are 20000 to 215000..."
Vanderlinden shows pistols 250254, made in 1934 and shipped to the Danish police (P.K.27 Nr. 4) June 26, 1935*. He also shows two other Model 1922 shipped to the same buyer, No. 263935 (Rplt Nr 995, no date given) and 267177 Rplt 2581, from c. 1938. So Model 1922 numbers definitely exceeded 215000 before WWII. Extrapolation is dangerous, but if 250xxx was 1934, and 267xxx was 1938, the production would have been 4,250 a year. If we can assume that production increased as war approached, 283xxx seems possible by the time Belgium was invaded on May 10, 1940 and 288xxx-289xxx could well have been in the factory at that time and taken by the Germans (WaA 613 marked).
So, a date of late 1939 seems likely for a pistol numbered 283xxx.
FWIW, the Germans seized pistols in both 9mm Kurz and 7.65 Browning, but produced/had produced for their use only the latter caliber, since the 9mmK was not in their military/police supply system. Of course, it could be obtained but, like the .38 Super in the U.S., it was not an official caliber.
*Unlike the Dutch army, the Danes did not insist on their own serial number range, so those numbers are in the commercial range.
Jim
Vanderlinden shows pistols 250254, made in 1934 and shipped to the Danish police (P.K.27 Nr. 4) June 26, 1935*. He also shows two other Model 1922 shipped to the same buyer, No. 263935 (Rplt Nr 995, no date given) and 267177 Rplt 2581, from c. 1938. So Model 1922 numbers definitely exceeded 215000 before WWII. Extrapolation is dangerous, but if 250xxx was 1934, and 267xxx was 1938, the production would have been 4,250 a year. If we can assume that production increased as war approached, 283xxx seems possible by the time Belgium was invaded on May 10, 1940 and 288xxx-289xxx could well have been in the factory at that time and taken by the Germans (WaA 613 marked).
So, a date of late 1939 seems likely for a pistol numbered 283xxx.
FWIW, the Germans seized pistols in both 9mm Kurz and 7.65 Browning, but produced/had produced for their use only the latter caliber, since the 9mmK was not in their military/police supply system. Of course, it could be obtained but, like the .38 Super in the U.S., it was not an official caliber.
*Unlike the Dutch army, the Danes did not insist on their own serial number range, so those numbers are in the commercial range.
Jim
The mag is not original to the gun, its older. Im posting a link to a gun that is NOT mine. but, mine looks exactly like this, except for the stamps on it.
http://www.olarmyjoel.com/images/browning1922/winters m1922.jpg
My finish hasnt been taken care of as well as that one has though. same style of finish though.
Any idea of a price? and the rarity of it? I thought it might be since i looked at alottttt of serial# and nothing said anything about any in the range of mine.
http://www.olarmyjoel.com/images/browning1922/winters m1922.jpg
My finish hasnt been taken care of as well as that one has though. same style of finish though.
Any idea of a price? and the rarity of it? I thought it might be since i looked at alottttt of serial# and nothing said anything about any in the range of mine.
