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Husky M1907 pistol
- Thread starter M4Sherman
- Start date
Swedish made version of the FN/Browning 1903. Original calibre was 9mm Browning Long (9x20). In the 50s and 60s a large number were imported into the U.S. after being sandblasted and having a chamber insert installed to allow the firing of .380 ACP. Also, the front sights were undercut at some time during their service life.
Reliability reports are varied; Some people have excellent reliabilty shooting .380, while others have nothing but trouble.
The original rigs sold for $19.95 with three mags, a cleaning rod, holster and lanyard. If I recall, Golden State Arms was one of the early importers of these in the late 50s and through the 60s.
Reliability reports are varied; Some people have excellent reliabilty shooting .380, while others have nothing but trouble.
The original rigs sold for $19.95 with three mags, a cleaning rod, holster and lanyard. If I recall, Golden State Arms was one of the early importers of these in the late 50s and through the 60s.
I believe that a lot of the reliability isssues were due to the fact that the mags were never modified from 9mm Browning Long to .380 which causes problems, as the .380 round is shorter. One of the parts distributers, I'm thinking Sarco, had replacement barrels in the original 9mm Browning long.
tubbyfirefighter
New member
Sweet lookin gun!
Jim Watson
New member
Yes, I think it is one of the slickest looking old traditional pistols, right in there with a Luger. I'd be a sucker for one in the original caliber but their prices have taken off.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Can the chamber insert be removed?
Jim Watson
New member
I've wondered about that.
If it is just a 3mm ring pressed into the front of the chamber, probably so.
If the chambers were reamed to allow a thicker ring, probably not.
Nonte wrote about the technique but I no longer have his book.
If it is just a 3mm ring pressed into the front of the chamber, probably so.
If the chambers were reamed to allow a thicker ring, probably not.
Nonte wrote about the technique but I no longer have his book.
Since 9mm Browning Long is hard to find and rather expensive (AFAIK, Norma still makes it at about $40 a box), it might make more sense to leave the gun in .380. If the gun is converted back, and ammo is not available, remember that the 9mm BL case is nothing but a shortened .38 ACP case, so the former can be made from .38 Super cases by simply trimming them 1/10 inch to .80". The 9mm BL uses a .355" bullet.
BTW, in case you want to buy and install a 9mm BL barrel, you will need a new recoil spring; they were cut when the guns were converted to .380.
Jim
BTW, in case you want to buy and install a 9mm BL barrel, you will need a new recoil spring; they were cut when the guns were converted to .380.
Jim
Last edited:
Mike Irwin
Staff
"remember that the 9mm BL case is nothing but a shortened .38 ACP case"
Exactly.
It's a very easy case conversion.
Exactly.
It's a very easy case conversion.
Around 1901, several countries were interested in FN pistols, but wanted a better pistol than the Model 1900 and a more powerful round than the 7.65mm Browning (.32 ACP). FN did not make a locked breech pistol at that point (the BHP was over three decades in the future), so Browning decided to get as much power as he could out of the blowback design he was already working on. He did that with the FN Model 1903, using a cut down .38 ACP case to get a cartridge that would be safe in a blowback pistol but still have a reasonable power level for miltary use. The 9mm Browning Short (.380 ACP)had not yet appeared, and the cartridge was first called simply the 9mm FN or 9mm Browning. The "Long" was added after the "Short" appeared.
There is some question as to which Model 1903 came first, or which was a "copy" of the other. The FN patent was issued first (1901), the Colt patent not until 1903, but Browning was clearly working on both at the same time. My personal thinking is that the FN was seen as the original and more profitable (the word "profit" was never far from JMB's thoughts) because it was intended for sale in large quantities as a military pistol. Unfortunately, by the time it came out, other pistols, of greater power, had come on the market and the Browning was bought in quantity only by Sweden; the smaller Colt version eventually was produced in much larger quantities for the civilian market.
Jim
There is some question as to which Model 1903 came first, or which was a "copy" of the other. The FN patent was issued first (1901), the Colt patent not until 1903, but Browning was clearly working on both at the same time. My personal thinking is that the FN was seen as the original and more profitable (the word "profit" was never far from JMB's thoughts) because it was intended for sale in large quantities as a military pistol. Unfortunately, by the time it came out, other pistols, of greater power, had come on the market and the Browning was bought in quantity only by Sweden; the smaller Colt version eventually was produced in much larger quantities for the civilian market.
Jim