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#1 |
Lifer
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I've owned two Browning model 1910's, one dating back to the 40's (IIRC), and the other a 1970 import...I liked them...They were "improved" versions of the 1900...
Recent references to the 1900 has piqued my interest... Has anyone owned one??? What were your experiences with it??? I bid on a rather worn example on GB but the Reserve is too high, IMO...(no, not the one below!)...
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#2 |
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I have never owned one but have always found them interesting from a design perspective. It has always fascinated me that some of the Smith and wesson .22 autoloaders look to be direct decendents in appearance.
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#3 |
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Obviously, I am interested in them - http://luger.gunboards.com/showthread.php?t=24141 - and own a couple.
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Regards, Don donmaus1@aol.com Author of History Writ in Steel: German Police Markings 1900-1936 http://www.historywritinsteel.com |
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#4 |
Lifer
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Thanks for the link!
![]() Can you share any of your impressions of them???
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#5 |
Lifer
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Found this interesting tidbit at -
http://www.fn-browning.com/fn.htm FN Browning Model 1899 vs. FN Browning Model 1900: The Model 1899 was first produced in January 1899 and closely resembles John Browning's prototype. It can be differentiated from the FN Model 1900 by the following features: There are no safety markings and no lanyard ring, the frame has small side-plates. The grips are secured with studs and nuts. The FN Browning 1900 was introduced in 1900 after Belgian military trials requested changes to the Model 1899. The Model 1900 has larger grips which are secured with screws, has French language safety markings (Feu & Sur), a lanyard ring and larger frame side-plates.
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#6 |
Lifer
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Another 1899 better showing the "small grips"...
Also seems to have a more rounded frame at the rear...I think this may be an early model 1899 (or even one of the prototypes), but the page is in Russian and I can't read it...maybe one of the pages from an FN book???
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#7 |
Lifer
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Hmmmm...I see my old friend katyusha has one of these for sale on GunsAmerica...Too nice for me; a collector grade pistol + holster...
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#8 |
Lifer
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Can't help with the inscription Ron, but the Crown looks very much like the crown on the Erfurt Toggle marking of Lugers. Perhaps it is some kind of acceptance by the Erfurt State Armory of this pistol into official service? (just a theory!)
Regarding experiences with this type of pistol, a very close friend of mine bought one in a private sale in 1966 (OH MY GOSH that was FOURTY FOUR years ago!) for $20 from one of his neighbors and I believe that it had been brought back from WW1 by a grandfather in the sellers family. It had not been fired since the end of WW1, and was wrapped in a rag and covered in congealed grease. My friend enlisted my assistance in determining how to disassemble it for cleaning. This is way before the internet, and the only exploded diagrams available at the time were in the NRA books, Shooters Bible, and the Numerich Gun Parts catalog. Luckily, my young gun library had one or more of those. I was able to decipher the disassembly procedure and we got it apart and cleaned well and back together... then took it to the range. It was LOUD, and had about a 25 pound trigger pull as I recall. After working with it for a while with some good arkansas stones, we got the trigger down to about 7 pounds and we figured that this was good enough. I never like the gun but appreciated the experience... it was one of my first gunsmithing "adventures"
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regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL and are endowed by their Creator with certain UNALIENABLE rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..." |
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#9 | |
Lifer
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Maybe something like "Queen's Own Fusiliers, 4th Regiment"... BTW: I think I read on one of the FN sites that the "w" (or maybe "m") on the trigger guard indicates something relevant also...(But you must already know that!)... ![]() But the engraving is exceptionally well executed and detailed... ![]()
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#10 |
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For those interested in these pistols, Anthony Vanderlinden's book FN Browning Pistols is a "must have."
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Regards, Don donmaus1@aol.com Author of History Writ in Steel: German Police Markings 1900-1936 http://www.historywritinsteel.com |
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#11 |
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+1 I just got done reading it cover to cover some very interesting history there.
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#12 |
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Gary, please see this post for an update of my modest contribution to Vanderlinden's book: http://luger.gunboards.com/showthread.php?t=24141.
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Regards, Don donmaus1@aol.com Author of History Writ in Steel: German Police Markings 1900-1936 http://www.historywritinsteel.com |
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#13 |
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Ron, The beautifully engraved C/S 4 on your FN1900 appears to be an enlarged verison of the German WW1 imperial inspector's C/S. If I were to guess, or create an interesting tail, I would suggest that it was gun #4 from the Imperial Guard for a Bavarian ruler (see the C/L for Leopold on a lot of WW1 Bavarian PO8 holster) who's name started with S. TH PS: I do have some FN1900 parts in stock.
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#14 |
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Just guessing, but an elaborate royal engraving such as the one seen, along with an inventory number could have come from the palace guard of a royal house such as Saxony or Savoy.
Remember that the use or abuse of royal insignia were taken very seriously back in this era. |
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#15 |
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Thanks for the guesses guys. It makes for interesting speculation but I doubt that I will ever really know. It is so nicely done that I have kept it for a good many years, plus it is a pretty nice example of a 1900.
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#16 |
Lifer
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I commented in the other FN 1900 thread that there was a seller on GB with a pitted 1900 with a bulged barrel...It's still there; has been for about a year (I think)...Price still too high...For that condition; otherwise, it's in my ballpark...
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=207220115 I commend this seller for being honest about the bulged barrel, and for showing *all* the pits (28 pics of pits!), but, really...$250 starting price??? ![]() I have a tool for straightening out squibbed barrels, and even if it didn't work, Numrich has barrel(s) listed right now in stock for $60... But those pits...[sigh]... ![]() The $490 1900 is still there, too...and it doesn't look all that much better...(only 3 pics)...and it has the "small" grips... ![]() http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=206917049 Here's a comparison of the two...Pic attached... Katyusha's 1900 is looking better all the time... ![]()
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I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter... ![]() Last edited by sheepherder; 12-24-2010 at 05:48 PM. |
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#17 |
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We received a querying message suggesting its BB value being $600. I have not looked up BB yet, but probably that's right. We paid a couple of hundred more. But that's back a few years ago when 1 oz American Eagle silver coin was ~$10.... say it cost 80 coins. Now, each coin asks $30 after Fed's QE2.... if we bought it for 80 coins but sell it for only 20 coins, that would not be good
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#18 | |
Lifer
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![]() Yours is the best looking I have seen...but I have no interest in holsters/rigs, and a shooter would be acceptable to me...besides, I am broke...literally... I was hoping Ron Wood would buy yours and sell me one of his shooters... ![]()
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#19 |
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No, I was not unhappy. It's not a life essential item. Under current economical condition, buyers have many choices.
Have you noticed the "French Gardame C96" on Greg Martin? Looks great, except the crack on one grip panel. Otherwise, it's very attractive. |
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#20 | |
Lifer
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![]() Quote:
![]() Did you win that auction???
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