Adopt a gun

alvin · 11-27-2008, 09:20 PM

Regarding the year it was made, I did a little searching with the references in my hands at this moment.

Page 212 of the book "Handguns of the World" (Ezell, 1981) presents two Modele 1900 pictures, s/n 100,000 and 500,000, both have s/n stamped big on the left side of the frame (unusual). Both were presentation guns to John Browning by the manufactucer. Pistol 100,000 even had the date stamped below the s/n, "4 AOUT 1904". 500,000 had no date on the gun. The text on page 211 says: "By August 1904, 100,000 Modele 1900s had been built, 500,000 by 1909", obviously refered to those two presentation pistols of known provenance.

If above data is accurate, this one was made in 1909. I will celebrate it's 100th birthday very soon

====

Another piece of info is also interesting. Page 166 of Volume 1 of "The Machine Gun" (Chinn, 1951) says:

Twelve years from the time the first weapon was produced, the millionth pistol was made. After this fact was engraved on the receiver, the weapon was presented to John M. Browning during the ceremony of the title "Chevalier de l'Ordre de Leopold" by King Albert of Belgium.

Sounds like at least 1,000,000 were made..... no picture of the engraved pistol in the book. With all those numbers, FN's production pattern was very uneven, 1st half a million in 9 years, 2nd half a million in 3 years (isn't 500 pistols per day a very high production volume??)

alvin · 01-06-2009, 10:22 PM

Use the sold AK and HR money, not counting my shipping cost, just did a 2:1 conversion.... those two were converted to one of these in the picture (actually, the back one, 1% better than the front one). AK price is soaring and Broom's price is dropping these days..... anyway, if I had thought too much, I would not acquired anything.

alvin · 02-28-2009, 02:31 PM

Finally, adopted a German military gun. All my Parabellums came from forum members, thanks!

alvin · 03-13-2009, 08:16 PM

For those of you who can tell subtle difference between gun finish.... it's a salt blued bolo made in 1929. Mauser was about to say good bye to baby broom and restore their long barrels.

Movie "Lust Caution" (2008), C96 carried by the guards of Chinese collaborationist government.

Historically, Imperial Japanese Army issued large number of Mausers to Chinese collaborationist government (Japanese supported, 1940-1945). And a few Japanese trading companies were important arm suppliers to Chinese warlords in 1920s. Ironically, Japanese kept inferior Nambu pistols for their own use during the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945).

It's not surprising that Japanese had some C96s. Right side is an original bolo brought back by a US Major from Japan, with mismatched but period correct original "banner" bolo stock.

Tanaka Kakuei was Japanese Prime Minister 1972-1974. During Sino-Japanese War, he served as a political officer in an Imperial army unit stationed in Northern China. In 1944, he "bribed" local communist guerilla leader by giving the latter two brand new C96s as gift in exchange of the guerilla not attacking his men. Not this gun though

11-27-2008, 09:20 PM	#1
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Regarding the year it was made, I did a little searching with the references in my hands at this moment. Page 212 of the book "Handguns of the World" (Ezell, 1981) presents two Modele 1900 pictures, s/n 100,000 and 500,000, both have s/n stamped big on the left side of the frame (unusual). Both were presentation guns to John Browning by the manufactucer. Pistol 100,000 even had the date stamped below the s/n, "4 AOUT 1904". 500,000 had no date on the gun. The text on page 211 says: "By August 1904, 100,000 Modele 1900s had been built, 500,000 by 1909", obviously refered to those two presentation pistols of known provenance. If above data is accurate, this one was made in 1909. I will celebrate it's 100th birthday very soon ==== Another piece of info is also interesting. Page 166 of Volume 1 of "The Machine Gun" (Chinn, 1951) says: Twelve years from the time the first weapon was produced, the millionth pistol was made. After this fact was engraved on the receiver, the weapon was presented to John M. Browning during the ceremony of the title "Chevalier de l'Ordre de Leopold" by King Albert of Belgium. Sounds like at least 1,000,000 were made..... no picture of the engraved pistol in the book. With all those numbers, FN's production pattern was very uneven, 1st half a million in 9 years, 2nd half a million in 3 years (isn't 500 pistols per day a very high production volume??) Last edited by alvin; 11-27-2008 at 09:51 PM.

01-06-2009, 10:22 PM	#2
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Use the sold AK and HR money, not counting my shipping cost, just did a 2:1 conversion.... those two were converted to one of these in the picture (actually, the back one, 1% better than the front one). AK price is soaring and Broom's price is dropping these days..... anyway, if I had thought too much, I would not acquired anything. Attached Thumbnails

02-28-2009, 02:31 PM	#3
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Finally, adopted a German military gun. All my Parabellums came from forum members, thanks! Attached Thumbnails Last edited by alvin; 03-01-2009 at 09:21 AM. Reason: Top is too dark. Hard to operate with two light sources

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03-13-2009, 08:16 PM	#4
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	For those of you who can tell subtle difference between gun finish.... it's a salt blued bolo made in 1929. Mauser was about to say good bye to baby broom and restore their long barrels. Movie "Lust Caution" (2008), C96 carried by the guards of Chinese collaborationist government. Historically, Imperial Japanese Army issued large number of Mausers to Chinese collaborationist government (Japanese supported, 1940-1945). And a few Japanese trading companies were important arm suppliers to Chinese warlords in 1920s. Ironically, Japanese kept inferior Nambu pistols for their own use during the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). It's not surprising that Japanese had some C96s. Right side is an original bolo brought back by a US Major from Japan, with mismatched but period correct original "banner" bolo stock. Tanaka Kakuei was Japanese Prime Minister 1972-1974. During Sino-Japanese War, he served as a political officer in an Imperial army unit stationed in Northern China. In 1944, he "bribed" local communist guerilla leader by giving the latter two brand new C96s as gift in exchange of the guerilla not attacking his men. Not this gun though