Beware of Walther style PP pistols that are on the U.S. market with FN - Fabrique Nationale - slide legends…
These are not FN made pistols and do not feature the typical FN quality. The PP pistols were made in one of the former Soviet countries and are available with any marking or manufacturers marking at extra cost. Somebody ordered a batch of these pistols with FN’s older legal name marked on the slide, this was done solely to mislead buyers / collectors into believing that they were getting a genuine FN made gun. FN never produced the PP and these were not made for the Belgian police as often claimed in U.S. advertising. Belgian law-enforcement agencies did not use the PP or PPK.
Popular misconceptions on FN
and FN Browning Firearms
The following misconceptions circulate in the international collector community. Here are some answers and comments that may clarify how the facts were misunderstood.
General History
- FN was a German company?!
FN has always been a Belgian company, from its inception up to the World Wars. It should be noted that the company did endure a German majority take-over from 1896 to 1914. In such, the majority of shares were in hands of a German company. Majority ownership however does not mean that a company changes national identity. During both World Wars the company was sequestered and under German control.
- FN was established by Loewe in Germany?!
The Belgian government (not FN) purchased the production rights for the 1889 Belgian Mauser and ceded those to FN. Loewe had no influence or control in the establishment of FN. FN engineers did purchase equipment and technical assistance from Loewe after the company was in existence. Loewe was selected after FN engineers had explored buying their machinery in the U.S. but ran into problems when U.S. manufacturers did not want to modify and make the machinery on metric specifications.
- FN was crucial to the German war effort and produced many guns for the German military?!
FN was not one of the most useful bodies to the Germans in WWII. Instead it was more a source of aggravation for the Germans, as they could not get production up to desired significant numbers prior to 1943.
FN Browning Pistols
- The Browning 1900 was the first Browning produced pistol?!
Because no research was done for decades, the first Browning pistol is often credited to the FN Browning 1900. We know now that the 1900 was a modified 1899 model. The 1899 was the first of the Browning pistols to go into production at FN in January 1899. The 1900 followed in mid 1900 after the Belgian military requested changes to the original Browning design. There is a clear distinction between the 1899 and 1900 models, their production run and production periods.
- The Belgian army adopted the FN 1903 and 1922 in the pre-WWII era?!
One of the most unfounded assumptions is that the Belgian army adopted both the 1903 as well as the 1922 in the prewar era. The Belgian military only adopted four pistols in the pre-1940 era:
- The 7.65mm FN Browning 1900 in the year 1900
- The 7.65mm Colt 1903 during WWI as FN was occupied
- The 7.65mm 1910 model in the year 1919
- The High Power in 1935. The Belgian government made no equipment updates in the 1920s. The first signs of replacing or adding to the pistol inventory dates from 1930. This was further spurred on (among a general modernization) in 1933 when Hitler gained power. The first broad army evaluations for the 9mm x 19 High Efficiency (not High Power) date from 1933. The confusion with the 1922 comes from the fact that the Belgian military did end up buying the pistol in 1945. This was done because the model was readily available from FN right after the war. The Belgian government bought A-prefix pistols as well as newly produced pistols in those years. It also used wartime-produced pistols that were left by the Germans. Almost immediately there were issues / complaints about the magazine safety being present on some pistols and not on others making it difficult to train military personnel on a new pistol procedure as not all pistols were alike.
- The FN Browning 1910 was made during WWII and supplied to German officers?!
Only two pistol models were produced; the 1922 model as well as the High Power.
- The first High Power pistols date from before 1935?!
A frustration that advanced collectors share is the fact that the High Power and High Efficiency are rarely credited correctly. The forerunner of the High Power was the High-Efficiency, so named by FN in 1929. The High –Efficiency model was catalogued and made available in the 1929-1930 period. I suspect that the High Efficiency was made in very limited numbers just like FN did with the 1903 model before securing a large military contract. Just like distinguishing the 1899 and 1900 models, it is important to call a pistol by its correct designation.
FN Military Mausers
- All prewar military Mausers were 24/30 models!?
The confusion with FN Mauser models originated with the 1930s FN Catalogs, which often showed the 24/30 nomenclature. This was done as customers could select either model, as both models were available in the early 1930s.
This nomenclature should never be used today in order to identify rifles as customers did either select a 24 or a 30 model. There is no such model as a 24/30 as there is no hybrid between the two. There are distinct differences between the 1922, 1924, 1930, and 1950 models.
- FN produced Mauser rifles for the German military during WWII!?
Fn 1922 Pistol Serial Numbers
Unlike stated in many places, FN never produced any Mauser rifles during the occupation. Only a select few parts were made, most notable barrels and bolts. Those were exported to other plants and FN’s role was only to supplement parts production.
- FN had a FN 1935 Mauser!?
Another great misconception is that many claim that FN had a 1935 Mauser model.
FN never adopted this as a factory designation; it was solely the model designation of their customer. As such, the Peruvian rifle is not a FN Model 1935 but rather a Peruvian 1935, the same is valid for the Belgian military 1935 (both rifles are totally different from one another). Both designations are military designations and are not FN designations. FN did indeed print literature and manuals in Spanish for their Peruvian customer. The Peruvian Mauser is referred to as ‘Modelo 1935’, just as it is on the rifle. These designations are references to the Peruvian designation. FN often printed up literature for their customers and included the customer’s requests as happened in this case.
CRUFFLER.COM
presents
HISTORICFIREARM OF THE MONTH,
May 2001:
| The FN BrowningModel 1922 Pistol |
Type: Self LoadingPistol
System of Operation: Blowback
Caliber: 7.65mmBrowning or 9mm Browning Short
Capacity: 8 roundbox magazine
Sights front: Blade
Sights, rear: Adjustableaperture
Length: 7.01'
Weight (loaded): 25.7ozs
Barrel: 4.5', 6 grooves,right hand twist |
HISTORY
The FabriqueNationale (FN) Browning Model 1922 pistol bears the distinction of beingdeveloped strictly at the request of a FN customer. Specifically,the 'Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes' (later known as Yugoslavia)which had been created out of the ashes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the early 1920's the Yugoslav military was in a shambles. Itsconstituent entities had fought the Balkan wars of 1912 and 1913, thenthe First World War. The arsenals were empty, and the army devoidof war materiel. The Serbs, forming the majority of the new Yugoslavstate, had been an important FN client since the beginning of the firm,in the 1880's, and decided to turn to the Belgian firm for their war materielneeds. Initial considerations for the new Yugoslav service handgunwere the FN Models 1903 and 1910. The Model 1903 was rejected asbeing too expensive. The Model 1910 gained favor because of its relativelyeconomical pricing and 9mm Browning Short cartridge. While the Model1910 performed well in the evaluations, it had some shortcomings as a militarypistol. The Yugoslavs requested a longer barrel conducive to greateraccuracy, as well as increased magazine capacity.
| Thedesign problem was turned over to the FN Bureau d'Etudes (Research andDevelopment Office). The Bureau d'Etudes took stock of the situation. The Yugoslavs certainly couldn't afford the expense of developing and toolingfor a new pistol. Consequently, a series of modifications to theModel 1910 were proposed that would save considerably on tooling and startup production costs. A forged steel cap was added to the 1910 slidein order to accommodate the longer (113mm as opposed to the 1910's 88mm)barrel. The frame was lengthened to accommodate the longer magazine. A lanyard ring was added. The engineering was complete by 1922, andthe Yugoslavs placed an order for 60,000 pistols on February 28, 1923. | FN M1910 Pistol
Image Credit: Vanderlinden, Anthony, The BelgianBrowning Pistols, Wet Dog
Publications, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2001: Page129 |
It must be notedthat the changes to the 1910 design were incremental. Initialexperiments were made with pistols that retained the frame of the 1910mated with a new slide, followed by a frame that held a seven instead ofeight round magazine. Eventually, the design was finalized, and productionbegan. Production serial numbers started at approximately 200,000. (Note: All prewar Model 1922's with serial numbers below 200,000show contract serial number ranges, while those with serial numbers above200,000 display standard FN production serial numbers. Serializationwas restarted after the liberation in 1944.OPERATION
The M1922is a blowback operated pistol; there is no mechanical lock between theslide and barrel. Instead, the breech is held closed by a combinationof the mass of the slide and a stout recoil spring. Operation ofthe pistol is as follows: A loaded magazine is inserted into thebutt, and the slide drawn to the rear. When the slide is released,it moves forward under pressure of the recoil spring and strips a roundfrom the magazine into the chamber, retaining the cartridge's rim underthe externally mounted extractor. When the slide is drawn to therear, the striker is also pulled to the rear, compressing the striker spring. When the slide is drawn to the rearmost position, the striker's nose ridesover, and is retained by the sear.
Image Credit: Hogg, Ian and John Weeks, Pistolsof the World, 3rd Edition, DBI Books, Inc.,
Northbrook, Illinois,1992: Page 66 | Whenthe trigger is pressed, the trigger bar presses against the sear, rotatingit back and down. This frees the striker to move forward and firethe chambered round. Upon firing, the case moves sharply rearward,imparting rearward motion to the slide. The case is pulled from thechamber by the extractor. As the slide moves to the rear, the striker'stip is pushed out through the firing pin hole and serves as an ejector. The M1922 is equipped with a triple safety system. There is a gripsafety which, unless depressed, prevents the sear from rotating and releasingthe striker. There is a thumb safety which, when engaged, preventsthe grip safety from being depressed. The thumb safety cannot beengaged unless the grip safety is released. There is also a magazinesafety that prevents the sear from rotating unless a magazine is fullyseated in the |
grip. Finally,the trigger bar incorporates a disconnector that prevents the sear frombeing tripped unless the slide is fully forward and into battery.Disassemblyis effected by first removing the magazine There is a latch on theforward left side of the slide at the junction of the slide and the slidecap. By pressing the latch toward the muzzle, the slide cap is freedto rotate. By rotating the slide cap ninety degrees, the cap's internaltenons are freed from the interrupted raceway internal to the front endof the slide, and the cap can move forward and out of engagement with theslide (note: it is under considerable pressure from the recoil spring). The slide is then easily retracted and the safety locked into the forward,disassembly notch. The barrel is now aligned with the slide's disassemblyrecess. The barrel can now be rotated ninety degrees counterclockwise(as viewed from the muzzle). This rotates the barrel tenons out oftheir recesses in the frame. The slide and barrel can then be slidforward off the frame. The recoil spring can be removed, the barrelrotated back, and then pulled out from the front.
CONTRACT PISTOLS
Many nationsadopted the Model 1922, each of them under a separate contract from FN. The following is a short listing of the Model 1922 contract pistols.
Yugoslavia: Yugoslavia was the first nation to adopt the Model 1922, placing an orderfor some 60,000 pistols in February, 1923. Orders for the pistolscontinued into the late 1930's, with service being provided for the Yugoslavpistols at the Kragujevac Arsenal (which had been set up under the guidanceof FN personnel). Many of the Yugoslav Army M1922 pistols were capturedby the Germans during World War Two. These captured pistols werereissued to German and satellite forces under the designation P641(j). Large quantities also remained in partisan hands, becoming known as theprimary pistol of Tito's Army. Yugoslav Army pistols are marked inCyrillic on the right side of the slide with the legends 'Army State' or'Officer.' | Image Credit: Vanderlinden, Anthony, The BelgianBrowning Pistols, Wet Dog
Publications, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2001: Page135 |
Image Credit: Vanderlinden, Anthony, The BelgianBrowning Pistols, Wet Dog
Publications, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2001: Page140 | Holland:The Dutch government placed its first order for Model 1922 pistols in October1924. The 2,000 7.65mm pistols in this shipment received the Dutchdesignation Pistool M25 No.1, and was intended for issue to twodifferent law enforcement agencies. The Koninklijke Marechaussee,or Royal Military Constabulary, received approximately 1,200 pistolsfrom this order, while the Politie Troepen, or Police Troops, receivedthe remaining 800. In the following year the Dutch expanded issueof the M1922 to machine gun crews. The M1922's issued to the DutchArmy were known as Pistool M25 No.2, the designation differing asthe army guns were chambered for the 9mm Browning Short instead of 7.65mm. Serialization of the M25 No.2 started at 3000, with the first order of2,000 pistols being shipped in April 1926. Military orders continued |
until the Germaninvasion in 1940:
| Date | Order Notes |
| 1926 | First 2,000 pistols |
| January 1930 | 20,000 M25 No.2 on hand |
| May 1932 | 24,000 M25 No.2 on hand |
| 1936 | M25 No. 2 serials reach 31499 |
| 1938 | 4,000 M25 No.2 ordered |
| 1939 | 15,000 M25 No.2 ordered |
| February 1940 | 5,000 M25 No.2 received |
| May 1940 | 15,000 pistols ordered, neverreceived |
AdditionalDutch orders were placed for law enforcement agencies. In 1927, 150M25 No.2 pistols were purchased for the Curacao police. In 1929,the rural police force purchases 100 M25 No.1, and in 1934, the Dutch NationalBank upgraded 100 M1910 pistols to M1922's.
| Greece: The Greeks purchased 9,980 M1922 pistols chambered for 9mm Browning Shortin 1926. This was the official sidearm of the Greek Army and AirForce from 1926 to 1941. The order was delivered between 1926 and1929. | Image Credit: Vanderlinden, Anthony, The BelgianBrowning Pistols, Wet Dog
Publications, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2001: Page143 |
Image Credit: Vanderlinden, Anthony, The BelgianBrowning Pistols, Wet Dog
Publications, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2001: Page144 | Turkey: Continuing an Ottoman tradition of FN patronage (Ottoman police were armedwith FN Model 1903 pistols), the newly formed Turkish Republic purchasedM1922 pistols for the Turkish Army. Three contract variations havebeen noted, although it is possible that more may surface.- Variant 1: Marked 'T.C. Subay' (Turkiye Cumhuriyeti Subay - Officer of the TurkishRepublic)
- Variant 2: Marked 'T.C. Ordusuna Mahsustur' (Turkiey Cumhuriyeti Mahsustur - Propertyof the Armed Forces of the Republic of Turkey)
Variant 3: Marked 'Subaylara Mahsustur' (Property of Officer of the Armed Forces)
|
| Romania: The Romanian contract pistols were shipped from FN in September 1935, andwere marked with the crest of the Ministry of the Interior, indicatingissuance to a law enforcement agency. These pistols were orderedthrough the FN dealer and distributor in Bucharest, B.D. Zissu. | Image Credit: Vanderlinden, Anthony, The BelgianBrowning Pistols, Wet Dog
Publications, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2001: Page145 |
Fn 1922 Pistol Serial Numbers A Prefix Means Used
Image Credit: Vanderlinden, Anthony, The BelgianBrowning Pistols, Wet Dog
Publications, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2001: Page146 | FrenchNavy: Ordered in approximately 1932,these 7.65mm pistols are often mistaken for postwar guns. Carefulexamination notes several pre-war features (17 as opposed to 16 cockingserrations, horn grips, differing slide legends). Ordered with typicalFrench cost saving features such as black enamel finish and unfluted slidecap, the guns were refinished by the French after the war with a green/grayparkerizing over the original remaining finish. |
| DanishPolice: Denmark ordered 3,000 7.65mmM1922 pistols for the Danish Federal Police in the 1930's. | Image Credit: Vanderlinden, Anthony, The BelgianBrowning Pistols, Wet Dog
Publications, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2001: Page149 |
Image Credit: Vanderlinden, Anthony, The BelgianBrowning Pistols, Wet Dog
Publications, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2001: Page156 | NaziOccupation Pistols: The M1922 hasthe dubious distinction of being produced in larger numbers than any otherfirearm at the FN plant during the Nazi occupation. The German designationsfor the M1922 were Pistole 626(b) for the 7.65mm version and Pistole 641(b)for the 9mm Short version. M1922's found their way to all cornersof the German government and military as officer's and official's sidearms. The primary user of the M1922, however was the Luftwaffe. Interestingly,the M1922 was also offered as a commercial pistol up to 1942, being soldmostly as sidearms for war factory security personnel and police. M1922's accepted by the German military show one of three Army WeaponsOffice inspectors markings (Waffenamt stampings). |
- WaA613: This stamping was used from May 1940 until early 1941, and is found onsome 6,300 M1922's made prior to the invasion or assembled from parts madeprior to the invasion. They may or may not contain parts made duringthe occupation.
- 9mm Short, partof 1940 Dutch Order - Serial Range 63,000 - 77,000
- 9mm Short or 7.65mm,FN Commercial Production - Serial Range 288,000 - 289,000
- 7.65mm, prewarparts - Serial Range 20,000 - 23,000
- WaA103: This stamping was used from early to later 1941, and is found only on the36,000 7.65mm pistols within the 24,000 to 60,000 serial number range. They are usually found with some pre-invasion parts and retain prewar commercialquality standards.
- WaA140: This stamping was used from late 1941 to the liberation in 1944 on approximately325,000 7.65mm pistols. Serialization began in the 67,000 - 68,000range and proceeded to approximately serial number 155,000. In late1943 serialization was restarted using the German military system. In this system serial numbers were limited to five digits with a one lettersuffix. The letter indicated a block of 100,000 pistols. (Example: A pistol with the serial number 34554b is actually the 234,554th pistolproduced - the first block of 100,000 had no suffix, pistols 100,000 -199,999 were suffixed with an a, and pistols 200,000 through 299,999were suffixed with a b.) In 1944, serial number markings weresimplified with the full serial number appearing only on the slide, withthe last four digits appearing on the frame.
| Post-LiberationM1922's: With the liberation ofLiege in late 1944, what was left of the original factory staff returnedand restarted production. The M1922 was one of the first productsto come off the lines of the liberated factory. Most of these pistolswere for military or government contracts. These pistols were builtwith at least some parts made during the occupation, and were so notedby having their serial numbers prefixed with the letter 'A.' Finish on the A-prefix pistols was either a matte bluing or black enamel. These pistols were purchased by the French military and police, the Belgianmilitary, the Dutch military and Department of Finance, and the securitypersonnel of the Netherlands Steamship Corporation. | Image Credit: Vanderlinden, Anthony, The BelgianBrowning Pistols, Wet Dog
Publications, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2001: Page157 |
PostwarContracts: After the war, the M1922found extensive use with West German police agencies and the French government. The M1922 was used by the French Army up to 1957, by French Customs to1983, by forestry agents until the late 1980's, and by the Parisian policeup to at least the 1970's.
CONCLUSION
The M1922is often overlooked by American collectors for any number of reasons; itwasn't offered in a 'major' caliber, it wasn't an 'official' military sidearmof any of the major combatants in World War Two, it was little morethan an upsized pocket pistol. This lack of interest belies the historicalsignificance of this pistol. With its older brother, the M1910, theM1922 was THE European sidearm of the interwar years, and the gunresponsible for the word 'Browning' continuing to be synonymous with 'automaticpistol.' Moreover, its design, while elegantly simple, wasinnovative, reliable, and effective. M1922's can be found on theUS collector market for surprisingly low prices, and in surprisingly goodcondition. For the collector of European pistols or, for that matter,the Cruffler, the M1922 is a piece of history that should not be missed.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Vanderlinden,Anthony,The Belgian Browning Pistols: 1889 - 1949, (Wet Dog Publications,Greensboro, North Carolina: 2001)
The BelgianBrowning Pistols: 1889 - 1949 is available from Wet Dog Publications. Click on the image to order:
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Fn Model 1922 Serial Numbers
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