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Posted: 12/20/2008 8:23:59 PM EDT
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I'm just a C&R dilettante, so bear with me.
I was at my mother-in-law's house today for that side of the family's Christmas. Got to talking with my brother in law about guns, conversation turned to an old pistol that his dad had (died about 10 years ago), used to be his grandpa's gun. The m-i-l had forgotten all about it, and goes and digs up this old leather holster, and inside is a neglected, rusty old FN 1910 1922. No mags, just the old gun and the holster. It's in pretty tough shape. I'm trying to figure out how to field strip this (assuming it is field-strippable) to see why the slide won't move more than about 1/4". Can anyone tell me anything about this gun? It appears to be the .380 variety. Based on pictures I have found on the internet, it's a variant with a 1" longer barrel. The serial number is 64397. It has the FN on the grips. ETA: I think it's the .32. I found something on the holster that says 7.65... ETAAA: I have ascertained that it is a 1922. 12/21/08 |
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I beleive it has a threaded bushing, sort of like a 1911 bushing, but actual threads instead of a simple rotating lugged bushing. Not sure why the slide won't come back. Try it with a empty magazine in place, making sure you keep the grip safety depressed. I'm not sure if these things have a magazine safety or not.
A friend of mine had one years ago, covered in cyrillic markings. It was a nice-shooting gun albeit a little awkward-looking. I think the barrel is fixed in place the way the barrel on a 1903/1908 Browning is, not held in place with the slide-stop pin like on a 1911. |
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I found a $7.95 e-book on 1910 & 1922's that has shed some more light on the gun.
First thing, I have determined it to be a 1922 by virtue of the longer barrel and a very small WaA140, indicating it was a third run by forced labor in Belgium between late 1941 and 1944. This is getting kind of cool. I don't believe that the grandfather-in-law was in the military, but I may try to find the story as to how it came into his possession. There is a mag safety, so I think I am going to track down a magazine for this gun, and see if that allows me to move the slide to allow stripping this thing down. Apparently there is more serial number info stamped inside the slide to help identify it. ETA: Pics... I had immediately coated it down with some CLP, so she looks a bit wet. You can't quite see the WaA140 markings and the little German eagle standard in the pics, but it's there. One on the frame, one on the slide, just to the right of the "PATENT DEPOSE" 
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It's been a long time since I handled one.
-clear pistol (tough with jammed slide) -depress spring loaded catch on muzzle bushing and rotate bushing and remove. -remove spring -retract slide and rotate barrel 90 degrees (maybe the slide needs to go to where the safety goes into that second catch on the slide, sorry it's been a few years) -now I can't remember if the barrel comes out alone or if you withdraw both slide and barrel together now that the barrel lugs aren't locked into the pistol frame. |
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Quoted:
Oh, I'm betting the magazines are around somewhere. Or at least they were at one point in time.  Woohoo! I just found a couple via the web locally, as a matter of fact.  Of course, it would be several days before I'd get a chance to swing by to pick them up, so I just opted to have it shipped. If they're on the ball, I should have 2 mags for it on Tuesday. If not, it would be a while with the holidays and all.
I think I'm going to need a set of punches to get this bugger taken completely down, as well. |
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Hello NoStock !
Yep – a model 1922 in 32 ACP caliber. I have a 1910 in 380 ACP caliber. Basically the same pistol, but the 1922 has a barrel extension and a little longer frame. The 1922 was brought out because several European gov’t/military units were looking for a little larger and higher capacity pistol for their militaries. FN/Browning wanted a piece of the market and the 1922 was born ! ! Be forewarned – a 1922 mag will fit in a 1910 model, but the 1910 mag will NOT fit in a 1922 model. Your pistol is striker-fired – no hammer. Best not to dry fire. You’ll end up breaking off the firing pin/striker tip. Pretty sure Wolff Gun Springs has springs for your new find – well worth the cost. Gun Parts Corp would have any other parts you might need. I’ve seen pistols in a lot worse condition than this that have been brought back to life. First thing I would do is remove the grips and drop all the metal part ins a small bucket of kerosene. Wait about a week or 10 days and I think you’ll see most of the rust come right off. Might have a few pits, but the rust should come off. That pistol is quite a little prize – clean it up a little and enjoy ! ! !
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I would not recommend detail stripping the pistol. You also should not need any punches to field strip it. These pistols were designed for military and police, for trained armorers to work on. There are lots of little parts that are easily lost or re-installed correctly.
I have a 1910, take my word, don't take it apart any more than you have to. :) |
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Quoted:
I would not recommend detail stripping the pistol. You also should not need any punches to field strip it. These pistols were designed for military and police, for trained armorers to work on. There are lots of little parts that are easily lost or re-installed correctly. I have a 1910, take my word, don't take it apart any more than you have to. :) 
Oops.  I didn't read your warning before I did this. I think I had to in order to get the slide unjammed. Everything I was reading was directing me to remove the magazine, then do the slide stuff, so I realized that the absence of a mag could not be what was preventing it from working properly. I'm still not certain what was hanging it up, but I essentially took it apart from the bottom, and eventually I removed whatever was binding.
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Quoted:
Hello NoStock ! Yep – a model 1922 in 32 ACP caliber. I have a 1910 in 380 ACP caliber. Basically the same pistol, but the 1922 has a barrel extension and a little longer frame. The 1922 was brought out because several European gov’t/military units were looking for a little larger and higher capacity pistol for their militaries. FN/Browning wanted a piece of the market and the 1922 was born ! ! Be forewarned – a 1922 mag will fit in a 1910 model, but the 1910 mag will NOT fit in a 1922 model. Your pistol is striker-fired – no hammer. Best not to dry fire. You’ll end up breaking off the firing pin/striker tip. Pretty sure Wolff Gun Springs has springs for your new find – well worth the cost. Gun Parts Corp would have any other parts you might need. I’ve seen pistols in a lot worse condition than this that have been brought back to life. First thing I would do is remove the grips and drop all the metal part ins a small bucket of kerosene. Wait about a week or 10 days and I think you’ll see most of the rust come right off. Might have a few pits, but the rust should come off. That pistol is quite a little prize – clean it up a little and enjoy ! ! !
Thanks for the info. I'm not sure what the specs should be on the springs, but I'd imagine they are probably original equipment. Replacing would definitely be a good idea. I've been reading a lot about the electrolytic rust removal, and I think I might give that a try. |
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I've been reading a lot about the electrolytic rust removal, and I think I might give that a try. About 15 min in, and the chunks of rust are FLYING off this thing so far... using a 12v charger on the 2 amp setting. Landscape spike for the anode. Only downer is that the water is cloudy. I can't see what's happening that well, except for the speckles of rust floating up to the top. I'll be curious to see what this looks like after the rust is gone. I'd prefer to not re-blue it to maintain its character, but I also want it to end up looking halfway decent. |
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Got 'er back together. It really wasn't too bad. The slide seems to be functioning properly. I don't have any mags or snap-caps, so I don't KNOW that the trigger action is working right, but I have no reason to doubt it.
Finished pic. It looks MUCH better than before, and functioning. I just need my mags to show up, and I'll take it to the range, put on some nice heavy leather gloves and test the trigger.
Behold! 
It's a bit blotchy where the rust spots were, but hey. It's a 67 year old gun that some German carried around during WW2. (Assuming it was issued, since it was made in 1941, and they made a few hundred thousand after this one) |
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That looks like the Belgium Browning that my father bought mail-order back in the late 50's. It didn't come with a holster but it only cost $29.95. I guess that was a lot more money then. My brother still has the pistol.  Ah, the good old days. "I like that gun. Mail it to me."
From Wiki: In 1955, the Browning Arms Company introduced this pistol for the American market as the Model 1955. Made in Belgium, this model was virtually identical to the European model except for the markings. Importation ceased in 1968 due to the passage of stricter gun-control laws in the U.S. Another version, the Model 1971, featured a longer barrel and slide, adjustable sights, a finger-rest magazine, and enlarged 'target' grips. These features were intended to comply with the Gun Control Act of 1968 which had halted import of the Model 1955.
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Quoted:
Got 'er back together. It really wasn't too bad. The slide seems to be functioning properly. I don't have any mags or snap-caps, so I don't KNOW that the trigger action is working right, but I have no reason to doubt it. Finished pic. It looks MUCH better than before, and functioning. I just need my mags to show up, and I'll take it to the range, put on some nice heavy leather gloves and test the trigger.
Behold! http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/1/l_d2c746ab2ecd4b52ab062f72b0d225a8.jpg It's a bit blotchy where the rust spots were, but hey. It's a 67 year old gun that some German carried around during WW2. (Assuming it was issued, since it was made in 1941, and they made a few hundred thousand after this one) Awsome job! I have on too that my Dad got for a carpentry job when someone owed him money decades ago. Mine shoots as good as anything modern that I have, hope you enjoy yours too. Uhwarrie |
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Quoted:
That looks like the Belgium Browning that my father bought mail-order back in the late 50's. It didn't come with a holster but it only cost $29.95. I guess that was a lot more money then. My brother still has the pistol. $229.05 when adjusted for inflation... Goes to demonstrate investment in "firearms" isn't always an investment. |
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Quoted:
Got 'er back together. It really wasn't too bad. The slide seems to be functioning properly. I don't have any mags or snap-caps, so I don't KNOW that the trigger action is working right, but I have no reason to doubt it. Finished pic. It looks MUCH better than before, and functioning. I just need my mags to show up, and I'll take it to the range, put on some nice heavy leather gloves and test the trigger.
Behold! http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/1/l_d2c746ab2ecd4b52ab062f72b0d225a8.jpg It's a bit blotchy where the rust spots were, but hey. It's a 67 year old gun that some German carried around during WW2. (Assuming it was issued, since it was made in 1941, and they made a few hundred thousand after this one) just my opinion, i feel that you should put new springs in it before you fire it. i hear too many stories of old springs failing and the receiver getting FUBAR'ed |
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Took it to the range today. I went a bit tentative, just to play it safe.
Started out with one in the mag, pointed it downrange when I chambered the round. Bang. Good. Then went with 2. Bang. Bang. Good. Then loaded it up normal. Bang. Bang. Bang. Etc. By gosh, it's a perfectly normal, happy, functioning gun. 
Can't tell much about the accuracy. I was shooting for shit today, and didn't run enough rounds through to see how it would group or anything. |
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