FN Browning Models 1900, 1905 1920

7 January 1995 - Acquired F-N MODEL 1905 6.35MM (.25 ACP) grip safety "Vest Pocket" pistol, sn 76867 from the RED STAR military museum in Culver City, Ca. This gun was purchased solely for the Mosin-Nagant Crossed rifles in saltire crest stamped on the right forward side of the receiver slide. This is the only pistol known of besides the M1900 and M1906 Russian Parabellum that has a "similar" crossed rifle crest. The RED STAR owner says he has seen a MODEL 1900 F-N (.32 ACP) F-N’s with the same rifle crests. Pictured is a typical FN 1900 pistol in the collection.

Stamped on the left side of the subject FN 1905 slider frame on one line "FABRIQUE NATIONALE D'ARMES deGUERRE HERSTAL BELGIQUE" and BROWINING'S PATENT-DEPOSE on the second line. Below the word DEPOSE are four proofs with the same identical proofs below on the frame. With the receiver slide pulled back five proofs are exposed on the left side of the barrel. There are a couple of other proofs or inspector marks located on the left and right side of the trigger guard. Per the “Blue Book” this gun is the first variation - with no slide lock/safety lever. Total production from 1906 to 1959 is 1,086,133 manufactured by Fabrique Nationale, Herstal, Belgium.

The F-N rifle crest (left image) is different from the Parabellum crest (right image) in the following ways:

1. It has fixed bayonets, the Parabellums do not.
2. The rifles are shown crossed "right-side up" whereas the Russian Parabellums are stamped with the rifles crossed bottom or "belly" side up. The F-N rifle crest orientation is considered normal or more commonly seen in gun books and literature that feature such items.
3. The F-N Browning rifle crest is stamped on a flat surface vs. the curved chamber surface of the Russian Parabellums. The Russian Parabellum rifle crests are larger (18 m/m rifle length) with a deeper, detailed stamping than the F-N Browning (12 m/m rifle length w/o bayonet, 14.5 m/m with bayonet).
4. The F-N rifle crest is stamped with an issue number 6І60 below the crest.

According to some collectors this issue number is for the Russian Police and that the Russian Parabellums are military in origin, purchased for the "presidential" guard. Pictured are close-ups of the crossed Rifle stampings of the subject FN1905/06, serial number 76867 and DWM Model 1900 Russian Parabellum, serial number 12662. Pictured are two views, one with the pistol only and the second with pistol and unknown maker period commercial holster.

© 2013 FN Browning Pistols by Anthony Vanderlinden has an excellent section on these pistols on page 206 and 207 titled: Imperial Russian General Staff Academy Contracts Note: FN 1905 serial number 76867, issue number 6160 was added to the list on page 207.

Information obtained from †Fred A. Datig's much earlier unpublished manuscript "Imperial Russian Military Revolvers and Pistols".

The following is a listing of MODEL F-N 1900, 1903 and 1905 John M. Browning pistols manufactured by Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre, Herstal Belgique that have been identified as having a Mosin-Nagant type crossed rifle logo, along with an "issue" number, located on the frame or slide. The rifle logo is different from the M1900 and M1906 Russian Parabellum crossed rifle logo. The F-N crossed rifle logo have bayonets and are crossed with the sights upright whereas the Russian Parabellum rifle logos lack bayonets and the rifles are crossed with the trigger guards facing outwards.

The crossed rifle logo along with the 'issue' number is a mystery. These uniquely marked pistols may have been issued to the local police or 'gendarme'. In Imperial Russia where it was illegal for a citizen to own a weapon, they had institutions called "Sporting Clubs" where citizens could shoot pistols. These pistols were controlled or "issued" by the "Sport Club". Possibly the subject pistols were stamped with the Mosin-Nagant type crossed rifles along with an "issue" number. Also note that LOB F-N 1905 serial number 76867, issue number 6160, however with the incorrect issue number of 6130.

Above FN 1900, 1903, 1905 pistol serial numbers obtained from †Fred A. Datig's unpublished, circa 1997, manuscript "Imperial Russian Military Revolvers and Pistols".

Below FN 1900 serial number 333938 obtained from page 166 of FN Browning pistols and a page 166 'Observed' or 'reported' (FN 1900) serial numbers with spreadsheet created to incorporate combination of Fred A. Datig and Anthony Vanderlinden FN 1900 pistol serial numbers resulting in an additional identity of FN 1900 pistols, with and without crossed rifles and four-digit issue numbers.

Noted are items 15 and 21 FN 1900 serial numbers 383260 and 676385 with two different issue numbers. This misidentification is common when authors rely on, other than actual "observed" pistols vs "reported" pistols and casts doubt on the reliability of "reported" serial numbers and issue numbers.

In the FN Browning Pistols publication on page 147, Figure 147-4 describes the evolution of grip styles on the FN 1900 Browning pistols stating the small thin grip plates of the model 1899 were replaced with the early Model grips. The identity of a FN 1900 with a serial number of 353096 with the "early Model 1899 small thin grip plates" along with a lower FN1900 serial number 333938 pictured on page 166 with the early Model 1900 grips questions what serial number production range constitutes the grip transition.

Holsters

As pictured on unnumbered color “page” 28, (Color 28-4) with a text caption of F-N Mle 1905 (85x120mm): Imperial Russian Officer’s issue, this pattern was used with military academy pistols. This holster has markings in Cyrillic. Imperial Russian holsters are rare.

Some other unusual Commercial FN Browning Model 1905 pistol (Purse) holsters, some pictured with a period FN 1905 instruction manual. Cover and rear cover.

• Style 1 holster: View 1, View 2 and View 3.
• Style 2 holster: View 1, View 2 and View 3.
• Style 3 holster: View 1
• Also pictured are several other possible FN 1905 Pistol commercial holsters, American and unknown makers. Example 1, example 2, example 3 and example 4.

Some other Commercial FN Browning pistols.

• Commercial Browning pistol and holster: View 1 and View 2
• The Model 1910 was used by the Serb student Gavrilo Princip who assassinated the Archduke Ferdinand at Sarajevo in June 1914 and until 1935 sold over a million (M1910). Pictured is an original Model (19)10 instruction manual and an original Modell 1922 instruction manual ^[1], a Modell 1922 Pistol and the M1922 pistol on top of the M1922 instruction manual.
• 1950s contract FN Browning pistol

[1] Rare beige-white English language instruction booklet from the 1920s. Ref: FN Browning Pistols, Color page 6.