FN Browning 1900

[pedro243]

Hi all,

I have raises this here many years ago but didn't get to the bottom of it.

I purchased this FN Browning Model 1900. I sent some pictures to a friend of mine who is a FN collector and straight away he said something didn't add up. He thinks its a fake for the following reasons:

• No Safe/Fire Markings
• The trigger guard on the pistol in the engraving is missing
• Engravings appear to be done by hand, not roll marked
• Magazine has too many holes

but from everything i have read about fakes, this doesn't really fit. All the spellings are correct, stamps are correctly placed, there are stamps in places i would assume a fake would forget, dimensionally it compares pretty well to an original. I have also found someone selling an original late model magazine online with the same 8 holes as mine.

My theory is that since its toward the end of production (717*** of 724,550), maybe there were some equipment failures and the odd item had to be hand engraved.

What do you all think? Any experts on here who can give some insight?

[martin08]

Pictures at 90 deg angles and correct orientation would help.

But none the matter, nothing about your pistol markings look correct. No electropencil or pantograph was used, since none of the end of the letterings are rounded. Grips are reproduction, for sure.

Here is one from 9k units earlier. Notice everything is roll stamped on mine, not engraved like yours.











I have no idea at all what would be gained in faking an FN1900. They are not rare or highly sought.

Everyone should have one in the collection, however. It was the first commercially successful auto-loading pistol.

Perhaps an engraver wanted to test his skills and chose a low-end gun?

Maybe someone will have better answers, as I don't have my copy of Vanderlinden's FN Browning Pistols right handy.

[browningautorifle]

OPs pistol has been heavily polished and reblued which makes markings different to see. It could also have removed the safe/fire marking. I can see some individual trying to cover his job by trying to remark it after.

[martin08]

OPs pistol has been heavily polished and reblued which makes markings different to see. It could also have removed the safe/fire marking. I can see some individual trying to cover his job by trying to remark it after.

This seems like a most probable explanation.

The gun is real. The markings have been refreshed with a chisel after an extensive buffing.

[Low & Slow]

As the guys say, the wear inconsistencies are pretty blatant.

---------- Post added at 10:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 AM ----------

By the way, nice capture piece, Martin.

[browningautorifle]

The gun is real.

I think so, not a Khyber pass type. Just been altered and refinished. Still a nice piece.

[pedro243]

This seems like a most probable explanation.

The gun is real. The markings have been refreshed with a chisel after an extensive buffing.

I never considered a chisel, but not that you mentioned it, that definitely seems like the tool used.

Thank you all for your inputs.

[fjruple]

I don't think it is a copy but I do know the Chinese very heavily copied the 1900 FN Pistol.