# Help ID This Browning!



## mswmsw (Jan 18, 2015)

I could not find this gun in any of my reference books, so hopefully someone here can help! (It's a .380 caliber.)


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

It's an FN (Belgian) M.1922, imported into the US by Browning. That's legitimate, because the pistol is a J.M. Browning design.
It's fairly recent, since it has the added adjustable sights and "target" grips that one of the silly "gun control" acts required, I believe dating from the 1960s.

The original of the design was the FN Model of 1910, which had a somewhat shorter barrel.

It seems to be worth between $450.00 and $100.00, although it has little historical value.


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)




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## mswmsw (Jan 18, 2015)

Ok, thanks. I was looking in the wrong section of my reference books, under Browning. I did find the FN Model 1922, though none of the books I have show the variant with the target sights and grips like my gun. Seems like it would have been a nice little plinker or informal target gun if it was in 22lr, but the .380 caliber with target sights and grips? Hmmmmm.


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## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> <snip>
> It's fairly recent, since it has the added adjustable sights and "target" grips that one of the silly "gun control" acts required, I believe dating from the 1960s.
> <snip>


Thereby making most of that era's imported guns useless for a lefty, since they were NEVER imported with left-handed target grips. (Unless you know better.... )


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

...Ah, but once the gun is in your possession, you can legally change the grips.

You're stuck with a right-handed safety, though.


(The silly grips and sights were required by the federal government, to permit the pistol to be imported into the US. Once it was here, you were/are free to alter it as needed.)


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## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> ...Ah, but once the gun is in your possession, you can legally change the grips.
> 
> You're stuck with a right-handed safety, though.
> 
> (The silly grips and sights were required by the federal government, to permit the pistol to be imported into the US. Once it was here, you were/are free to alter it as needed.)


Oh, I know that - but just try finding leftie-style grips.... Not easy for a lot of guns. Altamont doesn't do them for the Ruger 22/45, not sure about the "reg'lar" Ruger 22's. I think with 3D scanning and printing I'll have to see if I can scan some righties and then print a mirror-image. 

And right-only safeties are a PITA.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Actually, body-side-neutral grips are pretty easy to make, especially when you have the originals at hand for screw-hole placement and any necessary inletting.
You even can mold 'em of Plastic Wood or any viscous epoxy-resin putty, as long as you coat the gun with release agent first.

I've done it both ways, although not to suit a leftie (or a Leftist :yawinkle.

Even the safety can be shifted, if its shaft goes all the way through the gun's frame. You need only drill a hole into the shaft from the right, file a key slot, and then fit a screw-on lever that mates with that key slot. That makes an ambidextrous safety.
I've seen it done, but I've never done it myself.


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## mike9905 (Aug 18, 2014)

You have a model 1955/71. This was a modification of the Model 1955 .380 ACP (renamed from M 1910) to qualify for importation under the point factoring criteria imposed by GCA '68. That is why it has a longer barrel/slide, thumbrest grips, and adjustable sights.


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