Fn Browning Model 1922 Serial Numbers Lookup
Fn Browning M1922
Fn Browning Model 1922 Serial Numbers
Fn M1922 Pistol Serial Numbers
Fn Browning 1922 Serial Numbers

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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

Later Browning became associated with Colt and the world market was divided—with Eastern Hemisphere going to FN and Western Hemisphere to Colt. In this section, we list arms that bear the FN banner. FN-manufactured firearms produced under the Browning banner, are listed in Browning. 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. A workbench look at the Browning 1922, built by FN, used by the German Wehrmacht. Creator: Browning, John; Pistol is a polished, blued steel with a checkered wooden grips and stamped markings on the left side that read, 'FABRIQUE NATIONALE D´ARMES DE GUERRE HERSTAL BELGIQUE BROWNING'S PATENT DEPOSE.' On the right side of the frame are serial number stampings on the frame, slide, and chamber.

Fn Browning Model 1922 Serial Numbers Lookup

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