FN Browning pistol with extended barrel

[wave.jaco]

Okay, I know I am looking for the hen who laid the egg of the chicken with teeth, but you will never know if you don't ask...

In 2020 there was an FN Browning Model 1910 pistol that was on an auction at Classic Arms. This is not the usual model 1910, but rather one with an extended barrel, like this one:




I know that these variants exist for the FN Model 1900, 1905(06) and 1910 at least.

Would anyone perhaps be in possession of one of these, or know of one that is available somewhere?

[BBCT]

My first thought is that it looks like a M1910 fitted with a M1922 barrel (I can't remember if I've done that exact swap before but I've definitely swapped barrel & slide together from one frame to the other). I do notice that there appears to be a taper on the part of the barrel that extends beyond the front of the slide.

I'm intrigued because I've never seen one like that, or even a picture of one until now. Do you perhaps have a link to a site that gives more details?

Which Classic Arms auction in 2020 was it and what was the lot number?

[shark_za]

I have seen these in pictures before, super rare.
The bow and arrow marking is probably the key, some special order for a police force or army from 1931.
That is not Belgian and likely put on in the destination country.

[wave.jaco]

My first thought is that it looks like a M1910 fitted with a M1922 barrel (I can't remember if I've done that exact swap before but I've definitely swapped barrel & slide together from one frame to the other). I do notice that there appears to be a taper on the part of the barrel that extends beyond the front of the slide.

I'm intrigued because I've never seen one like that, or even a picture of one until now. Do you perhaps have a link to a site that gives more details?

Which Classic Arms auction in 2020 was it and what was the lot number?

Indeed there is a taper to the barrel. In Anthony Vanderlinden's book (FN Browning Pistols, 3rd ed.) he specifically mentions the taper to the barrel on M1905 and M1910.

The Classic Arms auction was auction 67 item D88.

I have seen these in pictures before, super rare.
The bow and arrow marking is probably the key, some special order for a police force or army from 1931.
That is not Belgian and likely put on in the destination country.

These variants are quite rare indeed. The extended barrels were due to the Austria-Hungary legislation which required that pistols below a certain length measured from magazine well to barrel tip required a permit. Many FN agents then requested that FN produce the M1900, M1905 and M1910 with extended barrels that would avoid this legislative requirement. I am fortunate to have picked up an M1905 variant last year. Given that there is thus at least one such M1900 variant in the country, there could possibly be more and the collector bug has bitten me yet again

I agree on the bow and arrow marking referring to a special order. There are quite a few such cases between all the FN models. If I recall correctly (having read it in Vanderlinden's book recently and I don't recall it exactly now) some FN pistols with these extended barrels (due to the Austria-Hungary legislation) were still produced in the 1930s.

The history on these FN pistols is quite fascinating.

[oafpatroll]

What a fascinating rabbit hole!

[wave.jaco]

I'm intrigued because I've never seen one like that, or even a picture of one until now. Do you perhaps have a link to a site that gives more details?

I forgot to add a link with some info on these pistols. Here are a few with some good info:
https://www.lugerforums.com/threads/...barrel.121143/ - in this one I posted (post #9) a picture of the one that I acquired last year, where you can clearly see the Austria-Hungary proof mark on the slide indicating 1927 as the proof year.
https://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/LBAutos/lbautos.html - some very good info focusing on the Steyr M1909 that also underwent the same path through history, among other pistol manufacturers at the time.
https://littlegun.be/arme%20belge/fn...01906%20gb.htm - pictures of the long barrel M1905 variant at the bottom of this site.

What a fascinating rabbit hole!

Absolutely, the kind that really makes a proper collectors itch on me that needs to be scratched

[BBCT]

The Classic Arms auction was auction 67 item D88.

OK, I found that in my collection of past Classic Arms auctions catalogues & photos. I obviously didn't realise what it was at the time. The barrel looks shorter than the one in your picture in post #1. I might have to join you in this rabbit hole............. ;-)