Just bought a FN Browning 1922 32acp with WWII markings...curious about potential date range

[crowtalks]

I just bought a 1922 with matching numbers, walnut grips and WWII markings... WaA140 and eagle on the frame and slide as well as a six digit serial (206XXX) on the external and internal parts.

I have found some info about it where that talk about the early and then later guns with 5 digits + letter, but mine has the full six digit serial and I don't really see a date range for these.

Thanks, Jim

 

[44 AMP]

The Nazi Waffen Amt stamp was only applied to guns approved for German service use during the Nazi era (1933-1945)

German forces captured the FN factory in 1940. The Allies took it back in 1944.

IT is possible your gun was made before the factory was captured in 1940 and was captured as part of the factory stock. Nothing made after the Allies liberated the factory would have the Nazi proof.

SO, odds are good your gun was made either shortly before May 1940 (but never shipped and captured at the factory) or made during the German occupation.

Hope this helps

 

[crowtalks]

The Nazi Waffen Amt stamp was only applied to guns approved for German service use during the Nazi era (1933-1945)

German forces captured the FN factory in 1940. The Allies took it back in 1944.

IT is possible your gun was made before the factory was captured in 1940 and was captured as part of the factory stock. Nothing made after the Allies liberated the factory would have the Nazi proof.

SO, odds are good your gun was made either shortly before May 1940 (but never shipped and captured at the factory) or made during the German occupation.

Hope this helps

Thanks heaps!

 

[FrankenMauser]

Or, it is one of thousands of others that have received a Waffen Amt by Bubba in his shed.
Stamps can be purchased for under $20 now, easily.

The finish and markings don't look right to me. Feels like a refinish. But photos can do that sometimes.

Fakes and stupidity are everywhere these days. A couple months ago, a friend sent me photos of a "Nazi" Ruger 77. Some idiot had gone to town with dirty bird stamps on his .25-06.

 

[44 AMP]

Or, it is one of thousands of others that have received a Waffen Amt by Bubba in his shed.

You do have a point, one I had forgotten about. "kids" .....

Some years back, I got an IJ break action single shot shotgun. let a kid who wanted a project refinish it. He did a decent job, except that he stamped it with the US Army Ordnance "Flaming Bomb", because he had the stamp, and thought it look cool.

it was just...wrong...

 

[Jim Watson]

Another one is the counterfeit star gauge stamp on the muzzle of a Springfield, often accompanied by the gauge card with plausible sounding measurements every inch.

 

[crowtalks]

Didn't know about the conterfiet angle...thanks for the info.

 

[emcon5]

Little late to this, but the stamp number is at least correct for F.N.

https://proofhouse.com/cm/ger_ord_codes.htm