Tell me about FN 1922 .380
- Thread starter Viper99
- Start date
carguychris
New member
Terrific little vintage pistols IMHO. Upsides are ruggedness, reliability, and simplicity. Downsides are generally less-than-stellar accuracy, an awkwardly small grip for folks with large hands, and the absence of a last-round slide-lock feature or a truly usable slide stop (see link below). Also, these pistols have a heel mag release, but I figure you wouldn't have started this thread if that really bothers you. 
More of my thoughts here:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=487586
Pre-purchase tips:
More of my thoughts here:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=487586
Pre-purchase tips:
- Expect pretty loose slide-to-frame fit by modern standards.
- The grip safety will lock the thumb safety in either position. You must release the thumb safety BEFORE assuming a firing grip.
- The grip safety should require a moderately firm "handshake" grip to disengage. This may be slightly awkward, as it will typically fall in the hollow of the palm if you have large hands (see above).
- The thumb safety nominally doubles as a slide stop, but IMHO really shouldn't be used as such, and most examples are moderately to totally dysfunctional (see linked thread). You may need assistance to use a bore light if you don't want it crushed when the breech unexpectedly slams shut! You may also find it tricky to use it as a slide stop without inadvertently depressing the grip safety and locking it. If it seems notchy or sticky, check your grip.
- These pistols were produced with the serial number in at least two places: on the frame above the trigger guard, and underneath the slide above the grip tang; you must draw the slide back to view the latter. Most military pistols were also serial-numbered on the barrel hood, but most commercial pistols only have Belgian proof marks there.
- All standard 1922's came with a mag disconnect, although it is easily removed if it annoys you. OTOH, IMHO you should NOT buy a 1922 with a pinned or otherwise fixed grip safety. This equals NO SAFETY.
- Recommend becoming at least modestly familiar with the collector variations before buying, so you don't overpay. Don't fret- by 1911 or particularly Luger standards, there are very few of them.
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Ask the seller to remove the slide and let you look at the firing pin. Those pins have a long (about 1/4 inch) "nose" that acts as the ejector. If that is broken, there is often enough left to fire the gun, but not enough to eject the empty case. That will also let you see if there is a firing pin spring guide; in many of those guns, it is missing.
Oddly, the standard FN commercial model is the rarest of those guns in the U.S. Due to an agreement between FN and Colt, FN did not sell any of the "Browning" pistols in the U.S. before c. 1950. On the other hand, the 1922 was used extensively by German military and police forces after the conquest of Belgium and so was a common WWII GI bringback pistol. Model 1922's originally used by other countries, such as Holland, were sold on the surplus market in the 1950's and 1960's; those are very collectible.
Jim
Oddly, the standard FN commercial model is the rarest of those guns in the U.S. Due to an agreement between FN and Colt, FN did not sell any of the "Browning" pistols in the U.S. before c. 1950. On the other hand, the 1922 was used extensively by German military and police forces after the conquest of Belgium and so was a common WWII GI bringback pistol. Model 1922's originally used by other countries, such as Holland, were sold on the surplus market in the 1950's and 1960's; those are very collectible.
Jim
carguychris
New member
An excellent point, and one that reminds me of a good 1922 field-stripping tip!James K said:
There are two sets of parts that tend to spontaneously fall out of a 1922 when it is stripped. One is the firing pin (or striker), firing pin spring, and spring guide (if present). The second is the muzzle cap latch and spring.
Many owners preemptively and carefully remove the firing pin group when taking off the slide, to prevent parts loss. These parts simply slide out of the hole at the rear. The muzzle cap group is trickier to remove judiciously, as the parts are very small; my recommendation is to carefully handle the muzzle cap with the muzzle end pointed downwards at all times, and DON'T futz with the latch when the cap is off the gun!
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Hi, Chris and folks,
A tip on those and similar guns with a firing pin, spring and guide. Take a pair of small pliers and stretch out the last coil of the spring at one end so it fits tightly into the firing pin. Then pinch the last coil at the other end so it grips the guide tightly (some guides have a groove specifically for that purpose, or you can cut one with a file). When this is done, the parts will come out as a unit and nothing will go flying.
The same can be done with the bayonet catch spring on the slide extension, but it is smaller and a bit more care is needed.
Jim
A tip on those and similar guns with a firing pin, spring and guide. Take a pair of small pliers and stretch out the last coil of the spring at one end so it fits tightly into the firing pin. Then pinch the last coil at the other end so it grips the guide tightly (some guides have a groove specifically for that purpose, or you can cut one with a file). When this is done, the parts will come out as a unit and nothing will go flying.
The same can be done with the bayonet catch spring on the slide extension, but it is smaller and a bit more care is needed.
Jim