The pistol that killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand
"Browning" 1910. Photo by the author
Weapon It wasn't just Bonnie and Clyde that killed Browning. It was Browning who invented the pistol, with the shots from which, in fact, the First World War began ...
“In the Belgian Browning, the bolt has no grip on the
barrel, but while it is under the pressure of powder gases, and then by inertia
together with the sleeve will begin to move back, the bullet will have time to leave the barrel ... "
(V. L. Kiselev "Thieves in the House")
barrel, but while it is under the pressure of powder gases, and then by inertia
together with the sleeve will begin to move back, the bullet will have time to leave the barrel ... "
(V. L. Kiselev "Thieves in the House")
Weapons and firms. It's always nice to talk about the weapon that you, at least, held in your hands. So I was recently lucky to hold one completely unique pistol in my hands: the Browning M1910, noted for the fact that it was from it that the terrorist Gavril Princip shot at the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which ultimately became the reason for the First World War. That is, of course, not this particular pistol. But ... this type. So I could well imagine its application and features of use.
However, this was not the first pistol of a famous gunsmith. Therefore, it is worth starting the story about his pistols from the very beginning. Namely, since 1895, when John Moses Browning decided to design, in addition to guns, a self-loading pistol. And as he decided, he did so!
Diagram of J. Browning's pistol under US patent dated April 20, 1897. As you can see, the pistol was very unusual. The barrel was located very low, and above it was a lever that leans back by the pressure of gases coming from the barrel and pushes the bolt behind the barrel. It is probably good that this pistol remained in the project. Because because of this jumping lever in front of the shooter's eyes, it would most likely not be very comfortable to shoot from it.
Browning demonstrated the first prototype of his self-loading pistol to Colt's Patent Firearms on July 3, 1895.
Its automation was unusual for that time and worked according to the scheme of removing part of the powder gases from the barrel. It was planned to use .38 caliber cartridges (9 mm). However, in January 1896, Browning proposed a new version of the pistol design, with automation operating on the principle of using the recoil energy of a free breechblock, which locked the barrel only due to the force of the return spring and the mass of the bolt, successfully combined with the barrel casing.
This version became the first pistol in which the bolt and barrel casing were a single piece. This pistol used relatively low-power .32 (7,65 mm) cartridges. However, the Colt company required a military order from the US government, and the army and the fleet - powerful weapon with high shooting efficiency. And this pistol seemed rather weak to them.
In just one year, 1896, Browning managed to create two more variants of a self-loading pistol for the company's requirements. The automatics of both worked by using the recoil force with a short stroke of the barrel, which in the first moments of the shot was coupled with the shutter-casing. In one of the options, the barrel was locked by lowering it, and in the other - by turning. But in the end, a pistol with locking with a descending barrel was adopted into production.
Scheme of J. Browning's pistol under the US patent also dated April 20, 1897, in which locking was carried out by turning the barrel
But the design with a free shutter also did not remain unclaimed.
This pistol interested the Belgian arms company Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre (National Military Weapons Factory) in Erstal. At the end of the 17th century, this enterprise was one of the most advanced in Europe, so it was very easy to repeat someone's interesting design. It was important to find the target audience for sales. But here the Belgians, apparently, calculated everything in advance. Because already on July 1897, 7,65, they signed a contract with Browning for the production of his 1900 mm self-loading pistol, which was named FN Browning model XNUMX.
Patent March 21, 1899
Moreover, Browning improved the original design of the pistol and received a Swiss patent No. 16896 dated April 29, 1898 for it. And on March 21, 1899, he already received an American patent No. 621747. The firing mechanism underwent the greatest changes: instead of the trigger, a drummer was installed. Moreover, the return spring also simultaneously performed the function of the mainspring, acting on the drummer using a special lever. However, due to the gradual weakening, such a system did not become widespread.
Prototype of the FN 1899 pistol, predecessor of the M1900 model. It has a slightly longer handle and an original magazine with six holes (the second version with larger holes). The hole for the extraction of the sleeves is located in a place that is somewhat unusual for modern models. Rectangular "box" above the trigger guard - bolt casing guides.
And this is how this pistol looked during cocking.
The FN 1900 was produced from 1899 to 1912. And it was the first pistol to use 7,65mm ammunition (ammunition known in the United States as .32).
The 1900 model was adopted by the Belgian army in March 1900, and then in many other armies and the police. It was a great commercial success. So, from 1899 to 1910, more than 725 copies of pistols of this model were produced.
This is how he looked
And here it is in a luxurious design with engraving!
The pistol was handy. Firstly, the weight is only 625 grams without cartridges. Secondly, seven rounds instead of six in most revolvers of the time. Well, and of course, the sizes that made it easy to carry it in a jacket pocket.
Advertising of the first "Browning" in Russia
Brand instructions for the user
The 1903 FN pistol of the year was the result of a request from the military for a powerful army pistol chambered for 9 mm (9x20 mm SR Browning Long) cartridges. The pistol turned out to be larger and heavier (weight without cartridges 930 g), but the magazine also had 7 rounds.
Patent December 22, 1903
The M1903 was the second pistol in the FN line. It was developed by John Moses Browning in 1902 and patented in 1903. It was also known as Browning No. 2 and was heavily inspired by the old FN M1900. At the same time, Browning for the Colt company finalized the 1900 model, which in the States was produced under the name "Colt M1903 pocket pistol" chambered for .32ACP (7,65 mm).
FN 1903 Pistol
Both firms produced this pistol until 1930.
In Europe, the FN M1903 became the favorite pistol of the police and was adopted by the armies of Germany, Turkey, and Sweden. It was also produced under license in Sweden by Husqvarna Vapenfabriks from 1917 to 1942 under the name 9mm M / 1907. In the United States, the Colt M1903 has become a popular civil defense weapon, as well as among high-ranking officers and generals. FN produced just under 60 M000 pistols as standard self-defense weapons. And 1903 units were produced by Husqvarna.
The success of previous models of pistols pushed Browning to the idea of a "lady's pistol". This is how portable models of 1906 appeared chambered for 6,35 mm caliber, only 114 mm long and weighing 350 grams. The pistol had a six-round magazine. Automation - free shutter. Until 1940, more than 4 copies were produced, which were then replaced by the Baby model.
Pistol 1906
A suede holster with an elegant "ladies'" fastener, like a reticule, was produced for it.
In which he looked like this ...
Another four years passed. And Browning again pleased his fans with a very good pistol FN 1910. The pistol was produced in two versions: chambered for 7,65 mm and 9 mm. The store, as before, was designed for seven rounds, but then many considered a large capacity for a pistol to be excessive. It was also adopted by the police forces of many states and was a significant commercial success.
And now personal impressions. This is how the 1910 Browning is in the hand. Photo by the author
My hand is rather narrow, not some sort of coffin, but despite this, the handle turned out to be smaller than the palm. And although it is quite convenient to hold the pistol, the designer could well have made it longer, by the way, then two more cartridges would fit into it.
Moreover, all this was obvious at that time, as evidenced by this picture on the cover of the manual for the Browning pistol in 1910.
History I must remind us that it was with this pistol that Gavrilo Princip killed Archduke Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo, which was the reason for the outbreak of the First World War. The pistol was sold to a gunsmith in Ostend, who, in turn, probably sold it to the Serbian terrorist organization Black Hand.
Arranged pistol was nowhere simpler. Here's how many details he understood ...
The pistol had two fuses at once, a lever and a handle, which was wrung out when the pistol grip was gripped. Photo by the author
Sleeve ejection window with markings. Photo by the author
And then this pistol, which appeared in the court as evidence, was simply lost.
Lost, but was found in Austria in 2004, 90 years after the fatal shots fired from it. It just so happened that in October 1914, after the trial of the conspirators, the 1910 Browning with serial number 19074 was handed over to the Jesuit priest Anton Pantigam, the confessor of Franz Ferdinand, who decided to organize his museum. But then the war began. Then the empire itself collapsed. And in 1926 the priest died. And the gun hit the Jesuit community. And it was she who donated it to the state.
Princip's Browning is now on display at the Vienna Museum of Military History.
Shop for the gun. Photo by the author
Magazine slot in the handle. Photo by the author
By the way, the big drawback of the pistol was the magazine latch at the end of the handle. Of course, such an attachment was absolute, from the point of view of reliability. But to me personally, the latch seemed very tough. That is, it is very difficult to squeeze it out and remove the store. Reloading my copy would not be easy at all, it would have to be tried.
The sighting devices didn't like it either. You have to look for them with your eyes. But on the other hand, the designer took care of making anti-glare cutting on the recess for the front sight and the aiming bar. Photo by the author
In general, the pistol left an ambiguous impression: some kind of imperfection in terms of ergonomics and design, although outwardly - yes, it looks very elegant.
And, of course, there were also such elegant samples with mother-of-pearl handles ...
PS
All other photographs, except copyright ones, were provided by Alain Daubresse.
To be continued ...
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