May 13, 2006  'This is an FN manufacture of the Browning 1922 in.32auto. Everything's in great working order; it's rare to see one in such good condition and with so much of the original blue. It's also rare to find one with all-matching serial numbers like this one.

Designed by Robert Browning and built in Belgium as Colt refused to produce it. Production ran from 1912 till 1983 and was originally designed for the German Luftwaffe (Airforce) issued to their pilots. It was then issued to the Military and Police and not available to private citizens The serial numbers are hard to run down, but this is a pre-war gun made sometime before 1941 and valuable in that respect. A FN1910/1922 like this one was used to assassinate Arch Duke Ferdinand of Austria and his wife in 1914 precipitating in World War I I paid $350 for it three years ago. 'He said true things, but called them by wrong names.' —Robert Browning Do some research of your own.

Your father was playing the right tune, but he got some of the words wrong. Ya yunaya modelj fotosessiya. • For instance, it would have been impossible to have produced a Model of 1922 pistol in 1914, in time to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The Model of 1910 was somewhat similar, but it was not the same (and Princip's M.1910 was in.380 ACP).

• Since the German Luftwaffe dates from 1935, the Model 1922 could not have been 'originally designed for the German Luftwaffe (Airforce).' But, yes, some of the pilots were issued it after Belgium—and the FN factory—was taken over by the Nazis.

• Back in the 1920s and '30s, Belgian citizens could own pistols, including the Model of 1922. Although it was not limited to the police and military, a civilian would have had to special-order it from the factory. See: Also see: And: And.

Kudos to NinerMaine for leading me to this Dutch Army contract FN Browning M1922. It's a sweet pistol, and at serial number 60765 it was built less than 700 units before the Nazis overran the Fabrique Nationale of Belgiumarsenal in May, 1940.

The latest recorded Dutch Contract pistol is serial number 61344. The Crown over W on the barrel is the crest for Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. The crown over the script W on the rear frame is the inspector mark for Wolf. The frame, slide, slide extension and barrel are matching. The two mags are not. Even though the barrel and one mag are marked as 9mm, it is chambered in.380 auto (9mm kurtz). The holster and muzzle end wear are somewhat typical for these guns, but overall it is in great shape.

Niner even cleaned and test fired it for me! Couldn't ask for more. Pics, and thanks for looking.