Can anyone identify these FN 1905 slide & grip strap markings?

[paddywonka]

1
My local gun shop was having a 100 new and used handgun sale. Found this FN 1905 serial No.816061. The dealer said it was one of 3 bring back handguns brought in by a WW2 veteran. The pistol has wear but is like new inside. All numbers match, FN marked magazine, & like new bore. The horn grips look OK with no cracks, or worm holes. The left side of the slide has normal legend, plus a bow & arrow inside a circle, next to the # 27. The right side has the name Heinrich Walter neatly engraved. Name of owner, seller of firearm...? The front grip strap has what appears to read the numbers 8563. Any ideas what these additional markings mean? For the $199 purchase price, I bought a nice shooter to digest some of the hundreds of rounds of 25 ACP ammo I have, but it would be interesting to find out some more. Only Heinrich Walter of WW2 era I could find was,Heinrich-Walter Bronsart von Schellendorff. Any info would be great. What year was it made?





Just cannot seem to find anything on this pistol's markings. Strange considering the internet says about 1 million were made. It is a well made pistol with internals that look like new. Imagine with all it's machined made parts & high degree of finishing, this would be a very expensive handgun to make today. What is the proper designation for this pistol? See it listed as both a model 1905 & 1906. Vincent




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[lithgow]

Serial No. is late 1920s-these were widely used through out Europe and the wider world by civilians, businesses and some militaries-the thinking amongst some senior officers being 'I'm so important, I don't need to carry a real pistol' so you got micro holsters carried on belts as a status symbol. Later, during WW2 they gained a whole new military use as Resistance weapons-the widespread numbers in the civil population and the easy concealment (you could hide one in a cigarette packet) were ideal for clandestine uses. German use was for emergency 'holdout' concealed weapons with soldiers using their own examples.

[Scout]

Popular name 'Baby Browning.'

The 'Walter' name differs from the typical factory font and is most like a post factory engraving. Most likely the name of the owner. Maybe the gun was a gift from a family member, friend or company buddy or the owner had it engraved himself .....or it was added at an even later date - who knows.

I dont like the font, but thats just me.

[paddywonka]

Thanks for the help. Agree the name Heinrich Walter has been added post production. Just wondering who he might have been. Or if it was the name of a store/outfitter (kind of like a 1920s Cabelas).

[lithgow]

See this site/thread: FN 1905 Serial Number List

Shows examples of 'proprietory' marked pistols of this type.

[paddywonka]

lithgow,
Great link. Thanks, Vincent

[zwerge]

Here`s another one marked like yours,but I don`t know what it means....Pete.

[paddywonka]

zwerge,
Learned from other posts that the bow & arrow in a circle is the Prague proof mark added to foreign pistols when the were imported in to Czechoslovakia. The 27 the year it was proofed. Now if I can find out who or what Heinrich Walter stamped on the left slide. Someone else informed me Walter Aircraft Engines (formed in 1920s) has it headquarters in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Nice looking pistol you posted.
Thanks, Pete. Vincent