Got my first pistol! -FN 1900

[ObKrieger]

Hi guys,

I got this pistol a couple of weeks ago and now I finally have a chance to post it! It is an FN 1900, serial number 126XXX. Am I correct in thinking that it's from about 1904? What do the proofs mean? Are they Belgian Army acceptance stamps?

All of the parts seem to function properly, and it doesn't look like it's missing anything but the grips. What say you gentlemen, does it look fireable? How should I clean it? Where should I look for original grips? How do I put them on once I find them?

Thanks,
Mo

[Walkwolf]

Hi Joe. These are nice pistols. They are usually marked on the slide
'FABRIQUE-NATIONALE-D'ARMES de GUERRE-HERSTAL-BELGIQUE'
or something similar. Yours may be an employee model or a copy
(?) It has been heavily cleaned, or was never finished and left
'in the white'.........


Below, others I found on-line with different grip/finish options:

[Wagriff]

Bore looks like it hasn't been brushed since the Kaiser's time. Personally, I don't know if I would try firing it...(Well, okey...I probably Would, but I'm nuts, so that doesn't count...lol) The missing grips apparently had the escutcheon plates with them, so these will have to be replaced to mount your grips. And, speaking of grips-what kind are you looking for? Chances are pretty nil that you'll ever find originals, but they do make some super nice reproductions out there. One place that makes repro plastics and also offer escutcheons and grip screws is :Browning (F.N.) M1900 .32 . If you want nicer English Walnut grips, try looking at the eBay number #221194909876. The plastics are probably your best bet, as the FN you've got has no bluing left to it and likely doesn't warrant another fair sized expenditure of money.

[Walkwolf]

Interestingly, the mag release is on the side of the frame, and not on the bottom
of it. I'm also curious as to how the grips are attached. Must be two thin metal
brackets behind the grips to hold the screws.........

[Scout]

I wouldnt try to shoot that thing either (well, count me in amongst the ranks of the loon brigade, because I might actually shoot it as well....., but I would duct tape it to something and tie a length of string to the trigger. Thing doesnt look safe).

Another source for hard to find grip scales is Numrich Gun Parts Corp.

[Wagriff]

The grips are attached by 2 metal strips that turn inside. The screw has a small nut on the inside and when you loosen the screw, you can take the clip out and reach inside and swivel the straps to release the grips. Sometimes you have to reach inside and use a small wrench to loosen the nuts. It was a goofy impractical grip mounting system, but it worked. So, when you do pick up a set of grips, you will need to make sure that these small metal plates or strips are included along with grip screws and nuts for each side. Generally, once you had One side loose, that was the side you would always remove, and leave the other side in place. Once the mag was out of it, you could easily reach through to get at the Other side's nut if you really wanted to take them both off, but unless you were doing some serious cleaning or replacing the grips, you usually just left one side in place(which pretty much assured the nut would eventually fuse into one piece and make it nearly impossible to remove it down the road without damaging the grip itself!).

[ObKrieger]

A friend of mine pointed out to me that mine is likely a Chinese copy...