LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Browning Firearms: Models
built 605 days ago
To illustrate the difficulties attendant upon the research of FN/Browning arms in general, take the case of the first .25 Browning Renaissance model shipped to the U.S., No. 122021. It left Herstal, Belgium, on February 17, 1954, but bears the short slide markings approved in 1958, according to FN’s records. Another early piece, No. 140650, shipped on August 29, 1955, has the long markings including the ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI address. This is not an uncommon anomaly in the identification of FN/Browning arms, which arises not from any intent to obscure production data, but more probably because of assembly inconsistencies in the gargantuan FN plant. It is quite conceivable that already numbered frames in a stock bin from which workers gathered parts on the assembly line could have been made in more than one year. It is reasonable to assume that a frame with serial number belonging in any one year could be assembled and shipped in a later year.
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In following years other Browning firearms were to receive the same distinction. This firearm remained unchanged until its redesign in 1923 when it became known as the 1911A1. Many small changes were made but, it remained the same basic gun until1980 when the series "80" firing pin safety was added. The title was altered to be the series "80". Earlier guns without the fireing pin safety were to be known as the "series 70 models". Again in 1991 Colt released it's last reworking of the famous old gun the Colt 1991A1, series 80.
Browning ... offers the A-Bolt II with a laminated hardwood stock in the Eclipse Hunter and Eclipse M-1000 models. These come with a gray/black thumbhole Monte Carlo stock, complete with cheekpiece and roll-over comb, and include sling swivel studs. The metal finish is matte-blue. According to the 2002 Shooter's Bible, "The Eclipse is available in long and short action hunting models with standard A-bolt barrel, and a short-action varmint version with a heavy barrel. All are BOSS equipped." The Eclipse M-1000 is a special long range "bean field" rifle with a heavy contour 26 inch barrel in .300 Winchester Magnum caliber only.
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Sales of the FN/Browning Model 1900 were booming in 1905 when Browning patented in Belgium another pocket pistol. It is not known whether FN suggested that a still smaller pistol would sell well or whether Browning originated the idea himself. At any rate, in 1905, the same year in which Colt introduced in the United states the first .45 ACP pistol (a Browning design) the .25 ACP (6.35mm) “Vest Pocket” pistol was sold to FN, which designated it the Browning Automatic Pistol caliber 6.35mm (.25 caliber).
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