.22 browning rifle

[Mowgli64]

I am looking for more information including value of a .22 Browning

The barrel has the following information on it

fabrique nationale d'armes de guerre herstal-belgique
Patent dispose

Under the scope it states;

.22 long rifle smokeless

There are no markings on the stock itself

I have done a little research on can only determine it is from 1914-1955 since there is no serial number

It is in fair condition with some scratches on the stock as well as minor rust on the stock plate. All original hardware.

It is in working order. Fired off 6 shots simultaneously without issue

[James K]

Semi-auto? Something else?

We need good, clear pictures for any even reasonably valid guess on value.

Jim

[Jim Watson]

Rather than play 20 questions, I suggest you show some pictures.

[Mowgli64]

It is semi auto. Will take some pics and post them

[Mowgli64]

Hoping this works

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152090690939428&set=a.10152090690324428.1073741826.707699427&type=1&theater

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152090690829428&set=a.10152090690324428.1073741826.707699427&type=1&theater

[Mowgli64]

hmmm If you look me up on Facebook John M. Saunders. I have posted 4 pictures of the rifle. They should be viewable by the public

[Jim Watson]

That is an old one. Likely pre-WWII, maybe by a lot. But I don't know how to tie it down closely.

[4V50 Gary]

No facebook, but this is the Browning that is bottom ejection, fed through the tubular magazine in the stock and is a take down rifle?

[Mowgli64]

Hi Gary. Yes it is the model you described. It is definitely a gun that has been well used but figure it has to have some value given it's age and the fact it is a Browning pre-patent.

[Scorch]

If it says Fabrique Nationale d' Armes de Guerre on it, it is not a Browning. Brownings say Browning on them and Made In Belgium. Browning had the marketing rights for all FN products in North America. Same gun and all, just not a Browning. Most likely, it is a vet bring-back. After WW2, our troops confiscated all firearms in the occupied territories, and then helped themselves to the firearms. Very common.

As far as value, Sarco had some a few years back selling in the $250-ish range.

[PetahW]

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You have an early Grade I FN (which made all pre-1976 Browning Auto-22's) Auto-22, designed by John Browning - in somewhat less than pristine condition.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/935080_10152090690829428_1080889174_n.jpg

It could stand some (gentle) cleaning, especially around the rear sight (temporarily remove the sight for a detailed cleaning).

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/21461_10152090690779428_642011064_n.jpg

The SN's most likely stamped into the face of the receiver, only viewable after the barrel's removed/taken down, by sliding the little forarm latch away from the receiver, and twisting the barrel 90-degrees while holding the bolt back (grasp the rear by the receiver, NOT by the buttstock, or the stock WILL crack).

You can check recently successfuly closed/sold gun auctions for "Belgian Auto-22" for one in similar style/condition to find out it's current value (How much someone's actually been willing to pay).



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[James K]

The same rifle was made in the U.S. by Remington as their Model 24 and 241. That design was probably the most reliable semi-auto .22 until the advent of the Remington Nylon 66, and the .22 Short version was widely used by shooting galleries.

John Browning designed the gun. Like some of his other designs he licensed manufacture to FN in Belgium and to Remington in the U.S. under non-compete agreements. After WWII, when Remington no longer desired to keep the model in the line, FN expanded into the U.S. market (as they also did with the Auto 5). The name "Browning" on those rifles indicates only that they were imported by Browning Arms Co., an importing and marketing company which has no manufacturing capability.

Jim

[PetahW]

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Jim - While the design of the Remington 24/241 is similar to the Browning, it's also very different, in the fact that the Remington action has exposed screw heads on the sides; while the Browning has none.

http://picturearchive.gunauction.com/3783184421/9476719/remington%20model%20241%20cal%20.22short%20004.jpg_thumbnail1.jpg


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[James K]

IIRC, those are plug screws for locating holes used in manufacture. I don't know why Remington needed them and FN didn't, but they are not operating parts. Browning's agreements with the companies that bought his patents or paid him royalties didn't preclude the manufacturers from changing or improving the product as they saw fit, and all the companies that made Browning design guns made some changes to the basic design. Still, the FN and Remington versions of those little .22's are so similar that many parts will interchange and they are, to all intents and purposes, the same gun. (There are also differences between the .22 Short and .22 LR versions of each manufacturer.)

Jim

[4V50 Gary]

BTW, be careful in taking the barrel/forearm assembly off from the receiver. It's easy to lose the springs & plungers that go in there. I had to make replacement parts for a couple of them.

[James K]

OK, I will tell one on myself. I had replace the firing pin on a Browning and went next door to the range to test fire it. I loaded it and, as usual, counted the rounds. I fired it and it worked OK, but I was sure I had loaded one round more than I had fired. I worked the action several times, concluded that I was mistaken, pointed the gun down and pulled the trigger to let the hammer down. Guess what? Yep, my counting was right, I hadn't fired all the rounds in the gun.

So back to the bench to strip and clean the gun right and get the crud out of the magazine tube. Taught me a couple of lessons, that did. 1) make sure everything works on a gun before you test fire it, not just what you fixed and 2) always check a gun like that to be sure it is unloaded; then check again, and again.

Jim

[PetahW]

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I bought one that would always leave the last 2 rounds in the magazine.

It turned out that the 2-1/2" long, narrow neck of the follower had snapped off from the base of the follower & gone walkabout B 4 I bought it.........:rolleyes:

Since the rear feed path curves over the top of the bolt, what was left of the broken follower was limiting on the throat of the magazine, since it couldn't follow that curve like the narrow follower neck could.

A new inner magazine tube assembly (w/follower & spring) fixed it up.


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