Help w/Nazi-marked FN Mod 1922

Bent Brass · May 19, 2020, 09:23 PM

Acquired a Browning FN Mod 1922, and have suspicions that it's an occupation-era commercial production based on the SN, SN letter style, Nazi proof marks, and triangle proof mark on the rear of the frame. All matching SNs, looks like original non-blued finish, and what appears to be original magazine. Any help with identifying a production date or any other details would be greatly appreciated.

wild cat mccane · May 20, 2020, 01:19 PM

Not a Nazi mark.

It's the German proofing.

Minus that swastika mark! haha. Totally missed that one! (caught on my own!)

Jim Watson · May 20, 2020, 07:10 PM

I guess you want it called closer than May 1940 - September 1944 that the Germans controlled Liege.

FrankenMauser · May 20, 2020, 09:32 PM

That's a Waffenamt (government), not Nazi (political party).

Bill DeShivs · May 20, 2020, 09:45 PM

Come on man! (to quote Joe)
There is a Nazi marking. Look closer.

Bent Brass · May 20, 2020, 11:47 PM

You are of course, 100% correct. That was my mental laziness. Its a Waffenamt stamp, not a Nazi stamp.

**44 AMP** · May 21, 2020, 12:02 AM

As best I can tell, with old eyes and a small picture, it appears to be the Eagle over "N" which is a Nazi commercial proof. In my Luger book it says this proof was ordered by Hitler, replacing the earlier Crown over N mark, and began use in April 1940.

To me, this dates the gun to either seized stock at FN when the Germans took FN (late May 40) or finished by FN under German occupation which ended in early Sept 44.

This Eagle/N proof is different from the WaffenAmt proof.

COSteve · May 22, 2020, 09:46 AM

I agree with 44 AMP, the Eagle over the 'N' mark is not a NAZI marking. Both my Luger and P-38 clearly have the Eagle over a Swastika markings.

Bill DeShivs · May 22, 2020, 12:12 PM

Can you guys not see the eagle over swastika marking??
It's right over the eagle/N stamp.

**44 AMP** · May 22, 2020, 12:57 PM

Quote:

I agree with 44 AMP, the Eagle over the 'N' mark is not a NAZI marking.

there is a misunderstanding here. I specifically said the Eagle/N was a Nazi commercial proof.

The Eagle over "N" IS A NAZI MARKING. So is the Eagle w/swastika (WaA Pruef). What I said was that these were different markings.

Every marking required by the German govt between 1933 and 1945 is a Nazi marking, whether it has a swastika or not. The Nazis were the government during those years.

One point of confusion is the WaffenAmt stamp is often poorly struck and incomplete. There should be a number along with the WaA stamp. the full stamp is the Eagle w/swastika and a number code identifying the factory inspection team.

I don't see a number with the stamp on that gun. This may be simply because I can't see it, or it maybe because the number didn't show up when the gun was stamped, or possibly that the number was never there to begin with and that Eagle w/swastika is not a WaA stamp but some other Nazi stamp I'm not aware of.

The eagle/N stamp is the Nazi commercial proof. It was not applied to guns made for military use, it was put on guns made for civilian sale.

SO, it is possibly that this pistol was made for sale in Germany, before WWII.

If may have been sold in Germany and remained in private hands during the war, and been turned in to Occupation Forces in 1945 by some Hausfrau.

It may have been a commercial (private) sale in Germany to begin with and later taken into govt. service, and not gotten the full standard markings...

There are many possibilities, and we just don't know the history of the gun in detail.

May 20, 2020, 09:32 PM	#4
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	That's a Waffenamt (government), not Nazi (political party). __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

May 20, 2020, 09:45 PM	#5
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	Come on man! (to quote Joe) There is a Nazi marking. Look closer. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 20, 2020, 11:47 PM	#6
Bent Brass Junior Member Join Date: January 8, 2020 Posts: 9	Waffenamt vs. Nazi You are of course, 100% correct. That was my mental laziness. Its a Waffenamt stamp, not a Nazi stamp.

May 21, 2020, 12:02 AM	#7
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,817	As best I can tell, with old eyes and a small picture, it appears to be the Eagle over "N" which is a Nazi commercial proof. In my Luger book it says this proof was ordered by Hitler, replacing the earlier Crown over N mark, and began use in April 1940. To me, this dates the gun to either seized stock at FN when the Germans took FN (late May 40) or finished by FN under German occupation which ended in early Sept 44. This Eagle/N proof is different from the WaffenAmt proof. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

May 22, 2020, 12:12 PM	#9
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	Can you guys not see the eagle over swastika marking?? It's right over the eagle/N stamp. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 20, 2020, 01:19 PM	#2
wild cat mccane Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 3,623	Not a Nazi mark. It's the German proofing. Minus that swastika mark! haha. Totally missed that one! (caught on my own!)

May 20, 2020, 07:10 PM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	I guess you want it called closer than May 1940 - September 1944 that the Germans controlled Liege.

May 22, 2020, 09:46 AM	#8
COSteve Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Posts: 1,344	I agree with 44 AMP, the Eagle over the 'N' mark is not a NAZI marking. Both my Luger and P-38 clearly have the Eagle over a Swastika markings.