Browning 1903 - video
The name of the outstanding American designer John Moses Browning is associated with a number of different systems that played an important role in the development of weapons in the 20th century. But, perhaps, he made the greatest contribution to the formation and development of self-loading pistol systems. For a long time, the name “Browning” itself was perceived as synonymous with a self-loading pistol.
In the spring of 1895, John Moses Browning proposed a prototype of a blowback pistol he had created, but she did not dare to try it. In 1897, the commercial director of the Belgian (FN) Hart Berg traveled to the USA to familiarize himself with the production of bicycles. However, a more important discovery awaited him - in America he met the Browning family, and a self-loading pistol system arrived in Liege “on bicycle wheels.” On July 17, 1897, FN President Baron Charles de Marmol entered into an agreement with Browning, and in 1899, FN produced the first 7.65 mm “automatic” (in fact, self-loading) pistols. "Model 1900" dramatically changed the situation on the market for self-loading pistols, which had previously been formed by the Germans.
1900, when the Belgian FN released the Browning pistol onto the European market, and the German DWM the Luger-Borchard pistol, marked the beginning of a genuine “pistol boom”. 7.65 mm Browning pistols of 1900 became extremely popular, but mainly in the “civilian” market. At the beginning of their “career,” self-loading pistols had calibers of 7.63–8 mm. But soon an increase in calibers begins in order to increase the stopping effect of pistol bullets. Already in 1903, FN began producing the J.M. Browning model in 9 mm caliber, designed as a “military” model. It was a completely new model. It is worth noting that at the same time the same model, but with a caliber of 7.65 mm (chambered .32 ACP) was released in the USA.
The automatic pistol operated due to the recoil energy of the free bolt; the return spring was located under the barrel. Browning successfully applied the bolt-casing principle he had previously discovered - the “dead” mass of the bolt was moved forward, so that the bolt completely covered the barrel. The hammer-type trigger mechanism, with a hidden hammer, allowed a shot only with preliminary cocking: before the first shot, you need to jerk the bolt - at the same time the hammer is cocked, and the cartridge from the magazine is sent into the chamber of the barrel. The design of the trigger mechanism had three fuses. A non-automatic safety lever in the frame in the raised position blocked the trigger sear and the bolt. The trigger was locked only in the cocked position. Thus, it was possible to carry the pistol relatively safely with a cartridge in the chamber, the hammer cocked and the safety engaged. The inability to raise the safety lever indicated that the trigger was pulled. An automatic frame safety, designed as a push back wall of the handle, blocked the sear of the trigger mechanism and turned off when the handle was fully covered by the palm - contrary to some statements, it did not serve to “prevent suicide” (which would be very strange for a military pistol), but for the safety of unloading and service. The role of the third - also automatic - fuse was played by the disconnector of the trigger mechanism, which prevented a shot when the bolt did not reach the extreme forward position, i.e. when the bore is not completely locked.
The cartridges were fed from a detachable single-row magazine. When the cartridges were used up, the bolt delay was activated, holding the bolt in the open position. The handle had a ring for a safety cord or strap. There was a model with grooves at the bottom of the handle for attaching a rigid wooden holster-butt - a popular solution in those years for “military” pistols, which were supposed to be used in a kind of “carbine” version, especially in cavalry.
The cartridge for this pistol was initially called simply “9 mm Browning,” but after the appearance of the 9 mm “short” cartridge for the Model 1910 pistol, it began to be called “9 mm Browning long.” From 35 steps (about 25 m), the bullet pierced 6-7 inch pine boards: for comparison, a bullet from a 7.62 mm Nagan revolver pierced 3-4 boards. But over time, the 9-mm Browning Long cartridge could not compete with the 9-mm Parabellum cartridge.
The Browning Model 1903 was distinguished by good combat qualities with a relatively simple design (the design included 30 parts), reliable operation, ease of handling, and streamlined shape. It became very widespread, served as the basis for a lot of imitations, was in service in Belgium, the Netherlands, Serbia, Turkey, Paraguay, Peru, and a copy of it under the designation M/07 was produced in Sweden.
In Russia, the “Browning” model 1903 was also known as “Browning II sample” or “Browning No. 2” (“Browning” 1900 was considered the first sample). In 1907, the Browning 1903 was among the pistols officially allowed for officers to purchase at their own expense, “for wearing in the ranks.” In addition, it was centrally purchased in a version with a rigid holster-butt for arming the Separate Corps of Gendarmes and city police. In particular, it was in service with the Moscow Metropolitan Police - such a Browning can be found in the collection of the Central Museum of the Armed Forces in Moscow. Pistols were available in such large quantities that the Petrograd Cartridge Plant even produced 9-mm Browning Long cartridges for some time.
History of creation
Samuel Colt was very worried about the fact that his early models of pistols were not in demand on the arms market, which could not be said about the Browning pistols produced by Fabrique Nationale. For this reason, Colt again approached John about creating a new compact pistol for the civilian market in .32 caliber.
Colt M1903 pistol left view
The Colt 1903 pistol, of course, was created by the brilliant gunsmith Browning in 1903. The master took the Browning FN 1903 design as a basis.
This is interesting: in order to avoid confusion with the Browning FN 1903 pistol, they decided to call the new weapon the Colt M1903 Hammerless Pocket.
The American model of the pistol was initially aimed at the civilian market segment, while the European model was created to arm the army and police forces. Structurally, they also had differences - the 2 weapon models had different dimensions and caliber, and also differed in the shape of the front part of the bolt casing.
Pistol Colt M1903 right view
In 1908, a more massive Colt pistol was created under the symbol M1908 chambered for the .380 cartridge. The new weapon had a magazine for 7 rounds of 9x17 mm Short. Despite the more powerful cartridges, the overall dimensions have not increased much.
Browning received a patent for the development of pistol No. 747585 on December 22, 1903, but the impatient Colt did not wait a whole year, but began installing new equipment at his own enterprise at the end of 1902, and already in June 1903 both its mass production and and production of its European variant FN Browning M1903. And the first deliveries of the new pistol began in August of this year.
Photo of a 1903 Browning pistol
Browning 1903 pistol with the inscription on the slide-casing “Moscow. Table. Police"
Swedish Browning 1903/07 made by Husqvarna
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Application
From 1903 to 1945, approximately 570,000 of these pistols were produced in 5 different versions. Many of them were issued to general officers of the US Army and Air Force at the end of World War II well into the 70s. Later, after 1972, they were replaced by the RIA Colt M15 pistol model.
Pistol Colt M1908 right view
The weapon was in service with the Shanghai municipal police in the 20-30s of the last century. This pistol model was also popular with the Boston Police Department.
In addition to legal owners, the weapon was also highly popular among the criminal world - gangsters before World War II loved and valued this weapon for its compactness and low visibility.
Colt M1908 pistol left view
This is interesting: there is a myth that Al Capone kept a Colt M1903 in his pocket, and Bonnie Parker used a pistol glued to her hip to arrange the escape from prison of her accomplice John Dillinger.
Among the famous general officers who received this pistol were: Generals Eisenhower, Bradley, Marshall and Patton. Their weapon models were engraved with the owner's name. The 1908 Patton pistol was additionally decorated with three and later four stars on the grip to indicate his rank. They were issued a high-quality leather holster, a leather pistol belt with gold-tone metal clasp, a rope pistol cord with gold-tone hardware, and a leather two-pocket pouch with gold-tone metal clasps. They were tan or black leather and were manufactured by Atchison Leather Products or Hickock. Also included in the gift set was a cleaning rod and two spare magazines.
Colt M1903 pistols were issued to officers until 1950, when they were replaced by the Colt M1908 model, which was replaced in 1972 by the M15 pistol model in .45 ACP from Rock Island Arsenal.
Disassembling the Colt M1903 pistol
Today the pistol is manufactured by US Armament under license from Colt.
Options and modifications
The following modifications of this weapon are known:
- Model #1: Has a built-in case in a four-inch barrel, no magazine safety, serial numbers 1 through 71,999.
- Model #2: split barrel, 3⁄4" barrel; 1908–1910, serial numbers 72,000–105,050.
- Model #2: 380 cal barrel split case, 3 3⁄4 inch barrel; 1908-1910, serial numbers 001-6250.
- Model #3: Built-in barrel sleeve, 3⁄4-inch barrel; 1910–1926, serial numbers 105,051 - 468,789.
- Model #4: Built-in barrel sleeve, 3 3⁄4-inch barrel, magazine safety.
- Model #5: Built-in barrel sleeve, 3⁄4-inch barrel, military sights, magazine safety in both commercial and military versions. Serial numbers from 468 097 to 554 446.
Colt M1903 and M1908 Pistols
There is a known version of the M1903 with a "Parkerized" military style finish, which is otherwise the same as the Model #4, numbered 554,447 - 572,214.
This is interesting: Former Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo used a Colt Model 1903 to commit suicide shortly before his arrest for war crimes on September 11, 1945. Tojo was convicted at trial and executed on December 23, 1948. A Tojo pistol is on display at the MacArthur Memorial. in Norfolk, Virginia.
