[herve1861]

Hi gent's
please have a look here for this FN 1922 with nazi stamps and holster (probably PP one but he was inside for 60 years !)

http://www.gunboards.com/luger/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2507

I am waiting for your comments especially for the grips
Regards
Hervé

 

[Balder]

Hervé,

I have the same grips on my .32 FN Browning 1910/22, serial # 1568XX. On mine there is a cut-out for a lanyard loop, see pic.

Regards,

Balder

Download Attachment: fn 22 grip.jpg
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[herve1861]

Hi Badler
What a strange cut out !!! Do you know the country who used this one ?
Regards
Hervé

 

[Balder]

Hervé,

This particular pistol has been used as a pilot's gun in the Norwegian Air Force after the war; the cut-out and loop may be a Norwegian modification. Until I saw your pistol, I thought that the wooden grips were Norwegian as well since I haven't seen too many of them and none outside of Norway. I guess they were cheaper to make than the black plastic ones with the FN logo, maybe they were made late in the war? I'd also like to know when my 1568XX was made, does anybody have the serial number ranges?

Regards,

Balder

 

[herve1861]

Thank for your reply Balder
I think there is some few gents in this forum (they are all in bed yet at this time, I think !!!) who give us some information about this grips : german or not ?
Regards
Hervé

 

[sauer]

The wood grips are correct for a 1922 made during the later part of German occupation. The Nazis were shortcutting everything to speed production and conserve resources (oil is used in making plastics).

 

[Dgiz]

The wood grips are very common on late war German occupation guns. The addition of the lanyard loop has long thought to be a French addition, maybe Frence police. I have never heard a connection between the lanyard loop and Norway. Very interesting! Any info you can dig up on Norway doing this modification would be very important. I have seen French 1935As, FN 1922s, Sauer 38Hs and High-Powers with the post war addition of a lanyard loop. Any of these pistols used in Norway(other than the 1922)?
Dean

 

[Darwin]

I was going to say the same as Dean, about the French adding the staple post-war. That seems to be the common belief. The wood grip panels are actually very common and were introduced, I believe, as soon as the original existing stocks of grip panels made from pressed animal horn were all used up. I think it might be a little more correct to say they were introduced mid-war rather than late war. You will also find bakelite grip panels were produced throughout the same time period as the wood grip panels. Wood grip panels were still produced for a time after the war was over. Plastic panels were introduced after the war was over.

 

[Balder]

Gentlemen,

Like I said, I thought that the grip/lanyard modification was Norwegian, but I do not have much to substantiate this theory.

However, the vast majority - if not all - of the FN 1910/22 pistols found in this country today are guns that were brought here with the German invasion and occupation 1940-45. I find it quite unlikely that one or several guns used by the Norwegian armed forces could have been to France after the war. We had such an abundance of ex-German and Allied pistols that we didn't even have to think about acquiring new ones until the mid-80s, when we settled for the Glock 17 to replace all the M1911s, P-38s, FN Brownings, Lugers and several other models that were left here after the war. This is the reason why I still believe that the modification on my gun, if it is a post-war job, was done here in Norway. The modification may very well have been adapted from France - or vice versa. I have no problem seing the need for a pilot to secure his sidearm in addition to the security provided by whatever holster it is being carried in.

Respectfully,

Balder

 

[herve1861]

Hi Badler

First I want to said thank for all for the answers.
Second, this type of "heavy modification" is not french. It's a common practice in France to put a landyard loop on the handguns (my Beretta 92 (under MAS license) have one when I am on service !!!) but a little more "light" than this one !!! LOL : the only reason is for prevent the loss of the gun when running, fighting, etc...
For to be clear my FN have no landyard loop so I believe he never saw "police" service (and I am sure about this !)or on the german or french milice hands may be.
Regards
Hervé

 

[Dgiz]

First, I have to agree with Darwin, Mid-war for the wood grips is probably a better time frame than my late-war.
As far as the Lanyard ring goes, it was only thought the French may have done this, I don't think any information has been discovered to support this. If so, please share it. I think it is great that Norway has come up as a possible location for this addition. It may help anyone who wants to do the research a place to focus on. It may be like Herve said, both countries did it.
Here is a photo of a 38H that was brought back by a friends father who was in France at the end of the war. Note the lanyard ring.
Dean


Download Attachment: 382.jpg
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Download Attachment: 38.jpg
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[herve1861]

Hi Dgiz
Very interesting holster ! look like mine with PP "look" !!!
Could we said than there is an "large" holster manufacture for different handguns ?
Sorry again Gents for my poor english (especcialy after 3 years in England for my business !)
Just for information, I never heard or read something "official" about use GP 35 by police or Gendarmerie after the war : it's like C96 "french gendarmerie" : a real "dream" the Gendarmerie never used the C96 !!! (unfortunatly !!!!)
regards
Hervé

 

[jacobtowne]

Herve:
Don't worry about your English - it's a lot better than my French.
JT

 

[Pancho]

Ditto on the French Post War lanyard loop/staple, requiring a cut out on the grip.
Also, considering the enmity, suprising that there are many examples of post-war usage
by French of WaA marked pistols. Seems that they would have obliterated the WaA.
Here's one with a matching #ed mag:
Download Attachment: FN-1922-WaA-PostWar-French-1.jpg
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Download Attachment: FN-1922-WaA-PostWar-French-2.jpg
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Download Attachment: FN-1922-WaA-PostWar-French-3.jpg
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[herve1861]

Hi Pancho
nice FN with a log story !
Don't forget one thing, just after the war, the France was in a very poor condition, 4 years under the nazi occupation, bombing, etc...the economic situation was very bad in spite of the US help.
The new French army was involved in Indochina and the pre WWII French weapons were totally obsolete in large majority so the main supplier was the US.
For this reason and in spite of this help, the French used german (MP40, 98K, P08, P38, MG...) and other differents countries captured weapons for auxilliary units and Police forces (and don't forget a thing : a governement it's always "treasurer" when the danger is over...) so is not a surprise to see many captured weapons (with nazi stamps on sometimes !) in use for the 50', 60'.
Regards
Hervé

 

[herve1861]

I would like said "long story" !!!
Sorry
Hervé

 

[Balder]

Hervé

The police here in Norwway also used .32 caliber pistols up until recent years. FNs, Walther PP, Mauser HSC & 1934, etc. All of them were left here after the war.

Balder