"Baby" Browning

[Bonc_CHL]

Does anyone have any experience with the baby browning? I was pawn shopping today and came across one, never had seen one till today. I kinda fell in love with it, but not with the price tag $500 seemed high to me , unless there is something I am unaware of that makes it so special. If anyone has any info about them and how they shoot etc i would appreciate it. From what i can find on the Internets they are a .25cal but this one was marked 6.35mm I am assuming this is .25 cal across the pond? And I also assume it will shoot regular .25 ammo?

[joe817]

It's a true collectors item. That might be the reason for the healthy price tag.

And 6.35mm is the same a .25 acp. Just as 7.65mm is the same as .32 acp.

"The "Baby" Browning was produced at F.N. in 1905 and was officially imported by Browning in 1954. This 25 autoloading pistol was discontinued in 1969."

"Although the "Baby" Browning was first produced at F.N. in 1905, Browning didn't import them until 1954. Accurate serial number counts were not available until 1959."

http://www.browning.com/customerservice ... l.asp?id=6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From the sounds of it, you have one made by F.N. in Belgium, ie: pre-1959. Neat little gun, but not practical for anything but collecting, IMO.

Hope that helps.

[stroo]

Price on these really depends on the condition of the gun. I have seen them for as low as $250 and as high as $800. So hard to tell offhand whether $500 is a good price or not.

[WildBill]

My mom had a factory-engraved Baby Browning that my dad bought for her during a trip to Canada in the 1950s. It was a very pretty gun. My mom didn't shoot it often as ammo was hard to come by and it had feeding problems. If I owned it, it would be a safe queen rather than a shooter.

[Bonc_CHL]

I did a little looking last night and I found a pretty broad price range on Gunbroker, also the WIKI page on the baby browning was very informitive..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Browning" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for anyone interested.
There are several different companies that have made these over the years after deals and patent transfers etc. There is still a company that of recently has started making them again to the original specs, they run about $525 for a basic new one.
The one at the pawn shop was probably in just guessing %75-85 condition. I would like to add one to the collection but not as a safe queen.
(I don't believe in safe queens, the same way with cars and trailer queens, what is the point of owning something just to sit there and look at?)
I am have been looking for a nice pocket pistol for when I cant carry my normal CCW, I know lots off people will advise not to carry a .25cal but hey its better then nothing! And when I can't dress to carry a bigger gun that's what I am left with is nothing!

[threoh8]

(I don't believe in safe queens, the same way with cars and trailer queens, what is the point of owning something just to sit there and look at?)

Nothing wrong with a stuff that you can just sit and look at, if that's what you want to do with it. My reproduction Walker sits in its fitted wooden box, waiting. That pleases me. (Does IDPA have a class for it? I could hide it under a trench coat. Reloads would take a while ... ) It's not alone in relatively long-term storage, either.

I inherited a Baby Browning, along with the permit required in New Mexico when he bought it way back when. It's a cute little thing, well made, but not a great shooter. There's not much to hold onto, the safety sweep is a little odd, the sights are puny, and the trigger is ... not good. Ammunition is out there, even hollow points, but don't expect much performance from it.

Triggers can be improved, but you don't want it too light. Thinner stocks would let it hide even better. I've thought about making some better sights, but what kind would give a better reference for fast shooting without compromising what the Baby is? Even the smallest laser would add a lot to the size of the pistol, and mounting would be interesting. Proper patridge sights could be done with dovetails in the little rib and slide, but even repurposed, pared-down 1911 sights would add to the snag factor.

And after all that, you still have six really weak little rounds to work with.

I think mine will sit in the safe a while longer.

[stroo]

If interested, you may want to look at the vest pocket Colt .25 as well. The baby browning and the vest pocket colt are almost the same gun. I have a vest pocket colt that I carry as a second or third bug once in while. (Don't ask me why I carry 3-4 guns occasionally. It is because I can. No other reason.) It isn't particularly easy to shoot since you are gripping the gun with one and half fingers. And like every mouse gun I have ever shot, it hurts to shoot it. But it is still fun to have and shoot.

[threoh8]

I like the grip safety on the Colt, but the thumb safety on the Browning is in a better place.

[craig45]

This Baby Browning (circa 1954-1958) was at a local shop. What really attracted me to it was the original numbered box/case it was in. It's a black leatherette case with red velvet liner. It won't replace my N frame S&W's or my Glock, but I think it's fairly collectible. Paid less than $200 for it. The case was missing the original instruction manual and I'm searching for a vintage one now.

The gun has some finish loss on the right side (shown) but the left side is perfect.

[Charles L. Cotton]

This Baby Browning (circa 1954-1958) was at a local shop. What really attracted me to it was the original numbered box/case it was in. It's a black leatherette case with red velvet liner. It won't replace my N frame S&W's or my Glock, but I think it's fairly collectible. Paid less than $200 for it. The case was missing the original instruction manual and I'm searching for a vintage one now.

The gun has some finish loss on the right side (shown) but the left side is perfect.

How recently did you buy this gun?

Chas.

[Bonc_CHL]

WOW that is a steal if it was a recent purchase! Nice piece, hope I can come across a score like that!

[craig45]

This Baby Browning (circa 1954-1958) was at a local shop. What really attracted me to it was the original numbered box/case it was in. It's a black leatherette case with red velvet liner. It won't replace my N frame S&W's or my Glock, but I think it's fairly collectible. Paid less than $200 for it. The case was missing the original instruction manual and I'm searching for a vintage one now.

The gun has some finish loss on the right side (shown) but the left side is perfect.

How recently did you buy this gun?

Chas.

Bought it last week Charles. I think it was a good (and lucky) find.
Craig...

[Charles L. Cotton]

Bought it last week Charles. I think it was a good (and lucky) find.
Craig...

Congratulations!! It was a very good find.

Chas.

[craig45]

The only AD (not ND) I ever experienced in my life was with one of those.

A little old guy was shooting at the range I was running and said that he had a problem getting his pistol to fire and wanted some help. I trotted down to the bay, picked it up off the bench (pointing downrange and finger off the trigger) and popped out the magazine.

BANG!

All that's holding the striker back on the Baby Browning is a little chunk of metal sticking out underneath - it had worn down and must have been quivering right on the edge of firing when the slight vibration of removing the mag allowed it to slip off and fire.

Believe me, I blessed my father for his lessons in safe gun-handling - especially his insistence that a weapon be kept pointing in a safe direction before doing anything else.

Have a good look at yours before shooting it - the striker is a small hollow cylinder with the firing pin at one end and the relevant tab underneath - make sure it's not worn, please.

Thanks Andy. I fired it Saturday.....but disassembled it and checked it out before I went to the range. I don't believe it's been fired much because the internals including the sear and firing pin notch are barely worn. I agree and do the same thing as you....always pointed down range.....just in case!