Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, "I am a warrior."  Joel 3:10  

Browning Model 1922 Pistol

          By LTC Joel  Johnston (Ret), US Army Ordnance Corps      

Browning Model 1922 Circa 1923,1940, and1944

History: The Browning Model 1922 is an interesting pistol that is under appreciated in the United States.  It was a modification of the Model 1910.  The M1910 is the gun that started WWI when members of the Black Hand assassinated Arch Duke Ferdinand and Princess Sophie in Serbia.  The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (Yugoslavia) asked Fabrique Nationale to extend the M1910s barrel, slide, and lengthen the grip thus allowing two more rounds in the magazine.  This customer modification became the M1922 and was THE European pistol of the 1920-30s.  The very first ones were delivered to Yugoslavia in 1923-1925.  The pistol was contracted by numerous countries and manufactured until the early 80s.  Calibers were 32 ACP and 380 ACP.  See note on calibers:

7.65mm=32ACP

9x17=9mm Browning Short=9mm Kurz=380ACP

One of the best features of the M1922 is the lack of interest in the US.  Yes, this is a goofy looking pistol, but once you get used to its long snout, you will like the balance and the function of this European mainstay.  Lack of American interest means low prices as well.  There are many out there to be had in the $300 range and most were not imported; they were bought back by American WWII soldiers who liberated them from the Germans.  The M1922 definitely belongs in any WWII gun collection as they were used extensively by the Luftwaffe, German Government, SS, and partisans.  There is not a lot of information out there about the various varieties, but the following chart attempts to capture what is known. 

Manufactures and Varieties:

Click to Enlarge

Browning M1922 Gallery

Yugoslavia Contract M1922. 60,000 delivered in 1923-25.	Yugo Ministry of Interior Crest on the top of the slide.	Cryllic writing means "Property of the State"	Horn grips on the Yugo model.	This is a Dutch Contract, German captured M1922. Waffen Amt 613. Only 6,500 made in both 32 and 380 calibers.
Tell-tale Waffen Amt 613 on the trigger guard.	Hard rubber grips on the WaA 613. Very high quality	Proof Marks from top to bottom: Smokeless Powder, *P is inspector initial, Belgium Acceptance.	Early war WaA613 with supplemental "Standing Lion" indicating service with Norwegian military after the war.	Late war M1922 WaA140. Made in Leige, Belgium for the Wehrmacht. Quality suffers.
WaA140 has wooden grips.	Waffen Amt 140. Probably made in 1944.

Customer Pics of Their Browning 1922s

send me your Pics and show off your Brownings!

Pistol of Gary H.

This is a early, post war factory nickled 1922 with factory custom grips owned by Gary Hokanson	Reverse of same.

Pistol of Marty C.

Typical 1922 Wa140	Circa 1944, very nice condition	Wa140 marked	Endcap	Slide serial number, all matching
Mag waffen amt	Side veiw of 32ACP wartime magazine

Buying Tips:

Obviously, original finish, matching numbers, and non-import are the most desirable pistols.  Pistols associated with the Third Reich will always be more valuable.  The Yugo model will also appreciate because many were captured by the Germans and supposedly used extensively by the SS.

Disassembly

(Make Sure Your Weapon is Unloaded first!)

	Disassembly
1	Remove Magazine.
2	Inspect Chamber to ensure it is empty.
3	Slide barrel cap catch forward and rotate barrel cap up until lug disengages the slide.
4	Remove barrel cap and spring.  Do not lose the barrel cap catch.
5	Lock slide to rear using forward notch
6	Rotate barrel from 12 to 3 o'clock position.  This disengages the barrel locking lugs from the receiver lugs.
7	Release slide lock and slide/barrel assembly will come off the front of the receiver.
8	Rotate barrel from 3 to 12 o'clock and it will pull out of the end of the slide.
9	Pistol is field stripped for cleaning.
	Re-assembly
10	insert barrel with lugs to the 12 O'clock.
11	Rotate barrel with lugs to the 3 O'clock
12	Replace slide onto frame.  Slide all the way back until you can engage the slide catch into the forward notch.
13	rotate the barrel so that the lugs engage at the 6 o'clock position on the frame.
14	Replace main spring and barrel cap so that lugs on cap engage the frame.
15	push barrel cap against slide and rotate downward so the catch is engaged.
16	Re-assembly complete.

Disclaimer:  Ol' Army Joel accepts no responsibility for accidents involving improper handling of firearms.  Virtual Arms Room is no substitute for expertise and gun competence.