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Magazine subscription................

3K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  Mark2506 
#1 ·
A picture of original magazines for the Colt Woodsman Match Target 2nd model and for the FN 150 / Browning Medalist pistols. This little assortment of magazines is worth a small fortune ($1,000.00 or more!) on today's market! They are almost worth more than the pistols! Who would have thought! The top row is for the Colt Woodsman and the bottom row is for the FN/Browning.
 

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#2 ·
Need a little help.

Area51guy. Maybe you can answer a question for me. Does all of the original fn/ browning magazines have Browing 22LR stamped on the bottom or did some not have anything on them? Any help is appreciated. Richard. By the way that's a good looking collection. I would say it's worth more than $1,000.
 
#3 ·
I have mags for each version of Browning .22 pistols except the 1911-22 and every one has the Browning name on the base. Can't say that there are no unmarked Browning mags, but I don't have any.

You may find it interesting that there are different versions of the old mags. I have them with followers made of metal, black plastic and what looks like a natural nylon. Buttons are the common ones with large craters, flat-faced and even black plastic. Out of the group of old M/C/N mags, only 3 of them have no holes on the right side.

Some of the more knowledgeable guys here may have more information.
 

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#4 ·
Thanks

chim ,thanks for the information. I don't know much about the Browniings. I thought the magazines all had the Browning on them. I've been seeing some after market ones that matches up pretty close to my two original ones except they don't have the stamping on them. The after market ones I have looks a lot different from the original. They Seem to work okay. Triple K must have started to make them to look more like the original ones. That is nice collection of magazines you have. I would like to have a couple more of the original ones . I only have two of the Challengers one made in 67 and other in 69.
 
#6 ·
The bright side is that FN Browning rimfire magazines with metal followers are virtually indestructible and barely ever need any adjustments made. The only FN Medalist mag that had ever given me problems was that of a club gun, where the magazine was most likely dropped too many times.

I have profited from the prices a few decades ago and am sure that many of the older "gun nuts" like me, will remember the bins at pawn shops, where Browning rugs, Colt boxes and S&W factory grips were $ 3 to 5 a piece.

I have a wooden box with two excellent Medalist grips, 9 magazines, 2 complete small parts sets and some barrel weights. Of course, I do have more magazines for my beloved Hämmerli International and 212 Jägerschaftspistole, as well as the rimfire Walther PP. Over the course of 40 years, I have probably accumulated more value in gun parts than what most folks have in their entire gun collection, resulting in me constantly searching for something:).
 
#7 ·
The bright side is that FN Browning rimfire magazines with metal followers are virtually indestructible and barely ever need any adjustments made. The only FN Medalist mag that had ever given me problems was that of a club gun, where the magazine was most likely dropped too many times.

I have profited from the prices a few decades ago and am sure that many of the older "gun nuts" like me, will remember the bins at pawn shops, where Browning rugs, Colt boxes and S&W factory grips were $ 3 to 5 a piece.

I have a wooden box with two excellent Medalist grips, 9 magazines, 2 complete small parts sets and some barrel weights. Of course, I do have more magazines for my beloved Hämmerli International and 212 Jägerschaftspistole, as well as the rimfire Walther PP. Over the course of 40 years, I have probably accumulated more value in gun parts than what most folks have in their entire gun collection, resulting in me constantly searching for something:).
It sounds like you have plenty of extra parts and magazines. As you said, those mags and parts certainly have gone up in value.

I haven't used a factory Belgium Browning mag much in well over a decade, and one of my Challengers gets shot more than all my other firearms combined.
 
#8 ·
RickR, Browning magazines? 139 Nomads were produced with P1 dates, it appears approximately the first fifty original magazines did NOT have the Browning on the base. I have 21P1 and found that 17P1 and 41P1 have nothing on the base, but 64P1 (as I remember it was 64) has the normal inscription. As manufacturing goes I'm assuming 50 were made in the beginning. Although, pictures on the Internet may look original, the original magazine has a distinct look, build and feel. The magazine body were solid with no "punch hole", had an alloy follower with a pot metal follower button which was round and flat (no dimple) until 1964 when changes were made. A plastic follower and a plastic follower button with a dimple appeared. By the beginning of 1965 the plastic disappeared, first the button then the follower. In 1965 the magazines became standard with an alloy follower and a metal follower button with dimple and now the body on the right has a punch hole. The follower button was peened into the follower and the hole was for access to punch out the follower button. (I have found no reason for this as the button will not come out until fully pressed down to a point of removal. Around 1966 I have found a run on magazines with a smaller hole than normal which appears to be a one time thing. It also appears 1965 was the beginning of the magazines being packaged for sale as an accessory. Not saying extra magazines were not available before this time. This is short and more could be added, but this should give you an answer and a working knowledge of the Belgian Browning .22 pistol magazines. Mark
 
#9 ·
Mark , thank you. I only have two of the FN/Brownings, both Challengers. One had a single factory magazine with the inscription on the bottom. The other one just had a after market one. You are right. There’s a big difference in the quality between them . I was lucky enough to find another original magazine a while back at a fair price. Thanks again for the history of the Browning magazines. Seems like I learn something new every time I get on RFC. Most of the time what I learn cost me money but this time it saved me some .
Richard
 
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