Can't seem to find anything on Browning.com

 

Looks like my Challenger, except yours has beautiful checkered wood and mine has synthetic grips.

 

Looks like my Challenger, except yours has beautiful checkered wood and mine has synthetic grips.

I received a short barrel Challenger for my 16th birthday in 1975 that came with those synthetic grips.
By then, Browning added a second digit to the date code. For example XXXXX U74.

 

It's a Challenger built in 1965.
U in the serial number indicates Challenger.
The 5 at the end says 1965.

 

Awesome... just the info I needed. Y'all are awesome!!! what about series 1, 2 or 3? Needing to replace the clip because mine is wore out. Any links to one would also be greatly appreciated..

 

When your Challenger was built, they were just simply called "Challenger".
Challenger's 2 and 3 followed years later.

Magazines for the Nomad and Medalist are the same (interchangeable).
I personally avoid Triple K brand magazines. They have a poor reputation.
Original Browning magazines generally run north of $125.00 these days (but are worth it).

If I was you, I would look to replace the spring.
It's been years, but I know that I've replaced a follower (you can punch out the button) - which means the spring would then be accessible.

I am guessing here (meaning that I may be wrong), but I think that one made for the Buckmark would work.
(If I couldn't find a Wolff replacement spring).

 

Wow, I purchased the gun in 1990 for 125 dollars from a guy who needed some fast cash. And now just the clip is as much as I paid for the entire gun... I would actually do that tho. Where would I start looking for an original? Thanks

 

I would watch eBay or Gunbroker for original mags. Here are two examples.

In my mind the one on eBay is suspect.
The body has suffered rust especially at the base and the follower button is incorrect (been replaced).
The one on GB is correct - albeit pricy.
I was originally was going to say 150 and up, but then saw the one on eBay and said 125.

I'd since looked closer and spotted the issues that I pointed out.

GB:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1036536276

eBay:

Original Browning Challenger 1 Nomad Medalist 22LR 10 Rd Factory Magazine .22 | eBay

<p>The magazine is in good working order. Strong spring. Shipped USPS.</p>

www.ebay.com

 

........................
In my mind the one on eBay is suspect.
The body has suffered rust especially at the base and the follower button is incorrect (been replaced).
......................

There is some pitting on the body, but I don't believe the button is wrong. I have a bunch of original mags and have at least three different styles:

 

Challenger had the slid release lever, while the Nomad didn’t have a bolt hold open on the last shot feature.

 

Blayne, your pistol is the version of the Challenger that has the longer barrel. This model also was available with a shorter barrel. There are several very knowledgeable members here on RFC regarding the Belgium manufactured Challenger, subsequent models II and III were not produced in Belgium and to some/many are not as desirable. Enjoy.

 

FYI: Original OEM magazines will have “Browning” stamped on the bottom plate. Triple K does not.

 

Just to save you aome bucks, you van modify a Beretta 22 Neos mag with little effort and they work just fine. And they are readily available for around 25-30 bucks. The modification is on rimfire website. No special tools needed for this mod.
I have a Medalist and a Challenger like yours and the modified mags work just fine.

 

Thank you everyone for all the help.

 

very nice looking pistol , wish mine looked that nice ,

 

I think the synthetic grips were only supplied with the 1974 production. A lot of folks like them better, since they weren't nearly as large as the walnut versions, which were quite large especially at the bottom.

 

I think the synthetic grips were only supplied with the 1974 production.

For years I thought that too.
Someone here (maybe it was Seaotter?) pointed out that the brown plastic grips made their way onto several years (I think they said these came on pistols produced in 73, 74, & 75).
Perhaps late 73, early 75 and majority/all 74. Who knows?

There's a 73, a 75 (and a 74 too) on GB wearing the brown plastic grips (of course someone could have swapped out grips, however the 75 is being described as never fired).

 

Thanks, I wasn't sure. The beautiful, but very large grips are one thing I don't like too much about my 1969 Challenger. The other is the tube-style rear sight. Otherwise, it's great.

 

Yeah, I think the brown grips material was called Novadur or something like that. Definitely a different material from the Nomads. They were (are) susceptible to warping but, like the Nomad grips, some prefer them to the larger wood grips. I've replaced the wood grips with the "Novadur" and Nomad grips on a couple of my shooters. They feel better in my medium sized hands.