John Browning Patent 621747 – FN Model 1900 Pistol
This design was the first model that FN ( Fabrique Nationale de Herstal ) produced in a very successful partnership with John Moses Browning. This particular pistol was the Model 1900, or M1900 chambered in .32 ACP. It was also known as the M1899 until some improvements led them to update the name. However, that wasn’t the extent to the naming of this pistol; it was also known as the Browning Number One and even the FN Browning M1900.
The most influential part of this particular pistol on the future of firearms was that it was the first to introduce the “slide” mechanism. Using the slide mechanism John Browning was able to create a semi-auto single action pistol. The Model 1900 was produced in Belgium and eventually came to total around 700,000 units manufactured.
The design was granted US Patent 621747 on March 21st, 1899. John Moses Browning had applied for this patent on December 28th, 1897.
