Gentlemen,
as already discussed here:
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=194558
My 1904 A-5 SN 12400 and my 1907 A-5 SN 24924 arrived recently from England. Yesterday, I finally had the opportunity to examine both guns.
Well, both are candidates for the "Dog of the week" contest. I did not expect much, but I'm disappointed anyway.
Let's start with the 1904 #12400:
Barrel: Matching to the gun
Barrel address: FABRIQUE -NATIONALE - HERSTAL-LIEGE. BELGIUM.
Steel indication: ACIER - SPECIAL
Receiver legend:
FABRIQUE - NATIONALE - HERSTAL - LIEGE. BELGIUM - BROWNING'S - PATENTS.
OCT. 9. 1900 - DEC. 17. 1901 - SEPT. 30. 1902 - JUNE. 16. 1903
Chamber length: 65 mm (= 2 9/16")
Stock: Straight English stock and early forearm; checkered (matching SN )
Recoil spring: square coil diameter
Technical features:
- safety type 2
- square cartridge stop
- punch port ("access hole") located towards the cartridge stop, not over carrier screw
- magazine cut-off (factory original)
- no screw securing the magazine tube on the right side
Issues: Oh boy! The whole thing is one single issue! The magazine tube (fine thread) is bend - consequently, the gun isn't working at present. Adjusting the magazine tube will be the job for my gun smith. Hopefully, his results will be better than the ones of somebody else, who tried to make it. The receiver's front portion as the magazine tube as well are showing signs of heat treatment (somebody tried to get the tube out - with no luck). No blueing on the receiver and the barrel (except for some places around the barrel ring).
Pros: original checkered stock and forearm.
Oddities: the barrel has two weight indications: 0.8236 kilograms and 0.8196 kilograms (a difference of 4 grams = 61.728 grain). I don't know, why this was done.
-------------------------------------
1907 # 24924
Barrel: Matching to the gun
Barrel address: FABRIQUE -NATIONALE - HERSTAL-LIEGE. BELGIUM.
Steel indication: ACIER - SPECIAL
Chamber length: 65 mm (= 2 9/16")
Receiver legend:
FABRIQUE - NATIONALE - HERSTAL - LIEGE. BELGIUM - BROWNING'S - PATENTS.
OCT. 9. 1900 - DEC. 17. 1901 - SEPT. 30. 1902 - JUNE. 16. 1903
Stock: matching round pistol grip / forearm not matching (replacement)
Recoil spring: square coil diameter
Technical features:
- safety type 2
- rounded (on bottom) cartridge stop
- punch port ("access hole") located towards the cartridge stop
- magazine cut-off (factory original)
- no screw securing the magazine tube on the right side
Issues: Action spring tube broken off. Somebody already soldered it but did a lousy job. The tube currently is sticking within the stock.
Stock is better than expected. Has a big chip on the right side, but it can be repaired (and will be repaired).
I will present both guns when the reanimation projects will be finished. What will take some time.
Regarding the 1904: the interesting part of this gun is, that's currently the lowest SN known having a factory installed magazine cut-off and the punch hole in front, not over the screw. And that is the most irritating part of this gun: Jeff Mull's 1904 SN 12658 looks like one would expect a 1904 A-5:
viewtopic.php?t=134453
For the time being I believe, there was no "sudden" change of features, but there obviously seems to be a mix-up of old style models having higher SNs and "modern" guns having lower SNs. Also it seems, the magazine cut-off was an option for some extra $. Jeff's 1906 having no magazine cut-off does suggest this.
Regarding the 1907: well, that gun is OK. And a round pistol grip stock is a plus, as this definitely was an extra (9 $) at that time making a round pistol grip stock rarer on a 1907 gun.
Best regards
Martin
as already discussed here:
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=194558
My 1904 A-5 SN 12400 and my 1907 A-5 SN 24924 arrived recently from England. Yesterday, I finally had the opportunity to examine both guns.
Well, both are candidates for the "Dog of the week" contest. I did not expect much, but I'm disappointed anyway.
Let's start with the 1904 #12400:
Barrel: Matching to the gun
Barrel address: FABRIQUE -NATIONALE - HERSTAL-LIEGE. BELGIUM.
Steel indication: ACIER - SPECIAL
Receiver legend:
FABRIQUE - NATIONALE - HERSTAL - LIEGE. BELGIUM - BROWNING'S - PATENTS.
OCT. 9. 1900 - DEC. 17. 1901 - SEPT. 30. 1902 - JUNE. 16. 1903
Chamber length: 65 mm (= 2 9/16")
Stock: Straight English stock and early forearm; checkered (matching SN )
Recoil spring: square coil diameter
Technical features:
- safety type 2
- square cartridge stop
- punch port ("access hole") located towards the cartridge stop, not over carrier screw
- magazine cut-off (factory original)
- no screw securing the magazine tube on the right side
Issues: Oh boy! The whole thing is one single issue! The magazine tube (fine thread) is bend - consequently, the gun isn't working at present. Adjusting the magazine tube will be the job for my gun smith. Hopefully, his results will be better than the ones of somebody else, who tried to make it. The receiver's front portion as the magazine tube as well are showing signs of heat treatment (somebody tried to get the tube out - with no luck). No blueing on the receiver and the barrel (except for some places around the barrel ring).
Pros: original checkered stock and forearm.
Oddities: the barrel has two weight indications: 0.8236 kilograms and 0.8196 kilograms (a difference of 4 grams = 61.728 grain). I don't know, why this was done.
-------------------------------------
1907 # 24924
Barrel: Matching to the gun
Barrel address: FABRIQUE -NATIONALE - HERSTAL-LIEGE. BELGIUM.
Steel indication: ACIER - SPECIAL
Chamber length: 65 mm (= 2 9/16")
Receiver legend:
FABRIQUE - NATIONALE - HERSTAL - LIEGE. BELGIUM - BROWNING'S - PATENTS.
OCT. 9. 1900 - DEC. 17. 1901 - SEPT. 30. 1902 - JUNE. 16. 1903
Stock: matching round pistol grip / forearm not matching (replacement)
Recoil spring: square coil diameter
Technical features:
- safety type 2
- rounded (on bottom) cartridge stop
- punch port ("access hole") located towards the cartridge stop
- magazine cut-off (factory original)
- no screw securing the magazine tube on the right side
Issues: Action spring tube broken off. Somebody already soldered it but did a lousy job. The tube currently is sticking within the stock.
Stock is better than expected. Has a big chip on the right side, but it can be repaired (and will be repaired).
I will present both guns when the reanimation projects will be finished. What will take some time.
Regarding the 1904: the interesting part of this gun is, that's currently the lowest SN known having a factory installed magazine cut-off and the punch hole in front, not over the screw. And that is the most irritating part of this gun: Jeff Mull's 1904 SN 12658 looks like one would expect a 1904 A-5:
viewtopic.php?t=134453
For the time being I believe, there was no "sudden" change of features, but there obviously seems to be a mix-up of old style models having higher SNs and "modern" guns having lower SNs. Also it seems, the magazine cut-off was an option for some extra $. Jeff's 1906 having no magazine cut-off does suggest this.
Regarding the 1907: well, that gun is OK. And a round pistol grip stock is a plus, as this definitely was an extra (9 $) at that time making a round pistol grip stock rarer on a 1907 gun.
Best regards
Martin