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Good morning everyone. I'm just beginning my third book, a novel, and the protagonist requires a Belgium handgun in 1962.
Well, it turns out the Belgians make a lot of guns, which I was unaware.
I was thinking of using the FN Model 1910. I also need it to jam upon firing.
Do you think this gun would be reasonably available in 1962, and is there any chance of it jamming?

Any assistance gratefully acknowledged.
Thank you.

In the 1960s semi auto handguns were not as reliable as they were today. Slight design changes and more consistent ammunition changed that over the coming decades. The FN 1910 was a very popular pistol and available all over the world. Used by civilians, police and military alike. It was the pistol used to assassinate Arch Duke Ferdinand and a s*** load of Nazis! They were really nice pistols, but not what would be regarded as a “serious weapon”.

Hi the FN Browning 1910 to give it it's full title was manufactured between these dates 1910–1983 not in full production but available so yes you could get one in 1962.

Even the early ones did not have an issue jamming mine has never done so even with various ammunition. So the only way they do jam is if the firing pin is worn too short as this is used on it's return into battery to push the fired case out of the way assisting the extractor. I had this happen on a FN Browning 1910/22 or 1922 a longer barrel version of the 1910.

They are really nice pistols Si

Can't help, but thanks for asking...

I read a lot and hate it with a passion when authors get the basics of firearms wrong. (See also television, and television sound effects, revolvers don't have a F***ing slide!).

Edit. Thinking of it, depending on how it needs to fail, poorly stored ammunition will often enough for novelisation purposes, fail to go bang... and there was an awful lot of corroded WWII surplus floating around still in 1962.

It's certainly refreshing to see an author making an effort to get firearms related stuff correct, mistakes stand out like a sore thumb for anyone with an interest in the subject. Just yesterday I was reading a Frederick Forsyth novel " The Fox" where he's describing a sniper shot with an AX50 rifle at a 1,000 yard target saying that it would take the bullet 3 seconds to reach it. I thought this was a rather unusual mistake by Mr Forsyth.

As Sim G says - There were/are a lot of these pistols about, in Europe especially, possibly because they were cheap and easy to make and maybe because they were carried as more a "badge of office" by police etc. rather than a serious pistol.

The very basic "blowback" design means these pistols were limited to low power cartridges, not much more than a ladies handbag gun really. In the 7.62x17 calibre the energy level is around 150ftlbs and the 9mmx17 better but still well below the .45ACP or 9mm x19 (Luger) that was common at the time.

As a reference the humble .22 rimfire gives about 100 ftlbs of energy.

I think a pistol of this type would be unlikely to jam on the first shot. The first shot is fed into the chamber from the magazine manually, by pulling back the slide and letting it spring forward. Pulling back the slide also cocks the firing pin so then (depending on the type of safety device) the pistol is cocked and loaded ready to fire at the pull of the trigger.

Once the trigger is pulled it is very unlikely that the pistol would misfire. The shot would fire, the recoil of the shot sends the slide back, cocks the pistol, the slide returns under spring pressure, picking up another cartridge on the way. This is the point where a jam would most likely occur. Usually when the slide/bolt fails to cleanly strip a new round off the magazine and present it into the chamber at the correct angle or the previous cartridge case fails to eject cleanly.

bnz41 wrote:Hi the FN Browning 1910 to give it it's full title was manufactured between these dates 1910–1983 not in full production but available so yes you could get one in 1962.

Even the early ones did not have an issue jamming mine has never done so even with various ammunition. So the only way they do jam is if the firing pin is worn too short as this is used on it's return into battery to push the fired case out of the way assisting the extractor. I had this happen on a FN Browning 1910/22 or 1922 a longer barrel version of the 1910.

They are really nice pistols Si

I had a 1910/22 Browning pistol which is the variant with a longer barrel and grip (larger magazine). It was very reliable as are most .380acp blow back pistols. The most likely cause of any failure to fire with these pistols is usually attributable to poor ammunition such as that exposed to oil or extreme moisture during storage.

This is a picture of the firing pin from my FN 1922 at the top as you can see it's a lot shorter than the other one. The bottom firing pin in the picture is from my FN 1910 as they use the same system to fire and help eject the case. Both these pistols use .32acp ammunition.

Yes jams could be caused by faulty ammunition.

Chapuis wrote:

bnz41 wrote:Hi the FN Browning 1910 to give it it's full title was manufactured between these dates 1910–1983 not in full production but available so yes you could get one in 1962.

Even the early ones did not have an issue jamming mine has never done so even with various ammunition. So the only way they do jam is if the firing pin is worn too short as this is used on it's return into battery to push the fired case out of the way assisting the extractor. I had this happen on a FN Browning 1910/22 or 1922 a longer barrel version of the 1910.

They are really nice pistols Si

I had a 1910/22 Browning pistol which is the variant with a longer barrel and grip (larger magazine). It was very reliable as are most .380acp blow back pistols. The most likely cause of any failure to fire with these pistols is usually attributable to poor ammunition such as that exposed to oil or extreme moisture during storage.

And dont forget a limp wristed grip on the gun can cause a jam !

But as we are very PC these days , we shouldnt mention that .

Wow! Thank you so much for the startlingly quick and obviously knowing answers. Just what I need, since I am useless on the subject. Thank goodness for the internet. My first choice of weapon was the Beretta 70, but then when Belgium popped into the story I thought I had better go with the FN. SimG, may I ask why it would not be a serious weapon. I'm thinking of 10-15 feet; it would kill, right? Bnz41, I think you're saying I'd have a greater chance of a misfire on the second shot? StrangeSam, got your point on the ammunition; very good. 1066 - shocked to hear Forsyth would make technical mistakes. The Day of the Jackal was the benchmark. I was even thinking of reading it again. And there's very little excuse for sloppy technical details these days. I just finished a book with a train in it, and the guys at UKRailForums practically gave me a lesson in how to drive a steam loco. Brilliant! Chapuis, thank you for confirming the bad ammo. BNz41, the firing pin is the bit sticking out on the left, yes? Mistagain; you're going to have to explain that comment. Don't worry about PC, I can take it. Thank you all very much. Any more comments appreciated.

For the slide to work and the firearm to operate correctly then under recoil the receiver has to stay relatively static in relation to the slide, if the gun is held loosely then the receiver and slide will move back together and the slide won't fully cycle, so a limp wrist is a no no if you are semi or automatic shooting.

Nothing to do with poofs.