FN Baby Browning
FN Herstal · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1931
Also known as: Browning Baby, FN Modèle Baby, FN 1931
Overview
The FN Baby Browning is a tiny single-action, blowback-operated semi-automatic vest-pocket pistol chambered in .25 ACP. Designed by Dieudonné Saive at FN Herstal between 1926 and 1927 and put into production in 1931, it was conceived as a reduced and simplified version of the FN M1906. At only 104 mm long and 275 g empty, it was for decades one of the smallest practical semi-automatic pistols in the world and became the archetypal 'gentleman's' or 'lady's' concealed-carry pistol of the mid-20th century.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 275 g (9.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 104 mm (4.09") |
| Barrel Length | 54 mm (2.13") |
| Height | 72 mm (2.83") |
| Width | 22 mm (0.87") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Trigger Pull | 22 N (4.9 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 230 m/s (755 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 86 J (63 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 7 m (8 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .25 ACP · primary — also known as .25 Auto, 6.35x16mm Browning, 6.35mm Browning
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Magazine Disconnect
- Features: Fixed Sights, Sealed Bottom Magazine, Vest Pocket Size, Checkered Grip Panels
Variants
- Baby Browning Renaissance (engraved) — Engraved Presentation
- Baby Browning Lightweight (alloy frame) — Alloy Frame
Service history
Operators
- European civilian market · adopted 1931
- Various intelligence services (clandestine carry)
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 550,000 · Production years: 1931-1979
FN's original European production totaled roughly 550,000 units between 1931 and 1979. US importation by Browning Arms ended in 1968 due to GCA-68 import restrictions. Production has since been continued by other manufacturers under license.
Origin
Country of origin: Belgium
Designer: Dieudonné Saive
Discontinued: 1979
Notes
Original FN production ran from 1931 to 1979, with approximately 550,000 units produced. Browning Arms of the United States imported them under the Browning name. Several modern manufacturers (notably Precision Small Arms in the US) have continued to produce updated copies after FN ended European production.
Background
The Baby Browning earned an outsized place in spycraft and fiction - its silhouette was once the smallest production semi-auto pistol on Earth, small enough to vanish inside a suit pocket or cigarette case, and it remains one of the most copied vest-pocket pistols ever made.