Of course, it was an FN pistol in the hands of the Black Hand that ignited the Great War in the first place. In this installment of the Handguns of World War I, we look at the Fabrique Nationale pistols, including, the Model 1900 and Model 1903 pistols, used by the Belgian Army during World War I. How good were they? Here’s a hint: They were designed by John Moses Browning. If the Belgians were squared away on handguns, the same could not be said of the French. The standard French sidearm at the start of the war was the anemic 8 mm Modele 1895 double-action revolver. While the French dug the Modele 1873 (made more famous by Brendan Frazier in “The Mummy”) out of mothballs for use in the trenches, France relied on Spanish-made Ruby pistols for more firepower. And firepower is a relative term—these were .32 ACP copies of the Browning 1903. Know what a Ruby is? Better watch this.
For more American Rifleman TV segments, go to americanrifleman.org/artv.
Handguns of The Great War: Belgium and France
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
More like this from around the NRA
Latest
New for 2026: Franchi Momentum Mule Rifle
Franchi’s do-it-all MULE rifle is designed as a general-purpose carbine.
New for 2026: Smith & Wesson Spec Series M&P9 and R Handguns
Smith & Wesson expands its Spec series with the Spec Series IV M&P9 M2.0 Metal Compact pistol and the Spec Series R revolver.
New for 2026: Henry Provider and Protector Rifles
For 2026, Henry adds two new product families, one designed for hunting, the other for protection.
Gun Of The Week: Daniel Defense DDPCC 9 mm Carbine
Daniel Defense's pistol-caliber carbine, the DDPCC, offers AR-15-style operation in a more budget-friendly caliber.
The Armed Citizen® Jan. 23, 2026
Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.
New for 2026: Stoeger STR-45 Combat Pistol
For 2026, Stoeger adds the .45 ACP chambering to its Combat line of STR handguns.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
