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
More like this from around the NRA
Latest
The NSCA Sporting Clays National Championship
Every fall, the National Sporting Clays Association holds its national championship at The National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas, and thousands of sporting clays shooters from across the world come to compete for titles.
Rifleman Interview: Smith & Wesson Model 617 Mountain Gun
Smith & Wesson and Lipseys brought a special .22 LR revolver to the Plinkapalooza event in May.
Duty Ready: The Syndicus Defense Corporation Cryptic 1911 DS
Syndicus Defense Corporation, a California-based manufacturer of custom firearms and accessories, is joining the 2011-style handgun market with the Cryptic 1911 DS.
Trump Administration Moves to Streamline Suppressor Exports
Changes recently posted on the Federal Register by the Commerce Dept. and State Dept. on July 23 signal a major shift for the suppressor industry.
Review: Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x44 mm Gen 2 Riflescope
The Leupold VX-5HD Gen 2 is an updated and improved version of one of the most versatile lines of hunting optics on the market.
Ammo Makers Offer Savings Through Summer Rebates
Speer, Remington and Federal Ammunition have all announced summer rebates on select ammo offerings, giving consumers a chance to save on premium defensive loads.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
