POTD: The FN 1900 – The First Pistol with a Slide!

Welcome back to AllOutdoor’s Photo of the Day! Today we have a picture that was featured in a Curious Relics article earlier this year. The picture is of an FN 1900 which was the first pistol that featured a slide as we know it today. It probably will not surprise you that the design is from the great grandfather of modern firearms: John Moses Browning.

The FN 1900 was the pistol that is responsible for starting off the pocket pistol craze of the early 20th century and is often wrongly mistaken as the pistol that was used to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria igniting the world in war. The FN 1910 in 32 ACP holds that unfortunate blemish in history. The FN 1900 is a small 32 ACP pistol with a 7 round box magazine. The design is extremely similar to modern designs in that it utilizes a slide riding on rails and has a guide rod with a spring. The biggest difference is the guide rod and spring are located above the barrel rather than below.

Further reading on the FN 1900:

• Curious Relics #001: FN 1900 The Great Grandfather to Modern Pistols
• Curious Relics #002: FN 1900 Part II – The First Pistol With a Slide!
• AllOutdoor Field Strip: FN Model 1900 Great Grandfather to Modern Pistols

Sam.S

Writer | TheFirearmBlog Writer | AllOutdoor.com Instagram | sfsgunsmith Old soul, certified gunsmith, published author, avid firearm history learner, and appreciator of old and unique guns.