45Broomhandle
Member
Hopefully everyone is familiar with the Mossberg Brownie, a small 4-shot, double-action pistol. NO CYLINDER, just four barrels with rotating firing pin. Picture below is what ALL Brownies look like.
Unlike most guns, which transformed over the years until they were made into something which barely resembled their patent application drawings, Oscar F. Mossberg's little "derringer" is one of a very few guns which looked exactly like the patent application drawings straight through to the last one manufactured. There were approximately 33,400 made between 1919 and 1932.
For research purposes, I'm looking for ANY of the first 100 guns made. Only two have been reported/observed thus far since I first started recording the surviving guns five years ago. Number 91 and 92 have been located and studied.
Both of those guns observed have only two places where the serial number is stamped in a convenient place to observe them. With the gun closed, NO serial number can be seen. These you must open the gun and look for the serial number to be stamped on the left side of the barrel cluster, down near the hinge, Then you must look up under the little "ears" on the front of the barrel release lever you used to open the gun.
IF the numbers are on those two spots, you then remove the LEFT grip and LEFT metal side plate, and look on the edge of the grip frame down at bottom to verify the numbers all match. While the left metal plate is removed you can see through the gun to check what number is stamped on the back of the RIGHT metal side plate.
NOTE: DO NOT PRY UP ON THESE SIDE PLATES! They are beveled into the frame at their front end. You must remove the screw then SLIDE the plate to the rear before lifing it off. Prying up on them can damage the sharp edges of the plates and kill the gun's value.
Below is a photo of my serial number 91 showing the locations of those numbers.
I not only would greatly appreciate the information on such Brownies, but would certainly like to purchase any which are located.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ 45Broomhandle
Unlike most guns, which transformed over the years until they were made into something which barely resembled their patent application drawings, Oscar F. Mossberg's little "derringer" is one of a very few guns which looked exactly like the patent application drawings straight through to the last one manufactured. There were approximately 33,400 made between 1919 and 1932.
For research purposes, I'm looking for ANY of the first 100 guns made. Only two have been reported/observed thus far since I first started recording the surviving guns five years ago. Number 91 and 92 have been located and studied.
Both of those guns observed have only two places where the serial number is stamped in a convenient place to observe them. With the gun closed, NO serial number can be seen. These you must open the gun and look for the serial number to be stamped on the left side of the barrel cluster, down near the hinge, Then you must look up under the little "ears" on the front of the barrel release lever you used to open the gun.
IF the numbers are on those two spots, you then remove the LEFT grip and LEFT metal side plate, and look on the edge of the grip frame down at bottom to verify the numbers all match. While the left metal plate is removed you can see through the gun to check what number is stamped on the back of the RIGHT metal side plate.
NOTE: DO NOT PRY UP ON THESE SIDE PLATES! They are beveled into the frame at their front end. You must remove the screw then SLIDE the plate to the rear before lifing it off. Prying up on them can damage the sharp edges of the plates and kill the gun's value.
Below is a photo of my serial number 91 showing the locations of those numbers.
I not only would greatly appreciate the information on such Brownies, but would certainly like to purchase any which are located.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ 45Broomhandle
