My father brought a .22 back from WWII. It was a Browning type 1, .22 short caliber with the loading port on the top of the wrist and the small thin forearm. It ws made by Fabric National and found in Belgium, in a house full of guns the Gremans took from the civilians.
Two distinguishing features: The loading tube was the same as the modern Brownings in that it locked in place through the but plate. The original tube broke at the threads where it screwed into the rear of the reciever. I remember getting a replacement tube from Browning but I may have re-threaded the original. It's been a long time. The tube would either, not be contemporary with the rest of the gun or it would have an obvious re-work of the threads.
Secondly: The original owner put sling swivles on it. They were hand made and you could see the hammer marks where they were struck during forging. Not a sloppy job but not 'factory'. The swivles were small...perhaps only 3/4 inch?
There was no checkering anywhere and the stock was refinished with a gloss 1950's finish.
This gun was either lost or stollen, I don't know which. My father is now 83 and he forgets from time to time. I suspect that he left it in the guarage or on the proch in obvious view and someone just picked it up and walked off with it. Possibley teenagers since we live in a very small town and there is no real criminal element. I do not have a serial number but it would be pre WWII and as I said "type 1", configuration.
If anyone sees something resembling this, I would appreciate hearing from you.
Thanks
Robert
