.25 ACP
Six round magazine
2’’ Barrel
Striker fired
Cocking indicator (indicates striker position, not whether a cartridge is in the chamber or not)
Standard and Magazine safeties
EDIT 2/16/2011: CLICK HERE to read a great new article, The Baby Browning by Ed Buffaloe
Click here to date your Baby Browning.
Click here to find Browning Owners Manuals.
Click here for an excellent article by Ed Buffaloe about his PSP Baby Browning.
Click here for a more recent blog update on the PSA.
. Fabrique Nationale (FN) made the Baby Browning from 1931 until 1979. The Baby was imported to the U.S. from 1953 until 1969 when the Gun Control Act of 1968 took effect, killing all import of small pistols. The anti-gun politicians lacked foresight; nothing in the GCA of 1968 prohibited domestic manufacture of the banned guns, which created unintended gun manufacturing opportunities in the U.S. Precision Small Arms (PSA) has made the Baby Browning here since 1984 under FN license. NOTE: PSA was formerly known as Precision Small Parts (PSP).
The Belgium made Baby Browning in the above photos is 1962 vintage, while the other pistol is a new PSA. Pistols made by PSA for export will have Browning grips and the slide marked Fabrique Nationale, while the ones for sale stateside will be marked PSA. How did I get a new pistol with the export markings? I’ll be darned if I know the answer; I bought it from a friend in the business, my guess is that it is a transition pistol or a production overrun. Do I feel the American made PSA pistols are as good as the old FNs? Yes, although I did notice the slide serrations were not well cut on my particular PSA. If I were to choose one of the above as a last ditch carry pistol it would be the new PSA pistol over the 1962 FN. One reason is that the safety on the PSA pistol seems to have more of a positive action than on the older FN pistol.
There is no semi-auto currently in production (that I know of) that is quite as small as the PSA Baby Browning. Although the overall length is matched by several other designs, the Baby usually is substantially thinner and has a smaller grip height. It is exceptionally easy to conceal.
Its size makes it difficult to shoot for some folks. If you are considering purchasing a used FN or a new PSA Baby, you may be well served to ask a friend to allow you to test fire theirs. Not all hands are created equal and if you cannot keep a good grip on this tiny pistol during recoil, it may jam. Even moderately large hands may suffer slide cuts to the fleshy web between the thumb and forefinger; keep your grip deliberately low on this small semi-auto. The recoil of the .25 ACP is surprisingly snappy in the Baby; you may feel some pain from the trigger guard beating on your trigger finger.
NOTE: If you have an old FN Baby Browning in need of repair or refinishing, PSA says that they can handle the job for you.
Six round magazine
2’’ Barrel
Striker fired
Cocking indicator (indicates striker position, not whether a cartridge is in the chamber or not)
Standard and Magazine safeties
EDIT 2/16/2011: CLICK HERE to read a great new article, The Baby Browning by Ed Buffaloe
Click here to date your Baby Browning.
Click here to find Browning Owners Manuals.
Click here for an excellent article by Ed Buffaloe about his PSP Baby Browning.
Click here for a more recent blog update on the PSA.
. Fabrique Nationale (FN) made the Baby Browning from 1931 until 1979. The Baby was imported to the U.S. from 1953 until 1969 when the Gun Control Act of 1968 took effect, killing all import of small pistols. The anti-gun politicians lacked foresight; nothing in the GCA of 1968 prohibited domestic manufacture of the banned guns, which created unintended gun manufacturing opportunities in the U.S. Precision Small Arms (PSA) has made the Baby Browning here since 1984 under FN license. NOTE: PSA was formerly known as Precision Small Parts (PSP).
The Belgium made Baby Browning in the above photos is 1962 vintage, while the other pistol is a new PSA. Pistols made by PSA for export will have Browning grips and the slide marked Fabrique Nationale, while the ones for sale stateside will be marked PSA. How did I get a new pistol with the export markings? I’ll be darned if I know the answer; I bought it from a friend in the business, my guess is that it is a transition pistol or a production overrun. Do I feel the American made PSA pistols are as good as the old FNs? Yes, although I did notice the slide serrations were not well cut on my particular PSA. If I were to choose one of the above as a last ditch carry pistol it would be the new PSA pistol over the 1962 FN. One reason is that the safety on the PSA pistol seems to have more of a positive action than on the older FN pistol.
There is no semi-auto currently in production (that I know of) that is quite as small as the PSA Baby Browning. Although the overall length is matched by several other designs, the Baby usually is substantially thinner and has a smaller grip height. It is exceptionally easy to conceal.
Its size makes it difficult to shoot for some folks. If you are considering purchasing a used FN or a new PSA Baby, you may be well served to ask a friend to allow you to test fire theirs. Not all hands are created equal and if you cannot keep a good grip on this tiny pistol during recoil, it may jam. Even moderately large hands may suffer slide cuts to the fleshy web between the thumb and forefinger; keep your grip deliberately low on this small semi-auto. The recoil of the .25 ACP is surprisingly snappy in the Baby; you may feel some pain from the trigger guard beating on your trigger finger.
NOTE: If you have an old FN Baby Browning in need of repair or refinishing, PSA says that they can handle the job for you.
Good post!
ReplyDelete(I keep saying that, don't I?)
James
James, it is always a great pleasure when you stop in. Thank you very much for the kind words.
ReplyDeleteZack
The Baby Brownings were and are great little guns , but as with any older automatic pistol do not rely on the safety with a bullet in the chamber , always keep the chamber empty until you are ready to fire the gun ! I know an ex-policeman from the Detroit Michigan area who told me that the Baby Browning was very popular as a backup weapon by the Detroit police during the 1967 riots ! But with all small automatic pistols it is most important to keep the weapon very clean as they can jam , and also use quality ammo not cheaper ammo of questionable quality especially ammo made with aluminum casings and not brass !
ReplyDeleteThis baby Browning used to fit into my handcuff case for backup weapon as a county police officer.
ReplyDeleteTried to verify that the PSA is currently in production. The current company listed in aspen colorado. provided a cryptic response to an e-mail but no information. I then attempted to contact the distributor for the region including Texas, asked if the pistol is actually in production and received no response what-so-ever.
ReplyDeleteThe PSA company is profiled as being located in Aspin CO, having two employees and doing a minimum amount of business.
Can anyone lead me to a set of full disassembly/re-assembly instructions? I need the complete teart down info, not just the field strip guidelines as they appear in the owners manuals. Any help would be appreciated
ReplyDeleteI just acquired a PSP-25, as a gift. Though not the original Browning, it is an interesting addition to my collection. I got all, but the box.
ReplyDeleteI was, also, given some 'Ring of Fire' pieces, like Raven, Jesen & QFI-25 (all NIB), plus a low serial number Secamp.
These smaller automatics are very ammunition sensitive. I have a PSP-25 that I have fired over 150 rounds through without any jams or malfuctions using Remington / UMC ammo. However, if I try to use S&B ammo it won't make it through a magazine without at least two failure-to-feed and / or failure-to-battery jams.
ReplyDeleteI use it as a convenient BUG in a pocket holster along with one extra magazine.
According to my SN - my Baby was made in 1968. However the grips have the FN logo on top and the word BABY on the bottom. Just curious as to when/where these grips came from? (Gun was a gift).
ReplyDeleteAlso, can anyone tell me how to disassemble the mag for cleaning? - I see a little corrosion that has built up inside.
Thx.
Just bought a Baby Browning Chrome finish light weight. The grips are pearl, have a layer of black (next to frame) then the outer layer is pearl with a grayish tint. Can you tell me if they are original? The gun was made in 1966, Belguim. It is excellent, like new condition. Thank you. DD
ReplyDeleteMaybe. Cut and paste the following URL into your browser and see if the thread is talking about one similar to yours.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=37912
Can anyone suggest a pocket holster for a Baby Browning. Mine is a 1968 Model (SN432081) and has, for the most part, remained in its fleece-lined case since purchase. I took it to the range last week and fired 20 or so rounds. I will soon have a carry permit but GA law requires that it be in a holster.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Tony
Hey there, Tony. Nice to have you stop in.
ReplyDeleteLisa K. Hedley continues her Dad's line of holsters.
email her at HedleyHolsters@aol.com
visit her website at hedleyholsters.com
Take care,
Zack
can anyone tell me why my PSP 25 does not chamber a round when I rack the slide? Also, the trigger does not cock when I rack the slide.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm....
ReplyDeleteIs the mag all of the way in the pistol? If it is not snapped into place, the cartridge sits too low to be picked up by the slide.
As for the pistol not cocking when you rack the slide, I BELIEVE (my memory sometime is foggy) that there is a magazine safety in the Browning Baby (and PSA and PSP versions); if the mag is not in place, racking the slide will not cock the pistol.
Try contacting PSA and they may be able to resolve any problems.
Lenn Kristal, President
Precision Small Arms, Inc.
Aspen, Colorado 81611 USA
http://www.precisionsmallarms.com/
email: sales@precisionsmallarms.com
Smartasawhip,
ReplyDeleteYou need to be more specific. Does the cartridge fail to feed (nose dives into the feed ramp)or fail to go fully into battery (feeds but doesn't go fully into the chamber)?
Also, assuming that the firing pin and sear are not damaged, Mr. Zachary is correct about the magazine disconnect. However, you may want to check and make sure that the upper arm of the sear spring is properly located UNDER the pin in the front of the sear and the lower arm of the spring is in the groove of the pin at the rear of the trigger transfer bar.
Good luck!
Smartasawhip,
ReplyDeleteAfter giving it more thought (who says stop & go rush hour traffic isn't worth something?), I think that your feeding problem is definitely related to the failure of the pistol to remain cocked. In this pistol design, the firing pin also serves a dual role as the ejector. When operating normally, the slide moves forward to strip a round from the magazine. As it moves forward the round slides up the breech face. Because your FP / ejector is not being retained in the cocked position, it is moving with the slide while still in its fully extended position (sticking out through the front of the breech face). Instead of sliding all the way up into loading position, the cartridge case hits the bottom of the extended FP / ejector and is thus prevented from chambering properly. If you fix the cocking problem you will, as a result, probably resolve the chambering issue too.
Also, if required, Nick @ www.commemorativearms.com has original Browning parts available that will work in these pistols (he also has new steel triggers available if you want to get rid of that plastic one!).
Regards
THNX FOR SOME GREAT INFO.I have a 1960 made in belgium chrome i think this gun was gift frm my great uncle he has never fired gun has a zip up case great shape also could u tell me is this a 25cal? markings on gun CAL.6m/m35.I would never part with it but would like to hav an idea on how much to inssure it for any info would be great
ReplyDeleteHi Jim. Yep, it is a .25 ACP. I have no idea what your pistol may be worth; it sounds like a great piece.
ReplyDeleteTony Yerex--You no doubt know this by now, but just in case you have been held incommunicado in Eastern Patagonia for the last year or so, the 2010 GA Assembly removed the mandatory holster carry clause, along with the ridiculous "public gathering" clause from the new Georgia Firearms License law (GFL). Open or concealed carry without a holster is now legal as long as you have a valid GFL.
ReplyDeleteHi All,
ReplyDeleteI was attempting to replace a cracked handle in my baby Browning .25 when the pieces and parts that hold the clip in came falling out - yikes! The magazine latch (5100)appears to hinge on the magazine latch pin (5110). It looks like the magazine safety (5095) might hinge on the magazine latch pin too in between the tabs on the magazine latch. Is this the case? I'm really puzzled by the magazine latch spring (5108)- does that nestle in the little notch in the magazine safety with the handle screw through it and where does the end attach? Any help on how these little things go back would be much appreciated!
Hey there Chuck,
ReplyDeleteI can't be of any help on this, but maybe someone else will chime in.
Thanks for stopping in.
Zack
I just acquired a .25 with markings like the one in your pictures - Fab. Nat., Browning on grips, crazy long but low SN, and no proof marks. Have you been able to find anymore info on these? Could they be some of the Canadian pieces produced for FN?
ReplyDeleteMy FN Baby Browning has serial number 650111 on the frame, 65011 on the barrel and 5011 on the slide. There is no S mark beside the safety level and the serial is on top of the trigger. Kindly tell me what are those about, if its genuine and the date of producfion.
ReplyDeleteHi Carlyn,
ReplyDeleteEd Buffaloe should be able to help answer your questions. You can cut and paste the email address below.
webmaster@unblinkingeye.com
Good Luck!
Zack
I just bought a near mint Baby Browning made in 1967 that was issued to a Senior District Advisor in MACV in Vietnam by the CIA and immediately took several pictures then created a detailed COA which he signed and dated - complete with the clandestine pocket holster.
ReplyDeleteMags have a partially boxed number 6 on their spine.
Richard, that is beyond COOL! That is beyond AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteHeh! Way to go!