Another John Moses Browning creation. John Browning had contracts with Colt and F.N., which helps explain why the Baby Browning was not imported to the United States until 1954, even though it had been in production overseas for decades. Colt stopped producing the Vest Pocket .25 pistols and exited that market in 1953.
The 1968 Gun Control Act prohibited importation of these pistols. With the American market cut off, F.N. produced far fewer guns from 1969 to 1979 for export to other countries. Some of those later examples have shown up in the United States over time.
Serial number table
Value analysis: 1968 to 2008
Made in Belgium, this is a great small pistol for concealed carry. My example was manufactured and imported in 1968, just before the import ban. It was purchased new for $50 by the father of one of my friends, who was a gun dealer at the time. He placed it in his safe, still in the wax paper and pouch, where it stayed untouched and unfired for about 30 years.
From an investment point of view, my friend’s father doubled his money roughly every ten years: $50 in 1968, $100 in 1978, $200 in 1988, and $400 in 1998 when he sold it to me. In 2008 I was offered $800 for the Baby Browning and turned it down.
Browning specifications
Care and storage
As you can see, I have had the gun out on the kitchen counter for pictures, holstering, loading the magazine, and carrying it on certain occasions. I resisted the temptation to fire it only by buying a used blue gun of the same model to practice with.
Many gun enthusiasts laugh at the mention of a .25 caliber pistol and call them “mouse guns.” This little gun earned my respect, and it earned the respect of many others through its service to the French Resistance during World War II. It went places undetected where a larger gun could not have gone.
A word of caution if you own one with pearl-lite grips: sunlight can yellow the grips badly. The lightweight version used a 6061-T6 aluminum frame and a chrome-plated slide over electroless nickel. The finish can scratch easily if wiped with the wrong cloth.
Colt, John Browning, and LBJ
The Browning 6.35mm was manufactured by Fabrique Nationale in Belgium. John Browning had contracts with Colt and F.N., and the American market history is tied directly to Colt’s exit from the Vest Pocket .25 pistol business.
The 1968 Gun Control Act was a reaction to a turbulent period in American history. With the U.S. market cut off, the Baby Browning became more interesting to collectors, especially import-era examples from 1968.
Baby Browning valuation update
On November 17, 2019, while updating this page for the site redesign, I searched for recent completed auctions of comparable guns. True comps are rare, but I found one: a 1968 gun, serial number 415679, sold for $1,235 on September 15, 2019 in a no-reserve auction that started at one cent and received 36 bids.
Browning’s influence extends across many designs, including the Colt Vest Pocket.
Related Reading
Anthony Vanderlinden’s work on FN Browning pistols is an excellent reference for anyone researching these small pistols and their history.
The FN Browning Pistols Next: Colt MustangAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I only link to books, tools, and accessories that fit the editorial purpose of Gun Collectors Club.
About Greg Cook
Greg Cook writes about firearms collecting, personal history, and the stories behind interesting guns. His Army MOS was 76Y, Unit Armorer, and he brings that practical background to his collector articles.