Husqvarna m/07 pistol / FN 1903 

Who is this bloke and why isn't he on the range?

2:55 With respect, the most powerful blowback handgun ever to see wide adoption is the Spanish ASTRA 400 caliber 9mm largo. Regards

The same Husqvarna that makes lawn tools?

The last time I was this early we were loading rifles with clips.

I'm happy you shared it on Facebook, I was initially avoiding this one out of fear of having to listen to even a moment of Miles.

I remember these, the regiment that i did my basic in still had these untill atleast 1994 when i left. The officer of the day carreid it often .

Nice to see the bloke back on this range.

It looks more like the Tokarev then the 1911

I have four of these. I freaking love them!

He goes on about the grip size, but forgets that this design dates back to when Queen Victoria was still alive & people were a LOT smaller than today.

Hi I have the identical pistol, Great review and demo of the takedown and reassembly. I have it for a novelty pistol being I have an extensive colt collection of 1911 .45's. Obviously I'm a big fan of John Browning. keep up the good work. Cheers and Merry Christmas.

The easier way to disassemble is to lock the slide back, rotate the barrel then take the whole slide off, remove the recoil spring THEN take the bushing off as it's no longer under pressure!

For disassembly simply take the bushing off after removing the slide. Doesn't hurt anything and makes it a lot easier. Also put the recoil spring into the frame first then guide it into the slide recess after indexing it onto the rails. Again, this is a lot easier. One more thing: the hammer has a heavy spring because it is also helping to delay the slide. I have a 1940s civilian model converted to 380 that shoots like a dream.

I had this as a 2nd weapon while in the Swedish Navy before it was changed to a Glock. -94 - 96.

Länge Leva kungen

My father purchased one of these for home defense in the mid 1960s. His pistol was converted to 380 caliber. We shot it slot and never had a problem of any kind. I purchased a 9mm Long barrel and a few more magazines to convert the pistol back to 9mmLong. When I could. find ammunition ,my father's pistol is very accurate and reliable. MY

3:05 Hi Point pistols are also chambered in .380. It's insane, considering how heavy they are!

9x20 Browning is essentially a .380 ACP +P cartridge, semi rimmed design so feeding can be a problem due to rimlock potentially, however the case volume it CAN be loaded up hotter, but a .380 ACP from a full sized pistol like this using +P loads would yield similar if not better results. And from a shorter barrel, the same could also be said. Now I personally enjoy my FN 1903, I have to agree with the bit about it being an accurate gun but its design features work against you to make it that way. I also tend to load 9x20 Browning into my Spanish Astra 400 series as it feeds and cycles quite well and I can find new production 9x20 Browning easier and cheaper than new 9x23 Largo.

The Spanish has Astra straight blowback pistols in 9x23 and 9x19, actually adopted for a long time, and they seemed to work fine with manageable spring tension.

Great video

Glad you mentioned that hi point uses the same blowback :) My main issue with hammerless pistols are, it's a big one, they look funny. I would like to try the 9x20 myself to compare it to 9x19.

Very informative.

i used to play with this ting's when i was a kid as you got them for next to nothing in the late 80's. fixed them up and you had a pistol as a teenager.

Two FN1903 vids in one day. Who knew! :) -Jen

Oh man, I have a M1894/14 that was in the 1st artillery regiment, I'd love to have the matching pistol sometime.

This was featured in Red Dead Redemption as the "high power pistol"

I've one of these in original 9mm Browning Long and an ASTRA 600 in 9mm Luger.....I love them both but the Parabellum is certainly more powerful in the same type mechanism!

Seems like the stocked version might have helped with the ergos by extending the grip and maybe preventing some of the pull to the left caused by needing to put so much finger on the trigger. Of course its not really a quick changeover. Props for the local craft beer plug btw.

I can personally verify that this gun was in service in 1989 as a nice coastal artillery officer let med have a look at it when i was on a commuter boat in the Stockholm archipelago.

Got a Husqvarna .22lr rifle. Pretty good stuff.

The ergonomics remind me of my FN 1922. Same designer!

The grip etc is smaller…because people had smaller hands in that period. Only my opinion of course. Great video!

How do you disassemble this pistol if the safety switch breaks in the locked position. I inherited this very pistol when my father passed and my mom put it in a box out of it's holster and somehow the safety had broken off. I want to fix it but am unable to disassemble it because slide won't budge.

Considering the whole length of the gun is barely as thick as your thumb the gun could slightly tweaked for low-profile conceal-ability

Bore axis looks pretty low, with a better grip design it looks like it'd be a nice shooter

I have a 1903 from 1913, and this would make a nice companion. Perks of small hands.

ASTRA 400! and JoLoAr before.. veeery successful guns

Good vid I have one there nice, as others have said below both the Astra 400 and 600 were more powerfull cartidges (have them too :) )

You chose the hardest way to disassemble it.

TFB TV: *cheap as crisps* Me : Alright where can I get 3 of them?

How do you disassemble the magazine? Asking on behalf of someone else.

I very much like the FN 1903 and the 9mm Browning Long cartridge, but I am afraid you are mistaken when you say the FN 1903 is the most powerful blowback pistol ever to see widespread service. Both the Astra 400 (9mm Largo) and the Astra 600 (9mm Parabellum) were more powerful and used in substantial numbers. I apologize if this has been stated before, and I did not read far enough down in the comments. Also, I should say how much I enjoyed the video as a whole for it's clarity and accuracy, which I guess is why the minor error I pointed out above stood out so much. Thanks!

The M1903 pattern pistols are fighting tools, not target pistols.

Thank you for saving me from this purchase.

Chainsaws, motorcycles & GUNS!!!

You spend too much time comparing it to what we have today and not for what it is from its time. You can't compare a 32 ford pickup to a 2019 ford pickup. They are not the same and never will be

Not all of them were put in storage when the m/40 arrived, in the army at least medics used them into the 1970s and I don't think the navy ever used the m/40.

Really wish someone in the US would import a bunch of these.. Would love to have one.

I have one of these. Serial #55845. It has the grip safety. I have the holster with 2 spare magazines. Can someone help me with identifying the markings?

By early 1900 Standards there is NOTHING wrong with this pistol! Most Soldiers in WW1 through early WW2 could only DREAM of having a Sidearm as good as the FN 1903. It is a Highly Stable Browning Masterpiece! Now go and clean the Latrines TFB! Your domain has now gone from Epic to Septic!!

Were is this guy from?

Eugh. I was considering this because it looked like getting a FN 1903 in .380 was easier than a Colt 1908 in .380, but I've also been investigating since C&Rsenal's video mentioned their creaky trigger (I'd hoped it was just their example). 8:10, you can see the struggle to get the trigger break. guess I gotta go back to finding a decently priced pocket hammerless then.

Interesting.

I dont think its the most powerful blowback service pistol... what about the Astra 400 in 9mm Largo and the Astra 600 in 9mm Parabellum?

Would wearing gloves make this gun easier or harder to shoot?

Does he suffer from Presentara Nervosa?

Husqvarna is famous for 2 things really in my country. 1. Chainsaws 2. Ak4mt battle rifle our military used a while back. Its Swedish version of hk g3 rifle. Thank God we ditched those and switched for G36 instead.

Most of these I see in the USA are in 380 acp. How is it to shoot this in 380 acp?

Is it really hammerless or it has internal hammer?

I would agree with a lot of your conclusions concerning the ergonomics, if you had the average hand size of a man at the turn of the 20th century. As others have said, this is why Mae does the shooting (including of this pistol in their episode on this gun) as she's much closer to the size of the average WWI combatant than Othais... or you. To give you an example of why this is important. The Toyota roadster used in the 007 film You Only Live Twice, didn't exist before they started filming. Why? They never took someone of Sean Connery's height into account for driving the car. He couldn't sit upright in the coupe. The interior was far too short for him. They modified the car into what you see on film. The original car was designed for its target market. Just like the FN 1903.

Up the Bloke!

how do you have a p226 in england?

Dutch Navy used this as well, they were not well liked because of their recoil.

Can someone tell me what is Mike's full name. Been trying to get to his Facebook page but with no joy. Does anyone have the link?

Is this not just the TT rebranded?

Oh man, I wish I had one of those. Oh wait, I do! *Gloat* “Self-loathing for writing that*

...is a bit of a Forgotten Weapons format ......

Seems like this could have been improved a bit if they redesigned it without the grip safety, and made the grip and magazine longer, giving you a better grip and increasing capacity by a round or maybe two.

Wait...isn't husqvarna making chainsaws?

I started watching the video and thought it was a pocket hammerless and was confused until you said what it was

Can you even buy dies for that caliber?

...Do a FISKARS gun next.

Im suprised that its not a nice shooter... years back i had a 03 pocket hammerles in 32... one of the sweetest shooters ive ever had, only thing I didn't like was the cost of 32 acp ... expensive to shoot pop gun

I realize this video is years old, but some still post here in Feb. 2024, so here's my view: They're **great** combat handguns for their era. They were never intended to be target pistols! The reviewer is entitled to his opinion, but he reviewed a 1903 design by the standards of ~2017. Grasp the gun strongly as though you were fighting for your life in close combat, and it points naturally and shoots effortlessly, accurately, and reliably. Trigger reach and grip safety will take care of themselves, and your pinky grip is no worse than with many modern handguns. Its original 9mm Browning Long (9x20mm SR) service ammo was 108g @ 1114 fps. The slightly more powerful 9mm Luger/ Parabellum service ammunition wasn't adopted by Germany until 1908, and effective hollow points weren't available until the 1980s-90s; the .45 Colt Auto was adopted by the US only in 1911; the 9mm Steyr by Austria-Hungary only in 1912. Major European armies of 1903 used sidearms that were either small bore (.30-.32 cal.) smokeless revolvers, .32 or .380 automatics, or antiquated large bore (10mm-11mm) black powder revolvers. Britain did use the .455 Webley revolver and the USA was casting about for something to replace its .38 Government (Long Colt) smokeless powder revolvers and several .45 Long Colt black powder revolvers. No, the FN 1903/ Husqvarna m/07 is not modern by today's standards, being large, heavy, with small magazine capacity and heel clip mag release, and vestigial sights with no possibility of lights, lasers, etc. A century-old gun is not generally a best choice. The m/07 remains, however, far slimmer and more snag-free than most modern pistol designs; durable, reliable, and not ammo- or magazine-sensitive; it points more naturally than many boxy service or micro autos, or J and N frame revolvers in most hands. (The traditional S&W K frames and Colt D frames, and modern revolvers using those dimensions, do point very naturally for today's average man.) In sum, the m/07 is obsolete for military or police service, but fully capable of effective HD/SD/CC handgun fighting at 0-15 yards. Use Fed .380 HST LE 99g @ nominal 1030 fps (est. 1075? from its 5" barrel); Remington Golden Saber 102g; or any Underwood or Buffalo Bore .380+P. The routine failures to expand encountered with most .380 guns and ammo in modern gel testing simply won't occur with the m/07's long barrel, although under-penetration is likely with light bullets. If you like handloads for SD, you can use an original 9mmBL barrel ($30-50), .38 Super brass trimmed to length; and your bullet of choice from .355"-.360", ranging from 90g at 1200 fps to 135g GDHP at 860 fps. Assemble with .38 Super or .38 S&W dies. My preferred load is a Hornady .357 110g XTP/ HP loaded to 1120 fps, duplicating MILSPEC ballistics using an XTP bullet with a design envelope of 900-1400 fps. It's reliable, accurate, expands dramatically, and penetrates well. Such loads approximate 9mmP standard pressure 115-124g loads and .38 SPL+P loads from duty weapons (4"+ barrels). Granted, it's comparing old apples to new oranges, but here goes: most "average" guys would be more practically and effectively armed for real-life self-defense fighting (0'-30') using this gun and these loads than with any .22 LR or .22 Mag (excepting modern hi-cap service-size autos by S&W, Walther, and Kel-Tec IF reliable); any .25 ACP or .32 ACP auto; any .32 SWL revolver; most .32 HRM revolvers; any micro .380; many micro autos of higher calibers, unless you practice enough to master powerful ammo in tiny platforms; most snub revolvers in .38 SPL, .357M, .44, or .45 caliber, given roughly equal practice. Obviously I'm not accounting for all variables, but my point is simply that the m/07 is reliable, safe, points exceedingly well, and has quite respectable power and firepower for civilian defensive purposes. It's now underpowered for its size and weight, but conceals easier than today's full-size pistols, shoots straighter, and hits harder and faster than most micros and airweights in the hands of *average* shooters of marginal skill. Its old-school sights bring the usual assortment of pluses and minuses of the breed, so precision fire is possible in good lighting, but time-consuming; in close-range, high-stress firing, its superior pointability is a big advantage. Fun thought: mill it for Novak sights and get an extended 9- or 10-round mag with grip spacer!

Possibly the most powerful blowback service handgun to see widespread service? No, that would be the Astra 400

Husky have made some nice motorbikes in thier time...as have Benelli...

John Browning was a god damned genius

Consensus: Not too bad.

Wait is this a British Gun Jesus? what have you done to Ian?

"It's short... Really, really, surprisingly short!" - That's what she said! 😒 Oh god, I'm so sorry, I just couldn't help it... - That's what he said! Ahhhhhh, I kill me... 😝

Would not the FN Model 57 be the most powerful blowback pistol?

Jk mike I love you. Never seen you before but you seem koo

I Identify as a .45 AARP elitist. I love to declare to everyone that I carry a m1911 on me loaded with a 7 round magazine and one in the chamber. I refuse to acknowledge the fact that no one cares what firearm you are carrying, be opened or concealed. I refer to all who shame .45 AARP as subhumans that do not admire century old technology. I have a strong believe that my worshipped cartridge of choice can strike down anything. Long live our founder, John Brownbutthole!

That's a weird lawnmower...

FN 1903 on steroids would be the Tokarev in 7.62x25

They was in storage for the war that never came.

I'd love to have one but not in a weird, obsolete caliber.

You Sir are vary intelligently diversed in European World War era weaponry, but you need to practice your confidence. Breath before you change your topic and know that your a scholar in the subject you are talking about! Hope you stay at TFB!

I can understand the love hate bit ... I've always wanted a slightly scaled up 1908 pocket hammerless in 9x19 (although maybe not this large). But yeah, the execution here looks like it leaves much to be desired.

Love the Taylor Swift love hate ref

It is funny how FN really didn't care about how accurately it shoot or how comfortable the arrangement made out in the final product.

Hello there Bloke, also first!

If you can Bloke, grab a Finnish L-35. They never skimped on the steel like the Swedes did so they run like tanks.

Those sights are not modern. Give me some 3 dots! lol

How does this compare to the Tokarev? Buddy has a Tokarev and it's the tits.

I have a Husqvarna chainsaw

Its really similar to tt's isn't it?

Looks like a Tokarev.

We want james!

It looks almost exactly like TT-33 Tokarev not really like 1911..