Filling a Niche: FN's Early Side-by-Sides

[Sakobav]

Article from American rifle man on FN shotguns


Best known for producing the John Browning-designed Auto-5 semi-automatic and Superposed over-under shotguns, Belgium’s Fabrique Nationale also made side-by-side double guns. And they had nothing to do with John Browning.

http://www.americanrifleman.org/article ... =13&sub=18

n 1896, Fabrique Nationale faced its largest challenge since incorporating in 1889. What appeared to be a hostile takeover bid, actually resulted in diversification that saved the company. Established to build Mauser rifles for the Belgian government, FN’s competition in the global market for Mauser rifle sales upset the monopoly held by Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken—the German Mauser company. Legal battles ensued, and, in the end, the Germans bought a majority of FN’s shares in order to halt the export of FN-manufactured Mauser rifles around the world.

The FN plant lay idle, and Belgian management scrambled to find profitable product lines free of Mauser’s trade restrictions—one option being the manufacture of bicycles. Fortunately, about that time John Browning met FN’s sales manager in Hartford, Conn., and FN’s product line expanded considerably, eventually including bicycles, Browning pistols, parts for rimfire sporting rifles, side-by-side shotguns, automobiles and motorcycles.

Liège, where FN is located, had been an armsmaking hub for centuries. In the late 19th century most Liège gunmakers were small, often family enterprises, and a large percentage of firearms from the area were made and finished by hand. These cottage-industry gunsmiths often purchased parts too elaborate or labor intensive to create by hand. Fabrique Nationale was able to provide high-quality parts at extremely competitive prices due to its extensive use of production line techniques and the factory’s tooling, and that experience was to provide a basis for future product lines. For example, FN’s side-by-side shotgun production developed from late 19th century parts contracts. ...

[Vikram]

Navi,

Excellent link. I found a few FN SXSs. While solidly built, they looked very plain to me, to my eyes, and never caught my fancy. Their O/Us and Mauser rifles are a completely different proposition.

Thank you for posting.


Best-
Vikram