Bergmann-Bayard

     Notes:  The Bergmann-Bayard M-1908 was designed by the Danish gunsmith Theodor Bergmann, but he ran into financial difficulties and in 1907 sold the rights to the Bergmann-Bayard to Pieper.  Pieper renamed it the Bayard, but the designer’s name is so well known that is it is almost always referred to as the Bergmann-Bayard.  Despite the resemblance to the Mauser c/96, the Bergmann-Bayard is an original design and owes nothing to the Mauser; mechanically, the Bergmann-Bayard designs bear no resemblance to the Mauser c/96.

     The initial models were sold to the Spanish Army, then to the Greeks.  In 1911, the Danish adopted it, and used it until 1940, and then for a short period after World War 2, alongside the M-1910/21.  These Danish issue models are the most common encountered today.  The M-1908 was originally made in Herstal-lez-Liege, Belgium, but the occupation of Belgium by the Germans in World War 1 and the Danes began their own production line in the government small arms factory in Copenhagen.  The M-1908 used a 4-inch barrel, with hard plastic grip plates.

     After World War 1, Pieper was not able to supply the Bergmann-Bayard to the Danish Army, so the Danes continued production, producing the Bergmann-Bayard M-1910/21.  This version used a larger hard plastic grip, and the cover plate on the frame (used during field stripping and disassembling) was secured with a screw instead of the spring catch of the M-1908.  The magazines were also altered with grip tabs on the bottom to allow them to be more easily removed from the pistol, as well as the moving of the magazine catch to the lower sides of the magazine well. The Danish had already decided in 1940 to replace the M-1910/21 and M-1908 with the Browning High-Power HP-35, but almost no High-Powers had been delivered before the Nazis occupied Belgium in World War 2, and the Bergmann-Bayard soldiered on, largely in the hands of Danish resistance members and some Nazi troops.  The M-1910/21 is identical to the M-1908 for game purposes.

Bergmann Simplex

     Notes: This design originated in Austria in 1901 (where a few were made), but the design was licensed to a company in Belgium, where most of the 3000 examples were built.  Production continued until 1914.  The round this pistol fires was designed specifically for the weapon and was never used in any other weapon.  The Simplex has the characteristic Bergmann pistol shape, with the magazine in front of the trigger guard, but it is much smaller than most Bergmann pistols, and was meant to be a concealable weapon.  Austrian Simplexes have their barrels forged integral to the pistol, while Belgian-made models have their barrels screwed onto the weapon.  The weapon was reliable, and sold well, but was not officially used by any military force.

Browning BDA-9/BDAO

     Notes: These pistols were at first sold only in the US, and not marketed in Europe until many years after they were introduced in the US in 1978.  The BDA has an ambidextrous safety/uncocking lever.  There are several variants of the BDA-9 built: the BDA-9S with a 4.5-inch barrel, the BDA-9M with a 3.75-inch barrel, the BDA-9C, also with a 3.75” barrel but with a smaller grip and single-stack magazine, and the BDAO, a double-action-only version of the BDA-9S.  (The BDAO was not introduced until 1995.)  There is also a rare weapon, the BDAOc, which is a compact version of the BDAO that was produced in very small numbers for less than a year.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The BDAO is a very rare weapon.

Browning BDA-380

     Notes: Like the Beretta BM-84, the BDA-380 is a smaller version of a larger pistol--in this case the Hi-Power. It was designed primarily for police and civilian use.  Most of these weapons were made in .380 ACP caliber, but some were also built in .32 ACP, intended primarily for females.

Browning BDM

     Notes: The BDM was the culmination of a long series of attempts by FN to supplement (and possibly one day, replace) the HP-35 series of pistols with a more modern series of pistols.  The BDM was actually conceived, designed, and is built by FN-USA in their Utah facility, and was introduced in 1991.  The HP-35 is a very hard act to follow, but the BDM is slowly gaining popularity.

     Though the BDM was introduced in 1991, it was rapidly taken back off the market; one of the BDM’s first customers was the US Secret Service, and they quickly discovered that when using the +P+ ammunition customarily used by their agents, parts wore out and broke in short order.  FN withdrew the BDM to beef up the parts; it took almost a year before the BDM was once again ready (and it cost FN the Secret Service order), but it resulted in a far stronger pistol.

     The BDM features an interesting fire mechanism: a rotating lever on the left side of the slide allows the shooter to choose between traditional double-action operation or double-action-only operation.  The BDM is a very streamlined design despite the high magazine capacity, and is built primarily of strong, yet lightweight steel alloy that also makes the BDM light in weight despite its structural strength.  The grip is of one-piece polymer with excellent checkering patterns on the sides, frontstrap, and backstrap, ensuring a secure grip.  The BDM uses a 4.73-inch barrel, with fixed 3-dot-type sights similar to the Novak combat sights used by Smith & Wesson for some of its pistols, and the rear sight has protective ears.  The magazine well is beveled to aid in reloading, and the magazine release is partially shielded by a raised thumbrest to help prevent accidental magazine releases.  Though it is unusual for a modern pistol, the BDM has a lanyard loop at the bottom of the grip near the bottom.

    The standard finish is matte black, a version with a chrome-finished frame and slide was also introduced in 1997.  About the same time, a version called the BDM Practical was added to the line; this version is for the most part the same as the standard BDM, but has Pachmayr Signature rubber ergonomic grips and an adjustable rear sight.  A little later, two more versions were also added: the BDM-D, which adds a decocker, and the BDM-DAO, which uses only DAO (double-action-only) operation and therefore does not have the selection lever.  For game purposes, all of these are identical to the standard BDM.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Only the standard BDM exists as a factory-built weapon in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Browning Buck Mark

     Notes: These are high-quality sporting pistols for plinking, target shooting, and the hunting of small animals (varmints).  They are sturdily-built and designed for outdoor use.  The Standard is the base weapon; it come in a variety of barrel lengths, but the standard length of 5.5” is shown below.  The Gold is similar, but has a full sighting rib and a gold-plated frame.  The Silhouette is a long-barreled version with a wooden forestock and adjustable sights.  The Target is a Plus with adjustable sights.  The Varmint is has no iron sights, a scope rail (a telescopic sight is included in the cost of the weapon), and a heavy barrel.  The Bullseye was introduced in 1996; it has an adjustable trigger and an adjustable rear sight, and a 7.25-inch barrel interchangeable with other Buck Mark barrels.  The Buck Mark Micro Standard is the smallest and lightest member of the Buck Mark series, with a 4-inch barrel.  (There is also a version of this weapon known as the Micro Standard Plus, with laminated wood grips.)

     Several models of the Buck Mark are identical to the Buck Mark Standard for game purposes.  The Buck Mark Silhouette has an adjustable rear sight.  The Buck Mark Blue Target also has an adjustable sight, a sectional sighting rib, a micrometer rear sight, and a hooded front sight (and of course, a blued finish, with walnut grips).  The Buck Mark Field is almost identical to the Buck Mark Blue Target, but the rear sight is a normal adjustable one and the front sight is not hooded. The Buck Mark Plus is a luxury Buck Mark Standard; it has hardwood grips.  The Buck Mark Standard Nickel is also similar, but has a nickel-plated frame. The Buck Mark Camper is sort of a no-frills version for the most part, but has a more weatherproof finish (either matte blue or nickel-plated), adjustable 3-dot sights, and molded composite grips.

     The Buck Mark Gold Target is identical to the Buck Mark Gold for game purposes, but the rear sight is a micrometer sight and the front sight is hooded.  The Buck Mark Nickel Target is the same, but has a nickel-plated frame.

      Twilight/Merc 2000 Notes: These weapons could sometimes be found in military and government use modified with silencers (especially the Standard and Micro Standard), but this was a rare modification.

Browning Hi-Power HP-35

     Notes: First produced in 1935, the Hi-Power (also known, particularly in Europe, as the GP-35 – Grande Puissance, which is French for High Power) became not only one of the most common pistols ever made, but one of the most imitated.  John Browning was quite a rich man due to his numerous patents on earlier weapon designs and concepts, but he was never interested in manufacturing his own weapons, preferring to sell or license the patents to other companies (which was more lucrative than actually building the weapons in any factory he might have to set up).  He found a willing partner in FN of Belgium, and also sold some of the workings of the HP-35 to others.  The HP-35 had a slow start, but by World War 2 it was already one of the most popular military, police, and civilian pistols available.  Licensed and unlicensed production is still taking place all over the world, and has been since World War 2 when Belgian FN facilities were taken over by the Nazis and primary production of FN weapons moved to the Inglis factory in Canada for the duration of the war.  The HP-35 has become one of the longest-production firearms in history.

     The operation was so innovative that most of the pistols designed after it had the same operation of a derivative of it. The HP-35’s double-stack high-capacity magazine was especially innovative for its time.  Despite the high-capacity magazine, the HP-35 has a slim, comfortable grip (some say the best-designed factory grip in the world).  The standard barrel length is 4.7 inches.  The trigger mechanism, however, is a bit complex, not only hindering the work of armorers and gunsmiths but also giving the HP-35 a bit of a stiff trigger pull.  Until the mid-1990s, HP-35s had sights that were quite small and difficult to line up, and this problem persists on many foreign-built versions (licensed and unlicensed).  Luckily, the HP-35 is one of those pistols that possess good natural pointing qualities – no doubt John Browning’s influence.  When the magazine release is pushed, the magazine does not simply fall out; it pops out a bit and the shooter must remove it from the weapon.  This can be a two-edged sword – magazines are not easily lost, but it often presents a problem in military use.  Virtually all HP-35s are chambered for 9mm Parabellum, the HP-35 was also made in a 7.65mm Parabellum version (primarily for sale to civilians in countries where the use of “military” cartridges is forbidden to civilians).  A variant called the HP-35/40 was introduced in 1994, chambered for .40 Smith & Wesson, with an adjustable rear sight and a barrel extended to 5 inches to allow the cartridge to function better.  Over the years, several companies have also made kits to convert the HP-35 to fire other cartridges, with .22 Long Rifle and .41 Action Express being the most common of these. (“Generic” figures for these conversions are presented below.)

     The Competition model is the same weapon, but with 6-inch barrel as opposed to a 4.7-inch barrel of the standard HP-35; it also has adjustable sights and usually a better finish.  The Mark 2 is a version produced using more modern methods and materials; it has anatomical grip plates, better sights, and an antiglare finish.  (The Chinese make a version of the Mark 2, known as the Type 88SP.)  The Mark 3 is a Mark 2 built stronger and with even newer production methods; the rear sight may be removed and replaced with an adjustable sight.  The Hi-Power Practical is a new version of the Mark 3 introduced in 1993; it has Pachmayr Signature rubber grips, and has a light nickel alloy frame and steel slide.  It is also slightly smaller than the standard Hi-Power Mark 3.  The 75^th Anniversary Model is somewhat smaller with a barrel of 4.625 inches, and has polished black nitride finish with gold-inlaid engraving.

     One more version of the Hi-Power bears mentioning: the John Inglis version.  By World War 2, several friendly countries (though the countries may be occupied, there were in many cases “free forces” that consisted of cadres and small numbers of troops of the occupied nations in England or Canada) faced the fact that the source of the most advanced pistol of the time, the HP-35, was in occupied Belgium.  A Canadian gunmaker (mostly of shotguns and rimfire rifles) named John Inglis announced that he could take on a decent amount of HP-35 manufacturing.  These “Canadian Hi-Powers” were used to equip Canada, Britain (to an extent; Britain was also building it’s own copies of foreign weapons) and the Greeks, as well as the SAS and OSS.  There are some minor weight and barrel-length differences (4.65 inches), but were otherwise almost total Hi-Power copies, and use the same firing line on the chart as an HP-35.

Browning/FN HP-DA

     Notes: Though its HP-35 ancestry is obvious, FN is quite loath to emphasize any connection between the HP-35 and HP-DA, without offering any sort of explanation for this.  Nonetheless, most experts acknowledge that the HP-DA is an improved, double-action variant of the Hi-Power, with a somewhat greater magazine capacity.  The trigger guard is larger for use with gloves, and the trigger guard is also squared with a finger rest.  The grips are wrap-around plastic moldings instead of simple grip plates.  The trigger is slightly forward of the trigger of the HP-35, necessitated by the double-action operation.  The length of draw and the pull are said to be a bit more than necessary.  The finish is designed to stop corrosion and not for looks. 

Browning International

     Notes: This match pistol was introduced in 1980.  It was manufactured in Morgan, Utah and Montreal, Canada and not in Belgium.  It has an anatomical walnut grip with an adjustable hand rest, multiple safeties, a gold-plated trigger, and an adjustable rear sight.  A similar model, the Browning M-150, is almost identical, but does not have the adjustable hand rest.  The International was removed from production in 1985, replaced by the Buck Mark series.

Browning M-1900

     Notes:  This was the first Browning automatic pistol to be made by FN, and started a long relationship between John Browning and Fabrique Nationale.  It is a pure recoil weapon, built to keep the number of parts required to a minimum.  Though the M-1900 was produced in huge numbers, it was never officially adopted by any country’s military forces, though unofficially, it was used by Russia, Belgium, and the Netherlands.  In addition to the ones made by FN, vast amounts were built and sold by China without a license.

Browning M-1903

     Notes:  This weapon is unusual because it uses blowback operation, which is usually not a good sort of operation with the calibers used for the M-1903.  (John Browning made it work, though.)  The M-1903 used a 5-inch barrel, longer than most automatic pistols of the day.  Finish was typically blued with molded plastic grip plates, and the sights are rather small, so small as to be almost unusable without considerable practice.  FN also produced an optional kit that included an extended 10-round magazine with an adapter for the attachment of a shoulder stock; these accessories are extremely rare today.  The .32 ACP version is likewise quite rare, as few were made in the first place.

     The Spanish handgun manufacturers at Eibar may possibly have made more copies of the M-1903 than FN made real M-1903s.  These copies ranged from superb to terrible in quality, and in addition, myriad variants of the M-1903 were also made by the Spanish, typically without licenses.  Actual M-1903 production lasted from 1907-1928.  The M-1903 is an accurate and tough weapon that was widely adopted throughout Europe, and large amounts are still in use to this day.  The M-1903 is widely regarded as the weapon responsible for making the word “Browning” virtually synonymous with “automatic pistol.”

Browning M-1906

     Notes: This is a tiny single-action pocket pistol first designed for civilian self-defense.  It is a small weapon that, oddly enough, was not produced with serial numbers kept either stamped on the weapon or in company records.  More than a million of these pistols were produced.  In 1931, a simpler version of this weapon was produced as the Browning Baby; this version had no grip safety, and about half a million were made.  The Browning Baby was used as a more sophisticated counterpart to the US Liberator pistol during World War 2, dropped by parachute behind enemy lines in France.  The Baby Browning design was changed somewhat after World War 2; more modern materials and manufacturing methods made the pistol some 11 millimeters shorter and 140 grams lighter.  Unfortunately, the design was copied by a myriad of weapons makers, becoming one of those infamous “Saturday Night Specials” that punks and criminals are so fond of.  The M-1906 and the Baby have a very strong recoil spring and hard trigger pull, usually making a two-handed grip necessary.

     In 2007, the American firm of PSA, after overcoming numerous legal and political hurdles, began producing the Browning Baby again.  This is a reproduction of the pre-World War 2 Browning Baby, and all are made from billet stock.  Aluminum-frame and steel-frame versions are made; game-wise, they are identical to the pre- and post-World War 2 versions.

 Browning M-1910

     Notes: This turn-of-the-20^th-century pistol is still in use by some former Belgian colonies in Africa.  The M-1910 is sort of a modification of the M-1903 of the even earlier M-1903 model; chamberings are different, the recoil spring is around the barrel instead of being around the guide rod below the barrel, and the barrel is only 3.5 inches long.  The M-1910 pioneered developments in design later used in other Browning pistols and the Colt M-1911; safety systems are similar to those of the original M-1906 models.  Manufacture continued until 1954 (except for interruptions during World Was 1 and 2, and with assembly and sale from parts stores until the late 1960s), and was still carried by military and police officers in some African nations well into the 1990s; most M-1910s are, however, collector’s items.

     The M-1910/22 (or simply the M-10/22) was originally produced at the request of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (changed to Yugoslavia in 1929) in 1922.  The Serbs were interested in a full-sized version of the M-1910 with a larger magazine (though early production M-1910/22s still used the 7-round magazines).  The barrel of the M-1910/22 is a bit over 4.7 inches long, and the grip a little longer.  Oddly, the Serbs wanted the M-1910/22 to be able to mount a bayonet, and FN obliged.  The M-1910/22 was also built for the Dutch – without the silly bayonet fittings.  When FN was captured after the Nazis invaded Belgium in 1940, they forced FN to continue producing M-1910/22s for Nazi use (called the P-626(b) in .32 ACP and P-641(b) in .380 ACP), and these were issued to Wehrmacht and some Nazi paramilitary and Home Guard formations.  These “Nazi” M-1910/22s were built to relatively low standards that just got worse as the war continued.  After World War 2, production M-1910/22 parts continued at their former quality until 1959, though complete pistols were assembled and sold as late as the 1970s.

     In the early 1970s, FN produced a modernized version of the M-1910/22, named the M-125.  This version was internally very similar to the M-1910/22 (though built with more up-to-date manufacturing methods and tolerances); externally, the M-125 used a squared one-piece slide instead of the rounded two-piece slide of the M-1910/22.  The barrel length was a bit shorter at 4.5 inches, and the sights were the same as used on HP-35 High-Power Sport Model – totally adjustable.  The M-125 was produced only in .32 ACP, but used a larger magazine than the M-1910/22.  Other additions included a grip safety and a magazine safety. Grip plates were typically of black polymer (with walnut being an option) and several finishes were available.  The M-125 was built and sold at a low rate until the early 1980s.

Browning Nomad/de Tire

     Notes: This pistol, known as the Nomad in the US and the de Tire in Europe, was introduced in 1962 as a light plinking and recreational pistol.  There were two versions, a standard-length model with a 6.75-inch barrel and a compact version with a shorter 4.5-inch barrel.  They have light alloy frames.  Production stopped in 1975.

     The Challenger/Concours is the luxury version of the Nomad and de Tire; again, this version is known as the Challenger in the US and the Concours in Europe.  This version has a gold-plated trigger, a fine walnut anatomical grip, and an adjustable rear sight.  It also has a dry firing system, to prevent the damage to the firing pin that dry firing normally can do to a rimfire weapon.  There is a further version of this pistol, even more luxurious, called the Medalist; this version also has a sighting rib and barrel weights.  The Challenger, Concours, and Medalist are identical to the Nomad and de Tire for game purposes. Again, the Challenger/Concours came in two barrel lengths, 4.5 inches and 6.75 inches.  Both the Nomad and Challenger were manufactured from 1962-1974.

     A limited edition Challenger, the Challenger Renaissance, was produced for a short time in the mid-1960s.  It differed from the standard Challenger in having a satin nickel appearance to the barrel, hammer, frame, and trigger guard.  Another limited edition, the Gold Line Challenger, is largely blued but with gold-plated lines around the outside edges of the weapon.

     The Challenger II was the successor to the Challenger; it is largely the same as the Challenger except for the manufacturing methods, and having been built in Browning’s Salt Lake City facility.  It was introduced in 1976, built until 1982, and was largely unknown in Europe.  It is mostly identical to the Nomad for game purposes, but is produced only in a 6.75-inch-barrel version, and has an alloy frame.  Finish is blued, with grips being of phenol-treated hardwood.

     The replacement for the Challenger II, the Challenger III, is virtually the same as the Challenger II, with the exception of the use of a 5.5-inch bull barrel or 6.75-inch tapered barrel for greater accuracy.  The 6.75” barrel version is called the Challenger III Sporter.  It also has some changes in form that mark it as the predecessor of the Buck Mark series, which replaced the Challenger III in 1986. 

     The Browning Collector’s Association Edition Challenger is a special edition of the Challenger III, using the 5.5-inch bull barrel and otherwise differentiated by decoration and scrollwork. It is difficult to find nowdays, and can fetch a (real-world) high price.

Browning Pro-9/40

     Notes: This is a polymer-frame pistol similar to the Glock.  The slide is squared similar to the SiG, however.  The controls are ambidextrous.  Stripping is safer than most pistols; most pistols require that the trigger be pulled before takedown, which can be disastrous if the firer does not clear the pistol first.  The Pro-9 and 40 may be stripped without pulling the trigger.  The Pro-9 and 40 also have a chamber loaded indicator. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Clement M-1903

     Notes: Charles P Clement was an armorer who decided to introduce a new pocket pistol in 1903.  This pistol was meant to be small, lightweight, easy to care for, and to not give too many problems with muzzle blast and climb. It was a very original design, using a fixed barrel and a moving bolt, unusual in pistol designs of the time. The recoil spring was connected to this bolt, so that when a shot was fired, the energy recocked the bolt, then the pistol’s mechanism in general.  The spring itself is housed above the barrel. The Clement is striker-fired and single-action. A full strip does result in an astounding amount of parts to keep track of. Barrel lengths included 1.81 inches and 2.95 inches, though the 5mm version was made only with the 1.81-inch barrel.

     Though innovative, the Clement was not popular, especially in its original caliber.  Production ended in 1908.

FN 140

     Notes: This is intended as a general purpose defensive pistol for military, police, and civilian applications.  It may be regarded as midway between smaller weapons like the Browning BDA series and larger ones like the Hi-Power series.  It features a large-capacity magazine, a large trigger guard for cold-weather firing, and frame-rounding for an easier draw.  Like most FN pistols, it is a double-action weapon as well as two other safeties.  Though this weapon is as well-made as other FN/Browning pistols, most users who needed a full-size pistol went for the Hi-Power, while those who needed more concealable weapons preferred the BDA series, leaving most 140’s in the hands of civilians, especially women.

FN Five-seveN 

     Notes: The Five-seveN (The name comes not only from the caliber of the round, but also from the initials of Fabrique National) was designed as a companion piece to the P-90 PDW. Using the same ammunition as the FN P-90 personal defense weapon, the Five-seveN has greater penetration and damage than typical pistols, though the range in many cases cannot match other service pistols in use today that fire standard pistol cartridges.  The Five-seveN essentially had to be developed from scratch instead of being a modified form of tried-and-true pistol designs, as the chamber pressure developed by the 5.7mm FN round is higher than almost any standard pistol round.

     Construction materials of the Five-seveN are what are becoming conventional these days; it has a frame of polymer, with a barrel and bolt-carrier group of moly steel, and some strategic steel and light alloy reinforcement. The slide is of moly steel, but it is encased in polymer to give it almost the same measure of weatherproofing and corrosion resistance as the frame; it also allows the Five-seveN to be given any number of outer colorations as required.  The breech block and slide are steel stampings and joined into a single piece.  Operation is by a form of delayed blowback that makes locking and unlocking impossible until the slide has overcome a mechanical disadvantage, which keeps the high chamber pressure of the 5.7mm FN from opening the slide prematurely.  The original trigger action was double-action-only with a trigger/firing pin safety that allows the pistol to fire only after the trigger has been pulled back far enough to almost totally prevent an accidental trigger pull.  The hammer of the Five-seveN is completely shrouded within the slide.  The 4.8-inch barrel is cold hammer-forged with a hard-chromed bore.  On the exterior of the DAO Five-seveN, one finds virtually no other controls – most have only the trigger, the magazine release, and a small lever used to release the slide for stripping.  Early DAO models also had a proprietary accessory rail under the dust cover (usable only with a limited amount of items), but most DAO versions no longer have this rail. 

     Some police and government agencies, as well as military units testing or using the Five-seveN, quickly requested a single-action version; the single-action version (also called the Tactical) also has a manual safety. The single-action Five-seveN quickly replaced the DAO model in production (though it too was later replaced in production in 2004 by the IOM model).  The Tactical was also available with a shortened slide and dust cover that allowed the use of a threaded barrel for a silencer. For game purposes, the Tactical is identical to the DAO.

     Introduced in 2004, the IOM (Individual Officer’s Model) is designed for use by police SRT teams and suchlike. At first, the procurement of this weapon took not only proof of being a police officer, but special permission from the officer’s superiors; later in the year though, it became the first version of the Five-seveN available to civilians (after clearing a few hurdles with the laws of the various countries, particularly the US). At this time, 10-round magazines also became available for the Five-seveN (though they are simply standard Five-seveN magazines with the excess room in the magazine permanently blocked).  The IOM is a single-action model with micrometer-adjustable target-type sights which are dovetailed in and therefore removable.  It also has the proprietary rail of earlier models replaced by a MIL-STD-1913 rail, as well as a magazine safety.  Like the Tactical, the IOM is available in a version with a shortened front end with a threaded barrel for use with a silencer.  Otherwise, the IOM is identical to the single-action Five-seveN for game purposes. The IOM was produced only for a short time, replaced in production by the USG version below in 2005.

     The Five-seveN USG (US Government) was designed to attract US government buyers and police, as well as appeal to civilian buyers.  It is similar to the standard Five-seveN, but has adjustable rear sights, and a MIL-STD-1913 rail under the barrel for accessories.  It is also even lighter than the standard Five-seveN, though it is about the same size (the barrel is very slightly shorter at 4.75 inches).  It uses single-action operation.  Other improvements include improved cocking serrations, checkering for the grips, frontstrap, and backstrap (earlier versions used lightly-stippled grips and no texture on the frontstrap and backstrap), and a trigger guard with a squared front end (that is also checkered).  Like other versions of the Five-seveN, the USG is available with a shortened front end and a threaded barrel.  Though the standard sights are almost identical to those of the IOM, FN offers fixed 3-dot-type combat sights, with or without tritium inlays.  Along with the introduction of the USG model came a 30-round extended magazine that extends nearly 45mm from the bottom of the grip; this magazine does fit in other Five-seven models.

     It should be noted that in countries that allow civilian sales of the Five-seveN, the sales of high-capacity magazines for the weapon are often tightly controlled.  Even more tightly-controlled is the ammunition – in general, only standard ball ammunition, heavy ball ammunition, lead-free ball, special sporting rounds, blanks, and dummy rounds are available to civilians.  (Except for blanks and dummies, all of these rounds are identical for game purposes.)

     For the most part, all versions of the Five-seveN shoot the same for game purposes.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This is a very rare weapon in the Twilight 2000 timeline, but available.  Production of the Five-seveN stopped quickly in 1996 in favor of FN’s other more conventional pistols that were easier to build.   The Five-seveN IOM and USG do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

     Merc 2000 Notes: This weapon found few users, for the same reason as the P-90; odd ammunition and the cost and supply chain difficulties involved in using that ammunition.

FN FNP

     Notes: This is basically an FN Hi-Power pistol with a polymer frame and a stainless steel slide (finished in matte black to match the polymer frame).  It has a Commander-style hammer, and the backstrap, usually rounded, can be replaced with one that is flat and checkered.  The slide rides on steel rails molded into the polymer frame.  The sights are fixed (but dovetailed in) and of the 3-dot low-profile variety.  It has a reversible decocker, slide release, and magazine release.  The trigger guard is somewhat oversized to accommodate a gloved finger.  Operation is standard DA/SA.  The bottom of the barrel has a rail for mounting laser aiming modules or other accessories.  The trigger can feel long and creepy to some, especially on the first shot.

     The FNP-M is a slightly compact version of the FNP; it uses a reduced 3.79-inch barrel, but this is only a bit shorter than the standard 4-inch barrel.  The grip is also slightly shorter, but this only means that the weapon uses a slightly smaller magazine.  The FNP-M has also been lightened somewhat.  The FNP-9M was introduced in late 2006; the FNP-40M is due sometime in mid-2007. The FNP-45 is basically similar to the other FNPs.

     In 2010, three more versions of the FNP debuted: the FNX-9 and FNX-40, versions of the FNP-9 and FNP-40 with exposed hammers, ergonomic lightweight polymer frames and have deep-checkered grip panels, and four interchangeable backstraps.  They are otherwise identical to the standard FNP-9 and FNP-40 for game purposes. The FNP-45 Tactical version was also introduced, a version of the standard FNP designed for .45 ACP ammunition and equipped with a 5.3-inch hammer and a muzzle threaded for a silencer; the threads are protected by a screw-on cap when the suppressor is not being used.  The FNP-45 Tactical comes with high-profile combat night sights, necessary to clear a silencer.

     Twilight 2000 Story: These pistols do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

FN Forty-Nine

     Notes: This is FN’s answer to the popular Glock and Glock-like polymer-frame pistols that are proliferating on the market today.  The Forty-Nine was designed specifically the North American (and specifically, US) market and is built only by FN-USA.  European FN catalogs do not list the Forty-Nine, nor do European FN outlets sell the Forty-Nine.  The Forty-Nine has not, however been a great success in North America or anywhere else in the world; it has enjoyed only modest sales. 

     The Forty-Nine is a double-action-only pistol, but the trigger pull is neither heavy nor light, and can take some getting used to.  There are numerous safeties all automatic, as well as a slide lock.  Operation is by short recoil with a locked breech.  Though at first absent, most Forty-Nines have a short MIL-STD-1913 rail molded into the underside of the dust cover.  The front and rear sights are not adjustable, but are dovetailed into the slide; they are also equipped with contrasting-color inserts. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This is a very rare weapon in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

FN HP-SFS

     Notes: Unlike most FN handguns, the HP-SFS is actually built in Belgium.  (Most FN handguns are actually manufactured in the US, in South Carolina.)  It is basically a civilian version of the Hi-Power, chambered for .40 Smith and Wesson as well as 9mm Parabellum.  It has additional safeties and equipment to make single action use impossible and to make it safer in the hands of amateurs. 

     Twilight 2000 Story: This weapon does not exist.

Pieper Bayard M-1908

     Notes: The M-1908 was the first of three pistols based on the same design.  What design, you say?  Very similar to the Browning Baby.  But to be fair, there were a whole lot of pistols based on the Browning action and Browning designs.  And the Pieper factory was in Herstal, like FN.  The M-1908 was designed by Bernard Clarus, working for Pieper at the time.  Quality of the M-1908 is excellent, and if you find one, chances are that it will be in firing condition.  Starting the disassembly is interesting – one slides back the front sight, which reveals a slot through which the guide rod and recoil spring can be removed, then you go on to the rest of the pistol.  The guide rod is atop the 2.25-inch barrel, instead of being under it.

     The M-1923 was a larger version of the M-1908, with a 3.38-inch barrel. The frame, however, is virtually identical to the M-1908.  Despite the grip being longer, the magazine capacity is the same as the 1908. Muzzle flash and jump are severe, due to the low weight of the weapon. Production of the M-1908 stopped in 1930; however, the M-1923 continued production until 1940, being forcibly stopped by the invading Nazis, who were not interested in the design. I have several sources that say the M-1923 was produced in .380 and .32 ACP; several others that say .32 and .38 ACP; and a few that say it was also produced in .25 ACP (which makes some sense, considering the original M-1908).  I will include all of them, to cover all bases.