Asking for a few infos regarding MGC Browning 380 / FN M1910

Hi everyone!

Got my hands on an MGC Browning 380. It is full metal with a closed barrel (into which someone has seemingly tried to drill )
How old would you estimate this gun to be?

Condition is mediocre, it does seem to work, but I'm not entirely sure, as I have no experience with this model type whatsoever... e.g. when I repeat the slide and pull the trigger without the magazine inserted, nothing happens. When I do the same with the magazine inside the gun, the internal hammer strikes.
Never had that in another pistol, is it meant to be that way?

Also, I haven't found out how to disassemble the gun apart from getting the muzzle out. Only found videos showing the disassembly of a realsteel M1910 and pics of the CMC M1910 and it doesn't work that way on the MGC 380 (the barrel can't be twisted as far as I can tell).

Finally, I'd like to know, which cartridges can be used as I didn't get any with the gun

Hope someone here can help with a bit of info  

Hi,

is there a pin in the hole shown in pic#2, locking the barrel in place? My guess is a crosspin instead of the cramming lugs of the RS, to be pushed out from the left hand side by a small screwdriver.
Not exactly like the original, but easier and more durable to achieve with zinc die casting, I guess...

P.S.: egun 4 weeks ago?

Totally forgot:
the real-steel FN1910 has a magazine safety (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_Model_1910), seems the MGC modelgun copied this feature.

Thanks a lot hkfan and Cerwyn! Interesting, that they actually copied the magazine safety...

Yes, there is something like a pin inside that hole (more like a small tube), but it doesn't move.
I can only apply force to it from the left side of the gun, as it has to be pushed out through the hole on the right side, obviously, as you have already pointed out hkfan. There only is a small groove on the left side, where I can slide a screwdriver in.
I tried that, but I'd have to use much more force to get it out - and I'm hesitant to apply hammer to screwdriver when it comes to an old zinc modelgun
So I don't disassemble it for now, it seems to be in working order anyway.

Yep, that was an egun auction @ hkfan The guy only used "Three models" as auction title, hardly described anything and posted a more or less crappy foto of the guns he offered.
So it was kind of a gamble, the only gun that was identifiable was this Browning.
I hoped for the Derringer to be something of higher quality, too, but it's just a Denix. My first Denix, by the way, and the quality really is a bit disappointing... rough casting, the gun rattles, opening the barrels is too rough, the wooden grips are too small for the recesses in the body...

Ah well, price was still more or less ok I guess

Back to the MGC Browning 380: Any guess how old this gun might be?
Maybe a hint as to what kind of cartridge might work?

Hi,
I assume, it is something around late 1960 to mid 1970.
There was a additional regulation in 1970's which make automatic modelgun will not allow to be made from metal of a gun can detouch a barrel from main body (i.e. Browning 380, Colt 1911, Walther P38). I assume the one you have is what MGC made for export purpose.

I do not think you can find a cartridge to fit that now unfortunately.

S

I also think MGC made these models from 1965 until mid-70s, as shazhib wrote.
Export version did not have trade markings due to copyrights.

Some more information that can help dating early models, based on input from HIGUsan. I don't know if they were also present on export versions, as it was Japanese regulations.
- modelguns made in 1969-1971 had to have a crown mark due to modelgun regulations,
- from 1971-75 there was a different mark,
- in 1975 "SM" (Safe Model) mark was introduced,
- in 1977 this changed to "SMG" (Safe Metal Gun) mark.

I have seen MGC FN1910 metal models only with original markings, without any mark (export), or original markings with additional "SM" mark. This would put this model in production until 1975-1976.

For disassembly I will need to check, as I think I only have WaShan version.