Le Francais, 'Franco' & 'Policeman' in C&R Handguns Forum

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Le Francais, 'Franco' & 'Policeman'

Author	Comment
VIS35	Le Francais, 'Franco' & 'Policeman'	Lead	[-]
Posts: 3571 Dec 13 11 11:51 AM Forum Site Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None Acquired a nice Le Francais 6.35 mm back in September......well, at this year's NAPCA SE Convention acquired two more. A 'Pocket Model', serial 137905 with the marking FRANCO instead of Le Francais on top of slide and marked Fabrication Francaise on right side slide. From what I have read, which may be correct or not, these were sold under the Franco brand by Manumodèle, the wholesale subsidiary of Manufrance. Has the magazine with a ring at the base to hold a spare cartridge. Since there were no gripping surfaces on the slide, and a cartridge could only be inserted into the chamber manually, there was always a cartridge for the chamber available with the magazine. The other is the longer barrel 'Type Policeman' model, serial number 131140, top of slide marked Le Francais. It also has the magazine with cartridge holder. This one I really like, unusual appearance and feels great in hand. Pocket Model 'Franco' 'Type Policeman' Francis VIS aka Blind Hog "Even a Blind Hog sometimes finds an acorn" Last Edited By: VIS35 Dec 13 11 11:55 AM. Edited 2 times.
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A square 10		#1	[-]
Posts: 1920 Dec 13 11 10:50 PM Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	very interesting pistol in excellent condition , i know nothing of these , but they are quite the piece of history , In these times 'I'll keep my God, my freedom, my gun and my money. Anyone that supports this insanity can keep "THE CHANGE".
VIS35		#2	[-]
Posts: 3571 Dec 14 11 6:23 PM Forum Site Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	A square 10, Thank you for taking the time to view the post and thanks for your comments. If you, or others may be interested in information on the Le Francais pistols, may I suggest this quite nice article http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/Francais/francais.html by Ed Buffaloe at his site, "Unblinking Eye Gun Pages". Francis VIS aka Blind Hog "Even a Blind Hog sometimes finds an acorn"
Ed Novak		#3	[-]
Posts: 4319 Dec 14 11 8:59 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Francis: As usual, you post the unusual and these two pistols are very interesting. Thank you. The referenced article is very interesting as well. Thanks, again. ed NRA Endowment member LECS #2 Air Force Association Life Member MOAA Member Last Edited By: Ed Novak Dec 14 11 9:13 PM. Edited 1 times.
A square 10		#4	[-]
Posts: 1920 Dec 14 11 9:11 PM Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	thank you for the link - i shall check it out , and thanks for this post , we live vicariously by seeing the finds and hearing their research , there is not enough time to do it all alone In these times 'I'll keep my God, my freedom, my gun and my money. Anyone that supports this insanity can keep "THE CHANGE".
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John Moses		#5	[-]
Posts: 390 Dec 15 11 7:23 PM active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Francis: Very nice find! Verrrrry interesting indeed. I wonder if it preceeded the Berreta ? Does it have an extractor? The extra round on the mag has to be unique to this pistol. Thankyou for your interesting post.
VIS35		#6	[-]
Posts: 3571 Dec 15 11 8:39 PM Forum Site Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	JM, Thank you for commenting and asking questions. The pistols do not have an extractor nor ejector....residual gas pressure clears the cartridge case from the chamber. The design of the spare cartridge ring is quite well thought out. Note in the magazine picture there is a small spring loaded pin that engages the cartridge case extractor groove so as to keep it in place. There is just enough tension to retain the cartridge, but not so much as to make it difficult to remove the cartridge. From what I have read, the basic design was patented 1913 with the Modele de Poche introduced 1914. I do not know when the tip-up barrel Berretas were introduced, but I believe the Poche preceeded them. Ed's article goes into the Le Francais history and function quite well, much better than I could write. Francis VIS aka Blind Hog "Even a Blind Hog sometimes finds an acorn"
TheMrMitch		#7	[-]
Posts: 28 Dec 18 11 2:00 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Just amazing. Thanks. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. USMC...1959-1963
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