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Browning medalist

sunflowersunflower Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
edited March 2002 in Ask the Experts
Hi, I am looking at purchasing a Browning 22lr semi automatic target pistol.It is being sold as a Medalist which means it should have a "T" in the serial #.The trouble is that the letter in the Serial # is a "U" which according to the information I got shows it to be a Challenger model.The seller states that it dosen't matter what the letter is.I'm wondering if Browning put out a Challenger to look like the Medalist, or is it a Challenger with Medalist handgrips and barrel wood put on it after the fact? The pistol comes complete with Browning carry case,barrel weights, and screwdriver and is in excellent condition,no wear. Any information on value or origin of this gun would be appreciated,I'm sorry that I don't have the rest of the serial # to give but I know that it was made in 1965. Regards Jim
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Comments

  • sunflowersunflower Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello, does anyone know where I can get
    a pair of plain jane Medalist grips and
    do Browning challenger grips fit the Medalist?
    Thank you
    Ron
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  • sunflowersunflower Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm a long-time Browning fan and own several. I would love to purchase a Medalist 22 pistol. My problem is that I'm a lefty. Did Browning ever make these with left-hand grips? I've never seen one in years of looking.
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  • sunflowersunflower Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Browning Medalist and case. The label in the case says St. Louis. I have noticed many labels on other guns that say Morgan, Utah. My question is what years were they made in St. Louis and will mine be worth more than one made in Utah? I don't have the serial number as the gun is in a different town.
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  • sunflowersunflower Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    How much are .22 medalist,challenger,nomad in very good condition worth. How suitable are they for recreational target shooting.What are common problems.
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  • sunflowersunflower Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a left handed Browning medalist standard model with a renaissance barrel.It was made in the last year of production. Were any of these pistols shipped from Browning with this variant? The historian at Browning could not verify this.
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  • RembrandtRembrandt Member Posts: 4,486 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The medalist was designed by Bruce W. Browning in the fall of 1961 and introduced to this country in 1962. It was such a great design that Browning decided to introduce two other less expensive versions called the Nomad and Challenger. Only plain blued models were orginally introduced; all were highly polished and blued. In July of 1962 the Gold line entered the scene and in 1970 the Renaissance. Only barrel length offered was 6 3/4". There were about 218,137 units in different variations made for world wide distribution. A total of 25,522 Medalists were made....24,001 were in blue with 6 3/4" barrels....407 were blue with Gold inlays...390 were chrome plated with Renaissance engraving....60 were made for the Browning Collectors Association....2 were Renaissance International models....and 681 were Internationals with blue or dull parkerized finish and 5 7/8" barrels. In addition, there were about 11 full coverage Renaissance guns made from 1962-1967. These are very rare, the engraving goes all the way down the barrel. There are two checkering pattern variations on the grips; the only difference is some have a little more checkering. This is due more to the whims of the worker than a manufacturing change. The Gold Line and Renaissance grips are checkered as well as carved. You could order this model either right or left handed; the left hand grips are a little rarer but not impossible to findThe Renaissance model ws introduced in 1970, probably the nicest engraved 22 built by anyone. Prior to the official introduction of this model, Browning brought in less than 10 of these that were elaborately engraved then the later guns and finished in a bright coin nickel. The engraving went all the way down the barrels. The later guns had a chrome satin finish that was not as bright.In 1966, Browning had made 60 full coverage Renaissance Medalists for the B.C.A.. These had serial numbers 655PT0001 through 655PT0060.(From the book "Browning...Sporting Arms of Distinction") Hope this helps.....Rembrandt
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  • Spring CreekSpring Creek Member Posts: 1,260 ✭
    edited November -1
    I presume you're referring to what was AA's item #2436174, that closed last Monday 3-18.If not, this is an exact duplicate of that item.This certainly would be a nice shooter, for a lefty. But there was no way that a parts gun, matched in this way would have ever left the factory.Hard to say by who or why it ever would have been put together in this configuration.
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