Ugly dog followed me home...

but I learn a lot from these trials. This is a 1908 Bayard in 7.62 Browning. I thought it was a .25 looking at it last week. Today they had marked it down another 25% so I bought it. The reason it is so cheap is that someone lost the right grip panel and screw and tried to make some from another laying around. I found new reproductions at Triple-K for not too much and I can make a screw. I'm such a sucker for things that need just a little TLC, and others have no time for.

It is so goofy I had to give it a try at the great discount. Researching I found a couple of interesting things. So now you know why red horses are called "Bays".

Production was from around 1908 (close to when Prussia occupied the factory in Belgium for a decade) until a new model was produced in 1923.

It is so strange and interesting, the front sight pushes to the rear and pulls up to release the recoil spring. Once out the slide goes to the rear and up and off. The "not where you think it is" barrel is pressed into the frame.

It is the same size as a Kel-Tec .32 and only holds 5-rnds. The ejection is just atop the grip level on the right. They made a .380 the same size too! The .25 commands better prices usually. The 250k serial range is post-Prussian occupation and likely later 2nd variation production just pre-1920's.