FNH USA Timeline

Circa 1500 – Arms manufacture begins in Belgium. The Liege region soon becomes the epicenter of gunsmithing in Northern Europe.

1889 - Gunsmiths in Belgium’s Liege region form an association, Fabrique Nationale (FN), to fill an order from the Belgian military for 150,000 Mauser-licensed rifles. FN soon becomes a worldwide mark of absolute quality in small arms.

1897 – FN begins a decades-long partnership with America’s John Moses Browning, the most innovative firearms designer in modern history.

1899 – FN introduces the .32 caliber Browning Automatic Pistol, which becomes an instant success in civilian, law enforcement and military circles.

1900 – FN diversifies into production of automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles and other consumer goods.

1903 – FN begins production of the Browning Auto-5, the world’s first successful automatic shotgun.

1907 – FN begins official use of the Browning name in conjunction with their firearms.

1914 – FN produces the one millionth Browning Automatic Pistol.

1914 - FN arms factory is seized and occupied by the invading Germans for use as a hospital and vehicle repair facility.

1917 – The .30 caliber Model 1917 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) and .30 caliber Browning Model 1917 Machine Gun are adopted by the U.S. military. Both designs will remain in active U.S. military service for more than a half century..

1918 – John M. Browning develops the .50 caliber Browning Heavy Machine Gun at the request of U.S. General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing. Browning personally test-fires the prototype on 12 September. The .50 caliber Browning design remains in active U.S. military service today.

1919 – FN resumes small arms manufacture and design collaboration with John. M. Browning, who brings designs for his BAR, .30 and .50 caliber machine guns for FN to produce for the world military market.

1923 – John. M. Browning begins working with FN on the first prototypes of what would become the legendary Hi Power Automatic Pistol.

1926 – FN contracts to built the BAR for Polish military. John M. Browning suffers a fatal heart attack at the FN factory in Liege. His son Val Browning and assistant Dieudonne Saive continue developing small arms designs for FN.

1932 – FN adapts Browning machine gun designs for aircraft use.

1935 – FN introduces the Model 1935 Browning Hi Power, the world’s first successful high-capacity 9mm handgun. The pistol is quickly adopted by several Allied military forces. Over time it also becomes popular with law enforcement and special operations units and remains in production today.

1939 – FN celebrates its 50th anniversary.

1940- FN arms factory is again seized, occupied and integrated into the German war production effort. FN engineers including Dieudonne Saive flee to England, taking weapon blueprints with them to prevent their capture by the Germans.

1942-1945 – John M. Browning-designed automatic rifles, pistols and machine guns made by FN and many other manufacturers are critical to the war effort and are widely used by Allied ground, air and naval forces in every theater of the conflict.

1944 – FN factory stripped of much of its machinery by retreating Germans and then heavily damaged by their V1 buzz bombs and V2 rockets. Now liberated from German occupation, FN quickly assists the Allied war effort by building fuel cans and steel mud grips for tanks and tracked military vehicles.

1945 – FN refurbishes more than two million U.S. military small arms from the European Theater of Operations prior to their return to Allied war reserves.

1949 – FN introduces Model 1949 SAFN Semi-Automatic Infantry Rifle, and begins production of jet engines for military fighter aircraft.

1953 – FN assists in development of the 7.62x51mm cartridge and introduces the legendary FAL Light Automatic Rifle. Both are soon adopted by NATO.

1958 – FN introduces MAG 58 Medium Machine Gun firing the new 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, and begins manufacture of the Uzi Submachine Gun in 9x19mm NATO under license from Israel.

1964 – FN celebrates 75th anniversary.

1968 – FN begins production of the LAC Light Automatic Carbine in 5.56x45mm NATO.

1977 – U.S. military adopts the FN MAG 58, designating it the M240. Variants of the M240 are soon adopted by all U.S. service branches.

1978 – FN develops the Quick Change Barrel (QCB) modification for the .50 M2HB Browning Heavy Machine Gun.

1980 – FN begins production of FNC 5.56x45mm NATO Selective Fire Carbine.

1981 – FN introduces SS109 Ball and L110 Tracer 5.56x45mm ammunition that are quickly adopted by both NATO and U.S. military, designating them as M855 and M856.

1982 – U.S. military adopts the FN MINIMI 5.56x45mm NATO Squad Automatic Weapon, designating it the M249 SAW. FN opens a plant in Columbia, South Carolina to build small arms for U.S. military.

1988 – FN becomes sole owner of Browning USA.

1989 – FN wins contract to produce M16 rifles for U.S. military at their plant in Columbia, South Carolina.

1990 – FN introduces innovative P90 Personal Defense Weapon and 5.7x28mm ammunition.

1991 – FN purchases U.S. Repeating Arms Company, maker of Winchester rifles and shotguns.

1998 - FN establishes FNH USA as their U.S. sales office.

2000 - FN introduces the bullpup F2000 Selective Fire Rifle.

2007 – FN SCAR is adopted by USSCOM as their next generation assault rifle system.