JOHN BROWNING
G'day folks,
John Moses Browning was an American firearms designer who
developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun
mechanisms, many of which are still in use around the world. John Browning
transformed the firearms industry with his innovative designs for sporting
rifles, handguns and machine guns. Many of his creations remain in use after
more than 100 years.
Who Was John Browning?
Born in
Odgen, Utah, in 1855, John Browning learned the trade of gunmaking from his
father. Beginning with his creation of what became the Winchester Model 1885
rifle, his innovations transformed the business, as he either invented or
introduced new versions of repeating, automatic and high-capacity firearms that
proved popular among both civilians and the military. Browning spent much of
his later years in Belgium, where he forged a relationship with the firearms
company FN Herstal, and died in that country in 1926.
Browning's Famous Gun Designs
Winchester Model 1885
In 1879,
Browning received his first patent, for a single-shot rifle. Four years later,
he received a visit from T. G. Bennett, vice president and general manager of
the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, marking the start of a 19-year
collaboration between Browning and Winchester. His first patent became the
basis for the Winchester 1885, reputed to have one of the strongest actions of
the time.
Winchester Model 1894
In 1893,
Browning presented Winchester with a lever-action rifle tailor-made for the new
30-30 smokeless cartridge. While not his first lever-action design, it became
the standard bearer as a sporting rifle, with more than 7 million units sold.
Winchester Model 1897
Browning
introduced the first pump-action (or slide-action) shotgun in 1893, though it
was unable to process the smokeless cartridges that were becoming popular. He
made the adjustment for the Model 1897, which also featured the now standard
"takedown" design that allows the barrel to be removed. The 1897 later
proved a highly effective weapon for Allied forces during WWI.
Browning Auto-5
The
Auto-5, which marked one of the first collaborations between Browning and
Fabrique Nationale of Belgium, became the first successfully mass-produced
semi-automatic shotgun in the early 20th century. It was based on a Browning
patent in which the barrel and bolt recoil together following a shot, with the
bolt remaining behind to eject the spent shell before moving forward to chamber
a new one.
M1911
Also
known by other names, including the Colt 45, the M1911 is a short-recoil,
single-action hammer-fired pistol. It served as the U.S. military’s standard
sidearm from 1911 until 1985, while proving immensely popular among civilians,
as well.
B25
Introduced
by FN Herstal in 1925, the B25 was the world's first over/under shotgun.
Browning was working on an improved over/under prototype when he passed away
the following year, his design eventually leading to the production of the
Browning Superposed.
Military Weapons
Along
with his popular rifles for sporting and personal use, Browning developed
high-capacity weaponry for military combat. One of his first creations for such
use, the gas-operated machine gun M1895, surfaced in the Spanish-American
War of 1898 and China's Boxer Rebellion shortly afterward.
The M1918
Browning Automatic Rifle appeared toward the end of WWI, its variations
receiving more extensive use during WWII and the Korean War. Additionally, the
M1919 Browning, a short-recoil-operated machine gun, featured prominently in
WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
Browning's
designs were also used to create the M2 Browning, or "Ma Deuce," an
80-plus-pound air-cooled machine gun. While not produced until the 1930s, after
Browning's death, it became one of his most renowned military contributions,
figuring into numerous major global conflicts in the decades that followed.
Early Years and Interest in Guns
John
Moses Browning was born on January 23, 1855, in Ogden, Utah. His father,
Jonathan, was a businessman, civil servant and gunsmith, the latter activity
capturing the attention of his children.
Spending
most of his time in his father's gun shop, John Browning cobbled together his
first gun at age 10 from spare parts. He attended school until around age 15,
when the head instructor, who recognized the boy's primary interest, told him
not to bother coming back.
Browning Arms and FN Herstal
In 1880,
Browning and his brothers opened the early version of the Browning Arms Company,
then known as J.M. Browning and Bro. Guns, Pistols, Amunition & Fishing
Tackle, in Ogden, Utah. Following his early collaborations with the
Connecticut-based Winchester Repeating Arms, Browning expanded his business
overseas in 1897 by authorizing Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium, to
manufacture a 32-caliber semi-automatic pistol.
In early
1902, Browning embarked on the first of approximately 60 voyages to Belgium,
marking the transition to the European country as a base of operations. In 1977,
FN Herstal purchased Browning Arms outright, and today the company's firearms
are generally produced in Belgium, Portugal, Japan and the U.S.
Family and Personal
In 1879,
Browning married Rachel Teresa Child, with whom he would have 10 children. His
son Val later took over the family business.
A devout
Mormon, Browning spent the late 1880s fulfilling his missionary service.
Otherwise, he remained almost singularly devoted to his craft. Despite not
being extensively schooled, he was known to be highly intelligent, even
learning French so as to be able to converse with factory workers in Belgium.
In 1914,
King Albert of Belgium presented Browning with the Cross of Knighthood of the
Order of Leopold for his contributions to the city's firearms industry.
Death and Legacy
On
November 26, 1926, John Browning died of heart failure in Liège, Belgium,
reportedly while hard at work on one of his guns. Over the course of his life,
he designed more than 80 military and sporting arms, racking up 100-plus
patents along the way.
Browning's
innovations fueled the creation of many firearms associated with the American
West, with Colt, Remington and Savage joining Winchester as companies that
manufactured models based on his designs. Regular production of his most
popular guns endured for decades, with many remaining available for purchase
today.
In 1952,
a life-size memorial plaque was dedicated to Browning in Liège. In 1964, a
photographic collection of his firearms was compiled for the first edition of
his seminal biography, John M. Browning: American Gunmaker.
Enthusiasts can also see some of the legendary gunmaker's
original models at the John M. Browning Firearms Museum, located in his
birthtown at Ogden Union Station in Utah.
Clancy's comment: Mm ... Obviously a clever man, and he'd probably be the Patron Saint of the NRA.
I'm ...
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