John Moses Browning, American Gunmaker

[TXGunNut]

I was tickled to find a copy of "John M Browning, American Gunmaker" on Amazon several weeks back and of course I hit the "buy" button. I've been a fan of JMB for quite some time but quite honestly this book, by John Browning and Curt Gentry, was quite an eye-opener. Several years ago I remarked that I had no idea what the contents of my safe would look like without the contributions of JMB. That is even more true today.
I finally settled in with it a few days ago, hope I didn't miss much around here. :bigsmyl2: I was only a little surprised that my latest darling, the Browning Citori shotgun, is closely derived from his last design; the Superposed. Another favorite of mine is the 92, one of his earlier designs. The timing of my encounter with this book is quite remarkable. I honestly didn't know the Remington Models 8 and 81 were JMB designs. I didn't know that the "humpbacked" Browning shotgun was the first successful automatic shotgun. I also didn't know JMB was a pretty salty trap shooter. I'm somewhat familiar with the Winchester rifles & shotguns, Colt and Browning pistols but I've learned quite a bit in recent days.
I won't spoil the book for you. I will say that if you enjoy shooting JMB's designs and would like a peek into the mind of the genius that created them you'll enjoy this book. The authors don't delve into the details of gun design as much as I would have liked but that was probably a wise decision on their part. I remember reading years ago that JMB designed dozens of guns that never saw production, in some cases the models were lost and I wonder if even a complete list of all his designs can be assembled today.
Suffice it to say I'm in awe of the man, his genius and his legacy.

[lefty o]

its a good book. ive read my copy several times.

[w5pv]

Some of his weapons are well over a hundred years old and in use every day.

[reddog81]

What's even more impressive is that he not only created many of now time tested semi-auto design but he also had to design and create the cartridges that they fired.

[shdwlkr]

John Moses Browning also made a few of the now famous military weapons that are still in use today. Wished I could have talked to him and got to know the man not so much his firearms, but I know it would have come up.

[Blackwater]

That's one book I've just never yet pulled the trigger on. Thanks for a timely reminder. I need to go get one now. Can't have a "gun library" without that one, I'd think.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I was in Salt Lake City back in the '70 and failed to visit the Browning Museum. I didn't know there was one. I will never be up that way again. I think it is remarkable that many of his gun designs are still in production.

[waarp8nt]

Good book. Visited the museum when I was in Utah last year, it was great! JMB was the Albert Einstein of gunmaking.

[TXGunNut]

I hope to make it to the Browning Armory in Ogden someday. JMB did design several cartridges and for many years every Colt (auto) pistol sold was a JMB design. The little 32 he licensed to FN was responsible for the dramatic growth of that industry and the employment of hundreds, if not thousands of people. Beyond that many more modern firearms use design features developed by JMB.

[opos]

I went to college in the 50's with a couple of twins from Idaho....well to do guys and loved the outdoors....their names were Ed and Merv Browning....great nephews of Browning...One of their older relatives (uncle I think) used to do handy work around John M Browning's shop....There are some Browning firearms that are not available for the public to see...I'd love to see what they are but they are not for public display or observing.

The "Twins" were involved in farming in Idaho and Merv had a Buick dealership...Ed owned a flying service in Idaho and ended up owning and campaigning the Reno air race P51 called the Red Baron that held the world piston aircraft record in the late 70's for several years and won Reno several times before a huge crash that destroyed the Red Baron and almost killed the pilot. Ed made the comment that he always thought he had enough money to last forever but in later years with campaigning the Baron he found a way to use up a whole bundle of money...Ed has since passed and I'm still in touch with Merv on occasion...I think he said he has 2 of the original guns that came from John M. Pics are of the Brownings when we were going skiing in about 1955 in Colorado.


.163982


The link is of the Baron making a shot at the world speed record..I'm told that Steve Hinton that was flying the plane during that speed run and subsequently was involved in the crash at Reno,runs the planes of fame museum in Chino California

https://youtu.be/58wb-fAW8nQ

[TXGunNut]

Hmmm.....add the Ithaca 37 to the list of guns I didn't realize JMB designed. Haven't finished the book, just getting to the part where they talk about his guns. Should be interesting.

[TXGunNut]

opus; JMB's brothers, sons and I believe a nephew or two did indeed work in the Browning factory and/or help build it.

[TXGunNut]

Nice poster PB!

[KennethF]

Browning gun museum is in Ogden Utah with original prototypes, etc. Everything Browning is there.

[Bent Ramrod]

There's another book, called "The Browning Connection," published by the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody WY, which has photos of a lot of the patent models that Winchester bought from Browning, in order to keep the competition from using those ideas in anything they might develop. The models themselves are in the Winchester Museum. The Winchester Museum returned the patent models of the designs that they actually produced to Val Browning, who put them in the Browning Museum in Ogden.

The Browning Museum isn't very large, as it shares space with a much larger Railroad Museum, but is definitely worth a visit to anyone going through Ogden.

[TXGunNut]

I wonder if the original 1885 was ever recovered? In the book I read that it was stolen in a burglary from Browning's shop after they sold their original batch of 25 rifles.

[abunaitoo]

That is a great book.
I have a copy.
Another is "Americas Great Gun Makers"

[abunaitoo]

Where can I get a poster???


John Browning is indeed in a league of his own.



163985



Link to full sized image: The Guns of John Moses Browning (http://www.armoryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/guns-of-john-browning.jpg)

PB

[MtGun44]

The Ithaca 37 and a few others are derivatives from the Remington 17 which was a Browning design, but
are not a true Browning design.

The claim on the poster that the Colt 1905 revolver is a John Browning design is bogus, I am nearly certain. I
do not know of a single revolver that Browning designed. Pumps, automatics, machine guns, and lever guns,
with one falling block, his first design ever, but no revolvers, AFAIK.

Incredible designer, left an amazing legacy of firearms, many of which are still the best in their fields, like
the 1911, more than a century old and still in production by something like 24 different companies.

[Blackwater]

Well, TxGun, ya' done went an' cost me MONEY! I got the book on order, and about $100 more to boot! Looks like I'll have a few month's reading on hand now. The Browning book will be first, of course. And thanks. It was way past time when I should have gotten this one. Lots more I want and "need," too. You did me a real favor.

[TXGunNut]

Glad I could help, Blackwater. Just finished the final section last night; it deals with the actual guns. Wow.
MtGun44, I believe you are right on all three points. His father Jonathan built a rifle with a revolving cylinder but I've never heard of JMB inventing anything along these lines. I wonder if he may have corroborated with someone on that 1905 revolver?
I've been reading bits and pieces about JMB for decades, my mentor when I got into firearms was a huge fan. Glad I finally sat down and read this book. Pretty sure I'll read it again someday before too long.