John M. Browning: American Gunmaker

by John Moses Browning (Contributor), Curt Gentry, W.R. (Reid) Betz (Contributor)

John M. Browning is generally known as the inventor of the automatic rifle, pistol, shotgun and Browning machine gun, but he registered 128 patents on more than eighty distinct firearms, including many of the famous models produced by Winchester, Colt, Remington, Savage, and Belgium's Fabrique Nationale.

This is his story and the story of his guns.

Genres: History

402 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

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. He is arguably the most important figure in the development of modern automatic and semi-automatic firearms and is credited with 128 gun patents. He made his first firearm at age 13 in his father's gun shop, and was awarded his first patent on October 7, 1879 at the age of 24.

Browning influenced nearly all categories of firearms design. He invented or made significant improvements to single-shot rifles, lever-action rifles, and slide-action firearms. His most significant contributions were in the area of autoloading firearms. He developed the first autoloading pistols that were both reliable and compact by inventing the telescoping bolt, integrating the bolt and barrel shroud into what is known as the pistol slide. Browning's telescoping bolt design is now found on nearly every modern semi-automatic pistol, as well as several modern fully automatic weapons. He also developed the first gas-operated machine gun, the Colt-Browning Model 1895—a system that surpassed mechanical recoil operation to become the standard for most high-power self-loading firearm designs worldwide.

Browning's most successful designs include the M1911 pistol, the Browning .50 caliber machine gun, the Browning Hi-Power pistol, the Browning Automatic Rifle, and the Browning Auto-5, a ground-breaking semi-automatic shotgun. These arms are nearly identical today to those assembled by Browning in the 1920s, with only minor changes in detail and cosmetics. Even today, John Browning's guns are still some of the most copied guns in the world.

Reviews

[Jake Ratliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book did an exceptionally good job about making a straight-to-the-point biography of an iconic craftsman in the firearms industry. One thing to admire about this biography is that it does not simply focus on anything that was behind Browning’s image, but rather focused on Browning himself and his career as the master craftsman that he was. This book held nothing back when it comes to how Browning was brought up around guns, growing up in his father’s gun shop, and how that led him to his own career of gun making. Reading this gives an appreciation for the sheer genius that Browning possessed when it came to designing and building firearms; such that, while some great names produced a design that were state of the art for 30-50 years, Browning put out numerous designs that are still top of the line models even after a hundred years and still show little signs of aging.
When it comes to the books itself, it is nothing less than an outstanding read that is tremendously well written and will capture and hold the reader’s attention with no issue. As a matter of fact, those that really enjoy this book will come to the end of it and find that it is just too short. Upon reaching the end of the story I found that all I wanted was to just be able to read more and more of it. In the end, this is a book that is for people who are either interested in the history of American icons, love firearms and wish to know more about them and their designers, or both. As a man interested in guns as I am, I found this as a fantastic read and, as I said before, The only thing that I could ask is for there to be more to read.

[Checkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good straightforward biography about John M. Browning and the many firearms that he designed. This is not a book interested in finding the "dirt" on John Browning. Which it wouldn't be since it was commissioned by the Browning Firearm Company. But ,regardless of that, there wouldn't be any dirt. Mr. Browning was a mechanical genius with simple tastes and a Mormon. He just wasn't a controversial man.

I won't bother listing the many firearms that Browning designed. The book does an excellent job of that and covers the highlights in his long and illustrious career.

There is an entire section of the book listing Mr. Browning's many firearm patents to include the production history (if any). Also generously illustrated with photographs throughout the book.

For anyone interested in knowing more about John Browning and the many firearms that he created this book is well worth the expense. It's a well written biography and an excellent source for research or to settle a debate between gun-buffs.

[Aiden Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

How did a simple man become one of the worlds most famous gunsmiths? "John M. Browning: The American Gunmaker" by John M. browning himself, is the famous gunsmiths own autobiography about his life and his inventions. The book uses suspense to its advantage, making you wonder if a new firearm will work or if it won't. The book also uses detail wonderfully, especially in explaining how the firearm worked and how much it sold. This can be shown on pages 145-146, "Taking the old 73 Model they they had used the previous afternoon, they cut off part of the lever and lengthened and strengthened the trigger. Around the barrel, near the muzzle, they fitted a band with a descending arm, between four and five inches long. To the lower end of the arm they hinged a piece that ran back up to the muzzle, where it widened to a disk a little larger in diameter than the barrel. In this disk, they drilled a hole slightly larger than .44 caliber." This book was very intriguing, pulling me in with its title and cover. I would recommend this book to gun lovers (and 2nd amendment lovers) and firearm fanatics at any age.
#5

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring. He grew up in his father's dilapidated gun shop, invented his own gun and went on to dominate the world of firearms design for decades inventing nearly every modern form of firearm we know today. In a world where a designer would labor for years to invent a new firearm and would be lucky to invent 1 successful arm in their lifetime Browning churned out 2 or 3 successful designs every year. In a world where machine guns where un-reliable and complicated his simple design was tested with 40,000 rounds fired without a single failure.
True Genius
The account of his fathers interactions with Abe Lincoln are worth the read alone.

[Dan Croft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great biography about a remarkable American inventor. It was really interesting to read about all of the innovations and inventions that Browning created....and still are in production today.

[Brad Stoddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in knowing more about John Moses Browning since his name comes up often when guns are discussed but never any details of his life. This book seems to be a very fact based account of his life and inventions but not a book I would recommend unless the reader also “just wants to know more about Browning”.

[Matt Sokol · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really liked this book it read very nicely for my reading style. It surprised me about the past of america's greatest gun maker. i learned some things about the making of a gun that i never knew so that is why i gave it the rating i did.

[Mike Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read on guns.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating history. A very unique individual. Without him we might not have won WWII.

[Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this out loud as a family and so enjoyed the story of the Brownings. The biography was made more of a reality for us when we went to the Browning museum in Ogden, Utah and saw most of the guns he invented. What an amazing mind he had. We were also able to see the father Browning home in Nauvoo, Illinois. I love reading about history, but I love reading and "seeing" history even better.

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting and accurate biography of John Browning. The only thing wrong with it is that it's too short. As good as it is and as well as it's written you'll wish it was much longer. Highly recommended.

[Bill Parenteau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the greatest book, but I loved to read about this unique hard working American.