John Browning: Man and Gun Maker

by James Barrington

The man behind every gun manufactured today.John Browning was the most influential gun designer who ever lived. After building his first firearm aged thirteen, he went on to create a series of radical blueprints for pistols, rifles and machine guns that changed the way wars were fought and streets were policed.

But who was the man behind the weapons? How did he manage to revolutionise the way guns worked? And what drove him to keep innovating right through his life?

A short must-read for gun collectors, enthusiasts and anyone interested in the history of firearms from bestselling thriller writer James Barrington.

48 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

I also write as Max Adams, James Becker, Tom Kasey, Thomas Payne and Jack Steel.

Reviews

[Clarence Schlag · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but shallow

John Browning was an amazing inventor and while this book hits the highlights of his inventions it seems more of an essay than a book. It offers no details of any of the weapons (pictures, diagrams, even Browning's sketches). It also offers no detailed bibliography of references. I find myself with little more information about his inventions than I knew before I read the book.

[Jon Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The history of the gun is the history of the world unfortunately.

Concise and accurate. A mechanical design genius in the same class as Bell, Edison and Whitney. He is not considered because of his weapons use, not because he was a lesser inventor.

[Michael Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michelangelo of gunmaking

You have to wonder what made this man so talented. Would he have been successful in whatever his chosen vocation?

[timv · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, just the facts book, but it tells the story that most people that are interested in John Moses Browning are looking to read. There’s a short summary of the gun smithing environment that he grew up in and then the tale of how he took over his dad‘s gun smithing business and became the most celebrated architect of firearms in United States history. Included are the story of how he made the Winchester firearms famous; why he took his design for a semi automatic pistol to Colt instead of Winchester; and why the term, “Belgium Browning“, synonymous with quality, came to be. Oh, and there a little thing about his machine guns!

There’s no insight into Browning’s personality or his relationships with any of his family members just the story of the vast number of firearm designs he produced in his lifetime. That’s exactly what I was looking for...

[John A · Rating 4 out of 5]

a professional biography of John Browning

The title is a bit misleading. Aside from the fact that he was allergic to red tape and had two sons there is nothing about him personally. He was a gun maker. I personally handled the BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) and Colt 1911. The latter sounded like an artillery piece, and I admire the men who hauled the 20 lb. BAR into battle. The machine guns are still in use over a hundred years since they were designed!

[Matthew Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, shame it isn't a little longer/more in depth.

[Doreen Lysebo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very easy read with great information

I was only sad it was so short
A background into the mind of a genius
And an american hero

[Christopher S. Lampe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down

Found this for less than $3 for Kindle and said why not, being a part time gun smith myself, and WOW. The man, the myth, the legend. I want more.

[Michael Allen grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

he was a genius

This is a good read if your interested in the history of some of the most important guns ever designed and still in use today over one hundred years later.

[Regina P. Ulmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent little story

Very enjoyable brief biography of another American inventor. A life that changed our world in ways we may never appreciate.