#Browning

Previously in Operating Systems 101, we covered the simple, inexpensive principle of blowback, and the reliable principle of short-recoil. Both of these mechanisms together form the foundations of almost all automatic handguns in common use today, but what about rifles? Well, the most common mechanism for rifles is the method of gas operation, developed by legendary Utahn Mormon gun wizard John Moses Browning. Browning observed that the gases coming from the muzzle of a rifle could influence objects around it, such as tall grass. Through tireless experimentation, Browning found he could harness this gas, and the principle of gas operation was born.

Two basic mechanisms dominate the field of handguns today: The aforementioned straight blowback system, and short-recoil operation. The latter of two is a mechanism as clever as it is old; the first short-recoil weapons date back to the latter half of the 19th Century!

We live in a world today that is completely inundated with AR-15 pattern rifles. In 2016, for just five Benjamins – sometimes even less! – you can purchase your very own fantactical black rifle and rely on it to work when you need to and shoot where you mean to. I won’t try to say otherwise: The AR-15 series is a great design, and it deserves its place at the center of the US civilian market.

Browning released a number of shooting related products at the SHOT Show in January. Among them were a number of flashlights including the Hellcat. Browning labels the Hellcat as the “Ultimate Hunting Flashlight” and equips it with a variety of features and switches that may appeal to you.

Browning introduced a pair of folding knives for 2016 that clearly target the hunting market. They are called the Hunt ‘n Gut knives.

The US Army has begun a program to create a lightweight .50 caliber machine gun to replace the venerable M2 Browning. The program will, like the M240L machine gun, use titanium to reduce weight by 20-30 percent. Scout.com and NationalInterest.org both have stories on the subject. The following is from Scout.com:

Browning added 28 gauge and .410 bore versions of the Citori 725 shotguns to its 2016 catalog. A total of eight new models join the 12 and 20 gauge offerings.

Browning introduced a variety of new knives this year, and there are a number of new outdoors knives in the mix. Here is a look at a pair of the new blades that Browning is now offering.

Browning has announced the release of their “Sound Shield” combination shooting glasses and ear plugs. Seeing an obvious need to help shooters like me who often forget one or the other or perhaps making it even easier for me to forget both, the Sound Shield combines a impact rated glasses with in-ear three-cup protection.

Hot on the heels of its defensive handgun ammunition launch, Browning is expanding its loadings for the 12 and 20 gauge shotguns. The new BXD loading is designed for upland hunting, launching plated lead shot “at high velocities to achieve premium in-the-field performance.”

Browning is now offering a new knife under its Black Label line: the Speed Dial Pocket Deploy. As the name suggests, the knife has a fast blade deployment that happens as it is drawn from the pocket. This is the same technology used by Krudo Knives in that company’s SNAG system.

Browning continues to aggressively expand its offerings. Moving away from its ubiquitous firearms platforms including the Buckmark and others, Browning is now offering its own line of personal defense ammunition, called the BXP. 

It’s a sentence I hear on each and every hunting trip taken for work: “Do you have a flashlight?” Then comes the debate regarding which flashlights are better, which ones last the longest, which shine the brightest beams, and which provide the best quality colored light depending on the need it fulfills. The quest for a good flashlight is not unlike the quest for a good knife or a good holster: it’s influenced by personal preferences and use, but a truly great flashlight is just that.

The Browning Hi Power is a pistol that my generation seems to have forgotten, but in its day was a true trailblazer in terms of reliability and technological advancement. It took a lot that worked from other designs, but was simplified and had an impressive capacity for its day.
So what does it look like under the surface?

The Sweet Sixteen shotgun was one of the iconic scattergun models made by Browning in the last century. Built between 1936 and 1976, the 16 gauge semi-automatics were adored by many hunters who liked the lighter gun that produced near 12 gauge performance. Even though the 16 gauge has fallen out of favor with many, these guns are still sought by many collectors and hunters.