John M. Browning - American Gunmaker

I've just read (and re-read!) "John M. Browning - American Gunmaker" by John Browning and Curt Gentry with postscript by COL W. R. Betz. This is the second edition and has more information in the postscript than the first edition. The book was originally written in 1964 and the post-script 30 years later (1994).

It certainly was informative. I learned a lot about how the great firearms inventor developed as a gun maker/inventor/designer without a lot of chaff. Still, the book was anything but boring and while I would have liked to have seen more illustrations, perhaps of the family members with their personal examples of his inventions, the number of illustrations is entirely adequate and meets the needs of the narrative.

I won't bore you with a recounting of the contents but I will say that of the many things I learned about the man and his family the most striking was that the Brownings are multi-generational inventors and mechanics. That is quite remarkable. They must be quite a family as so many have had that genetic tendency nurtured by each succeeding generation in their respective children. Further, these men have consistently earned the personal respect of their associates.

I would think that any person interested in firearms would be interested in reading about a man who most certainly has invented at least one of the firearms one will use in their lifetime.