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Often referred to as the Browning “flapper” rifle, the design of US patent No. 471782 was the first evolutionary step of gas-operated small arms. Anecdotes about the origin of the rifle’s concept and fabrication are widely published, with variations and contradictions typical of early Browning designs.
The patent is for a rifle conversion utilizing a piston assembly at the muzzle with an operating rod connecting it to the lever. The piston is formed as a an arm extending from the muzzle to a pivot point, with the operating rod being connected between the two ends. The barrel end of the piston is shaped as a cup covering the muzzle with a hole in line with the bore to allow the passage of the bullet. The piston is forced forward by the expanding gasses of a fired cartridge and rearward by a spring.
The rifle modified by Browning for the prototype was a Winchester 1873, presumably chambered for 44-40 WCF. The lever is shortened and reshaped. The trigger is lengthened such that it is in contact with the rear of the lever when the action is closed. Despite the modifications for and description of fully automatic fire, no claim is made in the patent relating to those features.
The functional life of this rifle is a mystery. There are no known records of the rifle being demonstrated either in Ogden or abroad. No photos of the rifle in any configuration have surfaced. The patent was never purchased or involved in litigation. There is no evidence to suggest the design saw development by anyone other than John Browning.
John Browning himself may be the explination for the rifle’s obsecurity. Anecdotal evidence suggests that several rifles were made to explore design changes between the flapper rifle and the machine gun demonstrated for Colt in 1891. It is probable that the flapper was disassembled and parts used in other design iterations.
What is know is that the prototype turned up in the hands of the Rock Island Arsenal Museum. The rifle, as found, was missing many of its parts, including the stock, operating rod assembly, and fire control group. Gunsmith David Clark of Richmond, UT was commissioned to restore the rifle. Due to the lack of any photos or descriptions, the rifle was configured similar to the patent drawings. However, the restored prototype does vary in some aspects from the drawings. It went on display at the Browning Firearms Museum in January 2016.
Inventor: John Browning, Matthew Browning
Patent Attorney: Earle & Seymour
Assigned: patent retained by inventor