About 1877 John and Matt Browning took over full operation of their fathers gunsmith and repair shop, at which they had both worked since childhood. By 1880 the John Moses & Matthew Sandefur (J.M. & M.S.) Browning Company was formed, and a small factory was built to manufacture John’s patented designs.
The earliest surviving rifles are marked only “J.M. Browning”. Signage on their factory originally read “J.M. Browning & Bro.” Additional signage was quickly added to include the name “Browning Bros.” Most rifles produced between 1880 and 1883 are marked with the latter name.
By 1883 “Browning Brothers Company” was the name prominently displayed on advertising, letterheads, and signage. However, it is unclear if it was incorporated as its own company or simply used as a trade name. The J.M. & M.S. Browning Company would continue to be used to manage patent rights, and later to import firearms from FN.
In 1927, after John Browning’s death in Nov 1926, the Browning Arms Company was formed as a subsidiary of the J.M. & M.S. Browning Company, with John’s son Val Browning as President. This began the rise of Browning as a brand, with the company importing firearms under its own name.
In 1977 control passed out of the hands of the Browning family during a hostile takeover by FN. Today the brand is known simply as “Browning”.
Products manufactured by Browning Brothers Company in Ogden, UT (1879-1883):
- 1878 Single Shot Rifle (1880-1883)
- 1881 Loading Tool (1880-1882)
- Loading tool, 2nd model (1882-1883)
- Loading tool, 3rd model (1883)
Founders and Associates:
Prototypes produced by the Browning Brothers Company:
– Most prototypes were produced in Ogden by Ed Browning under the direction of J.M. Browning. Prototypes were also made under J.M. Browning’s direction at Colt’s, and in Belgium at F.N. Rifle and shotgun models are presumed to be of repeating type, utilizing a tube magazine, unless stated. Machine guns are fed from rounds contained on a belt.
| Approx. Date of Manufacture | Description | Current or Last Known Location |
| 1878 | Single shot rifle, falling block, Patent Model | Smithsonian National Firearms Collection |
| 1878 | Single shot rifle, falling block, patented | stolen 1880 from Ogden store/factory |
| 1878 | Single shot rifle, falling block, with separate trigger guard and lever | Frank Browning Collection (1964) |
| 1881 | Bolt action rifle, patented | unknown |
| 1882 | Lever action rifle, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1884 | Lever action rifle, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1884 | Lever action rifle, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1885 | Lever action rifle, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1885 | Lever action rifle, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1885 | Lever action shotgun, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1885 | Pump action shotgun, patented | unknown |
| 1886 | Pump action shotgun, patented | unknown |
| 1886 | Pump action rifle, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1886 | Pump action shotgun, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1886 | Single shot rifle, falling block, patented | unknown |
| 1887 | Lever action rifle, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1887 | Pump action rifle, patented | unknown |
| 1888 | Pump action shotgun, patented | unknown |
| 1888 | Pump action shotgun, patented | unknown |
| 1889 | Pump action shotgun, patented | unknown |
| 1889 | Lever action rifle, internal box magazine, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1889 | Automatic rifle, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1889 | Pump action rifle, .22 rimfire, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1889 | Rolling block rifle, .22 rimfire | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1890 | Pump action shotgun, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1891 | Lever action rifle, detachable box magazine, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1891 | Push action rifle, .22 rimfire, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1891 | Machine gun, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1892 | Push action shotgun, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1892 | Lever action rifle, en bloc magazine, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1892 | Lever action rifle, en bloc magazine, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1892 | Push action rifle, en bloc magazine, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1892 | Lever action rifle, en bloc magazine, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1892 | Lever action rifle, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1892 | Single shot rifle, open bolt, .22 rimfire, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1892 | Single shot rifle, open bolt, .22 rimfire, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1893 | Single shot rifle, falling block, .22 rimfire, patented | unknown |
| 1893 | Lever action rifle, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1894 | Lever action rifle, internal box magazine, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1894 | Pump action shotgun, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1894 | Automatic rifle, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1895 | Lever action rifle, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1895 | Pump action rifle, internal box magazine, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1895 | Pump action shotgun, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1895 | Rifle cartridge clip, patented | unknown |
| 1895 | Semi-auto pistol, toggle lock, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1896 | Pump action shotgun, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1896 | Semi-auto pistol, blowback, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1896 | Semi-auto pistol, rotating barrel, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1896 | Semi-auto pistol, short recoil, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1896 | Semi-auto pistol, short recoil | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1896 | Semi-auto pistol, short recoil | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1897 | Lever action rifle, internal box magazine, patented | Cody Firearms Museum |
| 1897 | Semi-auto pistol, blowback, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1898 | Lever action rifle, internal box magazine, patented | Rock Island Auction (2016) |
| 1899 | Bolt action rifle, .22 rimfire, patented | unknown |
| 1899 | Semi-auto shotgun, toggle lock, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| Semi-auto shotgun, toggle lock | Browning Firearms Museum | |
| 1899 | Machine gun belt loading tool, patented | unknown |
| 1900 | Semi-auto shotgun, long recoil, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1900 | Semi-auto rifle, long recoil, patented | unknown |
| 1900 | Machine gun, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1901 | Semi-auto shotgun, long recoil, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1901 | Semi-auto rifle, long recoil, patented | unknown |
| 1901 | Semi-auto pistol, blowback | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1902 | Semi-auto pistol, blowback, patented | Colt Museum Collection (1956) |
| 1902 | Semi-auto pistol, blowback, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1903 | Pump action shotgun, patented | unknown |
| 1904 | Semi-auto rifle, long recoil, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1905 | Semi-auto pistol, blowback | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1908 | Semi-auto pistol, blowback | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1909 | Semi-auto pistol, short recoil | Colt Museum Collection (1956) |
| 1910 | Semi-auto pistol, short recoil, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1910 | Semi-auto pistol, short recoil | Colt Museum Collection (1956) |
| 1910 | Semi-auto rifle, .22 rimfire, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1910 | Semi-auto pistol, short recoil, patented | unknown |
| 1913 | Pump action shotgun, patented | unknown |
| 1914 | Semi-auto pistol, blowback, .22 rimfire, patented | Colt Museum Collection (1956) |
| 1916 | Machine gun, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1919 | Pump action rifle, .22 rimfire, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1921 | Semi-auto pistol, blowack | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1921 | Semi-auto pistol, short recoil, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1923 | Double-barrel shotgun, superposed, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |
| 1923 | Automatic cannon, patented | Browning Firearms Museum |