It was 150 years ago that the name “Winchester” was first stamped on a rifle. But Winchester’s narrative began well before that, and it is a tale tied to the American West, to the wars of the 20th century, to big personalities such as John Browning and John Olin, and to the manufacture of billions of cartridges and millions of rifles and shotguns beloved by generations of Americans.
There is a definite following for the Browning Automatic Rifle, and for a good reason: In the world of autoloading rifles, it stands a head above the rest.
Few companies have had as profound an impact on the American hunting and shooting industry as Browning—in no small part thanks to genius of its famous founder. Here are 10 things you might not have known about the company's history.