Historical Photo: First Browning Automatic Rifle

[denton]

This is the engineering prototype of the Browning Automatic Rifle. You may notice that this one has a top eject system. That was quickly changed to side eject.

By all accounts I've heard, this was a highly feared weapon on the battlefield, delivering a magazine of 20 rounds in 2 1/2 seconds. I don't know, but have been told, that the man carrying the BAR was a priority target for the enemy.

Sorry about all the reflections. I didn't have a polarizing filter with me that day.

 

[Rudolph31]

Somebody has been visiting Ogden!

 

[denton]

Somebody has been visiting Ogden!

Indeed!

I live just down the road in Layton, so it's not far to go.

 

[tark]

Back in the 60s and 70s the Rock Island Arsenal Museum was known as the "John Browning Memorial Museum" and many of Browning's early designs and Prototypes were there, on display. They were on loan from the Browning Estate, and they were returned to to their rightful owners when the Browning Museum in Ogdon opened. They are now where they belong.

 

[denton]

Back in the 60s and 70s the Rock Island Arsenal Museum was known as the "John Browning Memorial Museum" and many of Browning's early designs and Prototypes were there, on display. They were on loan from the Browning Estate, and they were returned to to their rightful owners when the Browning Museum in Ogdon opened. They are now where they belong.

I didn't know that bit of history. Interesting.

 

[Rudolph31]

Indeed!

I live just down the road in Layton, so it's not far to go.

Lucky you! A few years ago I had a long layover in Salt Lake City. I considered renting a car but discovered the Front Runner train could take me to Ogden and back with less hassle.

 

[FL-NC]

I was lucky to have the opportunity to fire the BAR in training. I also have a early model 11 shotgun. Patton had a model 11 too- which is on display at the museum at Ft Knox.

 

[denton]

Lucky you! A few years ago I had a long layover in Salt Lake City. I considered renting a car but discovered the Front Runner train could take me to Ogden and back with less hassle.

View attachment 1071973

FrontRunner is a great solution, very comfortable. If you are anywhere along the route, it can take you to Ogden and drop you right next door to the old Union Station, where the Browning Museum is housed.

Just across the street is the Gift House on 25th St. Haven't been in it for years, but it was THE place to shop for used firearms at one time. Maybe still is.

Couple of nice restaurants along 25th St. as well.

That used to be where the hookers hung out years ago. Not sure I'd recognize one if I saw one, so I can't tell whether that has changed.

 

[Rudolph31]

Hookers in Utah? Surely you jest!

 

[CapnMac]

If you get over to Cody, the Firearms museum there has a WAR, a Winchester Automatic Rifle prototype..

From contemporary WWII accounts, the BAR was a heavy beast to haul around on exercises. So, no one wanted to carry one at Boot Camp (or beyond). So, the bigger guys "ensured" it was the littlest guy who "volunteered" to be a BAR-man.
If you look at historical photos, one thing you may notice is that he BAR-man often does not have the specific BAR belt on. That's because if the BAR-man falls, somebody else in the Squad picks up the BAR, and slings on BAR bandoliers over the cartridge belt they were already wearing..