Latest news with #JohnBrowning
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The American-made M2 'Ma Deuce" machine gun is becoming Ukraine's weapon of choice for arming AI-enabled fighting robots
Ukraine's soldiers have been fighting Russia with M2 Browning machine guns, an iconic American weapon. Now, ground robot makers are adding them to their AI-enabled fighting weapons. One maker told BI that the gun's wide employment and reliability make it a weapon of choice. An iconic, century-old American machine gun is being put to work on the battlefields of Ukraine, including on AI-enabled robots designed to fight Russian forces. John Browning conceived of the .50 caliber M2 Browning machine gun in 1918 toward the end of World War I, though it didn't enter service with the US military until closer to World War II. Known as "Ma Deuce," this powerful gun is among the most famous and enduring weapons. It's received a number of upgrades, and it is still used by US forces and other militaries. In fact, it's one of the most widely used heavy machine guns in the world today. And now it's part of the robotic age. It's being mounted on Ukraine's advanced autonomous robots that use AI to drive to Russian positions and attack. Ukrainian forces are using robots equipped with machine guns, grenade launchers, and explosives to fire on the Russians and blow up beside Russian targets. Many of the Ukrainian defense firms working in this space have chosen the M2 machine gun as an armament for these robots. Ukraine's FRDM group, for instance, is a drone and ground robot manufacture that makes its D-21-12 remotely controlled ground battle vehicle with the .50 caliber gun attached. The robot, designed for firefights and surveillance, weighs 1,289 pounds with its ammunition included and can travel more than six miles an hour. It was approved for use by the military in April. Ihor Kulakevych, a product manager at FRDM group, told Business Insider last month that the M2 was chosen because the heavy machine gun is readily available in many arsenals in the West. This weapon and the ammunition are easily obtained. The same cannot be said for Ukraine's supply of Soviet-made machine guns. The stocks are running low, and they can't exactly get more, aside from capturing them in battle. Kulakevych said his company also sees the M2 as a particularly reliable weapon. Vadym Yunyk, the CEO of FRDM Group, told BI that the company developed its robot "in response to the urgent need to reduce risks to personnel while performing logistical tasks on the front lines." He said that it can be used for tasks including evacuating wounded soldiers and serving as "a platform for mounting weapons." He said that it has "proven its effectiveness on the battlefield." Other robot makers are also using the M2. Ukrainian company DevDroid, for example, has developed a new combat module for its Droid TW 12.7 ground robotic complex that can carry the M2 Browning. The vehicle was originally developed as a logistics platform, but the addition of the machine gun made it into a combat robot, the company said this month. It is on the battlefield in Ukraine, and the company said that it uses AI, describing it as having "high-precision target recognition using artificial intelligence." The M2 is also being used in an AI-powered turret called the Sky Sentinel that Ukraine said has been able to shoot down some of Russia's large and devastating Shahed drones and can stop cruise missiles. The Sky Sentinel system is designed to require almost no human involvement, which is important for Ukraine as it faces big manpower shortages compared to the much larger Russia. The system uses AI to find and track targets and determine firing solutions, which is valuable for the Ukrainians as they face relentless Russian air attacks while grappling with shortages of air defenses. The M2 has seen combat in a range of conflicts, from World War II to Vietnam to Iraq to Afghanistan. In Ukraine, they are being used by real soldiers, not just robots. Ukraine's air defense soldiers are also using the M2s mounted on the back of trucks to shoot down Russian drones. (A BI reporter actually tried out a simulator for this weapon in Kyiv). The war in Ukraine is one that features both high- and low-tech solutions, like more drones than any other conflict in history, new types of electronic warfare, and other emerging technologies alongside simple combat options, like shotguns for shooting down fiber-optic drones and hastily welded cages on tanks. There's trench warfare like something straight out of World War I and ground robots with machine guns. Ground robots are a technology that has been used by Western militaries before, but Ukraine is developing them at a new speed and scale, and it's getting constant feedback about how they work on an intense battlefield so makers can refine them. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
The American-made M2 'Ma Deuce" machine gun is becoming Ukraine's weapon of choice for arming AI-enabled fighting robots
Ukraine's soldiers have been fighting Russia with M2 Browning machine guns, an iconic American weapon. Now, ground robot makers are adding them to their AI-enabled fighting weapons. One maker told BI that the gun's wide employment and reliability make it a weapon of choice. An iconic, century-old American machine gun is being put to work on the battlefields of Ukraine, including on AI-enabled robots designed to fight Russian forces. John Browning conceived of the .50 caliber M2 Browning machine gun in 1918 toward the end of World War I, though it didn't enter service with the US military until closer to World War II. Known as " Ma Deuce," this powerful gun is among the most famous and enduring weapons. It's received a number of upgrades, and it is still used by US forces and other militaries. In fact, it's one of the most widely used heavy machine guns in the world today. And now it's part of the robotic age. It's being mounted on Ukraine's advanced autonomous robots that use AI to drive to Russian positions and attack. Battle bots with M2 Ukrainian forces are using robots equipped with machine guns, grenade launchers, and explosives to fire on the Russians and blow up beside Russian targets. Many of the Ukrainian defense firms working in this space have chosen the M2 machine gun as an armament for these robots. Ukraine's FRDM group, for instance, is a drone and ground robot manufacture that makes its D-21-12 remotely controlled ground battle vehicle with the .50 caliber gun attached. The robot, designed for firefights and surveillance, weighs 1,289 pounds with its ammunition included and can travel more than six miles an hour. It was approved for use by the military in April. Ihor Kulakevych, a product manager at FRDM group, told Business Insider last month that the M2 was chosen because the heavy machine gun is readily available in many arsenals in the West. This weapon and the ammunition are easily obtained. The same cannot be said for Ukraine's supply of Soviet-made machine guns. The stocks are running low, and they can't exactly get more, aside from capturing them in battle. Kulakevych said his company also sees the M2 as a particularly reliable weapon. Vadym Yunyk, the CEO of FRDM Group, told BI that the company developed its robot "in response to the urgent need to reduce risks to personnel while performing logistical tasks on the front lines." He said that it can be used for tasks including evacuating wounded soldiers and serving as "a platform for mounting weapons." He said that it has "proven its effectiveness on the battlefield." Other robot makers are also using the M2. Ukrainian company DevDroid, for example, has developed a new combat module for its Droid TW 12.7 ground robotic complex that can carry the M2 Browning. The vehicle was originally developed as a logistics platform, but the addition of the machine gun made it into a combat robot, the company said this month. It is on the battlefield in Ukraine, and the company said that it uses AI, describing it as having "high-precision target recognition using artificial intelligence." The M2 is also being used in an AI-powered turret called the Sky Sentinel that Ukraine said has been able to shoot down some of Russia's large and devastating Shahed drones and can stop cruise missiles. The Sky Sentinel system is designed to require almost no human involvement, which is important for Ukraine as it faces big manpower shortages compared to the much larger Russia. The system uses AI to find and track targets and determine firing solutions, which is valuable for the Ukrainians as they face relentless Russian air attacks while grappling with shortages of air defenses. High- and low-tech solutions The M2 has seen combat in a range of conflicts, from World War II to Vietnam to Iraq to Afghanistan. In Ukraine, they are being used by real soldiers, not just robots. Ukraine's air defense soldiers are also using the M2s mounted on the back of trucks to shoot down Russian drones. (A BI reporter actually tried out a simulator for this weapon in Kyiv). The war in Ukraine is one that features both high- and low-tech solutions, like more drones than any other conflict in history, new types of electronic warfare, and other emerging technologies alongside simple combat options, like shotguns for shooting down fiber-optic drones and hastily welded cages on tanks. There's trench warfare like something straight out of World War I and ground robots with machine guns. Ground robots are a technology that has been used by Western militaries before, but Ukraine is developing them at a new speed and scale, and it's getting constant feedback about how they work on an intense battlefield so makers can refine them.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Build Wealth Without Worry: John Browning of Guardian Rock Wealth Hosts Virtual Event on Seven-Figure Retirement Strategies
John Browning Leads Virtual Session on Smart Money Moves for a Seven-Figure Retirement Lisle, IL, May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guardian Rock Wealth, a boutique financial advisory firm, is pleased to announce a free virtual event hosted by its founder, John Browning. Titled "Build Wealth Without Worry: Smart Money Moves for a Seven-Figure Retirement," this event is scheduled for June 3, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT. The session aims to provide attendees with a fresh perspective on retirement planning, emphasizing a value-based, purpose-driven Browning Leads Virtual Session on Smart Money Moves for a Seven-Figure RetirementJohn Browning, a seasoned Wall Street veteran and Amazon best-selling author of "Build a Life, not a Portfolio: A Guide to Your Financial Future Based on Your Personal Values," will guide participants through a session that goes beyond traditional financial metrics. The event will focus on aligning financial decisions with personal values, understanding the importance of peace of mind, and avoiding common retirement pitfalls. Participants will explore the "Snowflake Theory" of personalized planning and learn why trusting a financial advisor can be a wise decision. The session is designed for pre-retirees, professionals in transition, or anyone seeking clarity around their long-term financial goals. Registration is free and open to the public at "Too often, people approach retirement planning as a numbers game—when it should be a life strategy," says John Browning. "Money is just a tool. If used wisely, it can support what really matters—peace, joy, and time well spent." With over two decades of experience in wealth management, Browning has assisted countless individuals in creating meaningful financial plans rooted in their core values. This virtual event will be part education, part reflection, and fully focused on empowering attendees to build lasting wealth without stress. The "Build Wealth Without Worry" event is part of Browning's broader mission to make financial planning more human, holistic, and accessible. Following the session, attendees will have the opportunity to download additional free resources, including a retirement self-assessment worksheet and excerpts from Browning's book. A Q&A session will also follow the presentation, allowing for deeper engagement. John Browning, MBA and CSA, is the host of the "Building Your Life With John Browning" podcast and is available for interviews, podcasts, and expert commentary on retirement, financial strategy, and values-based planning. About Guardian Rock Wealth Guardian Rock Wealth is a boutique financial advisory firm founded and led by John Browning, a seasoned Wall Street veteran with over 30 years of experience managing billions in assets for major financial institutions such as Morgan Stanley, Invesco, Guggenheim, and Nuveen . The firm specializes in personalized, values-based wealth management, aiming to help individuals and families align their financial strategies with their personal goals and values. Press inquiries Guardian Rock Wealth John Browning info@ (312) 749-8287 Guardian Rock Wealth3333 Warrenville Rd, Ste 200Lisle, IL 60532, United States Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Browning Auto 5 Shotgun Review: Still One of the Greatest Semiautos of All Time
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More › No other shotgun feels quite like an original Browning Auto 5 when it goes off. The entire barrel moves backward with the bolt, then forward as it picks up the next shell and returns to battery. That unique bouncing recoil sensation, the Auto 5's many fans will tell you, is just one more way you know that you're shooting the greatest semiauto shotgun ever made. You'll still see Auto 5s today in duck blinds, 120 years after the gun's invention, shooting beat for beat with modern guns. Granted, the new semiauto shotguns may have passed it by technologically, but the fact remains: John Browning invented the semiauto, and everyone else tried to play catch-up for the next 60 years and couldn't. Even when they did, The Auto 5 survived another 30 years in production, until it was finally retired in the 1990s. Browning, who held 120-odd patents in his life, considered the Auto 5 to be his greatest invention. It was also his most profitable. The Auto 5 was made for almost 100 years from 1903 to 1998. It served in war and peace, as a hunting gun, a trap gun, a skeet gun, and as a combat shotgun. Over two and a half million were made, and that doesn't count the nearly identical Remington Model 11s and Savage 720s built on license. Add those guns, and the total climbs well over 3,000,000. Action: Long recoil semiautomatic Produced: 1902-1998 Designer: John M Browning Gauges: 12, 16, 20 Notable Variants: Light 12, Sweet 16, 12- and 20-gauge magnums When he began work on his semiauto shotgun, Browning had already harnessed expanding gases to cycle semiautomatic and full-auto actions. For a shotgun, he needed a different approach. Military weapons need only function with a single, standard-issue cartridge, while a sporting shotgun has to work with light target loads, standard hunting loads and heavy waterfowl ammo. That variety of ammunition requires an action that can cycle shells of all velocities, payloads and pressures. Browning searched for a way to regulate the velocity of the bolt and the speed at which the action cycled with anything from target to heavy hunting loads. In 1898, he and his brothers built three prototypes. The design that showed the most promise worked on the long recoil principle. In long recoil operation, the barrel and the bolt move back together. The bolt is held back briefly as the spring on the magazine tube drives the barrel forward, ejecting the spent shell on the forward stroke, then the bolt follows as the lifter brings the next shell up where the bolt can slide it into the chamber, then lock. In such a system, the heavier the load, the faster it drives the bolt and barrel backward. Make a long-recoil gun that can function with light loads, and heavy loads will send the barrel and action backward so hard that it eventually damages the gun. Use springs stout enough to cycle heavy loads without damaging the gun, and light-load recoil won't be enough to work the action. Browning's answer was a set of adjustable friction rings on the mag tube that provided the right amount of braking for light and heavy loads. The Browning brothers tested the gun extensively, more, in fact, than any of John's other designs, to be sure it worked perfectly. When it did, he took the gun to Winchester. Unlike many inventors, John Browning had good business sense. He knew the Auto 5 was revolutionary and believed it would be a huge success. From 1883 to 1900, he had sold 44 gun designs to Winchester outright. This time, he demanded a royalty. Winchester's T.G. Bennet refused. The negotiations grew heated. Browning broke with Winchester and never sold them another gun. He then took the gun to Remington, but the day Browning was set to meet with Remington's president Martellus Hartley, Hartley died of a heart attack while Browning sat outside his office in the waiting room. The new leadership at Remington turned the gun down. Browning had no choice but to go to FN in Belgium, with whom he had worked before. FN made the gun for Browning Arms Company. John eventually did license his gun to Remington, which produced it as the Remington Model 11 from 1905 to 1947. After his death, the design was also licensed to Savage, which called it the Model 720 and made it from 1930 to 1949. During World War II when Belgium was occupied by the Nazis, Auto 5s, nicknamed 'American Brownings' were made in the Remington factory alongside the Model 11s. In 1976, rising Belgian labor costs prompted Browning to shift Auto 5 production from FN to Miroku in Japan. The Auto 5's run ended in 1998 after 2,700,000 A5s were made. By the very end of the Auto 5's lifespan it was obsolete: most other semiautos could shoot all loads without adjustment, many with reduced recoil and improved reliability. Nevertheless, it was the Auto 5 that made them all possible. The Auto 5 appeared in many variants in three gauges — 12, 16, and 20 – for sporting, trap, skeet, deer hunting, military, and law enforcement purposes. In 1937, Browning introduced one of the all-time favorite configurations, the lightened 'Sweet 16' which was made until 1975, except for the WWII years when Germany occupied the FN factory. There would also be a brief run of Japanese Sweet 16s in the late 80s/early 90s. Post-war, Browning offered a 3-inch magnum 12-gauge in 1958, and a 3-inch 20-gauge in 1967. Also, beginning in 1958, Browning came out with Super Lightweight Auto 5s, first with alloy trigger guards and other parts, then eventually with alloy receivers that trimmed the weight of a 20-gauge gun to an even 6 pounds. With 2.7 million made, there are plenty of Auto 5s still kicking around. There's no reason why one of them shouldn't be yours. As you'd expect, it's the 16s and 20s that carry the highest price tags. They'll start above $2,000 and go up from there depending on condition. Belgian guns bring the highest prices, and the most desirable Auto 5s have the 'round knob' grip, what we'd call a Prince of Wales grip today. You can find a 12-gauge shooter for under $1,000, and don't turn up your nose at the Miroku-made Japanese Auto 5s. For one thing, they have barrels made of steel tough enough for steel and tungsten-iron shot. If you buy a Belgian-made A5, you'll be restricted to shooting lead or bismuth. There are some A5 fans who argue that despite the prestige attached to the Belgian guns, the Japanese guns are made just as well — and possibly a little better. Read Next: Also, I am here to tell you, as one whose first gun was an Auto 5, that the words 'Light Twelve' engraved on the receiver are an outright lie. Mine was eight pounds and change, which eventually led me to sell it. All these years later, I am lowkey looking for another Light 12. It was a wonderful gun with which I shot a lot of my first of everything, from doves to deer. Keep it clean, put a bit of lube on the magazine tube, and your Auto 5 will not fail you. I'd like to have one again to shoot at ducks and geese with 2 ¾-inch bismuth. If you're buying a used Auto 5, add 'rings,' 'fore-end' and 'chamber' to your inspection checklist. Be sure both friction rings are in place. Auto 5s will work without rings, but you and the gun will both take a beating without them. Auto 5 fore-ends are made from thin wood and they have a tendency to crack or warp (you'll see a gap between the wood and steel if you look down from the top) especially if the gun has been shot with the rings set improperly. Most Auto 5s have a diagram glued inside the fore-end to show you how to set up the rings for heavy and light loads. Some Auto 5s (mostly 16 gauges) made before World War II, have 2 9/16 inch chambers but can be converted to shoot modern ammunition by a gunsmith. While most gunsmiths can work on Auto 5s, the Browning experts at Art's Gunshop in Hillsboro, Missouri, have seen every problem an Auto 5 can have. They are also the people you want restoring your older Auto 5. Read Next: Yes, Browning makes an A5 today which resembles the humpback profile of the original Auto 5. It is not the same gun as Browning's long recoil model. It's an inertia-operated gun modeled after the Benelli. In some ways, it's a better gun than the original John Browning invention: lighter, and able to shoot all loads without adjustment or fiddling with friction rings. I have no doubt that if Browning were alive to see the A5, he would approve. Read Next: The Best Bird Hunting Shotguns, Tested and Reviewed The new A5 in no way diminishes its namesake. The original Auto 5 is a piece of history you can shoot. It's made the old way, with all-steel, machined components, and not a scrap of alloy (except in the Superlights) or plastic anywhere among its parts. And, while it's a relic of another time, it's also an awfully reliable, functional firearm even today, and a gun well worth seeking out if you aren't lucky enough to already own one.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Browning Superposed Overview: Why the First Affordable Over/Under Is Still Worth Considering Today
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More › The Browning Superposed is America's over/under. Like so many of John Browning's designs, there was nothing like it on the market when it appeared in 1931, when the country was in the throes of the Great Depression. To the delight of American hunters and shooters, Browning created the mass-produced, affordable O/U at a time when the only O/U guns were high-end British Bosses, Purdeys, and Holland and Hollands. The Superposed is more than a piece of shotgunning history. In its Lightning and Superlight configurations, John Browning's O/U still makes a great upland bird gun as it nears its 100th birthday. The heavier 3-inch magnum guns have have to be babied with bismuth, but they can drop ducks as well as any modern gun. If you're a trapshooter looking for a distinctive, old-school gun, the Broadway trap Superposed with ⅝'-wide vent rib is worth seeking out. In any configuration, the Superposed is durable, reliable, well-made and good-looking. Action: Boxlock O/U Produced: 1931-1976 Designers: John and Val Browning Gauges:12-, 20-, 28-gauge and .410 bore Notable Variants: Lightning, Superlight, Broadway trap, Pigeon, Pointer, Diana and Midas grade As the Twenties roared, John Browning saw the possibility for a new shotgun. Americans had money in the post World War I economy. They moved to the suburbs and the cities. They bought things. Their new cars took them outdoors, to the field, to the marsh, and to the range where they shot trap and the new, popular game of Skeet. The times were right for an aspirational shotgun. Browning believed American shooters, who had plenty of side-by-sides to choose from, would see the advantage of a break-action gun with a narrow sighting plane. He also believed that repeating shotguns might someday be restricted to protect game populations, leaving only break-actions in the field. In 1922, he began working on his O/U. The road to the Superposed's birth wasn't smooth. It would survive the death of its inventor, a global depression and a world war. At sixty-seven, Browning, a notorious workaholic, was trying to slow down. Although he handed the Superposed project off to his son Val after he had made some prototypes, he couldn't leave the gun alone. In 1926 he traveled to Belgium – his 61st Atlantic crossing – to help Val work on the Superposed at the FN factory. Browning died of a sudden heart attack in the factory, leaving Val to finish the gun alone. The design Val Browning inherited had a tall frame to make room for a locking bolt that fit into two lugs on the bottom of the barrels. The Superposed would not be as light, low-profile, and trim as a British O/U, but it would be extremely durable. John Browning also designed a fore-end that slid forward rather than pivot off when it was unlatched, so that it remained on the barrel when the gun was taken apart. The elder Browning believed Americans would prefer one trigger, but it was left to Val to create a reliable single trigger mechanism. The first Superposeds had traditional double triggers. Val then invented double-single triggers for subsequent models. Pull one trigger, and it would shoot the first barrel, then the second on the following pull. The other trigger fired the barrels in the opposite order. Eventually Val hit upon an inertia block that toggled under recoil allowing the trigger to trip the hammer for the second barrel — a design that proved highly reliable. Read Next: The good times of the 1920s came to abrupt halt on 'Black Tuesday,' October 29, 1929, when the stock market crashed and the Great Depression began. And, like that, the market for aspirational shotguns dried up. Browning introduced the Superposed in 1931, and they kept the gun alive through the Depression by cutting prices. Originally the Grade I Superposed listed for $107.50. By 1935, you could buy one for $69.75. The aggressive pricing strategy worked. Superposed sales doubled and the gun was a success. It was a desirable gun, too. When Ernest Hemingway won a tony live pigeon shoot in the south of France in 1935, the first prize was a Browning Superposed that he treasured. Browning added the lighter Lightning model in 1937. Engraved Pigeon, Diana, and Midas grades were offered, too. Price-cutting kept the Superposed afloat, but low prices couldn't stop the Germans from conquering Belgium in 1940. The Germans occupied the factory and used it for the production of small arms, especially Browning's 9mm P35 Hi-Power. After liberation, the Germans damaged the factory with V-1 rocket attacks. Superposed production resumed in the rebuilt factory in 1948. The 20-gauge version debuted in 1949. Trap, skeet, magnum and smallbore 28-gauge and .410 models appeared in the 1950s, the decade that marked the true heyday of the Superposed. Post-war Americans were the affluent, aspirational consumers Browning imagined when he conceived of the gun in the 20s. World War II had killed off the American double gun industry. The Superposed had its segment of the market practically to itself. A Superposed, even a plain Grade I, became the aspirational gun regular people saved for at mid-century. And, just because they had the market cornered didn't mean Browning cut corners. The guns from the 1950s were beautifully fit and finished. The early 60s started well for the Superposed. The gun's popularity ran high, leading, in part, to the infamous salt wood disaster. In need of wood for Superposeds, Browning bought into a system invented by Morton Salt that reduced the time it took to dry a walnut blank. Stacks of wood were covered with salt to leach out moisture. And, it worked — for the blanks at the top. It was a different story at the bottom, where the moisture pulled out of the blanks seeped into the wood below them. Guns made from those bottom blanks became 'salt wood' Brownings that rusted where the salted wood met metal. Salt wood affected many Superposed guns made from 1966 to 1972, although 1967-69 were the worst years. Browning replaced customer's damaged guns, at no small cost to the company. Much worse than salt wood, though, was the rising cost of labor in Belgium, which pushed the prices of Superposeds higher even as shooters came to accept Japanese-made competitors like the Winchester 101. Browning kept the Superposed in the line while auditioning a pair of lower-priced replacements. One was the Liege, a simplified Superposed made by FN, but with a conventional fore-end latch, coarser checkering and sparse engraving. The other was a Japanese-made Superposed copy, again, simplified. Someone at Browning HQ doodled the name 'Citori' in a meeting. It sounded vaguely Japanese and became the name of the Miroku-made O/U. The Liege only lasted a couple of years. 'Citori' became a household name among shooters. The Superposed went out of production in 1976, then was revived briefly during a limited production run between 1983 and 1986. It survives today as a high-end custom order. With more than 200,000 Superposeds made, there are plenty to be found on the used market. The 12-gauge Grade I, especially, is not particularly expensive and you'll find them for about $1,500. It will be heavy, and it won't have chrome-lined chambers so you will have to clean the barrels every time you shoot it to prevent chamber rust. Then there's the 'RKLT' version, which stands for 'Round Knob, Long Tang,' and it refers to the Prince of Wales-style grip and long lower tang that is the most the desirable configuration. There were short-tang and full-pistol grip guns made, too, and there's nothing wrong with them as shooters. A 20-gauge Superposed will run you $2,500 or so, depending on the grade. A 12-gauge Superlight sells for about $3,500, a 20-gauge Superlight for upwards of $5k. The 28s and .410s and the higher grade-guns run much steeper. The high grades were originally the Pigeon, Diana and Midas (shown in the photo above). Browning switched to numbered grades I-VI for a while, then Browning went back to the Pigeon, Diana, and Midas designations, plus 'Pointer' grades snuck in there at some point. The Blue Book of Gun Values is a good resource for straightening out models and grades. Ned Schwing's book 'Browning Superposed: John M. Browning's Last Legacy,' is the last word on the Superposed. Unfortunately, it's out of print — used copies start around $250. Read Next: Browning spent most of his career increasing firepower, with lever-actions, pump-actions, semi- and fully-automatic actions. That his last gun would be a two-shot break action seems like a conscious step backward. Yet Browning, a thoughtful and self-aware man, once said to one of his sons: ' . . . this progress we brag about is just a crazy, blind racing past the things we are looking for – and haven't got the sense to recognize. And, in the matter of guns, that makes me crazier than most.' With Browning's last design, the Superposed, he slowed down enough to give shotgunners exactly what they were looking for.
