POTD: The Browning “Flapper”- Birth of Automatic Firearms
Sam.S 10.25.24
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have the revolutionary 1873 Browning Flapper rifle. In 1890, a simple observation of moving grass by John M. Browning led to a revolutionary development in firearms history. While shooting with his brother Matthew, Browning noticed nearby vegetation moving from his rifle’s muzzle blast, inspiring him to harness this energy for automatic firearm operation. The brothers returned to their Ogden gunmaking shop and created the “Flapper,” a gas-powered prototype based on a Model 1873 action. This invention would become the foundation for modern automatic weapons, including those used by Allied forces in World War II and beyond. The original Flapper prototype now resides in the Browning Firearms Museum at Ogden’s Union Station. Browning went on to become the foremost pioneer of automatic firearms, designing weapons used by U.S. forces from the Spanish-American War through Vietnam. Several of his designs, including the M1911 .45 ACP pistol and M2 .50 caliber machine gun, remain in service today. Note that the photo used in this article is someone’s recreation. it is not the original. The original can be found here.
“Manufactured 1880. Fitted with a custom made recreation of John Browning’s “flapper” device, his first step into semi-automatic arms. The included Winchester Gun Museum letter lists the rifle with a round barrel and plain trigger when shipped on 2 September 1880.”
Winchester 1873 Rifle with Recreation Browning Flapper Device. (n.d.). proxibid. photograph. Retrieved October 25, 2024, from https://www.proxibid.com/lotinformation/55192014/winchester-1873-rifle-with-recreation-browning-flapper-device.
