A great testimony to a fantastic design.

[Ben]

The army has found an old .50 M2 machine gun that is still functioning flawlessly ( after 90 yrs. of service ) but the receiver has never been overhauled. Speaks a lot for John Browning's design !

 

[Wiresguy]

I'm not surprised.

They sure were fun to shoot, especially with the free ammo

 

[RicinYakima]

And good 1st and 2nd echelon maintenance. Gunners are taught from the get go, that if they have to fire, something really really bad is happening. Ma Deuce is the queen of the battlefield.

 

[Pistolero]

I was discussing his training with a new young Marine friend, and he spoke of the M2 in glowing terms.
He really enjoyed the range time with it, used a full belt in familiarization. I had taught him enough of the
history of JMB before he went that he appreciated what it is. Says it is a really effective weapon.

He qualified with 240 of 250 on the USMC range in his boot camp last year. This year his brother went,
the practice day he shot 238, but on the real day it was extremely gusty winds, so he was nocked down to
229, which disappointed him, but is still Expert.

Young men, old guns. Nice combination.

Bill

 

[KHornet]

There is a great joy in shooting a MaDuce.

Paul

 

[Pistolero]

Sad to say I have never had the opportunity.

Bill

 

[gman]

My son talked some about the effects of the M2 in Iraq. Devastating would be an accurate description. John Moses Browning was an absolute genius! Isn’t it amazing how his designs are still very much viable today.

 

[Ben]

Many more firearms have Browning heritage than a lot of shooters realize.

His major firearms designs included:

Single-Shot Rifle:

• Winchester 1885

Bolt-Action Rifle:

• Winchester 1900

Lever-Action Rifles:

• Winchester 1886
• Winchester 1892
• Winchester 1894
• Winchester 1895

Slide-Action Rifles:

• Winchester 1890

Recoil-Operated Semi-Automatic Rifles:

• Remington Model 8 and 81

Blowback-Operated Semi-Automatic Rifles:

• Browning 22 Semi-auto

Double-Barrel Shotgun:

• Browning Superposed

Lever-Action Shotgun:

• Winchester 1887

Slide-Action Shotguns:

• Winchester 1897
• Remington Model 17 (later the Ithaca 37)
• Stevens 520

Recoil-Operated Semi-Automatic Shotguns:

• Browning Auto 5 / Remington Model 11

Blowback-Operated Semi-Automatic Pistols:

• FN M1900
• Colt 1903/1908 Pocket Hammerless
• FN 1906 Vest Pocket/Colt 1908 Vest Pocket
• FN 1910
• Colt Woodsman .22

Recoil-Operated Semi-Automatic Pistols:

• Colt 1902
• Colt 1903 Pocket Hammer
• U.S. M1911
• FN G.P. 35 Hi Power

Gas-Operated Machine Guns:

• Colt M1895
• U.S. M1918 BAR

Recoil-Operated Machine Guns:

• U.S. M1917/M1919
• U.S. M2 Heavy Machine Gun

Automatic Machine Cannon:

• Colt Browning 37mm

 

[Bret4207]

I fam fired the 50, I believe it was at 1000 yards. Gives a whole new meaning to walking your rounds onto a target. Fun!

 

[Eutectic]

John Moses Browning was an absolute genius! Isn’t it amazing how his designs are still very much viable today.

So very true!!!!!! Some like Remington's Pederson (slide actions) and Winchester's Johnson (Model 12) thought they were equal..... But they couldn't even see Browning's vapor trail!

I think 'strong' and 'long life' are in all his designs! The lever action shotguns (Model 1887 and Model 1901) are his only 'Achilles Heel' in my opinion.

I have a Model 90 .22 Short. It was a 'gallery gun' when new at the turn of the century (that's the 1900 one for you young guys!) So who knows how many rounds?? It was my first gun on my 5th birthday in 1948. Every weekend we shot a carton of .22 Shorts, Dad, Mom, and me. That's 25,000 rounds a year in round numbers....... That went on 4 years at least. As a young teen my buddy's and myself went everywhere like Ben. I had learned what hollow points were and killed all sorts of 'big game'!! Even as big as crows and jack rabbits! I still use it for garden pests and it's still going some 120 years later! Never a repair in the 70 years I've had it!
How many rounds through it? Has to be millions! Look at the knurling on the magazine knob in the picture attached. How many times was this old gun loaded to wear that knurling like that !!! ??

Model 97's I know well. I have one made in 1910. A real cool history as it was bought new here in 1912 by the Lemhi County Sheriff! I use it a bunch in vintage Sporting Clays. You can shot a lot of shells on clay birds.... If a Model 97 breaks something it usually is the left extractor. I repaired the spring on one extractor with a modification. Wanting to know the longevity of my design I counted rounds through that 1910 gun. I quit at 25,000 rounds.... and it's still going! Browning designs are 'tough' and they prove it to you given half a chance!

Pete

 

[creosote]

I got turned two times for every 15 rounds that's a lot of rounds

 

[freebullet]

Id love to shoot, but not pay to feed one.