Visit John M. Browning Firearms Museum

Ogden's Union Station Museums

Visited 03-17-15

Gun window at entrance to John Browning Museum

Photos of John Browning famiy at Browning museum

Sign at Browning museum - M1911 45 caliber automatic pistol

Hammerless pump shotgun, Browning Museum

Photo - Browning demonstrates 37mm cannon

Original model of the Browning 37mm aircraft cannon

Photo of assembly line for Browning 37mm anti-tank shells

Photo of landing craft with 50cal machine guns

Browning M2 50 caliber air cooled machine gun

Drawing of Spitfire with Browning machine gun, Browning museum

Miniature model of Browning of 50 caliber air cooled machine gun on tripod

Water-cooled 30 caliber machine gun, Browning Museum

Browning automatic rifle (BAR), training model

(1)BAR automatic rifle (2)Top ejection model

1.Browning automatic rifle (BAR) 2.Modern semi-automatic reproduction

Browning automatic rifle (BAR with tripod)

1908 - 1925, Browning building in Ogden Utah

Photos were taken with permission, at the John M. Browning Firearms Museum in Ogden's Union station, by WW2HQ staff. I have put up photos of only those related to World War Two for the purpose of this web site.

The John Browning museum in Utah, is housed in Ogden's Union Station along with several other museums. Four generations of Brownings are represented at this museum, including John Browning, his father Jonathan, son Val, and grandson Bruce. Original models of the most familiar weapons invented by John Browning are on display. The museum also contains a collection of miniature guns which show the history of firearms. The museum has a bust of John Browning's son Val, with a plaque that reads Ogden City is grateful to Mr. Val A. Browning for the John Moses Browning Firearms Museum – October 1978.

John Moses Browning learned about gun making and design from his father, Jonathan Browning, who was a gunsmith. Brothers John and Matthew S. Browning, along with half-brothers, J. Edmund, T. Samuel, William W., and George E. opened the Browning Brothers arms factory in Ogden Utah in 1879.

The museum helps the visitor to fully realized the volume of work produced by John Browning during his life time. Also impressive is the length of time Browning's guns have been in production and service, which is a testament to his immense talent as a gun designer and innovator.

The Browning slide (pump) repeating shotgun was produced from 1904 to 1955. The famous BAR was used in WWI, WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. The Browning Auto-5 shotgun was in service from 1905–1975. The Browning M1917 .30 caliber machine gun was used in War I, World War II, the Korean War, and in Vietnam. The M1919 .30 caliber machine gun was used in World War 2, the Korean War and Viet Nam.

The Browning .50 caliber machine gun was by far the most popular weapon for use in American aircraft in World War Two, both fighters and bombers, and in both the army, the navy and the marines. Although it is largely obsolete for aircraft use today, its use on land and sea continues to the present day and has been used by many different countries. The Browning 37 mm automatic cannon is the only cannon with the distinction of having had an entire pursuit plane (the Bell P-39 Airacobra) designed specifically for the use of this gun. The Model 1911 45 caliber automatic pistol, invented in 1905, was adopted for U.S. military use in 1911. According to museum information, it is the most popular pistol ever produced, and world-wide production by various manufacturers continues.

During his lifetime, John Browning designed and developed an impressive number of firearms for both civilian and military use. He invented the basic mechanisms of many modern firearms and is referred to as America’s Gunmaker. The Browning family tradition continues through the 4th generation, with his grandson Bruce W. Browning.

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