On February 14, 1911, John Moses Browning was issued the patent for his M1911 semi-automatic pistol. That handgun became the standard issue sidearm for the United States Armed Forces for almost 75 years and, to this day, continues his legacy under a host of other manufacturers.
As amazing as that pistol is, it pales in comparison to his work ethic, his commitment to excellence, and his refusal to embrace the notion that something was “impossible.”
At age 13, young John Browning created his first firearm. His desire was likely sparked by his father, who owned a gunsmith shop where the boy worked and honed his design and manufacturing skills.
He received his first patent for a single-shot rifle when he was 24 years old. He invented the first gas-operated firearm and the first lever-action repeating rifle.
His pioneering achievement was the semi-automatic pistol, manufactured as the Colt M1911. He also developed the first semi-automatic hunting rifle, the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), and the M2 Browning .50 calibre machine gun.
When he died, John Moses Browning held 128 firearm patents – an incredible feat by any standard – and his firearm designs were manufactured by companies around the world, including Cold, Winchester, Remington and FN Herstal, to name a few.
His accomplishments were only possible because of a trait he possessed, the same trait that all great inventors possess, his relentless desire to solve a problem.
Like Thomas Edison, who “failed” 10,000 times to create the incandescent light bulb before landing on the idea that changed the world, John Moses Browning believed failure was not an option.
Also like Edison, Browning was a fiercely independent man who followed his curiosity wherever it led, and his drive to succeed allowed him to surpass every obstacle in his path.
While he set an amazing example for the firearms industry as a whole, his greater legacy is one not often discussed.
His commitment to excellence.
John Moses Browning was tenacious when faced with a problem. He relentlessly executed his plan to the best of his ability and, when one road hit a brick wall, he pivoted to the next idea until he discovered the road to his inevitable success.
Like Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, John Moses Browning pushed beyond the boundary of what ordinary people considered “possible” and ventured into the rarified air of genius, where he created the impossible.
His commitment and perseverance are examples we all would do well to embrace today in our fight to retain our ability to own, possess and use firearms responsibly and legally.
When we, Canada’s 2.3 million firearms owners, band together and commit 100% of our focus to solving our greatest problem – the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau and his policies of division and hate – and do whatever it takes to remove him and his collaborators from office, we will know peace for the first time in a decade.
In that glorious environment, we will be free to do as we’ve always done: safely and responsibly own and use our firearms, and to train our children and grandchildren to respect firearms, other people and nature the same way we do today.
It’s a grand vision of the future that is possible for us but, like all grand visions, it takes immense effort and commitment to turn that vision into our everyday reality.
The next federal election is coming.
Today is the day to begin preparation.
Contact your local EDA (electoral district association) and get involved. Do the work required to ensure the freedoms we hold dear today will still exist tomorrow.
Today is the day to sow the seeds of freedom and personal responsibility Canadians have lost sight of under a decade of Liberal rule, and do the hard work required so we may reap a bountiful harvest in the days, weeks, months and years that follow that next election.
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