Doe Dumper

Browning and the Mauser guy

North Texan

God created man. Sam Colt made them equal.

[8D]

redhead522

I think Eugene Stoner deserves an honorable mention somewhere, for creating the battle rifle for numerous countries.

Briman

Browning is head and shoulders above the rest by a long shot followed distantly by Paul Mauser.

Here's a site that lists his accomplishments: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Browning

Mauser perfected the bolt action rifle as we know it today. He also was one of the earliest experimenters with semiauto rifles and invented and produced the first successful semiauto handgun.


Samuel colt had a few revolver inventions and was more famous for being able to produce them in mass quantities. I have to give credit where credit is due though, someof his designs are at least copied orin limited production today.

The Elephalet Remington only produced his own version of a blackpowder rifle, his real contribution was starting the Remington corporation which more or less has mass produced other people's inventions.

eldeguello

How could you NOT include these guys??? I'd add Christian Sharps, J. Tyler Henry, Oliver Winchester, Paul Mauser, and John C. Garand to that list! Maybe Stoner, and of course, Kalashnikov!

Charley

Mannlicher had as many patents as John Browning, and had the samw wide ranging interests as Browning. Both were head and shoulders above most other designers.

B Tyler Henry, Stoner, William Ruger, as mentioned above. Also William Greener, his son, WW Greener, Joseph Whitworth, Nagant, John Pederson, Mike Wlaker,. Man, the list jut goes on and on.

Charley

Oliver Winchester added nothing but his name to New Haven Repeating Arms. He wasn't a designer, just a money man/marketer. Some business folks might conclude that is more important than design, though.

eldeguello

True! But if he had not come up with the cash to bankroll the Henry invention, and the marketing expertise to popularize the design, it might not have achieved it's stature as "The Gun that Won the West"!

Much the same might be said of Roy Weatherby. He was not the only guy in his era to design blown-out magnums on the .300 H&H case. All he did was cook up the venturi shoulder, which was merely a cosmetic feature allowinghim to claim great things for his rounds, that fit into his high-pressure sales approach! IMO, ol' Roy was more of a salesman than a gun designer too, just like Winchester!

Solitary Man

Paul Mauser should be on the list. Roy Weatherby should not be.

Rebel Hog

Well, Ithought the poster was just asking about the one'she posted, but since everyone has added, yes #1 Browning and #2 Mauser