Browning 1882?

[Gary7]

Anybody know anything about this 1882 lever gun on display at the Browning museum? JMB was awarded a patent in 1882 for a lever action, so I'm guessing this is a prototype of that gun that he made himself.

[jnyork]

What does the placard under the gun say?

[Gary7]

What does the placard under the gun say?

I can't read it. These are snap shots from a YouTube video.

[Terry Murbach]

IT SAYS:
Only fifteen [15] WHEATIES boxtops and this ugly monstrosity is YOURS !!!

[Gary7]

IT SAYS:
Only fifteen [15] WHEATIES boxtops and this ugly monstrosity is YOURS !!!

I actually think it's a quite elegant looking rifle. It's clear Browning was building on his single shot design for this lever action. It's also clear for a prototype built by the Browning bothers, it shows a high degree of fit and finish--not a cobbled together prototype at all.

[Pete44ru]

US Patent # 282839, filed on September 13, 1882, & granted on August 7, 1883:
MAGAZINE-GUN, lever action, exposed hammer, tubular magazine rifle. (sic)

.

[.45colt]

Well Thank God that Terry showed up today.I sent in My boxtops from Shredded Wheat and wondered why I never got that old Gun. .

[GoatGuy]

Gary7 - For this rifle, John M. Browning filed patent on September 13, 1882; patent granted August 7, 1883; .45 caliber; tubular magazine; 26 3/4" barrel; 8 3/4 lbs.; Never manufactured. Photo likely Browning's original model. Apparently the first lever action repeating rifle he invented.

Browning invented another repeating rifle during the same perion in 1882-83, patented granted October 14, 1884 and purchased by Winchester in October 1884. This lever action repeating rifle we know as the Winchester Model 1886. Hope this helps.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I do know Winchester bought something like 16 or 17 other patents from him that they never produced. They bought them so no one else would produce them. This may well have been one of those. I've seen other Browning Proto's and they were well done. It's possible John Browning did this one himself. The sad thing is many of his protos were made from other protos that he distroyed to make the newer one.