Exploded View: Mossberg Brownie Pistol

by
posted on February 15, 2019
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
brownie_mossberg_lead.jpg

This Exploded View first appeared in the September 1995 issue of American Rifleman.

Most of us think of O.F. Mossberg & Sons as a major producer of rifles from 1922 to 1986 and a mammoth shotgun maker today. But founder Oscar Mossberg's first product was neither rifle nor shotgun but a repeating pocket pistol. 

In 1919, Mossberg, his sons Iver and Harold, and a single employee set up in a loft in New Haven, Connecticut, and made the first of some 37,000 Brownie pistols that continued in production until 1932. The principles behind the $5-range pistol involved a break-open action; four 2V' barrel tubes that were chambered for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge and rifled in a single cluster; a firing pin that retracted, rotated 900 and then fell after each long trigger pull to fire each chambered cartridge in succession. 

Above all, the Brownie offered simplicity and economy in a highly portable package. It was, in a sense, the Sharps derringer brought up to date.  

 

Additional Reading:
2019 First Look: Mossberg MC1sc Pistol  

 

Latest

Stoeger STR-9 Thinline
Stoeger STR-9 Thinline

Review: Stoeger STR-9 Thinline

The new Stoeger carry gun loses nothing—except some weight and girth. This is the Stoeger STR-9 Thinline.

5 Great Products for Your Next Hunt

These five products will help boost your chances at success in the field.

Small Calibers for Self-Defense: Addressing Common Myths & Criticisms

For decades, small cartridges like the .22 Long Rifle were derided as incapable rounds for defensive use and were even considered dangerous for the user by some. Today, those critiques deserve a second look.

New for 2026: HUXWRX Flow 9k PCC & Flow 9 M Suppressors

Continuing the legacy it first established as Operator Suppressor Systems, HUXWRX is still introducing new and mission-specific flow-through suppressors, with its latest products being the FLOW 9 M and FLOW 9k PCC.

Armed Citizen Stops Oregon Attack; NRA Reaffirms Importance of Law-Abiding Armed Citizenry

The National Rifle Association of America today issued a statement regarding yesterday’s act of violence in Oregon.

Gun of the Week: Tokarev TT-12 Pro

While there are several AR-style, semi-automatic shotguns on the market, the Tokarev TT-12 Pro has a few features you won’t find elsewhere. And it’s affordable, to boot.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.