Winchester's Prototype Model 1911 Was Actually a Browning Auto-5
This video delves into Winchester's fascinating attempt to replicate John Browning's revolutionary Auto-5 shotgun. Following Winchester's rejection of Browning's royalty proposal, he partnered with FN, leading to the iconic Auto-5. Winchester, left without a self-loading shotgun, acquired an early FN model to reverse-engineer a design. They implemented a workaround for Browning's patent by requiring manual cycling of the barrel, a significantly inferior method that earned their prototype the notorious nickname 'Widowmaker'. The video showcases this prototype, highlighting the differences and the historical context of this pivotal moment in firearm development.













