This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Utah Legislature should think twice before adopting the Browning M1911 semi-automatic handgun as the state's official gun. There's no doubt that John M. Browning deserves recognition for his work developing firearms, and the M1911 is an excellent example of his design skill. However, adopting the M1911 leaves the door open for another state to adopt another, bigger example of Browning's work as its own state gun.
We can close off that opportunity to top Utah by selecting Browning's M2HB heavy machine gun first. Consider that it has nearly as long a military history as the .45 caliber sidearm. The "faithful fifty" can trace its history back before 1920. It has proven to be very flexible — deployed on everything from trucks to aircraft — right up to the present. Browning's M1911 just doesn't measure up to his "Ma Deuce."
Some may say that a machine gun is too crude a choice of an emblem to appear alongside the beehive, sego lily and seagull. Perhaps we could reach a compromise by choosing a more sporting weapon. Luckily, Browning is also known for his excellent shotguns.
Douglas Mayne
Salt Lake City