The company was founded in Ogden, Utah, in 1878 by brothers John Moses Browning (1855-1926) and Matthew Sandefur Browning (1859-1923). Initially the company was founded to market the sporting (non-military) designs of John Browning, one of the world's most important and prolific firearms inventors. Nearly all of John Browning's innovative designs have been manufactured under license by other companies, including Winchester, Colt, Remington, FN Herstal, and Miroku.