Double Automatic John Val Val A. Your Memo Browning Browning August 14 August 17, 1954 The trials in St. Louis were at first conducted in the shop where the guns were fired into the ordinary testing port which has a comparatively small diameter and in which the barrels could rub or hit the sides of the port. Naturally, this was not a conclusive test, but it is the same port in which our old automatics are tested and which guns work well when fired in this port. Field testing gave far better results as my cable to you indicated but still not good enough. I notice there were several failures to feed and we have had several of the same failures recently in trying the newly arrived guns in Ogden; also, several failures to stay open after the last shot. All guns were fired at first in their arrival condition, but later they were oiled with light oil and some cases Lubri Moly which did not improve ejection perceptibly, but we are not too far off I am sure, and most of the credit is due to you in the progress made so far. Some of the loads fired were 2-3/4 - 1-1/8, but they did not seem to give any more failures than the 31-1/8 loads, and my experience and a great deal of firing show they work as well as the 3 drams load. None of the testing was done from the hip, but I am aware of and do take into consideration a certain amount of hostility toward this gun on the part of the old line Auto 5 men in our shop. One thing that worries me greatly about the functioning is the variations between the different guns although I can see the reasons. For example, some tubes are polished, some are chrome~plated, and other variations occur which are. confusing and detrimental to my confidence in the gun. It would seem that when we announce the gun, all tubes should be chrome-plated or not which ever is better from functional and economic standpoints and the same with other parts of the gun. This naturally requires very slow starting, but I have anticipated slow starting for a long time and was never very sanguine about being able to announce the gun this year. Referring to the fourth paragraph on page two of your memo, the above holds true. We will just have to go very, very slowly at first. If you have 20 men, it may be that you will have to let half of them go or even more and start very gradually. From all standpoints it is better to make an announcement at the beginning of a year, so we have definitely decided not to announce the gun this year. We are not pushed or pressed for quantities at present, but by gradually getting the guns right and very gradually increasing production, we can start small shipments and have enough guns to announce early next year, but when we GO, we want the guns right because the factory is the place to make any necessary modifications before the guns are packed. it may be necessary to set