Browning

[Mobasser]

The only Browning tackle I've ever owned was a Browning glass Silaflex rod many years ago.                                                           I never see Browning tackle mentioned here on BR.              Are there still rods and reels being made with the Browning name? If youve ever owned any Browning tackle, did you have good luck with it?

[Deleted account]

I still have a couple of their rods and reels, they're good. The reels were rebranded Silstar/Pinnacles which were very similar to the Pfluegers of the time, which were also Korean made. That Silaflex rod is good if you like pasta....

[Tennessee Boy]

I've always loved the graphite handled Tennessee spinning rods that Lew's came out with in the 1980s.  When Browning bought Lew's I bought a few with the Browning name.  Same rod from the same factory in Korea with a different name.  I still use them.

[T-Billy]

I still have a couple Browning Citori reels hanging around. The thumbars started hanging up on them and BPS doesn't have parts anymore for them. I might contact DVT about them one of these days. Still smooth reels other than the thumbar issue.

[EWREX]

my wife has a cheaper browning spinning combo that we purchased from bass pro shops a few years back. she's caught some dang hammers on it without any issue

[Log Catcher]

I have an old Browning Gold Medallion rod I bought some time in the 1980s. It is supposed to be a M/H but it feels more like a heavy action rod. It hasn't been used a lot. I never got the casting distance out of it I could get with other rods. 

 

At one time I think BPS owned the Browning name and had several of their reels. They don't have them listed anymore. Doing a google search I couldn't find out much about them. They may not be in business anymore.

[GReb]

I bought one of the fiberglass rods about 15 years ago. It sucked. I’m pretty sure a pine branch has more sensitivity. 

[WRB]

Browning became a brand that was sold, now Browning-Fishing in the EU market.

At one time Browning Siloflex rods were a sought after top quality trout rod.

Tom

[scaleface]

I have a Browning travel rod and reel that I keep under the back set of my truck . 

[bulldog1935]

The rod is a Browning Hi-Power 7-1/2' inshore MH with a blade that telescopes into the handle.   It was the first graphite rod I ever purchased. 

Cut a swath up and down the coast in the 80s and 90s. 

 

@WRB Tom, jgestar on  FFR and owner of FFR, is a Silaflex collector and historian. 

Here's the wiki on Silaflex fly rods

https://wiki.fiberglassflyrodders.com/wiki/Silaflex

[WRB]

I din’t Recall seeing a Browning labeled early BB1....nice collector item.

Tom

[bulldog1935]

@WRB

That was my very first Lew's, bought when Larry's Tackle Town in Rockport was still Larry's - I bought the rod first there, and fished my Millionaire 6H on it until surf sand killed the worm gear (nickeled brass).  Daiwa wouldn't support the part, and I bought the Lew's, though I had already given my dad a BB1-LM that wasn't marked Browning for an earlier Christmas gift.  

The BB-1NG fished the salt into the 90s, and some time in there, I added the BB-25SW, after giving my dad one of these, too.  Was buying all Falcon rods by then.  

Fished the SW to 2019, next to my first Super Duty, and finally retired it. 

In fact, this was its final redfish.  BTW, I replaced the BB25-SW with my first Daiwa since 1978. 

[Spankey]

Mo I have that same rod and Browning reel in ultra-lite. Maybe from the late 70’s or very early 80’s. Real soft rod. The Browning fishing stuff was always hard to find in my part of the world. The fishing stuff that is. 
 

But my Browning Clay Target Guns, whole different side to Browning. My Citori O/U’s and BT-99’s have held up year after year. Countless amount of rounds through them. 

[WRB]

21 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

@WRB

That was my very first Lew's, bought when Larry's Tackle Town in Rockport was still Larry's - I bought the rod first there, and fished my Millionaire 6H on it until surf sand killed the worm gear (nickeled brass).  Daiwa wouldn't support the part, and I bought the Lew's, though I had already given my dad a BB1-LM that wasn't marked Browning for an earlier Christmas gift.  

The BB-1NG fished the salt into the 90s, and some time in there, I added the BB-25SW, after giving my dad one of these, too.  Was buying all Falcon rods by then.  

Fished the SW to 2019, next to my first Super Duty, and finally retired it. 

In fact, this was its final redfish.  BTW, I replaced the BB25-SW with my first Daiwa since 1978. 

Looks very similar to Shimano Batam 100 reel, very clean.

Tom

[bulldog1935]

There's a reason for that - Shimano built those Lew's, then stole their design. 

[Columbia Craw]

Shimano built the original BB1.  Ryobi built the BB1N and their own variants with the V Spool.  Lews brand was sold to Browning and additional variants were produced.  The pre Browning reels were of a better quality.  I have six or so. In their day they were the shizzle.

[bulldog1935]

actually, they were a clean sheet of paper. 

Lew's design separated the LW from the freespool, which improved everything about casting a baitcaster.