I'm sure John Moses Browning would disagree with that were he here to make a statement. I can think of two people who'd get Mr. Browning's back:
Mr. Garand, and Tovarich Kalashnikov.
You might also mention the late, great Eugene Stoner, Lazmataz.
Jack.
Stoner's design had original flaws that make me consider him more of a level-B designer who still managed to rank -- barely -- in the level-A ranks. Browning, Garand, and Kalashnikov were superior firearms engineers.