doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Gun value advice (Browning Continental)

First a little introduction�

When I first started working in the late 70�s, one of my desires was to hunt Africa, so I started my collecting of big game rifles. Back then I even was one of the first to subscribe the DGJ. However, life happened and 3 decades passed with those guns in storage. While I doubt I will ever shoulder and fire a heavy hitter, I have not fully decided to part with any, but given it consideration and thus my reason for posting is to ask assistance with determining the value of a couple rifles.

The first is a Browning Continental Set, 30-06 and 20 Gauge. The serial number 177PM010XX, making it produced in 1980. I bought it ~ 1982.
The engraving and finish of this model appears to be very simple and basic. I do recall shooting the rifle barrels, but don�t remember if I every shot the shotgun. I mention this since the shotgun barrels are a much tighter fit to the receiver. The shotgun barrels are marked * & **, which I believe is full and modified. My only dislike of this combo was the rifle sights were too precise for me as a set of night express would be more to my liking. I did find one rust spot on the receiver in a thread slot.

So any ideals on what this is worth?

The second double barrel rifle is still in storage. I�ll post its details latter when I can add photos

Photos continued

Hello JFB

and WELCOME to the site

Take a look here for a value
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=536500815

Mike

Thanks for the welcome Mike.

I had not seen that listing. the ones for sale I was finding were more eloboratly engraved than mine. I'll watch that auction and see where it goes.

I think I paid just under $5K back in the 80's and was hoping it would be at least $6 to 7K.

Joe

What a gun!

JFB, Welcome and let me add, what a great looking gun! I did not know Browning ever made such a set. Seeing that it has 2 sets of barrels has my curiosity up as to strength. I've read opinions in other places that in general, double guns were not made for cartridges with chamber pressures in the 30-06 range. Does anybody know if the receiver for these Centennial guns is any beefier than a standard gun?

I ask, not to disparage JFB's gun, but more in the interest of general gun knowledge.

Mergus

Good question and something I SHOULD have known, but it would be nice to inform the next owner. I did shoot the rifle barrel, but I doubt over 40 rounds. The action feels like a vault when it closes.

I was going to add my next gun I need valuation on, but since there might be more valuable information, I'll start a second thread.

Double rifles have been built for cartridges far more powerful than the .30-06. Although I have no experience with a gun of this model I would highly suspect Browning new what they were doing when they built it. They are no Fly-By-Night company.

Barrels are pressure vessels and are stressed by pressure, pure and simple. The actioning between barrels and action is stressed by cartridge back-thrust, a force, not by pressure. Said force is developed from pressure (chamber pressure) times area of the cartridge base. I'm right sure Browning considered this in the design, as 2-p pointed out. This setup has been around for quite some years and I've never heard a report of problems with the gun's strength. One point that must be addressed is that firing pins are appropriate for both the rifle and shotgun cartridges employed.

DDA

I saw these at Dunn's fine gun room back in a 1980's as I recall they sold for 5 or 6 thousand then....kinda strange that their value hasn't risen more than it has.
If the barrels were SxS instead of O/U I think we'd be looking at different current prices.