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Have sitting here an early Browning O/U 12, Belgium made, SN 14173, appears to be an early 1930's make. Aside from being made in the first couple years, any redeeming qualities of the early mfg? Gun is in good condition. Does not have vent or solid rib. Matt pattern on barrel top with funky front sight. Manual safety. 3" chambers as noted on barrel. Appears to be a grade 1, as #1 stamped on barrel flat or whatever it's called on an O/U. What did they call this O/U, a Superposed?? Never did understand what that meant either. At a gun show years ago, I witnessed a gun dealer who sat fondling an early Browning he just bought from some unsuspecting soul and was so enamored with it as he chirped about the recoil function setting the hammer for the second shot. Is this a function to be so cherished? This gun does have ejectors as it seems to chuck the hulls 5 corn rows over. Any thoughts appreciated. RMC


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RMC,
I can help you with the superposed question. Simply that one barrel is positioned above the other as opposed to barrels beside each other, side by side or juxtiposed(sic?).

Inertia triggers, certainly adequate. Nothing to chirp over. Some of the early Browning superposed had a double/single feature. The gun could be fired as a tradtional double trigger or a single trigger.

Someone will be along and will know a lot more than I.

Chief

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As Chief pointed out, "superposed" simply means one barrel on top of the other. Browning happened to adopt the word as the name of their OU's. But in fact, all OU's are superposed.

I had a Laurona OU with the double/single (or twin single) triggers. Pull the front one, lower barrel fires first; pull again, upper barrel fires. Reverse for the rear trigger. Or just use as a DT. Interesting concept.

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If it has no rib and just a matted barrel...

With a front sight on a small block/ramp...

It's one of the first Lightning models.

(inertia single trigger is no biggie)

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an pre war superposed have a fit, finish, look and balance that is unlike the post war guns...sadly, many of the people who created these fine guns were lost in the war...their gun making skills have never been replicated.


keep it simple and keep it safe...
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Based on the serial number your gun was made in the late 30's, probably about 1938. Ribs were optional on most prewar superposeds, even though few were sold without a rib. The solid rib was only about a $2 charge, so most guns were ordered with solid ribs. If your gun has the same style fore end as the post war guns (not the metal "horseshoe" retainer) then it is virtually identical with the very early post war guns.
I think most would say the high point of superposed quality was in the late 1950's, not the pre war guns.
The 3" chambers on your gun are unusual if they were done at the factory. Very few 3" guns were sold, and they were a special order item, or could be added if a 2 3/4 gun was returned to the factory. I have looked at quite a few prewar guns, own several, and have not seen one that appeared to be chambered to 3" at the factory.

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Idahobob, check PM's


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The thing to check would be to see if the Belgian Proof Marks reflect the 3-inch chambers. I can't imagine shooting the 1 3/8 ounce high velocity or 1 5/8 ounce Magnum 3-inch 12-gauge shells of the late 1930s in a Lightning!! Looking carefully through my 1938 Browning Arms Co. paper I don't see anything about 3-inch chambers. Under Standard Specifications it states "All guns chambered for 2 3/4" shells." The plain matted barrel Lightning was $75.80, solid rib $79.80 and ventilated rib $89.90 in 1938.



You might want to call Browning and ask for the historian, Glenn Jensen, and see what information he has on the gun.

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Per the 1936 A&F catalog, a solid rib was an additional $4 on a Superposed Lightning; vent rib was the expensive one at an additional $14.

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Schwing, "The Browning Superposed" on page 69 says "The company would rechamber the Superposed for 3" shells". I doubt the guns were returned to Belgium or reproofed. Browning had an extensive facility in the U.S. at the time and I believe that virtually all repairs and modifications were performed at that facility. I agree that recoil in 3" 6 3/4 lb gun would be fierce. However there is no significant increase in pressure with pre war 3" loads, and the stock bedding system of the Superposed is one of the best and resists recoil without splitting for many tens of thousands of rounds in most guns.

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