My new doublegun.........sort of

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Mike McKinney

When I was a little boy, I'm not sure how old, my dad went to a neighbor's house, who was the same age as my dad, they had been in the war at the same time. Daddy asked David if he could see his Browning and David obliged. It was a Browning Double Auto, not sure if it was the 12 or 20. I thought that day it was the most beautiful gun I had ever seen, the family still owns the gun and know the value of the sentimentality. I've picked several up since then thinking of buying but I never have, but I still believe the streamlines of the shotgun and the gold inlay are as pretty as a useable gun can be. Congratulations!

Thank you. The Browning DA was only made in 12 ga. Not many were built, 67,000 or so. There were three models. A standard with a steel receiver that weighed around 7 3/4 lbs. The "Twelvette", which is what I have with an aluminum receiver at 6 3/4 lbs and the "Twentyweight" around 6 1/4 pounds. The aluminum receiver guns came in a variety of receiver colors with some being quite rare. It came with either a plain barrel, a solid channel rib or a vent rib in a variety of lengths and chokes. From what I see on gun for sale sites they did come with 1/2" increment barrel lengths 27.5, 29.5 etc. Perhaps people measure them differently.

I have not shot it very much yet but I found it handles and feels different than my Rem 1100's and Ithaca 51, it's not as nose heavy and lighter overall. I think it's a good gun that never caught on. If you want to shoot heavier loads I would go with the steel receiver model. If you like 7/8 and 1 ounce loads the lighter gun seems fine.

This guy did a great job explaining the history and the operation of the Browning DA.