Val Browning's Double Auto

[Larry the Gun Guy]

Since you guys brought up the subject of Double Autos, I went to the Browning Collectors Association meeting in August of 2017 at the corporate headquarters in Morgan, Utah. There was a fellow there that had the most complete set of Double Autos, I think, in existence. He owns over 60 of them and brought about 30 of the more celebrated versions, including the only two 20 gauges prototypes that were made. I'll include some pictures of those as well.
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[Larry the Gun Guy]

The two guns on the front of this 3 gun rack are the 20 gauge prototypes. As you can see they were made 3" capable. Additionally, Val Browning was experimenting with a new choke system; something like a Cutts which you can see on the end of the barrels. These two guns resided in Val Browning's office until his death, at which time they were offered to an interested party and sold.
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[Larry the Gun Guy]

And here's the guy.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHW_...re=emb_rel_end

[J.B. Books]

I recently picked up my second Browning Double Auto. A 1969 production, flat knob stock, plastic butt plate, an alloy receiver "Twelvette" with a 26" Vent Rib barrel choked Imp Cylinder, in excellent condition. It weighs 6 pounds 9 ounces. It cycles my 7/8 oz reloads at 1200 fps with authority. DA's are really nice guns.

[Dean Romig]

Is this gun the modern day answer to Frank Woolner’s modified Winchester 59 grouse and woodcock gun?





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[James L. Martin]

Here's mine it's a twentyweight double automatic at 6lb 6oz made in 1961

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Is this gun the modern day answer to Frank Woolner’s modified Winchester 59 grouse and woodcock gun?
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The production of the Winchester Model 59 overlapped with the production of the Browning DA. Their production numbers were similar but the DA had a longer run. Which one is a better light 12 semi auto for upland hunting? I would say that depends on the bias of what one likes.

[Bill Murphy]

I'm a Winchester shooter and collector, but given the choice between the pedestrian Model 59 and the beautiful and sleek Double Auto, I would pick a lighter model of the Double Auto for a deep brush grouse hunt.

[Researcher]

The choke device on that gold colored 20-gauge Double Auto certainly looks like a Weaver Choke to me.

20-gauge double auto.jpg

Weaver-Choke 1962 Gun Digest.jpg

One of the hunters in my father and his buddy's loosely organized hunt club had a truck farm in the Kent valley southeast of Seattle right where Boeing decided they needed to build something, as I recall their aero-space development center. Gave him a bunch of money. All Ray did was move out a little farther and get another little farm putting the rest away for his retirement. He did splurge on one thing, a Satin Gray Double Auto. In all the times I hunted with Ray and his two great German Shorthairs I never saw that double Auto come out of the rack in his old Willys pickup. Always carried his old straight grip A5 with black tape around the grip.

[Larry the Gun Guy]

Interesting Dave. I wouldn’t doubt that Val Browning sourced something out of the market that was already available. That makes perfect sense.