Val Browning's Double Auto

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hodges

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiduminium

So it is a real aluminum alloy, it was just spelled wrong which explains why I could not find anything about it. Using it to build the receiver of the Double Auto was how they cut the weight down on the Twelvette, I have wondered what they did to decrease the weight further for a Twentyweight, where did they find the extra weight savings, my barrel walls are pretty thin in a Twelvette, can't imagine they could make them thinner, it would be interesting to know how it was done.

[Steve Hodges]

Originally Posted by Pete Lester

So it is a real aluminum alloy, it was just spelled wrong which explains why I could not find anything about it. Using it to build the receiver of the Double Auto was how they cut the weight down on the Twelvette, I have wondered what they did to decrease the weight further for a Twentyweight, where did they find the extra weight savings, my barrel walls are pretty thin in a Twelvette, can't imagine they could make them thinner, it would be interesting to know how it was done.

Pete, I have a really nice Browning Book which gave me the correct spelling. They are cool guns. I have owned a few in the past but parted with them. May have to look for another.

[J.B. Books]

They are very unique and very cool guns, I have found mine to be very nice to carry for a 12ga and one of the most natural guns to point of any I have owned, however they can be fussy. I looked at and picked up a steel receiver version at KTP and for me there was no comparison to the aluminum alloy guns. It felt heavy/bulky, not lively in hand at all. It did have the channel rib though and I thought that was kind of neat. Overall it seems more than any other feature the color of the receiver drives the price followed by a VR barrel.

[Steve Hodges]

Color does drive the prices. Though my book says that the solid rib barrels are quite rare as they were all special order items

[Pay Dirt]

I found and grabbed a 1966 Twentyweight in Dragon Black.
The Modified choke had been opened to .007 constriction. Tight Skeet. Perfect.
All else seems factory original and in a very high state of preservation.

[Researcher]

I have a Remington M31 lightweight 20 gauge The receiver is some sort of alloy. Anyone have a guess on its name/composition? I don't.

Remington called the material the Model 31L receivers were made of Aeromet.

Remington Arms Co., Inc. put out a folder dated 1941 that introduces the new 1941 style Improved Model 31 and the new Model 31L with the Aeromet receiver.

Model 31L 1941 folder.jpg

By the June 10, 1941 Remington Arms Co., Inc. catalog they say the Model 31Ls are indefinitely delayed due to raw material shortages.

Model 31L June 10, 1941 catalog.jpg

No mention of the Model 31L in the 1942 Remington Arms Co., Inc. catalog.

Likewise not mentioned in the 1946 Remington Arms Co., Inc. catalog. The Model 31L makes its return in the 1947 Remington Arms Co., Inc. catalog in all three gauges.

I have seen a few with their receivers marked Model 31L, but most are just marked Model 31 the same as the steel receivers.

Model 31LA 103815.jpg

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Bobby Cash

I found and grabbed a 1966 Twentyweight in Dragon Black.
The Modified choke had been opened to .007 constriction. Tight Skeet. Perfect.
All else seems factory original and in a very high state of preservation

What does it weigh?

[Pay Dirt]

The sandwich style is call a “Deli Stack” and weighs a half pound.