Browning Superposed/B-25

          Notes: This was one of the first over-and-under shotguns to be put into mass production, and originally called the Superposed.  The design was considered revolutionary in the 1930s, but it was later discovered that John Browning has been experimenting with O/U shotguns since the 1880s.  The genesis of the Superposed was in the Browning Auto-5, which many firearms experts of the day called things like the “Auto Bird Destroyer” and “Game Exterminator” due to its high rate of fire.  Browning then designed a shotgun more suited for fowl hunting. The Superposed was one of the designs that John Browning brought to FN when he could not secure a production contract in the US. (FN balked until Browning lowered the price – twice.) The Superposed was originally produced from 1927-1940, though prototypes were available as early as 1923; World War Two interrupted production until 1948, and continued until 1960.  Original production was with Grade I walnut with non-engraved receivers, and a blued or grayed finish.  John Browning that the Superposed be an affordable alternative to other hunting shotguns (IRL, the higher versions of the Superposed could cost big bucks).  The original Superposeds had twin triggers which allowed the shotgun to be fired one barrel at a time or both barrels simultaneously. John Browning could never quite perfect the single, selective trigger; the task was not achieved until his son solved the problem, and it was incorporated into existing Superposed manufacturing.  The Superposed turned out to be the last firearm designed and supervised by John Browning.  He had a fatal heart attack in 1926. Having set up the Superposed’s production lines, arranging royalties and patent sharing.  The design lay fallow until 1927, when John Browning’s son Val took up the mantle.  The timing could not have been worse – in 1929 the stock market crashed, and a big tariff was laid upon the imported shotguns.  They were therefore out of reach to many potential buyers. This was once an “off the rack” gun, but has been available only through the Browning Custom Shop since 2000.  The Superposed and its variants are generally thought of as John Browning’s most beautiful designs, particular in high grades.

     The Browning Superposed Golden Days is still being manufactured to special order – and the last copy of the Superposed still being made.

     The original production models for the B-25 were Lightning, Standard, Pigeon, Diana, and Midas. Standard models with 26-inch barrels were known as Pigeon models. Those with 28-inch barrels were known as Standard Models. Those with 30-inch barrels were known as Diana Models, and 32-inches made a Midas gun.  This is the barrel length only.  Stocks gradually rose in value and fanciness, with the upper range being oil-finished. They also shot different caliber shells. The mechanism is advanced for the late 1920s.  It has two triggers, and either trigger could be set to fire both barrels, or one of each barrel (back = under, front = upper). A single, selective trigger was added later; John Browning, however, could never perfect the single selective trigger and it fell to Val Browning to perfect it. The sliding safety catch on the neck of the stock doubles as a barrel selector. Early versions of the Superposed had a matte solid aiming rib; most, however, has a ventilated rib. They could have Field, Trap, and Monte Carlo stock configurations. The Superposed and its variants are true boxlock designs.

     B-25s built from 1966-71 suffer from FN’s infamous “salt Wood” problem.  FN received a lot of rather green wood about that time, and to dry them out, laid them out and covered them with salt.  The salt penetrated the wood, and later showed up in warped stocks and rust in the steel where is met the tainted wood on the forearm and the stock-to-receiver meeting.

     As production cost rose, FN tried to cut costs of production. They tried O/U shotguns whose RL price was lower than the B-25, such as the B-26, B-27, B-125, and later, the Citori.

     This shotgun is the second over-and-under Browning shotgun produced by FN.  It was introduced in 1926, named the Superposed, and later the B-25.  Until 1940, the B-25 was made only for 12 gauge 2.75” shells, but was later made for 20, 28, and .410 gauges.   

Browning B-26/Liege

     Notes: This gun was designed in 1972 as a simpler, less expensive alternative to the B-25.  (The true, real-world cost of the B-25 is very high, beyond the reach of many shooters.)  This weapon was introduced with the name of “Liege,” and made only for 12 gauge 2.75-inch shells.  The Liege uses a box lock and has a single trigger, with no provision for barrel selection.  The trigger action was better than those on the B-25, and if a barrel failed to fire, the B-26 reset itself to fire the other chamber. In 1978, the production of the Liege switched over to the new B-26 model (known as the B-27 in the US, for reasons unknown).  The B-26 was split into two other versions in 1979 – the B-26 Mk I (the trap and skeet version) and the B-26 Mk II Chasse (for hunting).  These two guns have 3-inch chambers, with the Mk I using a 30-inch barrel and the Mk II using a 28-inch barrel.  They have ventilated sighting ribs on top of the barrels, with clip-on wider ribs for use if desired.  There are also several subtypes of these two guns: Mk II Chasse Luxe, Mk II Skeet, Mk II Trap, and several luxury versions, but the only one of note for game purposes is the B-26 Mk II Super Skeet.  This version has an anatomical pistol grip stock, an adjustable butt plate with a rubber recoil pad and a shoulder rest; its barrel is 28 inches long.  A limited-production was the Bicentennial Model; built to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of the U S, only 51 were produced, one for each state and Washing DC.  They had engraving of scenes from each state on the sides of the side plates, and the wood used is Class III, with a gold-plated trigger. Production of the B-26 series stopped in 1980.

Browning B-125

     Notes: This descendant of the B-25 was introduced in 1984.  Originally, the B-125 was to replace the B-25, but customers objected strenuously to the B-25 being taken off the market, and the two designs were sold concurrently.  The parts for the B-125 were produced by Miroku of Japan, but the assembly and finishing was done in Belgium at the Browning Custom Shop.  The tolerances on the gun are fantastic, in most cases just a half a micron.  The stock and fore-end are of fine French walnut.  The gun has a selective single trigger and automatic selective ejectors.  The original B-125s were produced to fire 12 gauge 2.75-inch shells, and there were several versions.  The Special Chasse is a hunting gun with 27.625-inch barrels and a ventilated barrel rib.  The Parcour de Chasse (Sporting Clays) has a 28-inch barrel is a bit heavier, and has a wider barrel rib.  In 1988, other versions were added to the line.  Special Chasse Europe has a 26 or 28-inch barrel with a wide barrel rib.  The Superlight is made to fire 20 Gauge 2.75-inch shells, has a 26-inch barrel, and is of course much lighter than other B-125s.  The Sporting Europe has 28-inch barrels, but is otherwise similar to the Special Chasse.  The Trap F1 has full 30-inch barrels.  All of these guns are equipped interchangeable Invector chokes except the Trap F1 (which uses a fixed 3/4 Choke).  By 2000, the entire line was dropped except for the Trap F1; it too was dropped in 2001.

Browning BSL

     Notes: This is a double-barreled shotgun that has its origins in the BSS (Browning Side-by-Side).   The original BSS had no side locks, making the mechanism a bit less hardy and stable; in 1983, a version known as the BSS-Sidelock was built (also with parts made in South Korea) was introduced, and sold until 1988.  This shotgun was designed for 12 gauge and 20 Gauge 2.75” shells, and has an English-style straight stock.  The side lock made the gun more stable and also made the trigger action better.  Production stopped in 1988, but the gun was introduced in 1992 as the BSL (Browning Side Lock).  The parts for this gun were made by Miroku in Japan and assembled and finished by FN in Belgium.  (Some parts were also made by FN themselves.)  The side lock plates are decorated with exquisite engravings, usually of animals or abstract designs.  The BSL has an automatic safety that operates when the gun is breeched, as well as a manual safety.  The BSL has twin triggers (the BSS-Sidelock has only one).  The BSL line was given several grades of decoration in 1995, ranging from the basic B1 to the highly decorated D2.  Since 1999, the BSL has been produced only by the firm of Lebeau Courally, and sold through the Browning Custom Shop.  These new guns are made with both 2.75” and 3” chambers.  The BSL was never sold by Browning in the US; it was believed that American would never spring for the price of one of these guns (the true, real world price of a BSL is astronomical). 

Browning BSS/Anson

     Notes: Sold as the BSS (Browning Side-by-Side) in North America and the Anson in Europe, this shotgun is a double-barreled shotgun was actually had its parts manufactured in South Korea by Daewoo, then assembled by FN in Belgium.  The BSS has a stock with a pistol grip; the Anson has a straight English-style stock.  Both are made from French walnut.  The barrels are formed as a demi-bloc (joined together into a single piece) with hard silver solder.  They are made from strong chrome-molybdenum steel.  A low barrel rib is also joined to the demi-bloc in the same way.  The BSS and Anson have selective automatic ejectors; they will eject spent shells, but not unfired ones.  The guns have an automatic safety when the weapon is breeched, as well as a manual safety.  They have twin triggers.  When first marketed, the BSS and Anson were made only for 12 gauge 2.75” shells and 20 gauge 3” shells, with fixed chokes of the customer’s choice.  In 1976, the 30” barrel was added, but this came only in a Full Choke version.  The BSS and Anson Sporters appeared in 1977; these have single triggers with a barrel selector.  Between 1983 and 1988, these guns were manufactured with side locks and 26 or 28-inch barrels.  These guns were first made in 1971, but production stopped in 1988; the Anson (but not the BSS) was re-introduced in 1995.  This new version of the Anson is made from parts manufactured by Miroku in Japan and older parts in storage at FN; they are assembled by FN in Belgium.  This new Anson has 28.375-inch barrels, adjustable twin triggers, and comes in 12, 16, and 20 gauge.  The Anson’s production finally stopped in 2002.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The new version of the Anson continued production for civilians in Japan until many years after the Twilight War.

Browning BT-100 Trap Gun

     Notes: This gun is designed primarily for trap shooting at clays, but there is no reason why the targets can’t be human or animal, either.  Because of the intended purpose of trap shooting, it has very long barrels and an adjustable trigger, as well as a sighting rib and adjustable comb.  The BT-100 can fire virtually any sort of conventional 12 Gauge ammunition.

Browning Citori

     Notes: This weapon is a direct descendant of the original over-and-under shotgun designed by John Browning in the early 1920s, and made by Browning in one form or another ever since.  The original Citori is also called the Citori 525, and it is known for its rich blue finish that is matched by virtually no other manufacturer’s weapons.  The Hunting Model, later called the Sporting Model, was the original workhorse of the Citori line, available in a wide variety of calibers and designed specifically for 3-inch Magnum shells (though it can also use 2.75” shells), and available with the buyer’s choice of fixed chokes. Originally released in 12-Gauge and 20-Gauge, the .410-Gauge and 28-Gauge models were added to the line in 2003, and the 16-Gauge version in 2004. In 2003, 12-Gauge and 20-Gauge models with 32-inch barrels were added to the line. Though it has only one trigger, a safety catch on the top strap doubles as a selector for the barrels, allowing the top barrel, the bottom barrel, or both barrels to be fired.  The Field model is similar, but can use interchangeable extended choke tubes.  A variety of deluxe versions are also made, and left-handed versions are also available.

     The Citori Trap, also called the Citori Clays, meant to be used for trap, skeet, and clay pigeon shooting and shooting competitions.  As such, it primarily differs from the Hunting Model in that the barrels used are longer, it is chambered only for 12-Gauge ammunition, and it is heavier and more finely-balanced. 

     In 2007 the Citori Feather was added, a version of the Hunting Model which uses a light alloy receiver with high-relief engraving and oil-finished walnut in either Grade II or Grade III.

     The Citori 625 is the successor to the 525.  The base model, the Citori 625 Sporting Model, appears similar to its Citori 525 counterpart.  However, there is no 16-Gauge Citori 625 Sporting Model, and all Citori 625 Sporting Models are chambered for 2.75-inch shells, except for the .410-Gauge model, which is chambered for 3-inch shells only.  This Sporting Model has a silver nitride finish on its receiver, and the receiver has high-relief engraving with gold embellishments as standard.  The barrels themselves are blued, and come in lengths of 28, 30, and 32 inches.  Atop the barrels is a ventilated sighting rib, and at the end is a HiViz Pro-Comp fiberoptic sight.  The barrels are tapered and are also ported to help fight recoil. The 12 and 20-gauge models use Invector Plus interchangeable choke tubes; these consist of screw-in chokes for Full, Improved Modified, Modified, Improved Cylinder, Skeet, Skeet, Cylinder, and X-Full Trap/Turkey (basically any choke you might possibly need); without any choke tube, the native choke on the barrel is Extra Full.  The 28-Gauge and .410-Gauge versions come with Standard Invector interchangeable screw-in choke tubes; the chokes tubes are Full, Modified, Improved Cylinder, and Skeet, with the barrels’ native choke being Extra Full.  In both cases, the choke tubes fit entirely within the barrel/muzzle and do not extend beyond the muzzle.  The smaller-gauge versions have added weight to decrease the recoil, making them more attractive to parents looking for shotguns for their kids, as well as to smaller shooters. The barrel selector, unlike the Citori 525, allows only for one or the other barrel to be fired, but not both at the same time.  The Citori 625 also does not have automatic ejectors; the hammer must be pulled back when the shotgun is broken open to eject first the shell in the upper, then the lower barrel, with one hammer pull ejecting one shell.  The action uses the Triple Trigger system, which allows for three interchangeable triggers of varying width, and is adjustable for length of pull.  The wood is of gloss oil-finished Grade III or IV walnut with a close-radius pistol grip wrist.  The fore-end has a Schnabel tip, and the butt has a sporting rubber recoil pad.  Left-handed versions of the Sporting model are made, as are versions with an adjustable cheekpiece.  Another version of the Sporting model, the GTS Grade I, uses only 28 or 30-inch barrels and uses 3” Magnum 12-Gauge shells; it has ivory sight beads atop the sighting rail at the muzzle end and mid-way to the rear.  The GTS High Grade is a deluxe version of the GTS Grade I that is identical for game purposes.  A version of the Sporting Model, the Grand Prix Sporter, is a deluxe version that comes only in 12-Gauge 2.75”; for game purposes, it is identical to the Sporting model. 

     The Citori 625 Field has more differences from the Sporting model than its Citori 625 counterpart.  For one, barrels are either 26 or 28 inches only, and those barrels have a lightweight profile instead of the tapered profile of the Citori 625 Sporting.  The barrels also are not ported.  The 12-Gauge models are chambered for 3” Magnum shells, as are the 20-gauge versions.  On the Sporting model, the barrels are separated by a ventilated rib; on the Field model, they are joined by a solid rib.  The Field model uses the same choke tubes as the Sporting model, but the buyer only has a choice of three of them instead of a whole set.  On the field model, only the 12-Gauge version has a recoil pad, and the front sight is a simple bead rather than a fiberoptic sight.  As with the other versions of the Citori, there are deluxe versions of the Citori 625 Field which are identical for game purposes.  One of these, however, bears a little more detail; the Citori Heritage is a deluxe version with Grade V or VI walnut woodwork that is gloss oil finished. The but has a 1-inch thick ventilated recoil pad.  The Heritage has steel side plates with a nitride finish and high-relief engravings that are plated in gold.  Under the fore-end, the Heritage has an oval name plate with the name of the owner on it.  Three Invector Plus choke tubes of the buyer’s choice are included, as well as an Elite-Grade ABS case.  Barrels are 28 inches only; they are tapered and finished in gloss blue.  The barrels are topped by a ventilated low-profile sighting rib, with ivory bead sights at the muzzle end and midway to the rear of the rib.  The Heritage is made a bit heavier than other Citori 625s of its size and gauge.  The real-world price of the Heritage is beyond what most shooters can afford!

     The Model 625 version of the Feather is for the most part based on the Field version instead of the Sporting version; it uses the same barrel lengths, same choke tubes, the same sighting and barrel ribs, and same general design.  The quality of wood is the same, and the engraving on the side plates is the same.  The only real difference is the light alloy receiver (though it does have a steel breech face and hinge pin).