$695 Browning Superposed - Did I Mess Up Bigtime??

[ReadyontheRight]

I stopped by Bill's Gun Shop in Robbinsdale, MN on the way home today. They had a Browning Over/Under, made in Belguim, 30" barrels, 12ga. It had lightly worn wood and nice detail on the metal. It even had a nice little profile of John Browning on the underside of the receiver. Marked at $695.

It was marked "Browning SP/11" on the tag, but did not say a model name on the gun. I do not know these guns at all, so I thought I would check it out on the internet and give them a call. Of course I called and it was sold.

I'm a big fan of JMB, so I always wanted a Superposed - his last design. I always figured I would need to save up a while for one. $695 is a chunk of change, but it seems a suprisingly low price for what I've seen these listed for in the past.

Was this a smokin' deal I missed, or am I just not looking hard enough?

 

[ArmedBear]

With 30" barrels, the old Superposed is a great, if obese and dated, gun. I've shot one (a trap model with an adjustable comb) and it was one of my favorite range guns. Guy lent it to me for a long time, but wouldn't sell it when I offered to just buy it from him. The 30" barrels balance out the heavy, tall receiver.

They're heavy suckers in 12 Gauge, comparable in heft and bulk to the heaviest Citoris. Not a great gun for hilly upland hunting, but a great gun for any use that doesn't require long-term lugging or super quick shouldering from waist height.

Sorry to say, but I think you may have missed out -- if you really want one. Of course, you still have $700 that you wouldn't have otherwise. And this probably isn't the last cool shotgun you'll ever see.

If you really want a great Superposed for the field, though, look for a 20. As with the Citori, you shed the bulk and weight, but keep the same engineering.

 

[1KPerDay]

what's the dif between the engineering of the superposed and the citori?

 

[oneounceload]

One is made in Belgium, and the barrels are supposedly much better balanced, the Citoris are Japanese made, and while well made - (I own several), they do not have balance and "the feel" that the Belgian ones do, nor do their fixed chokes seem to be quite as well patterning -

even if it had had the "salt wood", the action and barrels alone are worth the 695 unless they were worked on by a sledge hammer

 

[1KPerDay]

any difference in the receiver or locking mechanism or anything else?

 

[PJR]

Locking mechanism is the same. Triggers are different, mechanical instead of inertia. Forend iron and attachment are different.

 

[JohnBT]

Don't feel too bad, there are other ones out there for less than a grand if you stay away from the collector-grade guns. And I'd bet a gun with 30" barrels was choked M/F or FF - way too much choke for most folks using modern ammo.

"BROWNING SUPERPOSED 12GA 26" FLAT KNOB SKEET GUN, 95% BARRELS, 90% FADING RECEIVER, VG OIL FINISHED WOOD " - $850

www.gunsamerica.com/994611918/Guns/...ufacture/274N_BROWNING_SUPERPOSED_12GA_2.htm#

 

[ArmedBear]

they do not have balance and "the feel" that the Belgian ones do

Much as I tend to think that the Citori is a design that ought to be retired for most purposes (Browning apparently thinks so, too, but just can't pull it off), Browning has greatly improved the balance and feel of the things, in their newer higher-end models like the *25 series (which of course is meant to imply a connection to the Superposed 25 and 125).

 

[45auto]

Much as I tend to think that the Citori is a design that ought to be retired for most purposes (Browning apparently thinks so, too, but just can't pull it off),

I don't think Browning will be retiring the Citori design anytime soon. They auctioned off the "1,000,000" produced Citori at the 2008 shotshow. So, I think they are doing pretty good. They do need to produce lighter contour barrels in the 32" range, maybe the 625 does that. Some of European models of the Citori have always had the "lighter" barrels.

Weight/balance are individual choices and many do not prefer the "whippy" barrels common to Beretta's for example. It's all what you like.

 

[ArmedBear]

Not all Berettas have whippy barrels, though. They make very similar guns that look similar, with the same stocks and receivers, but that weigh an additional pound to a pound and a half, a lot of which is in the barrels.

Same goes for Brownings.

I think that Browning was hoping the Cynergy would supercede the Citori, but, like you said, they'll make what sells. It also seems that a lot of Johnny-come-lately shotguns towards the lower end of the price spectrum have Citori-like geometry, so a lot of people will be getting used to it. Not me, but you can't argue with someone's broken targets and birds in the bag.

 

[publiuss]

In my opinion you should have jumped on that with both feet and grabbed it as tightly as possible. I was just given a Pigeon Grade Broadway Superposed. I'ts in poor shape but it was free and a 5-$600.00 trip to Mid-West and it'll be new. I think any time you find a Superposed for under a grand grab it.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

In my opinion you should have jumped on that with both feet and grabbed it as tightly as possible. I was just given a Pigeon Grade Broadway Superposed. I'ts in poor shape but it was free and a 5-$600.00 trip to Mid-West and it'll be new. I think any time you find a Superposed for under a grand grab it.

The problem is...it took my ignorent self two hours to get home and look it up to figure out it WAS a Superposed. I expected it to say "SUPERPOSED" in flashing lights on the receiver.

Oh well...live and learn. And I DO still have the $700. (Actually...I was going to try for a partial trade).

Thanks for the info everyone! I will remain ever-vigilant, and now more educated, in my search of JMB-designed guns.

 

[45auto]

Browning Sporting Arms of Distinction: 1903-1992 (Hardcover)
by Matt Eastman

Try this book on the Belgium Brownings.