Hey everbody. I' m new here and have a question about an old Browning 3" 12ga. pump shotgun. It seems to be very old. It does not have any of the fancy engraving of most Brownings. It has a 36 inch full choke barrel, the forearm is round and has only one slide attached to the forearm on the right side. This was my late grandfathers gun which he gave to my father when he was young who just recently passed away at the age of 74. I believe that sometime in the past it had been re-blued. I couldn't find any serial numbers on the gun or any markings other than the Browning name which is barely visible. I searched the internet trying to find this gun but could not find it. I would guess that it was made some time in the 30's or 40's. The only thing close I found had a hammer on it but this does not. My dad and I when I was a teenager used to take it turkey shoots just to hear people comment on the lenght of the barrel and some would say I ain't shooting against that. Look how long that barrel is! Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Old Browning Pump Shot Gun
- Thread starter Frank Jr.
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Jim Watson
Member
This one is going to require pictures.
I am puzzled. Can you post a picture? There have been very few Browning-designed pump shotguns; only the Winchester 1893 and 1897 come to mind, and they were never made for 3" shells. The modern BPS is too new (1994) for your description, and neither the other Winchesters nor the other pumps (Remington, Marlin, Mossberg, etc.) are Browning designs.
Jim
Jim
I will post pictures later today as I'm at work right now. I'm puzzled as well. I own two A-5's and have loved Browning guns my whole life. I have searched and searched the internet but never found one like this. I'm sure it's not worth a whole lot but I'm not looking to sell. Too many memories. I would just like to know when and where it was made and a model no.
Ok here are the pictures I promised. After close inspection I did find on the side The word RANGER with a man on a hose in some type of uniform. Forgot that. I maybe wrong about it being 3" chambered. It does have a 36" barrell and can just make out Browning on the barrell. Thanks again. This is the first time I really looked at in over 20 years. Sorry about the picture quality.
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Milkmaster
Member
Send me the picture via email and I will reduce the size of it and post it for you. It is really hard to identify without a picture of the whole gun or at least the stock and forearm together.
Send the picture to
[email protected]
Send the picture to
[email protected]
Milkmaster
Member
I did a google search and found several references to a "Browning Ranger Pump Shotgun" Some responses are for a alternate gauge, but the history seems the same..
Some of the things I read were....
1. You have a Ranger Model 30, which was a store brand made by Stevens as a Model 520. It was designed by John Browning, and has a slight humpback in the receiver. A Stevens version ranges in blue book value from $190 in 100% condition, to $75 in 60 % condition. Unfortunately, house brand guns bring less.
2. The only pump shotgun that Brwoning ever made was the BPS. Ranger was a brand name that was used by Sears and Roebuck. It was used on many utilitarian guns made by various makers.
3. The shotgun you own is a Savage/Stevens 520 shotgun. It was sold by Sears under a Browning patent. They first started making these shotguns in the 1920s. You can probably find more info by looking into the maker.
I hope these help at least a little!
Some of the things I read were....
1. You have a Ranger Model 30, which was a store brand made by Stevens as a Model 520. It was designed by John Browning, and has a slight humpback in the receiver. A Stevens version ranges in blue book value from $190 in 100% condition, to $75 in 60 % condition. Unfortunately, house brand guns bring less.
2. The only pump shotgun that Brwoning ever made was the BPS. Ranger was a brand name that was used by Sears and Roebuck. It was used on many utilitarian guns made by various makers.
3. The shotgun you own is a Savage/Stevens 520 shotgun. It was sold by Sears under a Browning patent. They first started making these shotguns in the 1920s. You can probably find more info by looking into the maker.
I hope these help at least a little!
Jim Watson
Member
Agree with Milkmaster. I thought that was what you had but the 36" barrel threw me for a loop. I have never seen that long a barrel on a pump.
It is NOT a 3" magnum, don't overload it with them.
It is NOT a 3" magnum, don't overload it with them.
Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
The Savage/Stevens 520 was a JMB design. Yours is a good reliable shotgun but not especially valuable on the market.
The fact that it was both your father's and G-father's shotguns makes it priceless.
As with all old shotguns, a smith should look it over before shooting ANY rounds through it.
With his/her blessing, take it out and shoot it for old time's sake....
The fact that it was both your father's and G-father's shotguns makes it priceless.
As with all old shotguns, a smith should look it over before shooting ANY rounds through it.
With his/her blessing, take it out and shoot it for old time's sake....
Thanks everyone for your help. I too have never seen a 36" barrell on a shotgun other than this one. At Turkey Shoots people have joked, "you don't need to shoot the target. You can just poke it with the barrell.
This will stay with me untill I pass it on. Again thanks everybody.
This will stay with me untill I pass it on. Again thanks everybody.
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