Title :

Browning Superposed

Category: Shotguns and Smoothbores

Browning Superposed was the last firearm to be designed by John Browning. It is recorded as the first over and under shotgun design to be produced which was completed by Browning’s son upon John Browning’s death. At the time of his death, the gun was not fully designed, particularly the single selective trigger that has long been a core feature to note. Further improvements were done on the design and when it was launched, the gun had double triggers. The trigger employs the use of inertia block mechanism. It does not balk and neither does it double when used. This trigger is, up to date, one of the best and the most reliable triggers ever designed.

Initially, the Browning Superposed gun was designed with two triggers for every barrel. Later on, Val invented the Twin Single trigger that would fire the barrels by either the front or back trigger. In 1939, Val again modified the trigger and invented a Single trigger that was mounted on a sliding tang mounted-barrel selector which triggers the barrel by either sliding the tang right or left. The barrel is made in the sliding tang safety. Moving the safety slider to the right allows the user to fire the under barrel first while moving it to the left lets the user fire the over barrel first. When it is time to shoot and a barrel selected, the user need only move the slider straight forward to the 'fire' position.

This design spurred a series of innovations including the single select trigger and the over-under design. Although Browning had already made a design of this rifle way back in 1880s, it was considered revolutionary in 1930s. This design was originally produced back in 1931 up to 1940. Apparently, the Browning Superposed gun has been banned from private ownership. The gun has a complicated design, a feature common to most of Browning’s designs. The parts of this gun are lightly stressed and are very much reliable to use.

After the World War II in 1960, this design underwent a series of major changes. It was meant to be the first available gun to a common person with an over under design. After the World War II in 1960, the gun’s cost shot up due to the Belgian labor costs, since it was made in Belgium. Browning Superposed soon started getting off market due to inflation. It was later removed from Browning catalog. To this day, the Browning Superposed gun is sold in FN custom shops in an array of grades.

The Browning superposed models are relatively light. They are very durable and solid while their mass helps in regulating recoil. They were made in levels escalating through grades I-VI. The grades are due to differences in their embellishments. Some of the well-known models are the French Walnut, Lightning models and the Prince of Wales semi-pistol. Since 2001, the Browning Superposed guns have been manufactured under the designations of B-125 and B25. It is manufactured by Belgium based, FN Browning Custom shop in Liege.

Browning Superposed guns are offered in a variety of gauges ranging from 12 to .410 and in some multi-barrel skeet sets. Most barrel lengths of the Browning Superposed model gauges produced were 32”, 30”, 28”, 26”, and 16”.