User Guide

6 BEWARE OF BARREL OBSTRUCTIONS, for
the safety of both your gun and yourself.
Mud, snow, and an infinite variety of other
objects may inadvertently lodge in a barrel
bore. It takes only one small obstruction to
cause dangerously increased pressures that
can ruin (swell or rupture) the finest shotgun
barrels. ers Institute (SAAMI).
BEFORE CHECKING FOR A BARREL
OBSTRUCTION, BE CERTAIN NO LIVE
ROUND IS IN THE CHAMBER AND THAT THE
MAGAZINE AND FEED MECHANISMS ARE
COMPLETELY EMPTY. PLACE THE
“SAFETY” IN THE “ON SAFE” POSITION
(See page 12 and 13 for instructions on
unloading). After assuring yourself that the
shotgun is Completely empty, again, open the
breechblock, locking it to the rear, and look
through the barrel to be sure it is clear of any
obstruction. If an obstruction is seen, no
matter how small it may be, clean the bore
Browning assumes no liability for incidents
which occur through the use of cartridges of
nonstandard dimensions which develop pres-
sures in excess of commercially available am-
munition which has been loaded in accor-
dance with standards established by the
Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufactur-
BE ALERT TO THE SIGNS OF AMMUNITION
MAL FUNCTION.
If you detect an off sound or light recoil
when a shell is fired,
DO NOT LOAD AN-
OTHER SHELL INTO THE CHAMBER.
Open
the action and remove all shells from the
magazine, chamber and action areas. With the
action open, glance down the barrel to make
sure that a wad or other obstruction does not
remain in the barrel. If there is an obstruc-
tion, completely clear the barrel before load-
ing and firing again. Failure to follow these
instructions can cause extensive damage to
with a cleaning rod and patch as described in
“Cleaning and Maintenance Suggestions” on
page 17. Before the first firing, clean the bore
with a cleaning rod and patch, and wipe
away any anti-rust compounds in the action/
chamber areas.
7
ALWAYS UNLOAD YOUR SHOTGUN WHEN
NOT IN USE. REFER TO PAGE 13 OF THIS
INSTRUCTION BOOKLET EXPLAINING THE
UNLOADING OF YOUR SHOTGUN.
As a safety precaution, it is preferable to dis-
assemble your gun for storage. Store your
gun and ammunition separately—well beyond
the reach of children. Take all safeguards to
ensure your shotgun does not become avail-
able to untrained, inexperienced or unwel-
come hands.
The barrel and action of this shotgun have
been made with substantial safety margins
over the pressures developed by established
American commercial loads. Nevertheless,
your gun and possible serious injury to your-
self and others.
DO NOT PUT A 16 OR A 20 GAUGE SHELL IN A
12 GAUGE GUN.
Store all shells of different gauges in com-
pletely separate and well-marked containers.
Do not store shells of mixed gauges in a com-
mon container or in your pockets.
EXAMINE EVERY SHELL YOU PUT IN YOUR
GUN.
The most certain way to bulge or rupture a
barrel is to drop a 20 gauge shell into a 12
gauge chamber. The 20 gauge shell, unfortu-
nately, will not fall completely through the bar-
rel; its rim is caught by the front of a 12 gauge
chamber. Your gun will misfire (with the
chamber appearing to be empty). It is then
possible to load a 12 gauge shell behind the 20
gauge shell. If the 12 gauge shell is then fired,
the result will be a so-called “12-20 burst”
which can cause extensive damage to your gun
and possible serious injury to you.
9
8
USE THE PROPER AMMUNITION.