[ambrosejohnson]

$1,100 seems a modest price for a genuine Browning Superposed over/under in pretty-good shape. These in minty original shape typically are priced like some new compact automobiles. This particular gun has 26" barrels and fixed modified/improved cyclinder chokes. Made long before the days of choke tubes. Modest but decent engraving. Blued receiver. Looks like a respectable field gun. I generally think of 28" in an open field. The shorter barrels may make this gun swing faster on speedy doves? Maybe? I generally think of skeet and improved cylinder as "dove chokes". I might hunt near a water hole or an open field over MOJOs. Dove/field loads, being light in recoil, should pamper the action of an old classic like this well and be easy on a firing shoulder. 12 gauge is certainly the bore for quick and fickle-moving dove.

 

[Dutch]

Barrel length is a tough call for dove hunting, especially with the fixed modified / Improved cylinders. However, the shorter length and semi-open chokes should make it dandy for close fast-moving birds.

Modern ammunition offerings may mitigate the negatives of fixed choke if you need tighter patterns at distance. This is not an apples-apples comparison, but I was surprised to find some hunting ammo in 20 was designed to pattern with specific chokes. I imagine this is true for 12 as well. I don't have my notes in front of me, but I think I settled on a Hornady offering for turkey that is designed to pattern best at distance with a modified choke. I did a bunch of testing and found the ammunition designed for a modified choke did just as well or better than anything I fed through a turkey choke.

Depending on your hunting area a shorter barreled modified / improved over under may be the correct configuration for doves.

 

[ambrosejohnson]

Barrel length is a tough call for dove hunting, especially with the fixed modified / Improved cylinders. However, the shorter length and semi-open chokes should make it dandy for close fast-moving birds.

Modern ammunition offerings may mitigate the negatives of fixed choke if you need tighter patterns at distance. This is not an apples-apples comparison, but I was surprised to find some hunting ammo in 20 was designed to pattern with specific chokes. I imagine this is true for 12 as well. I don't have my notes in front of me, but I think I settled on a Hornady offering for turkey that is designed to pattern best at distance with a modified choke. I did a bunch of testing and found the ammunition designed for a modified choke did just as well or better than anything I fed through a turkey choke.

Depending on your hunting area a shorter barreled modified / improved over under may be the correct configuration for doves.

I'm considering taking up dove hunting. I plan on the method in a field over MOJO decoys. It seems as IC and Skeet are common for dove. I think the more open choke on a double-barreled gun would be employed as the initial shot as the bird passes the decoys and the tighter choke reserved for any follow-up shot that is needed because by then the bird is fast getting away. Some doubles are choked the same in each barrel. I have heard of spreader loads that open up patterns quicker in tighter-chocked guns. A 26" gun with more open choke combination seems to be for chiefly birds that aren't yet skittish or birds that hold close for dogs as in pheasants. If doves get spooked in the field, the spreader loads would be out, of course. Dove breast can hamburger of patterns are too tight. A gun with IC/mod combination seems like a medium-range gun. IC/Skeet seems close range while Mod/Full seems long range. 26" barrels used to be the norm for skeet ranges. Skeet most emulates dove shooting. Zippy targets at myrads of angles up close.

This man talks about Fiocchi spreader and crusher loads. It seems as Fiocchi has the non-bench-loading fixed-choke gunner covered.

If you can't change your chokes, change your loads afield!

 

[Wicked109]

That is a pretty shotgun for a 56 year old firearm. Will it do everything you expect it to do with the 26 inch barrel?
I am also looking at the price and what is available in the same range that might meet all your requirements.
Below is a link to a comparably priced shotgun (IMHO) to use as a reference point.
They both will be reliable solid performers, and you could key in on the capabilities you really want.

Mossberg International Gold Reserve – Black Label

I went hunting many years ago and used a cousin's older shotgun and he used his new one. He was hitting things that I couldnt reach and it bothered me because we were both darn good shots and hearing him say "Oh you missed" chapped my ass.

Bottom line - you have the ultimate decision but most important have fun and bring home dinner (preferably cleaned and ready to cook).

 

[ambrosejohnson]

I just bid on it. $1,125. Auction 2d, 2h left. She's a genuine Browning FN Belgian Superposed. I confirmed the 1967 vintage by the serial number.
Certainly much more classy than anything "Browning" from Japan or anything called Mossberg, Stoeger, Stevens, TriStar, Remington Peerless, Winchester, Yildiz or CZ. Oh, Superposed, made in old-world western Europe by hand craftsmanship!

The top sporting long gun making nations: Belgium, England, Italy, Finnland, Germany and Sweden. America before 1980.

 

[blaster]

enjoy that beautigul shotgun, I'm sure it will perform a expected!

 

[runfiverun]

i shoot mostly modified for doves.
i got no choice in a couple of my guns cause they either have fixed chokes or the modified choke is simply stuck permanently in the barrel.

i'd have zero issues using that gun for grouse and doves.
but i can work my loads to give me a better or worse pattern if i have/want to.

 

[ambrosejohnson]

i shoot mostly modified for doves.
i got no choice in a couple of my guns cause they either have fixed chokes or the modified choke is simply stuck permanently in the barrel.

i'd have zero issues using that gun for grouse and doves.
but i can work my loads to give me a better or worse pattern if i have/want to.

I suppose one could have a fixed choke gun converted for choke tubes by a competent gunsmith, and that operation might not be cheap. But who wants to hack up an original and genuine Belgian FN Browning Superposed? It would be a cardinal sin. It would be like installing a tombstone radio infotainment screen on top of the original dash of your minty numbers-matching '59 Corvette.

 

[Wicked109]

More info than the first posting, a Belgian FN Browning, you did good.

 

[runfiverun]

you can also have the chokes internally re-cut to something else so you don't alter the original look.

 

[ambrosejohnson]

Fiocchi Interceptor spreader loads tend to be on the expensive side at about 60 cents a missed dove. Normal Walmart dove loads are about 40 cents a miss. If one has a double gun with a fixed I/C and an M, I suppose one could stuff a spreader shell into the backup barrel, the Mod. and use the cheaper, normal loads in the main dove barrel, the imp. cyl.

I figure a spreader in the modified barrel should pattern like a normal shell in the imp. cyl. This combination of barrel, load and gun should be great on sunflower doves over MOJOs.

 

[ambrosejohnson]

enjoy that beautigul shotgun, I'm sure it will perform a expected!

The bid is up to $1,347 on that gun. My top bid was $1,125. I'm letting this one pass. I think I will just stick with my 1990 Mossberg 500A with checkered wooden stock as my entry-level dove gun for now. I think trying to get a nice-shape classic Belgian FN Browning Superposed (or even a classic Colt Trooper revolver) for "a song" is probably a pipe dream. A lot of nice older guns on GB are listed penny no reserve. The only way to 'steal' a nice older gun (a boat, a Harley-Davidson, a classic car, or anything else) is probably from some old widow who really doesn't know what it is worth. Nowadays, any sporting long gun under $1k, new or used, is more or less CHEAP. It's either a beater of an older classic or it is cheaply made. Nice older Colt D/A revolvers are listing at premium prices as well. If you have a minty original-boxed Colt Python from the 1960's, you have a small gold mine. Everybody knows that most modern CINO's are junk. Colt In Name Only. You know those nice old guns are likely going to be listed as auction or have sky-high buy-now prices.

I can't seem to locate any Savage 99's listed for under $2K that aren't beat or rusted to some degree by observing the photos. I can't seem to find any Husqvarana Model 3000 Crown Grade listed online that doesn't have a SOLD sign by it. The stuff I fancy is expensive and hard to find. Savage 99 originally when new was just a blue-collar gun for average American deer hunters. A 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop originally was just a cheap ordinary automobile. Back in the old days, only higher-ranking policemen bought COLT revolvers. COLT was comparatively prestigious. The less-prestigious Smith & Wessons were for rank and file cops.

 

[Jack Ryan]

That Browning is worth it and WILL do well on the dove fields. Mod and IC are just right.

 

[ambrosejohnson]

That Browning is worth it and WILL do well on the dove fields. Mod and IC are just right.

The gun is now at $1,400. A bit rich for my blood. Much cheaper to buy choke tubes for my Mossy. I think I might invest in a good second-hand deer rifle instead that fits my fancy. I still need a rifle to round out my gun battery. This Remington Model 7600 might make a swell woods gun for deer. Certainly classier than any new plastic Savage Axis or Ruger American. It's on auction and I might toss a bid at it during the last hour.

 

[runfiverun]

i wouldn't bid on one of those unless i could shoot it first.

 

[ambrosejohnson]

i wouldn't bid on one of those unless i could shoot it first.

If I were to buy a gun like this at a pawn shop, I would not get to try before I buy either. Have you had bad experiences with Remington pump rifles?

 

[runfiverun]

my Little Bro. bought one years ago.
it was underwhelming in the accuracy department.
fine fir shooting 50-60yds. back east with a quick follow up shot.
not so good for across a canyon out here.

 

[mouser868]

If you are wanting nothing other than a Browning, this use to be a good place to go. Haven't been there since the 80's so I don't know what they have or their prices anymore.

Jaqua's Fine Guns

 

[Oakleaf]

There's a big shop in the nearest city to me that allows you to shoot a gun before buying. They have an indoor range.

 

[FortyXDM]

For snarling Quail, I have used this since 1973. Ithaca SKB side by side 280E. Paid $225.00. Have owned several other 20 ga. guns, but always hit best with this one.