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7 members (PALUNC, Birdog, Carcano, desullivan, buckstix, 1 invisible),
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Mar 28th, 2026
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1
Boxlock
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Boxlock
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1 |
Gents,
I have a P numbered gun. It is a '31 trap. I've assumed it was a marking put on when Browning converted the twin triggers to the single selective trigger.
I'd be happy to make a location like this a compilation of our collective knowledge on the pre-war Supers. I've been collecting and studying them for a number of years. It seems that information on these old guns is scattered amongst the few that have collected them. I've always found it interesting that so many of the variations Browning introduced in the 60's were features of some of the pre-war guns. i.e. the engraving and checkering pattern on the lightweights is just what they used on the superlights.
Speaking of - that lightweight is a nice find. I would love to dig into one and see what was changed when introduced as the lighting in '35.
Cheers
Last edited by pwbc; 08/19/12 03:36 PM.
"If Funken engraved every gun with his name on it, then he must not have slept much."
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,096
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,096 |
165xx...No, no, & no...but it does have a single selective trigger that is blue, not gold...U & O on the top tang only...double beads...and vent rib...RKLT...pretty much the the same configuration that restarted after the war...
I assume this is about the last of the pre-war evolution BEFORE Val's trigger was granted a patent in 1940, but after it was applied for in 1936 and 1937. It bears the patent marks for both John Browning's patents of 1926 (1578638 & 1578639) and is stamped "other patents pending" ...
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 371
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 371 |
nope x 3.  
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 173
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 173 |
Mine is 3857 C, a 30", SST, straight stocked, horn butt plate, solid rib, F&F, w/twin ivory beads & border engraved. Gold filled FN on the top lever. Gold filled S. Selector on the trigger plate. Non-auto safety.
Phil
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,096
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,096 |
Devrep,
Pictures! now that's the way to respond! It also raises more questions though...like...it looks like your gun has a single selective trigger with O & U stamped on the top tang and the left/right lateral safety...but the low serial number suggests the gun was manufactured well before Val Browning applied for patent protection...I have never owned a double trigger superposed or a twin single trigger, so I don't really know what the top tang is supposed to look like on those models.
Under the supposition that FN produced about 2000 superposed shotguns per year for the first 8 years of production...yours appears to be a first or second year produced gun...so 1931 or 1932 but no record of superposed single triggers until Jun 25, 1936...
I clearly do not understand...perhaps the twin single trigger gun came with the lateral safety?...or maybe Browning produced single triggers well before applying for patent protection?...or maybe 1294 was re-fitted after 1936...
Was there an older thread that covered the pre-war supers?
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 371
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 371 |
good morning Robert. the gun is 1931 production but was customized somewhere along the line, I do not have any info as to when. 
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,602 Likes: 335
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,602 Likes: 335 |
I have gotten information on guns that early from the Browning historian. The trigger is a later retrofit. It is some shotgun.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 115
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 115 |
Bump to Top...just 'cause.
Scotty
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 367 Likes: 25
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 367 Likes: 25 |
Fellows ,I stumbled onto this thread, as old as it is, and thought I would add some info about three of my prewar Supers. The first is S/N 81P, which indicates a trap model ( S suffix denotes a field model), with 30" hollow solid rib with double ivories and choked M/F. This gun had the Marlin factory collection tag when I obtained it. It has no FN engraving on toplever and is not a monoblock model, true double triggers, frame is engraved like the Superlights from the 1970's. Very nicely grained French walnut semi PG stock to old FN double ring horn buttplate. (2) The second Super is S/N 1281, a monoblocked 32" vent rib barreled gun w/ double ivories, w/ no choke designations stamped at breech end, SPG stock and old horseshoe forend, also with frame engraving like the later Superlights, and true double triggers. (3) Lastly, there is a 'Lightweight' pre-Lightning S/N 7146, w/ 26" ribless barrels, stamped IC/IC chokes, wgt. 6lbs.10 ozs., 0.013" choke constriction in both bbls., nice straight grained French walnut SPG stock with rounded forend, first style selective ST w/ selector beside trigger ( marked T & B). Anyway, I just wanted to add my information to the mix. Also, I have a question; can a postwar buttstock be used on a prewar gun if the later long drawbolt is used? Thanks, Sandlapper
Last edited by Sandlapper; 02/23/25 10:11 PM. Reason: Typo
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