Browning double auto

[border reiver]

Recently added another pdf owners booklet here (a different version from my previous upload)..... https://files.acrobat.com/preview/e20fc2ed-dd57-4792-96ee-fcb441904d29 ....... follow link to download a copy.......

Edited August 5, 2013 by border reiver

[ptrangmar]

I have three D/A's and a twelvette, Sold my fifth one, another twelvette recently.

 

Contrary to what is written. I have an insert in one of mine, that allows the use of shorter cartridges than 70mm. I can put on a pic if anyone is interestred in making one.

[dogone]

I have a twelvette model new in 1968 or so. I shot it a lot. I used a lot of magnum loads which caused damage and it will now lock open after one shot. I plan on getting it fixed but will probably be a while. I have only seen one other in Canada . Very fast reload. All my buddies thought it was a three shot.

[sidelockshooter]

I have one, my dad had one when I was a kid, which was always lent up in the boot room of our old house. That got sold by my brother for £40 to someone we know (who offered me it back a few weeks ago when I bumped into him in our local supermarket). They are a good little gun, the 70mm cartridge issue always catches people out, they cycle fast, a good gun in a hide, as you don't need to move about much to load it! The safety catch on the back of the trigger guard makes sense, but always check it's safe when in a hide etc, it catches a lot of users out! I know my local gunshop (Field Stream & Covert) in Hatfield Heath has one or two in the back safe that are for sale. I don't think they'll ever be worth a great deal, plenty about, the American's love them for Upland shooting, and many U.K shooters remember them if you pull one out of a slip at a clay shoot!

[border reiver]

ptrangmar, I would be interested in a pic of the insert for the shorter cartridges if you can post one up.

I was aware that the model could be had with a modification to fire 55 mm. (unfired length) short cartridges, which is mentioned in one of the owner booklets I posted online. They would have been to special order when buying new and there's probably very few about. To prevent confusion I didn't mention that in my previous posts but I wanted to explain how the mechanism operates. Anyone with modest engineering skills could adapt a 70mm to feed 65mm (fired lengths) but would have to design it so as to prevent fouling the action.

[snarepeg]

I am currently using a twentyweight in Canada, vent rib poly choked and a pleasure to use.

Got caught out with the cartridge length issue last w/end on the waterfowl warm up clay shoot.

Had bought a slab of cartridges, believed 70mm but not marked and didn't get a second shot of till a twigged the problem and put a 70mm in for second shot.

Thinking I should get one when I get home. John

[Maarten]

Hi

 

I'm new to this forum, and new to shooting. But I've recently passed my hunting exam, and have my first upland hunt planned soon, with an inherited Twelvette that came with two barrels (long one in full choke, shorter one in 1/4). Only problem: over here (Belgium) it's no longer legal to shoot lead, and I'm reluctant to shoot steel, even in light loads, because I don't want to ruin the barrel. I've found some (awfully expensive) bismuth cartridges, but they're 67mm. I've read earlier posts about a 65 mm cartridge not loading for your second shot, but how about a 67? Also: they are available in 32 or 38g. I suspect 38g will be too much, but how about 32g? Any advise would be welcome.

 

Thanks!

 

Maarten

[Scully]

I can't help you here really, but steel is used in the U.K. in a regular basis with no ill effects worth mentioning.

As long as your chokes are fairly open and standard steel is used you should have no issues.

[Fuji Shooter]

Just noticed this thread and spent several minutes looking for the Browning Double Auto in the sales section.

[snarepeg]

Well, I purchased one over here, skeet bored, ️️shot it at my local shoot and straitened the skeet, love shooting it and had more people wanting to have a look as they had never seen one.

 

Shooting it again tomorrow, useing 24 gram steel 7.5 it's awsum, also works well on duck and pigeon within the skeet bore range.

[border reiver]

 After a long absence from the forum and following a recent request for a copy of an owner's manual a couple of updates...

I am still shooting my DAs at clays...

I have no experience using "steel" (ie. soft iron) shot but have seen posts from users successful with open choked barrels....

67 mm. cartridges will not cycle the 2nd shot. 

So far I haven't found the design for an insert to allow the use of shorter cartridges.

32g (1 1/8 ounces) loads would be ok...

The old link for the pdf manual is redundant but I still have the file available.

Edited April 21, 2020 by border reiver
more info

[dogone]

I bought my twelvette in 1966 special order with vent rib and mods choke , 28 in barrel. Shot everything from partridge to geese with it.

 Used magnum loads and ******** recoil so it would mostly single shot. First shotgun at 15 year old and great memories.

Seem to be very few in Canada.

[fronty61]

I`ve had a few Twelvettes over the years, love them, recently sold my last one, due to failing eyesight ! Two were modified to use shorter than 70mm ammo..same simple mod ! A packer cut from double sided tape, app. 2 mm thick ? (guess, as I never measured ) into a small rectangle, fitted vertically at the back of the shell lifter, so that the second shell was pushed slightly forward into lift position..which worked perfectly. I think both guns were fitted as a temporary measure, so as not to disturb original setup ? I put over a thousand rounds of 67.5 mm ammo with never a problem. I could have made a permanent version with a piece of nylon/plastic sheet, but no need, pull the tape leaves the gun original. Or single-load ? Hope this might help one of you adventurous souls ? An old retired Browning gunsmith I met in Florida told me the factory offered a modified lifter when they realised there was a need, made very few, he`d never seen one ?

I`ve had a few Twelvettes over the years, love them, recently sold my last one, due to failing eyesight ! Two were modified to use shorter than 70mm ammo..same simple mod ! A packer cut from double sided tape, app. 2 mm thick ? (guess, as I never measured ) into a small rectangle, fitted vertically at the back of the shell lifter, so that the second shell was pushed slightly forward into lift position..which worked perfectly. I think both guns were fitted as a temporary measure, so as not to disturb original setup ? I put over a thousand rounds of 67.5 mm ammo with never a problem. I could have made a permanent version with a piece of nylon/plastic sheet, but no need, pull the tape leaves the gun original. Or single-load ? Hope this might help one of you adventurous souls ? An old retired Browning gunsmith I met in Florida told me the factory offered a modified lifter when they realised there was a need, made very few, he`d never seen one ? PLEASE NOTE..think twice if you want to put steel through a Twelvette, whatever the choke size..these are thin wall barrels, made between the early 50s and 1971, good chance they`ll go pop !!! Just a thought....