wildoliver Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I need a bit of advice, I bought a gun a while ago, advertised as a browning b26 (it's actually marked up as an fn) and liking it I bought it. I tried shooting it and didn't get on, but ended up shooting it more and started to really like it. Now I bought the gun as a first proper clay gun, and as I have been shooting sporting clays for years on uni team and on my own thought this was the way I wanted to go, well to cut a long story short even though I shoot a lot of live quarry mainly pigeon, game and rabbits I have decided I like DTL and want to concentrate on this, now luckily this gun has 1/2 and full choke which is ideal for dtl which is handy. However I diverge. Now the real question as I said it is marked as an fn so i assumed it was a liege, ie an fn branded b26, bearing in mind fn make the top end and all old brownings anyway. But having looked at lots of b26's (my local gunshop has bizarrely had a run on them) it has some subtle differences. However it looks identical in every way to a B27 which I have seen, but hadn't actually ever heard of before. Any info anyone? Also I assume it isn't safe for steel shot, it isn't marked for steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08shooter Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I need a bit of advice, I bought a gun a while ago, advertised as a browning b26 (it's actually marked up as an fn) and liking it I bought it. I tried shooting it and didn't get on, but ended up shooting it more and started to really like it. Now I bought the gun as a first proper clay gun, and as I have been shooting sporting clays for years on uni team and on my own thought this was the way I wanted to go, well to cut a long story short even though I shoot a lot of live quarry mainly pigeon, game and rabbits I have decided I like DTL and want to concentrate on this, now luckily this gun has 1/2 and full choke which is ideal for dtl which is handy. However I diverge. Now the real question as I said it is marked as an fn so i assumed it was a liege, ie an fn branded b26, bearing in mind fn make the top end and all old brownings anyway. But having looked at lots of b26's (my local gunshop has bizarrely had a run on them) it has some subtle differences. However it looks identical in every way to a B27 which I have seen, but hadn't actually ever heard of before. Any info anyone? Also I assume it isn't safe for steel shot, it isn't marked for steel. never heard of a b26 but my mate has nearly 20 b25s in the family he would nt even cosider a 425/525.they are hand made in belgium he says the best were made before 75. i would nt chance steel shot down a hand made browning barrel.he had to have one re tubed last year and boy was it costly.it had sentimental value or he would nt have done it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildoliver Posted January 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Story goes that the B26 was a plan to manufacture a cheaper version of the b25 (like a beretta onyx) and as such it has little engraving, black action and plainish wood. However it is made by fn just like the b25 and handmade, so represents a hell of a bargain. Browning however found miroku could make them budget guns cheaper in japan. So I've got a browning belgium made handmade gun pre japan. But missing out on the engraving etc which I can live with. But I really need someone to tell me what the b26-b27 difference was. As I definitely have the b27 by the look of it. What I do know is that I've done well as I can't find a b26 under £400, and can't find a b27 under £500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlaserF3 Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I'm no Browning expert but this link http://stevespages.com/page7b.htm may help you. If you open the link and scroll down to Browning there is a PDF Manual for it. It is quite a large download. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildoliver Posted January 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Cheers mate found that about 2 hours ago, but what a brilliant site, to any old gun fan that site is a godsend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlaserF3 Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Cheers mate found that about 2 hours ago, but what a brilliant site, to any old gun fan that site is a godsend! It's not just for old guns though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmsy Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 the b26/27 is a poor mans browning and is not as strong as the b25. the locking bolt is narrower for starters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildoliver Posted January 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 I'm not saying it a B25, the B25's are big money I expect it to not be of that quality, however the proof is in the pudding it is a minimum of 20 years old and more like 25 ish and the barrels are still tight in the action, no slop, also by their own test the barrels don't drop full extent on their own when released. I'm so impressed with the gun it's untrue, you can tell it's had a lot of use over the years, I've seen a lot of miroku made browning "budget" guns and they seem to keep their finish better but the actions seem to take wear far worse. I'm really funny on recommending stuff but I'd recommend one of these to a friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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