The Best There Is ® BPS PUMP SHOTGUN OWNER'S MANUAL THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING A BROWNING BPS SHOTGUN. The BPS has a proven design that incorporates the best of Browning workmanship and rugged dependability. The Browning BPS offers the same pride of ownership that one receives from any of our fine shotguns. With a reasonable amount of care your BPS pump shotgun should give you many years of enjoyable service. This owner's manual covers the 10, 12, 20, 28 gauge and .410 bore shotguns. Please feel free to write us immediately if you have any observations regarding the gun's performance and operation. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIREARMS SAFETY As a gun owner, you accept a set of demanding responsibilities. How seriously you take these responsibilities can be the difference between life and death. There is no excuse for careless or abusive handling of any firearm. At all times handle all firearms with intense respect for their power and potential danger. PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE CAUTIONS, PROPER HANDLING PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS OUTLINED IN THIS OWNER'S MANUAL BEFORE USING YOUR NEW FIREARM. 1 ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE OF YOUR SHOTGUN POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION even though you are certain it is unloaded. Never point any firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot. Be extremely alert and aware of all persons and property within the range of your ammunition. 2 NEVER RELY TOTALLY ON YOUR SHOTGUN'S MECHANICAL "SAFETY" DEVICE. The word "safety" describes a gun's trigger block mechanism, sear block mechanism, hammer block mechanism or firing pin block mechanism. These mechanical devices are designed to place your gun in a SAFER status. No guarantee can be made that the gun will not fire even if the "safety" is in the "on safe" position. See "Operation of the Safety" on page 9 for instructions on operation of this gun's "safety." LIKE ANY MECHANICAL DEVICE, A "SAFETY" CAN SOMETIMES FAIL; IT CAN BE JARRED OR INADVERTENTLY MANIPULATED INTO AN UNSAFE CONDITION. Mechanical "safeties" merely aid safe gun handling and are no excuse for pointing your shotgun's muzzle in an unsafe direction. While it is a good idea to "test" your shotgun's mechanical "safeties" periodically for proper function, NEVER TEST THE "SAFETY" WHILE YOUR FIREARM IS LOADED OR POINTED IN AN UNSAFE DIRECTION. Safe gun handling does not stop with your gun's mechanical "safety" devices -- it starts there. Always treat this shotgun with the respect due a loaded, ready-to-fire firearm. 2 3 WHENEVER YOU HANDLE ANY FIREARM, OR HAND IT TO SOMEONE, ALWAYS OPEN THE ACTION IMMEDIATELY. VISUALLY CHECK YOUR SHOTGUN'S CHAMBER. Make certain it does not inadvertently contain any ammunition. Always keep the chamber empty and the safety in the "on safe" position unless shooting is imminent. 4 DO NOT TRANSPORT ANY FIREARM LOADED. Keep all firearms unloaded during transport, whether stored in a holster, gun case, scabbard or other container. 5 HUNTING FROM ELEVATED SURFACES SUCH AS TREE STANDS IS DANGEROUS. Doing so may increase the risk of handling any firearm. The following rules should always be observed by you and those you hunt with: Always make certain that the stand being used is safe and stable. Always make certain that your firearm is unloaded when it is being taken up and down from the stand. Always make certain that your firearm is not dropped from the stand, or dropped while it is being taken up or down from the stand. Remember, a loaded firearm may discharge when dropped. 6 BEWARE OF BARREL OBSTRUCTIONS. Do this 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 may damage your gun and cause injury to yourself and to others. BEFORE CHECKING FOR A BARREL OBSTRUCTION, BE CERTAIN NO LIVE ROUNDS ARE IN THE CHAMBER. PLACE THE "SAFETY" IN THE "ON SAFE" POSITION. After assuring yourself that the firearm is completely unloaded, again, open the breech or action and look through the barrel to be sure they are clear of any obstruction. If an obstruction is seen, no matter how small it may be, clean the bore with a cleaning rod and patch as described later in "Cleaning and Maintenance Suggestions" on page 23. 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. 3 7 ALWAYS UNLOAD YOUR SHOTGUN WHEN NOT IN USE. As a safety precaution, it is preferable to disassemble your gun for storage. Store your firearm and ammunition separately ­­ well beyond the reach of children. Take all safeguards to ensure your shotgun does not become available to untrained, inexperienced or unwelcome hands. 8 USE THE PROPER AMMUNITION. The barrel and action of this shotgun has been made with substantial safety margins over the pressures developed by established American commercial loads. Nevertheless, we can assume no liability for incidents which occur through the use of shotshells of nonstandard dimensions which develop pressures in excess of commercially available ammunition which has been loaded in accordance with standards established by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturer's Institute (SAAMI). BE ALERT TO THE SIGNS OF AMMUNITION MALFUNCTION. IF YOU DETECT AN OFF SOUND OR LIGHT RECOIL WHEN A CARTRIDGE IS FIRED, DO NOT LOAD ANOTHER CARTRIDGE INTO THE CHAMBER. Open the action and remove all the shells from the chamber. Glance down the barrels to make sure that a wad or other obstruction does not remain in the barrel. Completely clear the barrel before loading and firing again. Failure to follow these instructions can cause extensive damage to your gun and possible serious injury to yourself and others. Make sure of adequate ventilation in the area that you discharge a firearm. Wash hands thoroughly after exposure to ammunition or cleaning a firearm. Lead exposure can be obtained from discharging firearms in poorly ventilated areas, cleaning firearms or handling ammunition. Lead is a substance that has been known to cause birth defects, reproductive harm and other serious injury. 9 NEVER INSERT A SHELL OF THE INCORRECT GAUGE IN ANY SHOTGUN. The gauge of your shotgun is marked on the side of the barrel. Store all shells of different gauges in completely separate and well-marked containers. Never store shells of mixed gauges in a common container or in your pockets. 4 EXAMINE EVERY SHELL YOU PUT IN YOUR GUN. DO NOT PUT A 20 GAUGE SHELL IN A 12 GAUGE GUN. DO NOT PUT A 28 GAUGE SHELL IN A 20 GAUGE GUN. DO NOT PUT A .410 BORE SHELL IN A 28 GAUGE GUN. NEVER PUT METALLIC CARTRIDGES OF ANY KIND IN A SHOTGUN. SPECIFICALLY, NEVER PUT CENTERFIRE RIFLE OR PISTOL CARTRIDGES IN A SHOTGUN CHAMBERED FOR .410 BORE. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS WARNING MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO YOU AND TO OTHERS. The most certain way to bulge or rupture a shotgun barrel is to load a smaller gauge shell into a larger gauge chamber. The smaller gauge shell will not fall completely through the barrel; its rim is caught by the front of a larger gauge chamber or at the larger gauge's choke. Your gun will misfire (with the chamber appearing to be empty). It is then possible to load the correct gauge shell behind the smaller gauge shell. If the gun is then fired, the result will be a so-called "12-20, 20-28 or 28-.410 burst" which can cause extensive damage to your gun and possible serious injury to you and others. 10 USE SHELLS OF THE CORRECT LENGTH. Do not use 3" or 31/2" shells in a barrel with a 23/4" or 21/2" chamber, or 31/2" shells in a barrel with a 3" chamber. Doing so can result in a buildup of dangerously high pressures that may damage your gun and possibly cause serious injury to yourself or others. The size of the chamber is inscribed on the side of the barrel. 11 DO NOT SNAP THE FIRING PIN ON AN EMPTY CHAMBER -- THE CHAMBER MAY NOT BE EMPTY! Treat every gun with the respect due a loaded gun, even though you are certain the gun is unloaded. 12 KEEP YOUR FINGERS AWAY FROM THE TRIGGER WHILE UNLOADING OR LOADING, UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO SHOOT. 13 BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND BACKSTOP. Particularly during low light periods. Know the range of your ammunition. Never shoot at water or hard objects. 14 ALWAYS UNLOAD YOUR SHOTGUN'S CHAMBERS BEFORE CROSSING A FENCE, CLIMBING A TREE, JUMPING A DITCH OR NEGOTIATING OTHER OBSTACLES. Never lean or place any loaded firearm on or against a fence, tree, car, or other similar object. 5 15 WEAR EYE AND EAR PROTECTION WHEN SHOOTING. Unprotected, repeated exposure to gunfire can cause hearing damage. Wear ear protectors (shooting ear plugs or muffs) to guard against such damage. Wear shooting glasses to protect your eyes from flying particles. Always keep a safe distance between the muzzle of your firearm and any persons nearby, as muzzle blast, debris and ejecting shells could inflict serious injury. Also, wear eye protection when disassembling and cleaning any firearm to prevent the possibility of springs, spring-tensioned parts, solvents or other agents from contacting your eyes. 16 DROPPING OR JARRING A LOADED GUN CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE. This can occur even with the "safety" in the "on safe" position. Be extremely careful while hunting or during any shooting activity to avoid dropping any firearm. 17 IF YOUR GUN FAILS TO FIRE, KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION. Hold this position for a minimum of 30 seconds. Carefully open the action and remove the shotshell. If the primer is indented, the shell should be disposed of in a way that cannot cause harm. If the primer is not indented, your firearm should be examined by a qualified gunsmith and the cause of the malfunction should be corrected before further use. 18 BE DEFENSIVE AND ON GUARD AGAINST UNSAFE GUN HANDLING AROUND YOU AND OTHERS. Don't be timid when it comes to gun safety. If you observe other shooters violating any of these safety precautions, politely suggest safer handling practices. 19 BE CERTAIN YOUR SHOTGUN IS UNLOADED BEFORE CLEANING. Because so many gun accidents occur when a firearm is being cleaned, special and extreme care should be taken to be sure your gun is unloaded before disassembly, cleaning and reassembly. Keep ammunition away from the cleaning location. Never test the mechanical function of any firearm with live ammunition. 6 20 TEACH AND SUPERVISE FIREARMS SAFETY TO ALL MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY -- ESPECIALLY TO CHILDREN AND NON-SHOOTERS. Closely supervise newcomers to the shooting sports. Encourage enrollment in hunting/shooting safety courses. 21 NEVER DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR TAKE ANY TYPE OF DRUGS BEFORE OR DURING SHOOTING. Your vision and judgment could be dangerously impaired, making your gun handling unsafe to you and to others. 22 READ AND HEED ALL WARNINGS in this owner's manual, on ammunition boxes and with all accessories that you install on your firearm. It is your responsibility to secure the most up-to-date information on the safe handling procedures of your Browning gun. We assume no liability for incidents which occur when unsafe or improper gun accessories or ammunition combinations are used. 23 PRACTICE PERIODIC MAINTENANCE -- AVOID UNAUTHORIZED SERVICING. Your firearm is a mechanical device which will not last forever, and as such, is subject to wear and requires periodic inspection, adjustment and service. Browning firearms should be serviced by a Browning recommended service facility or by Browning's service facility in Arnold, Missouri. We cannot assume any responsibility for injuries suffered or caused by unauthorized servicing, alterations or modifications of Browning firearms. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, ALTER THE TRIGGER, SAFETY OR OTHER PARTS OF THE FIRING MECHANISM OF THIS OR ANY OTHER FIREARM. FAILURE TO OBEY THIS WARNING MAY RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. BE CAREFUL! 7 FIGURE 1 Safety Receiver Rib Barrel Butt Stock Muzzle Forearm Release Button Trigger Magazine Cap N O M E N C L AT U R E In conventional gun terminology, the position and movement of gun parts are described as they occur with the gun horizontal and in normal firing position; i.e. the muzzle is forward or front; the buttstock is rearward or rear; the trigger is downward or underneath; the sight is upward or on top. For general parts nomenclature refer to Figure 1. The BPS also is shown disassembled to the extent necessary in order to follow instructions contained in this book (Figure 1A). G E N E R A L O P E R AT I O N The Browning BPS shotgun is a manually operated, slide action, repeating shotgun. The release mechanism is operated by moving the slide (forearm) in a rearward motion, followed by a forward motion. This action unlocks the breechblock, extracts and ejects the fired shell casing, transfers a live shell from the magazine to the chamber and re-locks the breechblock. The BPS is loaded from the bottom of the receiver and ...