User manual BROWNING BSS SIDE BY SIDE SHOTGUN

New Gun Owner's Record (Keep this record for future reference) Browning Model Serial Number Gauge Purchase Price Purchased From Date of Purchase Please fill out and mail the Market Survey Card at the back of the booklet. We are proud that you have chosen a Browning. In its manufacture, we have endeavored to incorporate the very finest in materials and craftsmanship, and with just reason able care, this gun should provide you with many years of pleasure and dependable service. If, by chance you have any observations to make regarding its performance or appearance, we hope you will write us immediately. We would also like to know more about you as a Browning owner and would be grateful if you could take but a moment to complete and return the market survey card found on the inside back cover Thank you. BROWNING Route #l, Morgan, Utah 84050 Distributed in Canada by Browning Canada Sports Ltd/Ltee. 5 3 5 0 Ferrier Street Montreal Que. H4P 1L9 BROWNING B-SS 1 YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIREARMS SAFEIY Please let us remind you that, as a gun owner, you accept a set of responsibilities of the most demanding nature. How seriously you carry out these responsibilities can be the difference between life and death. Mistakes made with guns are final and cannot be paid for with money or regret. PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE PROPER HANDLING AND INSTRUCTlON PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN THlS BOOKLET BEFORE USING YOUR NEW FIREARM. There is no excuse for careless or abusive handling of any firearm. At all times handle this shotgun with intense respect for its force and power. Please read and practice the following cautions: CAUTION ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE OF YOUR SHOTGUN POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION even though you are certain the shotgun is unloaded. Never point your shotgun 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 2. NEVER TRUST 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 are mechanical devices that 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. 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 "safety" periodically for proper function, NEVER test it while your shotgun is loaded or pointed in an unsafe direction. Safe gun handling does not stop with your gun's mechanical "safety" device. It starts there. Always treat this shotgun with the respect due a loaded, ready-to-fire firearm. BROWNING B-SS 3 3. 4. ALWAYS VISUALLY CHECK YOUR SHOTGUN to be certain that it does not inadver tently contain any ammunition. Keep the safety in the "on safe" position. GLANCE THROUGH EACH BARREL EVERY TIME YOU LOAD 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 ruin (swell or rupture) the finest of shotgun barrels. ALWAYSUNLOADYOURSHOTGUNWHEN NOT IN USE. As a safety precaution it is preferable to disassemble your gun for storage. Store your gun and ammunition separately-beyond the reach of children. DO NOT PUT A 20 GAUGE SHELL IN A 12 GAUGE GUN. We strongly recommend that all shells of different gauges be stored in completely separate and well-marked containers. NEVER store shells of mixed gauges in a common container or in your pockets. EXAMINE EVERY SHELL YOU PUT IN YOUR GUN! The most certain way to bulge or rupture a barrel is to drop a 20 gauge shell 5. 6. 4 into a 12 gauge chamber. The 20 gauge shell, unfortunately, will not fall completely through the barrel; its rim is caught by the front of a 12 gauge chamber. Your gun will misfire, and under conditions of carelessness made lethal by haste, a 12 gauge shell can be loaded behind the 20. You could not deliberately have created a more serious hazard to your gun and yourself. DO NOT SNAP THE HAMMER ON A 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. KEEP YOUR FINGER AWAY FROM THE TRIGGER while unloading. BE SURE OF YOUR BACKSTOP. Know the range of your shotshells and be certain there is no chance of damage or accident. Never shoot at water or hard objects. Handle your shotgun, at all times with deep respect and alert consideration to all within its range. DO NOT CARRY YOUR SHOTGUN WITH A ROUND IN THE CHAMBER. We recommend you do not chamber a round until immediately before it is to be fired. 7. 8. 9. 10. BROWNING B-SS 5 11. 12. ALWAYS UNLOAD ANY GUN'S CHAMBER AND MAGAZINE BEFORE CROSSING A FENCE, CLIMBING A TREE, JUMPING A DITCH or negotiating other obstacles. Never lean a loaded gun against a fence, tree, car or other similar object. BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET. Be sure no persons, livestock, buildings or other objects are behind or near your target. Be absolutely sure of your target particularly during low light periods. FOR EYE AND EAR PROTECTION we recommend that you always wear shooting glasses and hearing protection when shooting. BE DEFENSIVE. BE 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 the above safety precautions, politely suggest safer handling practices. EDUCATE AND SUPERVISE.Stress 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. 13. 14. 15. 6 BROWNING SIDE-BY-SIDE NOMENCLATURE In conventional gun terminology the position and movement of shotgun parts are described as the occur with the shotgun horizontal and in normal firing position; i.e. the muzzle is forward or front the butt stock is rearward or rear; the trigger i downward or underneath; the sight is upward o on top. AMMUNITION The current production Side-by-Side 12 Gauge Model is chambered to accept all standard factory 12 gauge 2 3/4" 2 3/4" Magnum and 3" Magnum shotshells Current production 20 Gauge Models also accept 2 3/4" 2 3/4" Magnum and 3" Magnum shotshells. GENERAL OPERATION This shotgun is a two-barreled shotgun with the barrels aligned side by side. It is designed primarily as BROWNING B-SS 7 a field gun with two separately choked barrels that allow a rapid second shot when needed. The trigger is a single mechanical trigger. BARREL SELECTOR All current BSS models offer you the advantage of barrel selection. The barrel selector button is located in the rear of the trigger guard, convenient and easy to manipulate even while wearing gloves. Both the left and right surfaces of the selector are checkered to assure positive shifting. To fire the more openly choked, right barrel first, shift the barrel selector to the right; to fire the tighter choked left barrel first, shift the selector to the left. Highly skilled techniques of hand-fitting and polishing have been used to accomplish the hairline fitting of metal parts on this gun. These painstaking operations are necessary to prevent looseness, even after long use. You may consider your new gun to be slightly stiff. This close fitting, however, assures you of long lasting dependability. AUTOMATIC SAFETY The Browning Side-by-Side is equipped with an automatic safety. Whenever the breech is opened, to insert a shell or for any other reason, the safety 8 automatically moves to the "on safe" position. An "S" will appear above the sliding safety lever. Once the safety has been put off safe to fire a shell, it remains off safe until it is manually returned to the "on safe" position or until the breech is again opened. Despite this automatic safety precaution, always be certain that your gun is pointed in a safe direction, and check the safety manually or visually to avoid any chance of accidental discharge. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR SAFETY IN THE "ON SAFE' POSITION UNLESS YOU INTEND TO IMMEDIATELY FIRE THE SHOTGUN. ASSEMBLY A. BEFORE USING, clean anti-rust compound from all metal parts, paying close attention to the barrel interior and the breech area. The various exposed metal parts of your new Browning Side-By-Side gun are coated with a rust preventative compound for protection. Browning Gun Oil is especially suited to remove this compound and give your new gun its first lubrication; however, any quality gun oil may be used. B. PRIOR TO ASSEMBLY, always make certain there is no shell in the chamber. After cleaning BROWNING B.SS 9 exposed metal areas carefully, place one or two drops of gun oil at surfaces (A) hinge pin recess of forward barrel lug; (B-C) sides of both barrel lugs; three drops on forearm bracket (one each at D, E, F), (Figure 1). C. To attach the barrels to the action, grasp the stock's pistol grip with your right hand and anchor the butt stock between your right forearm and right side. With the thumb of your right hand, move the top lever sideways to extreme right (Figure 2). Fig. 1 D. Grasping the barrels in the left hand, engage the barrel lug's circular hinge pin recess (A) with the action's hinge pin (G) (Figure 2). Keeping pressure on the barrel to keep the hinge pin aligned in the barrel lug's circular recess rotate the barrels upward, PARTS LIST SIDE BY SIDE SHOTGUN Part No. 12 Ga. PO82510 PO82514 *PO82520 * PO8252 1 * PO82525 * PO82526 PO82529 * PO82528 PO82532 * PO82531 PO82536 * PO82540 PO82544 PO82548 * PO82552 * PO82556 PO82560 * PO82564 * PO82568 PO82572 PO82576 PO82580 PO82584 * PO82588 * PO82592 PO82595 PO82599 * PO82604 PO82608 * PO826 12 PO8261 5 PO826 18 *PO82622 PO82628 * PO82634 * PO82642 PO82646 * PO82650 PO8265 1 PO82647 PO82655 PO82656 PO82657 PO82658 PO82659 PO82660 PO82662 PO82665 * PO82670 PO82674 PO02678 * PO8270 1 Part No. 20 Ga. Description PO8251 2 Butt Plate PO82514 Butt Plate Screw * P O 8 2 5 2 2 Cocking Lever (Right) Cocking Lever (Right), Selective Trigger Only * PO82527 Cocking Lever (Left) Cocking Lever (Left), Selective Trigger Only PO82530 Cocking Lever Screw Cocking Lever Screw, Selective Trigger Only PO82523 Cocking Lever Screw Lock Screw Cocking Lever Screw Lock Screw, Selective Trigger Only PO82536 Cocking Lever Spring * PO82542 Connector PO82544 Connector Pin PO82548 Connector Spring * PO82554 Ejector (Right) * PO82558 Ejector (Left) PO82562 Ejector Stop Screw * PO82566 Ejector Hammer (Right) * PO82570 Ejector Hammer (Left) PO82572 Ejector Hammer Housing PO82576 E j e c t o r Hammer Housing Pin PO82580 Ejector Hammer Spring PO82584 Ejector Hammer Spring Guide * PO82590 Ejector Hammer Sear (Right) * PO82594 E j e c t o r Hammer Sear (Left) PO82597 E j e c t o r Hammer Sear pin PO82601 Ejector Hammer Sear Spring * PO82605 E j e c t o r Trip PO82608 E j e c t o r Trip Screw * PO826 12 Firing Pin PO826 15 Firing Pin Bushing PO8261 8 Firing Pin Spring * PO82624 Forearm, Standard Models PO82626 Forearm Sporter * PO82636 Forearm Bracket * PO82644 Hammer PO82648 Hammer Pin * PO82652 lnertia Block PO82653 Inertia Block, Selective Trigger Only PO82649 Inertia Block Pin, Selective Trigger Only PO82655 lnertia Block Pivot Selective Trigger O n l y PO82656 Inertia Block Pivot Retainer, Selective Trigger Only PO82657 Inertia Block Pivot Holder Pin, Selective Trigger Only PO82658 Inertia Block Spring PO82659 Inertia Block Stop, Selective Trigger Only PO82660 Inertia Block Stop Spring, Selective Trigger Only PO82663 Joint Pin PO82667 Joint Pin Retaining Screw * PO82672 Locking Bolt PO82674 Mainspring PO02680 Mainspring Guide * PO8270 1 Safety PO82702 PO82705 PO82708 PO82709 PO82711 PO82714 PO82713 PO82716 PO82717 PO82718 PO82726 PO82727 *PO82730 PO82729 * PO82734 PO82738 PO82737 PO82731 PO82742 PO82743 PO82744 PO82746 PO82747 PO82748 PO82749 PO82750 PO82751 PO82702 PO82705 PO82708 PO82709 PO82712 PO82714 PO82715 PO82716 PO82717 PO82719 PO82726 PO82733 * PO82732 PO82735 * PO82736 PO82739 PO82740 PO82741 PO82742 PO82743 PO82745 PO82746 PO82747 PO82748 PO82749 PO82750 PO8275 1 Safety Selective Trigger Only Safety Pin Safety Spring, Selective Trigger Only Safety Spring Safety Lever, Selective Trigger Only Safety Lever Spring, Selective Trigger Only Safety Lever Safety Lever Spring Screw, Selective Trigger Only Safety Lever Spring Washer Safety Lever Screw Safety Push Rod Sear Right, Selective Trigger Only Sear Right Sear Left, Selective Trigger Only sear Left Sear Pin Sear Lever, Selective Trigger Only Sear Lever Pin, Selective Trigger Only Sear Spring Selector, Selective Trigger Only Sight Bead Front Sear Spring Plunger Selector Button. Selective Trigger Only Selector Button Pin, Selective Trigger Only Selector Plunger, Selective Trigger Only Selector Plunger Spring, Selective Trigger Only Selector Plunger Spring Stop Pin. Selective Trigger Only Stock Stock Sporter Snap Link Selective Trigger Only Stock Bolt Stock Bolt Washer Stock Bolt Lock Washer Take Down Lever Take Down Lever Pin Take Down Lever Spring Take Down Lever Spring Screw Take Down Lever Bracket Take Down Lever Bracket Screw (Rear) Take Down Lever Bracket Screw (Front) Tang Screw. Selective Trigger Only Tang Screw Tang Screw Lock Pin, Selective Trigger Only Top Lever Top Lever Screw Top Lever Spring Top Lever Spring Screw Top Lever Dog Shaft Trigger Trigger Gold Plated, Selective Trigger Only Trigger Pin Trigger Guard, Selective Trigger Only Trigger Guard Trigger Guard Sporter Trigger Guard Screw Trigger Plate Trigger Plate Selective Trigger Only Trigger Plate Screw Trigger Spring, Selective Trigger Only Trigger Spring Pin, Selective Trigger Only * PO82752 PO82758 PO82766 PO82768 PO82772 PO82775 * PO82780 PO82787 PO82790 PO82794 * PO82800 PO82806 PO82808 PO82813 PO82815 PO82817 PO82820 PO82828 PO82832 PO82837 * PO82840 * PO82844 * PO82847 PO82849 PO8285 1 PO82852 PO82854 * PO82860 * PO82864 PO82867 PO82872 PO82876 PO82879 * PO82754 PO82756 PO82766 PO82768 PO82772 PO82775 * PO82780 PO82787 PO82790 PO82794 * PO82800 PO82810 PO82812 PO82814 ` PO82815 * * PO82822 PO82828 PO82832 PO82837 * PO82842 * PO82844 * PO82847 PO82849 PO8285 1 PO82852 PO82854 * PO82860 * PO82866 PO82868 PO82874 PO82876 PO82879 *Indicates part should be fitted by our shop or a qualified gunsmith. 14 fully closing the action. Release the top lever should snap back to its central position. Fig. 2 Now place the butt of the gun's stock against the upper leg and engage the rear portion of the forearm with the action as in (Figure 3). Pivot the forearm up E. Fig. 3 to the barrel tightly. This will cause the takedown lever latch to engage onto the barrel. It may be BROWNING B.SS 15 necessary to depress the takedown lever latch. It should be flush with the wood on the underside of the forearm. If the takedown lever latch offers resistance, tap the forearm's widest part sharply toward the barrel with the heel of your hand. The takedown lever latch should then lock into position. CAUTION-In assembling your Side-By-Side, do not use undue force in closing the action. If the action and barrels are not properly aligned, undue force will only cause them to grind together and score or mar the finely fitted surfaces. If there appears to be interference, start over at Step C, being careful to mate and align the barrel lug's hinge pin recess and the receiver hinge pin properly. LOADING AND FIRING To load your Side-By-Side, move the top lever to the right and break open the shotgun. Insert a shell in each chamber and close the action. Visually check your safety to be certain it is in the "on safe" position. To fire the shotgun, push the safety forward with your thumb to the off safe position; the gun is now ready to fire on the pull of the trigger. TOP LEVER. The top lever operates the locking bolt, which is very closely hand-fitted to the barrel 16 lugs. Provision is made for the gradual wear of lock ing surfaces by allowing a slight excess of metal This exacting metal allowance keeps the breech o the gun tight for many years. Upon closing your gun, let the top lever snap into position-do not retard its action with your thumb If closed in this manner, the top lever spring will return the top lever mechanism to locked position It is not necessary that the top lever return to a corn pletely central position; in fact, it usually will not dc so in a new gun. Many experienced shooters cultivate the habit o! lightly pushing the top lever to the left after the gur is closed. This habit is no trouble; it becomes auto matic and is a quick method of assuring yourself that foreign matter has not interfered with the corn plete closure of the breech. The breech is so tightly hand-fitted that accumulated debris, sand, etc. mav prohibit complete closing. If this should occur, the action will not close and the safety will be locked in the "on safe" position making it impossible t fire the gun. Open the gun and unload it. Carefully examine the action surfaces and remove the foreign matter. BROWNING B-SS 17 AUTOMATIC EJECTORS. The ejectors of your Side-By-Side gun are fully automatic That is, fired shells will be thrown completely out of the gun upon opening the action; unfired shells will be conveniently elevated above chamber level so they can be easily lifted out by hand for unloading. DISASSEMBLY A. After having made certain there is no shell in either chamber and with the action closed, anchor the gun's butt stock against the upper leg and pull the takedown lever latch outward. At the same time, grasp the forearm and with the help of the left hand pivot the forearm away from the barrels, (Figure 4). B. Break the gun in the usual manner. Carefully disengage the barrel lug from the hinge pin and lift the barrel upward out of the action. The forearm can now be reattached to the barrels for storage. Fig. 4 18 DO NOT TAKE YOUR GUN APART beyond dis mounting the barrels and forearm from the action This is a specialized, finely fitted mechanism. You may hopelessly mar it, and more complete disassembly of the gun is not required for normal maintenance. CLEANING AND OILING The broad, polished, finely-fitted surfaces at the breech must always have a film of oil. Put one drop on the ejector slides. Put another drop on each side of the barrel receiver walls. We strongly recommend a high quality oil, not pure silicone or lanolin. After use, run a lightly-oiled cloth over all exposed metal surfaces. Do not squirt large quantities of oil inside the action. Oil will only run down into the wood which becomes soft when soaked with oil Although modern powders are noncorrosive, it is wise to occasionally run an oil patch through the barrel bore, starting the cleaning rod from the breech end. If leading develops, use a cleaning solvent and a brass brush in the barrel bore from time to time followed by one or two oil patches. Any good furniture polish or wax gives suitable protection to the stock and forearm. BROWNING B-SS 19 It is VERY IMPORTANT that the chambers of your shotgun be cleaned thoroughly and promptly after shooting plastic shotshells. Cleaning with a good powder solvent, followed by an oiled patch is recommended. CHOKE MARKINGS A neat, clearly-defined mark indicates the choke of your gun The coding is as follows: *Full Choke **-Improved Cylinder *-Improved Modified ***Cylinder **Modified SPECIFICATIONS Gauge Barrel Lengths Overall Length Weight Choke Combinations Stock Options Length of Pull Drop at Comb Drop at Heel 12 Gauge or 20 Gauge Models 26", 28" or 30" 43" to 47" (depending on barrel length) 6 lbs. 12 ozs. to 7 lbs. 7 ozs. Full/Full, Modified/Full or Imp. Cyl. /Modified Standard Style (pistol grip) or Sporter (Straight grip) 14 1/4" (12 gauge), 14 1/4" (20 gauge) 1 5/8" (1 2 gauge), 1 1/2" (20 g u e ag) 21/2" (12 gauge), 2 3/8" (20 gauge)