Crows are gathering up good here. Was out yesterday for a bit and found plenty of birds feeding and getting fat on bean fields to the south. With a stiff NW wind to my back, I located my blind just behind a stand of tall trees. Crows would top the trees and simply "float" there making for some real easy shooting. Shot several dozen as I kind of lost count with my old Browning Double Auto, modified barrel and 7 1/2 target loads. 31 rounds fired and could count on one hand the number of shots I missed. Many nice doubles as well. Crows are starting to show nice glossy winter plumage now as pictured, a change from the dull black summer feathers.
I`m a big fan of those Double autos, just bought my third one, a "Twentyweight" with mod choke...was hoping to try it out today, but rainy here :(
Smokin, the Browning DA's have a very small but loyal following. When Val Browning came up with the design back in the 1950's they were said to be way ahead of their time. Mine is a plain steel double auto and I have two barrels for it, modified and full. I have been on the hunt for one of the coloured alloy a reciever "Twelvettes" but as of yet have come up empty handed. Hope you get out soon and shoot some crows with your new Twentyweight.
Ted, I have a steel version with a full choke barrel and a black Twelvette that somebody put a multichoke on. I really like the way they handle and the light kick. If you have access to old American Rifleman mags, March 1955 has an article introducing them, and July 1961 has a parts blow-up and disassembly instructions. They were costly to build...alot of hand fitting and assembly. I don`t think the general shooting public ever understood or appreciated them, the way those of us who tryed them do. I`m also looking for rare coloured receivers, Autumn gold/brown, or red. There are some nice pics on SGW. Art`s has a few re-anodized, but they`re a bit too pricey for me. I keep an eye out at the shows...an unfired autumn brown in a case with two barrels would be nice :)
Earl
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There`s room for all god`s creatures...right beside the mashed potatoes
Earl, an unfired two barrel set Autumn Brown c/w case... your not asking for much there brother Most have never heard of the DA's and they were not all that poular due to the 2 shot capacity only. Mine always raises eyebrows when pulled out at the clays range. I looked at a near mint grey/silver twelvette a few years ago in Saskatchewan. The guy was asking 650 bucks for it but sadly someone had put a Poly Choke on the "V" ribbed barrel. I didn't bite. Further, I have seen the the 1955 intro article but not the dissasembly of 61. I have never completely dissasembled mine and am reluctant to so. It has never been cleaned in this manner but has never missed a beat in all the years it has been in my ownership.
Ted
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Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid. John Wayne
Ted, Yes I suppose I am dreaming abit..lol. too bad so many of them have had the barrels chopped and multchoke devices put on them. I`m trying to find a full barrel for my Twelvette. They aren`t really that hard to take apart, two keys that pull out from the rear that let the trigger group come out...the inertia weight just unhooks. I have the 10 page gunsmithing guide on them if you ever need any info. The most common problem is failure to cycle, which is usually due to the inertia weight getting gummed up in the tube with dirt/old oil crud. Val Browning was quite a genius like his dad, he finished designing the Superposed and the 9mm highpower after his dad died, and obviously put alot of thought into the double auto.Collecting DA`s can be addictive...there`s always one more colour or variation, then you can start getting Art`s to do custom colours :) I`d like a nice "wine" shade of red...
Earl
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There`s room for all god`s creatures...right beside the mashed potatoes
Thanks for the info Earl. Might have to take you up on your offer should I decide to tear down my DA for a complete cleaning. I found on a shotgun forum a while back pictures and instructions one had posted regarding this. Only cycling issue I have ever had with my DA was once during real cold temperatures. I'm somewhat mechanical and love challenges such as this. I may take this gun down completely this winter as a good cleaning every 40 years or so might be in order Guess thats why I love shooting M12 Winchester pumps as well and as pictured below. Rain and wind here today, otherwise I would be out pounding some crows. Hope the weather smartens up for you so that you can put your new Twentyweight through a service test.
Weather here is a little better today, I tryed out the Twentyweight, patterned it to see how it shot...I bought a 100 round box of cheap winchester 7 1/2 the other day at Walmart...looks like it should work fine to 40+ yds with them. It`s so light and fast handling, might just become my favorite crow blaster. My steel DA was "stovepiping" this spring, a good cleaning fixed it...amazing how much crud builds up inside over 40 yrs.I don`t have a M12...have several Ithaca 37 and a couple of German SXS doubles, and a new Maxus...I wish I`d of got a shorter than 30"bbl though, with that long receiver it just feels long and unweildy, for crows anyway. I looked into getting an extra 26" bbl, but they are $350 or more here and no stock anywere.
Happy blasting....Earl
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There`s room for all god`s creatures...right beside the mashed potatoes
Ted, I guess it`s more of an auto handgun term...means the action closes on a partly ejected shell...in a handgun its usually sticking straight up, so kinda looks like a stove pipe. Maybe there`s a better term for it in a shotgun? Weather here has turned nasty again...itching to try out the new DA on some crows. There`s a nice looking velvet grey one on gunbroker right now, probably go for big $ though.
Earl
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There`s room for all god`s creatures...right beside the mashed potatoes
Ted, I guess it`s more of an auto handgun term...means the action closes on a partly ejected shell...in a handgun its usually sticking straight up, so kinda looks like a stove pipe. Maybe there`s a better term for it in a shotgun? Weather here has turned nasty again...itching to try out the new DA on some crows. There`s a nice looking velvet grey one on gunbroker right now, probably go for big $ though.
Earl
10-4 Earl, understand now. Only time we used the term "stovepiping" or "towering" was when a of mallard would spring straight upwards over a spread after being startled. Easy shot, just shoot them up the backside with a load of sixes...back in the day.
Also as stated back a bit, the only jamming issue with my DA was during cold weather. Gun would cycle correctly, just that it would not go completely into battery. Just a matter of giving the bolt handle a push forward to lock. Really annoying when pulling ahead of a crow and yanking the trigger only to have nothing happen.
Shall check out that DA on Gunbroker. Hope you get to dust some crows with your new Twentyweight. I have a field lined up as of this afternoon after watching thousands of crows spill into it. Gained permission as the farmer said to go ahead, "knock yourself out". What a crow shooter loves to hear!
Ted
-- Edited by M12Shooter on Thursday 20th of September 2012 11:05:45 PM
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Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid. John Wayne
Most have never heard of the DA's and they were not all that poular due to the 2 shot capacity only. Mine always raises eyebrows when pulled out at the clays range. I looked at a near mint grey/silver twelvette a few years ago in Saskatchewan. The guy was asking 650 bucks for it but sadly someone had put a Poly Choke on the "V" ribbed barrel. I didn't bite. Further, I have seen the the 1955 intro article but not the dissasembly of 61. I have never completely dissasembled mine and am reluctant to so. It has never been cleaned in this manner but has never missed a beat in all the years it has been in my ownership
.
Guess thats why I love shooting M12 Winchester pumps as well and as pictured below
Hope the weather smartens up for you so that you can put your new Twentyweight through a service test
.