Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Designed by Val Browning, son of firearms legend John Moses Browning, the Double Automatic shotgun was an innovative semi-auto 12 gauge produced from 1952 to 1971. While often cited as debuting in 1955, some sources indicate initial production began a few years earlier in 1952. A key feature was its short-recoil operation, where the barrel only moved about half an inch rearward when fired, reducing felt recoil compared to long-recoil designs. The Double Automatic uniquely loaded via a side port, allowing one round to go straight into the chamber and a second to sit on the shell carrier. This made it the fastest reloading shotgun at the time. Around 67,000 were produced across three main versions – the steel Standard model, and the lighter aluminum Twelvette and Twentyweight. The Twelvette was the highest production at an estimated 65,000 units. With its clean lines, lack of a magazine tube, and unique reloading system, the Browning Double Automatic stood out with its distinctive and ergonomic design. While its operating system was eventually supplanted, it represented cutting-edge innovation in semi-auto shotgun technology for its era.
“Manufactured 1955-1957. With extra non-matching 25 1/2″ skeet choked barrel and factory takedown case that houses the whole set. Chamber marked marked 2 3/4″, choke marked full, and 14 3/8″ LOP.”
Lot 999: Browning Double Auto Twelvette Semi-Auto Shotgun – Belgian Browning Double Auto Twelvette Semi-Automatic Shotgun with Extra Barrel and Case. (n.d.-g). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/1040/999/browning-double-auto-twelvette-semiauto-shotgun.
The post POTD: Double The Fun – The Browning Double Automatic Twelve appeared first on AllOutdoor.com.
