Made: by Fabrique Nationale, Belgium: 1930-1940; 1948-1977; Custom 1977-present
Variants: Superposed aka B25 in Europe. Models: Lightning; Superlight, B26, Liege, Grand Liege; special and anniversary editions. Available in 12, 20, 28, and .410 (16 only as Custom); Field, Trap, Skeet, and Magnums; with 26-32” barrels, most vent ribbed; in 4-5 grades.
Production: 291,000 commercially produced by 1977; more than 100,000 custom made.
Original price: 1931, 12-gauge Field, $107.50 US. Higher grades from $175-$374 US.
Current value: Used Field Grade 12 or 20, $1,000. Midas Grade 28, up to $40,000. New, Field grades start at $8,000 US. I recently found this 1961 Superposed Lightning Magnum 20-gauge. It rivals my Sweet 16 Auto-Five as one of my favourite shotguns. Both were conceived by famed firearm inventor, John Moses Browning. He also designed many iconic American-made guns including Winchester’s Model 1894 rifle and Model 1897 shotgun, Colt’s Model 1911 45 ACP pistol, and Remington’s Model 11 and Model 17 shotguns.
Fabrique Nationale
But Browning is best known for his collaboration with Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Herstal, Belgium, starting in 1897. Browning reconnected with FN in 1902 after his Auto-Five licensing dispute with Winchester. In an unprecedented move, Browning granted FN his surname as a trademark in 1907.
Ironically, their first shotgun venture also inspired his last design.
By the 1920s, Browning saw his Auto-Five as a “game exterminator.” Familiar with expensive custom-made European over/under shotguns, Browning wanted an affordable version for the American market. He sketched a shotgun with one barrel “superposed” over the other in 1922. He added a ventilated rib, single selective trigger, and automatic ejectors. After Browning died in November 1926, his son, Val, perfected the design. He merged the barrel selector with the sliding tang safety and added a non-detachable forend.
Superposed/B25
FN launched their hand-crafted 12-gauge Superposed on July 1, 1930, in four progressively elaborate grades: Hunting/Field, Pigeon, Diana, and Midas. Browning added a Lightning version in 1936 and continued production until the Germans invaded in 1940.
FN resumed production in 1948 with Grades I-V and introduced their 20-gauge. In 1955, they added a 12-gauge Magnum, Trap and Skeet models, and standard gold trigger. They launched a new Lightning model in 12 and 20 gauge in 1956 and added a 20-gauge Magnum in 1957. FN completed their best decade by adding .410 and 28 gauges.
Rising labour costs in the 1960s and 70s, however, forced changes. In 1960, FN reverted to the original grades (plus pointer). In 1961, they modified some design features to reduce costs. They introduced a Superlight 12-gauge in 1967 and a 20 gauge in 1969. Following Browning’s 1973 debut of the new Citori over/under, machined by Miruko in Japan, they had dropped the Superposed from their catalogue by 1977.
Thankfully, FN’s Custom Shop kept hand-crafting the P-Series (1977- 1984), other models, special, and anniversary editions. You can still custom order a new Superposed through The John M Browning Collection.
But I will keep looking for used ones…
Originally published in the Jan.-Feb. 2024 issue of Ontario OUT of DOORS
