Made: by Fabrique Nationale, Belgium: 1930-1940; 1948-1977; Customized 1977-present
Variants: Superposed aka B25 in Europe. Fashions: Lightning; Superlight, B26, Liege, Grand Liege; particular and anniversary editions. Obtainable in 12, 20, 28, and .410 (16 solely as Customized); Area, Lure, Skeet, and Magnums; with 26-32” barrels, most vent ribbed; in 4-5 grades.
Manufacturing: 291,000 commercially produced by 1977; greater than 100,000 {custom} made.
Unique worth: 1931, 12-gauge Area, $107.50 US. Increased grades from $175-$374 US.
Present worth: Used Area Grade 12 or 20, $1,000. Midas Grade 28, up to $40,000. New, Area grades begin at $8,000 US. I lately discovered this 1961 Superposed Lightning Magnum 20-gauge. It rivals my Candy 16 Auto-5 as certainly one of my favorite shotguns. Each had been conceived by famed firearm inventor, John Moses Browning. He additionally designed many iconic American-made weapons together with Winchester’s Mannequin 1894 rifle and Mannequin 1897 shotgun, Colt’s Mannequin 1911 45 ACP pistol, and Remington’s Mannequin 11 and Mannequin 17 shotguns.
Fabrique Nationale
However Browning is finest recognized for his collaboration with Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Herstal, Belgium, beginning in 1897. Browning reconnected with FN in 1902 after his Auto-5 licensing dispute with Winchester. In an unprecedented transfer, Browning granted FN his surname as a trademark in 1907.
Sarcastically, their first shotgun enterprise additionally impressed his final design.
By the Twenties, Browning noticed his Auto-5 as a “sport exterminator.” Acquainted with costly custom-made European over/below shotguns, Browning wished an reasonably priced model for the American market. He sketched a shotgun with one barrel “superposed” over the opposite in 1922. He added a ventilated rib, single selective set off, and automated ejectors. After Browning died in November 1926, his son, Val, perfected the design. He merged the barrel selector with the sliding tang security and added a non-detachable forend.
Superposed/B25
FN launched their hand-crafted 12-gauge Superposed on July 1, 1930, in 4 progressively elaborate grades: Searching/Area, Pigeon, Diana, and Midas. Browning added a Lightning model in 1936 and continued manufacturing till the Germans invaded in 1940.
FN resumed manufacturing in 1948 with Grades I-V and launched their 20-gauge. In 1955, they added a 12-gauge Magnum, Lure and Skeet models, and customary gold set off. They launched a brand new Lightning mannequin in 12 and 20 gauge in 1956 and added a 20-gauge Magnum in 1957. FN accomplished their finest decade by including .410 and 28 gauges.
Rising labour prices within the Nineteen Sixties and 70s, nonetheless, compelled modifications. In 1960, FN reverted to the unique grades (plus pointer). In 1961, they modified some design options to cut back prices. They launched a Superlight 12-gauge in 1967 and a 20 gauge in 1969. Following Browning’s 1973 debut of the brand new Citori over/below, machined by Miruko in Japan, that they had dropped the Superposed from their catalogue by 1977.
Fortunately, FN’s Customized Store saved hand-crafting the P-Collection (1977- 1984), different fashions, particular, and anniversary editions. You’ll be able to nonetheless custom order a brand new Superposed by way of The John M Browning Assortment.
However I’ll maintain in search of used ones…
Initially revealed within the Jan.-Feb. 2024 situation of Ontario OUT of DOORS
