Browning's 2011 bolt-action shotgun

[gaseousclay]

i'll admit that i'm fairly ignorant about the types of shotguns out there, but I think I have a handle on the basics. however, I just got the new 2011 Browning catalog and saw that they had an A-Bolt Hunter shotgun. I'm used to seeing pump, semi-auto and break action shotguns but I don't think i've ever seen a bolt-action shotgun. are these pretty widespread in the firearm industry or is this just a passing fad?

 

[pabuckslayer08]

Not at all, they are slug guns not for pellets, Browning made them until 1996 before discontinuing them from the line and Savage arms began to make them and they were a huge hit for slug states now Browning has reintroduced them into the line. Have relatives that have the 96' models and they shoot like rifles to 200 yards all day. They are a real piece of craftsmanship imo.

 

[olddrum1]

JC Higgins was my first shotgun some fifty odd years ago.

 

[GDCooper]

i have a pre-96 ABolt slug gun (with fully rifled barrel, some early models could be gotten with rifled choke tubes) and it's FANTASTIC! Didn't know they were going back into production, will have to check them out, never can have too much of a good thing.

If there's a negative it's that the gun is comparatively light weight, packs a pretty good recoil.

Tight chamber, not something you'd normally associate with a "shotgun". When trying some 3" slugs they'd "weld" to the chamber, very hard to work the bolt to extract the empty. But, I prefer 2-3/4" anyway.

Respectable trigger, not exactly target rifle quality but is one you can actually squeeze rather the usual jerk.

The pre-96 guns are hard to find and sell for pretty big $$....

 

[pabuckslayer08]

They just need to make a 20 gauge

 

[hornetguy]

Mossberg used to make a bolt action shotgun back in the 70's or so. I had a friend that had one. I think the biggest problem he had was with the magazine, and feeding issues. It also had a C-lekt choke on it. You could turn the choke housing and change the choke from open to full.
They made it in a "goose gun" model that had a 30" barrel, IIRC.

 

[BigJimP]

An old Westernfield bolt action ( Montgomery Wards, I think ) was my first shotgun - and was given to my by my grandpa when I was around 8 I think ( in the 50's ... ) ....and it wasn't new then ....its a bolt action, 16ga, Full choke ...

I killed a lot of grouse with it when I was a kid in Northwestern Montana..and I still have it ...so is it a passing fad ...who knows, but they've been around for a long time.

I see a few old bolt action shotguns once in a while at the gunshows / or in used gun shops.

 

[Ludarue]

If there's a negative it's that the gun is comparatively light weight, packs a pretty good recoil.

From my understanding I think most if not all bolt action shotguns pack more of a punch when it comes to recoil because of the design. I have not seen one in many years though. The last time I saw one was at an auction. It went for a good price, probably should have picked it up for myself.

 

[zippy13]

Jim, I remember shooting a Sears bolt action shotgun nearly 50-years ago. As I recall, it was very light and kicked like a mule -- the back of the bolt caught me squarely in the nose and broke it. Back in those days, the bolt action guns were the bottom dollar repeaters -- fence board stocks and a lot of sheet metal -- frequently youth sized. My friend, you gotta admit: The old nose breakers are a far cry from the slug spittin' premium bolt guns of today.

 

[BigJimP]

My Westernfield - bolt action 16ga ...is really light ( maybe 4 lbs ) -- and in a 16ga ...with a 28" barrel. So 1 oz loads at 1200 fps ....kick quite a bit ...with that light gun ../ but it was manageable ---- even when I was 8 or 9 yrs old ....

but as a kid / I shot grouse with it reasonably well ...( and there were a lot of grouse around / so I got a lot of practice )...

( but at 9, I was probably 5' 10" and at least 125 lbs ...) big boned for my age ... ... ( as opposed to 6'5" and 290 lbs today -- just your average svelte buffalo .... ...)... I still shoot the old 16ga bolt action once in a while / although the last time I fired it, the firing pin broke ...and I haven't shot it in a while ....its a good reminder to get it fixed and shoot some Skeet with it .../ come on up guys, I'll let you borrow it ....