Author Topic: 1958 Belgium Browning Lightning O/U  (Read 1164 times)

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Offline dharvey

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1958 Belgium Browning Lightning O/U
« on: March 07, 2007, 04:39:32 PM »
I posted this in the Browning forum as well... I am contemplating buying a 1958 Belgium Browning Lightning O/U in 80% condition for $800. I am having trouble finding any info on this particular model. Any info is greatly appreciated.

Online Graybeard

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Re: 1958 Belgium Browning Lightning O/U
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2007, 05:31:37 PM »
They are nice guns but I actually have come to prefer the Japanese made Citori to them. I mostly shoot the Citori White Lightning guns which seem to fit me better than most anything else I shoot. I have them in 20, 28 and .410 for skeet shooting. I just don't shoot the 12 ga anymore as my shoulder just can't take the recoil any longer.

All the older Superposed guns made in Belgium have fixed chokes which can be Ok IF they are the chokes you want but they seldom are for me at least so that's another reason I like the Citori guns with screw in choke tubes. The 12 ga Belgian made Superposed guns I've owned and shot really worked on my face. The recoil seemed to push that stock into my face and by the end of a round or two it really had me bruised. The Citori guns do not do that. The smaller gauges give me no such problem.

I think the last one I had was a three barrel set in 20, 28 and .410 and I sure wish I'd held onto that one rather than selling it to a dealer for a profit.

The name Lightning signifies it's lighter than the standard guns and today they all come with the rounded knob grip I used to hate but have come to really prefer. At that price in that condition it's a good value but as I said I actually have come to prefer the Citori over the Superposed. The Citori is actually an improved version of the old Superposed.

One other thing worthy of mention. Some of the older Belgian made guns were factory fitted with wood that had been salt cured. I do not know which years that was common but they are all rusted badly where the wood and metal made contact. I think if I were gonna buy one I'd want to know if it was one of those with the salt wood.


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Offline dharvey

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Re: 1958 Belgium Browning Lightning O/U
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2007, 01:51:57 AM »
Thanks for the help Graybeard! I bought it sight-unseen through my brother in Okla. the other day and met him in Tulsa a picked it up over the weekend. I'm not in love with it yet, but it's in decent shape for a 50 year old gun. I'll have to get out and shoot it sometime this week and see how I like it. The best thing about a classic like this is that I won't ever lose anything on it if I ever decide to get rid of it. :)