April 11-13, 2023 Firearms and Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/11/2023
Manufactured 1965; this was the period when Browning had gone back to grade names rather than numbers, with Diana being just a step below Midas. 26 - 1/2" barrels equipped with a narrow ventilated rib, steel mid and fore bead sights, and marked "**$" over chambers for skeet chokes. Barrels marked on left side with "BROWNING ARMS COMPANY ST LOUIS Mo & PONTREAL P.Q. / MADE IN BELGIUM"; right side with "SPECIAL STEEL - 28 GAUGE - SHELLS 2 - 3/4" / PATENTS NO 2,203,378 - 2233861". Round nose field forearm with point pattern checkering, central floral decorated escutcheon, Browning sliding 2-part latch release. Engraving is the iconic Diana grade with a bevy of pheasants on left side, 2 nesting, 2 walking, and 1 descending in a wooded scene, a pair of quail flying on the bottom of the action, and 4 mallards on right side of the action, 2 ascending after take off, 1 on shore, and 1 on the water, and alerting hares on trigger guard; normal accentuating scrollwork. Engraving is unsigned but exceptionally well cut. Round knob long tang configuration with iconic gold washed Browning trigger. Single selective mechanical trigger. Nicely figured stump walnut stock with a Browning Pachmayr White Line pad. Housed in a Browning luggage case. CONDITION: Barrels retain virtually all of their bluing with very minor marks from handling and use; most noticeable where forearm reciprocates along bottom barrel. Engraving is crisp and well defined. Stocks are excellent, free of cracks of chips, and showing superficial scratches to finish and light marks from the field. Mechanically fine, ejectors are in time, bore excellent with some minor evidence of firing.
Item Dimensions: Case: 34" x 10" x 4"
Barrel Wall Thickness
(O) .022 (U) .024
Internal Bore Diameter
(O) .547 (U) .550
Length of Pull
14 - 5/8" to pad, 13 - 5/8" to wood