Browning BPS 28 Gauge
Could anyone tell me if the Browning PBS in 28 gauge is built on a 20 gauge action or did they reduce the size for the smaller shell? I was able to handle an Ithaca 28 gauge and really liked the gun because it was just the right size for the 28 gauge shell but they sure are pricey.
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I am 99.99% sure that Browning did just as you thought, they built the BPS 28 gauge on the 20 gauge receiver. I have owned both, and I was always suprised at how 'heavy' the 28 gauge felt to me, especially when compared to my 20ga Ithaca 37 Featherlight and my 20ga Remington 870 LW Magnum. According to their website specs, the BPS 28ga with 26 inch barrel and 2 3/4 inch chamber weighs a hefty 6 lbs 15 oz. For comparison, the BPS 20ga with 26 inch barrel and 3 inch chamber weighs in at an even 7 lbs, only one ounce more. Pretty strong evidence that the 28ga is built on the 20ga platform. Here are the official Browning webpage specs:
http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?value=011B&cat_id=012&type_id=2110 -
I have one of the older 20 ga. Ithaca English ultralites (the one with the straight grip stock and checkered butt, ie., no plate or pad). IIRC, it's a 1982, has a 25" vent rib barrel, and the old "slam-fire" action. It weighs, on my scale, an ounce less than 5 lbs.! If you're looking for a very light pump action field gun, see if you can find one of those.
I have a 20 ga. BPS, too, the one with the straight grip and 22" vent rib barrel; invector choke. I like almost everything about it, except @ 6 3/4 lbs. it feels like a big box of rocks compared to the Ithaca.0 -
Thank you all for the feed back. I suspected they were built on the 20 gauge frame when I saw their weight on the Browning site. With the capabilities of CNC machining I would think it would be no problem for them to produce a scaled down version of most any firearm. I guess the question is how big a market is there for a 28 gauge pump that was small and light. 0
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