Browning B-80 Owners Manual

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Serial  Number 
Gouge 
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Printed  in  USA  •  PP88046  
						

							We  are  pleased  that  you  have  chosen  a 
Browning  B-80  Semi
-Automatic  Shotgun. 
It  is  certainly  a  gun  that you  can  be  proud  of.  It 
incorporates  Browning’s traditional  quality  and 
craftsmanship,  and  is  made  using  the  finest  materials  and  manufacturing  methods. 
With  a  reasonable  amount of  care,  your  B
-80 
should  give  you  many  years  of  dependable, 
enjoyable service.  Please  feel  free  to  write us  immediately  if  you  have  any  important 
observations  regarding  its  performance  and 
operation. 
Also,  please  take  a  moment  to  complete  the 
attached  market  survey  card  found  on  the  back 
cover.  It helps  us  considerably  in  our constant 
effort  to  provide  you  with  better  service. 
Thank  you. 
Distributed in Canada by  Canada Sports  Ltd./Ltee,  St.  Laurent,  Quebec  H4S  1S0 1  
						

							As  a  gun  owner,  you  accept  a  set  of  demanding responsibilities.  How seriously you take these 
responsibilities  can  be  the  difference  between  life 
and  death.  Mistakes  made  with  guns  are  final and  cannot  be  paid  for  with  money  or  regret. 
There  is  no  excuse  for  careless  or  abusive  handling  of  any  firearm.  At  all  times  handle  this 
shotgun  with  intense  respect  for  its  power  and 
potential  danger. 
PLEASE  READ  AND  UNDERSTAND  ALL  OF 
THE  PROPER  HANDLING  AND  INSTRUCTION 
PROCEDURES  OUTLINED  IN  THIS  BOOKLET 
BEFORE  USING  YOUR  NEW  FIREARM. 
ALWAYS  KEEP  THE  MUZZLE  OF  YOUR SHOTGUN  POINTED  IN  A  SAFE 
DIRECTION 
even  though  you  are  certain 
the  shotgun  is  unloaded.  Never  point  your 
shotgun  at  anything  you  do  not  intend  to 
shoot.  Be  extremely  alert  and  aware  of  all 
persons  and  property  within  the  range  of 
your  ammunition. 
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							NEVER  TRUST  YOUR SHOTGUN’S 
MECHANICAL  “SAFETY”  DEVICE. 
The 
word, “safety,” describes a gun’s trigger 
block  mechanism,  sear  block  mechanism,  hammer  block  mechanism  or  firing  pin 
block mechanism. These mechanical devices 
are  designed  to  place  your  gun  in  a SAFER 
status.  No  guarantee  can  be  made  that  the 
gun will not fire even  if the  “safety” is in 
the “on safe” position. The B
-80  has a 
‘cross bolt’ “safety” which blocks the gun’s 
trigger. See page 21  for instructions on 
operation of this gun’s “safety.” 
Like  any  mechanical  device,  a safety can 
sometimes  fail;  it  can  be jarred  or  inadver
- 
tently  manipulated into  an unsafe  condition. 
Mechanical “safeties” merely aid safe gun 
handling  and  are  no  excuse  for  pointing 
your shotgun’s muzzle  in  an unsafe 
direction. 
While  it  is a good  idea to  “test”  your 
shotgun’s mechanical “safety” periodically  for  proper  function, 
NEVER  TEST IT 
WHILE  YOUR  SHOTGUN  IS  WADED  OR 
POINTED  IN  AN  UNSAFE  DIRECTION. 
Safe  gun  handling  does  not  stop  with  your 
gun’s mechanical “safety” device — it starts 
there.  Always  treat  this  shotgun  with  the 
respect due a loaded,  ready
-to-fire  firearm. 
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							ALWAYS  VISUALLY CHECK  YOUR SHOTGUNS  CHAMBER  AND  MAGAZINE 
to  be  certain  that  they  do  not  inadvertently 
contain  any  ammunition.  Open  the  action,  invert  the  shotgun  and  inspect  the 
magazine  and  chamber.  Be  sure  no  live 
round  is  in  the  chamber,  feed  mechanism 
or  magazine.  Keep  the 
safety in  the on 
safe
 position. 
WHENEVER  YOU  HANDLE  A  FIREARM, 
OR  HAND  IT  TO  SOMEONE,  ALWAYS 
OPEN  THE ACTION  IMMEDIATELY, 
and 
visually  check  the  chamber,  receiver  and  magazine  to  be  certain  they  do  not  contain 
any  ammunition. 
DO  NOT  TRANSPORT  YOUR  SHOTGUN 
LOADED,  WHETHER  IN  A  SCABBARD, 
GUN  CASE,  OR  OTHER  CONTAINER. 
BEWARE  OF  BARREL  OBSTRUCTIONS— 
for  the  safety  of  both  your  gun  and 
yourself.  Mud,  snow  and an  infinite variety 
of  other  objects  may  inadvertently  lodge  in 
a  barrel  bore.  It  takes  only  one  small 
obstruction  to  ruin  (swell  or  rupture)  the  finest  of shotgun barrels. 
Before  you  load  your  firearm,  open  the 
action. 
BE  CERTAIN  NO  LIVE  ROUND  IS 
IN  THE  CHAMBER. 
Then  look  through 
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							the  barrel  to  be  sure  it  is  clear  of  any 
obstruction. It takes only a small obstruction 
to  dangerously increase pressures.  Before  the  first  firing,  clean  the bore  with  a 
cleaning  rod  and  patch,  and  wipe  away 
any  anti
-rust  compounds  in  the  action/ 
chamber areas. See  “Cleaning Suggestions”  on page  32. 
ALWAYS UNLOAD  YOUR SHOTGUN 
WHEN  NOT IN  USE.  REFER  TO  PAGE 
30  OF  THIS  INSTRUCTION  BOOKLET 
EXPLAINING  THE  UNLOADING  OF  YOUR SHOTGUN. 
As  a safety precaution 
it  is  preferable  to  disassemble your  gun  for 
storage.  Store  your  gun  and  ammunition 
separately
-beyond the  reach  of  children. 
Take  all  safeguards to  ensure your  gun 
does  not  become  available  to  untrained, 
inexperienced,  or  unwelcome  hands. 
USE  THE  PROPER  AMMUNITION. The 
barrel  and  action  of  this  shotgun  have 
been  made  with  substantial  safety  margins 
over  the  pressures  developed  by  established 
American commercial loads.  Nevertheless, 
Browning assumes no  liability for accidents 
which  occur  through  the  use  of  cartridges  of  non
-standard  dimensions  or  which 
develop pressures in excess of commercially 
available  ammunition  which  has  been 
5  
						

							loaded  in  accordance  with  standards 
established by SAAMI (Sporting Arms and 
Ammunition Manufacturers Institute). 
DO  NOT  PUT A  20  GAUGE  SHELL  IN  A 
12 GAUGE GUN. 
Store  all shells  of 
different  gauges  in  completely  separate 
and  well
-marked  containers.  Do  not  store 
shells  of  mixed  gauges  in  a  common  container  or  in  your  pockets. 
EXAMINE 
EVERY SHELL  YOU  PUT IN  YOUR  GUN! 
The  most  certain  way  to  bulge  or  rupture  a  barrel  is  to  drop  a  20  gauge  shell  into  a  12  gauge chamber.  The 20  gauge shell, 
unfortunately,  will  not fall completely 
through  the  barrel;  its  rim  is  caught by  the  front of a  12  gauge chamber. Your gun will 
misfire.  It is then  possible to load a  12 
gauge  shell behind  the  20  gauge  shell.  If 
the  12  gauge  shell  is then  fired,  the  result  will be a so
-called “12-20 burst” which can 
cause  extensive  damage  to  your  gun  and 
possible  serious  injury to you. 
DO  NOT  USE  3”  SHOTGUN  SHELLS  IN 
A  BARREL  WITH  A  2  3/4”  CHAMBER. 
THE  SIZE  OF  THE  CHAMBER  IS 
INSCRIBED,  ALONG  WITH  CHOKE 
DESIGNATIONS,  ON  THE  SIDE  OF  THE 
BARREL. 
6  
						

							DO  NOT  SNAP  THE  HAMMER  ON  AN 
MAY  NOT  BE  EMPTY! 
Treat  every  gun 
with  the  respect  due  a  loaded  gun
-even 
though  you  are  certain  the  gun  is 
unloaded. 
KEEP  YOUR  FINGER  AWAY  FROM  THE 
TRIGGER  WHILE  UNLOADING, 
LOADING  OR  UNTIL  YOU ARE  READY  TO SHOOT. 
BE  SURE  OF  YOUR  TARGET  AND 
BACKSTOP, 
particularly during low light 
periods. Know the range of your ammunition. 
Never  shoot  at  water  or  hard  objects. 
ALWAYS  UNLOAD  ANY  GUN’S 
CHAMBER  AND  MAGAZINE  BEFORE 
CROSSING  A  FENCE,  CLIMBING  A 
TREE,  JUMPING  A  DITCH  OR 
NEGOTIATING OTHER OBSTACLES. 
Refer to  page  30  of  this  instruction  booklet 
for  instructions  on  the  unloading  of  your 
shotgun.  Never  lean  a  loaded  gun  against  a 
fence,  tree,  car  or  other  similar  object. 
WEAR  EYE  AND  EAR  PROTECTION 
WHEN  SHOOTING. 
Unprotected,  repeated 
exposure  to  gunfire  can  cause  hearing 
EMPTY  CHAMBER-THE  CHAMBER 
7  
						

							damage.  Wear  hearing  protectors  to 
protect  your  ears  from  loud  noise  and 
shooting  glasses  to  protect  your  eyes  from 
flying particles. Also, wear eye protection 
when  disassembling  and  cleaning  your  shotgun  to  prevent  the  possibility  of 
springs,  spring
-tensioned  parts,  solvents or 
other  agents  from  contacting  your  eyes. 
DROPPING  A  LOADED  GUN  CAN  CAUSE 
AN  ACCIDENTAL  DISCHARGE 
even  with 
the “safety” in the “on safe” position.  Be 
extremely  careful,  while  hunting  or  during 
any shooting activity,  to  avoid  dropping  a 
loaded  firearm. 
IF  YOUR  GUN FAILS  TO  FIRE,  KEEP 
THE  MUZZLE  POINTED  IN  A  SAFE 
DIRECTION. 
Hold  this  position  for  a 
minimum of 30 seconds.  Carefully open  the  action  and  remove  the  cartridge.  If  the 
primer  is  indented,  the  cartridge  should  be 
disposed  of  in  a  way  that  cannot  cause 
harm.  If  the  primer  is  not  indented,  your 
firearm  should  be  examined  by  a  qualified 
gunsmith  and  the  cause  of  the  malfunction 
should  be  corrected  before  further  use. 
BE  DEFENSIVE.  BE  ON  GUARD 
AGAINST  UNSAFE  GUN  HANDLING 
AROUND  YOU AND  OTHERS. 
Don’t  be 
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