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I discovered this and thought I would post it here for posterity: Browning Express This over-and-under double rifle has roots going all the way back to 1931, when FN/Browning brought the original Express rifle based on the B-25 shotgun. The original Express was built only for 7x65Rmm (a rimmed version of the 7x64mm Brenneke) and 9.3x74Rmm, with 25.625" barrels. It has a raised rib on the top of the barrel that has a folding rear sight and is drilled and tapped for a scope. Express barrels are of chrome-molybdenum steel joined together with a rib and silver solder. The Express has intricately-engraved side plates and a box lock. From 1978 to 1994, the Express Continental joined the standard Express; this rifle was made for .30-06 Springfield and 9.3x74Rmm cartridges, with exchange barrels for 20 Gauge shotgun shells. In 1987, a version of the Express firing either 9.3x62mm Mauser or .375 H&H Magnum was added; the 9.3x62mm Mauser version used the same 25.625" barrels, but the .375 H&H Magnum version used shorter 23.625" barrels. In 1992, the Express Europa was introduced; this is virtually the same weapon as the standard Express, but also comes in .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, and 9.3x62mm Mauser versions, each of which have 24-inch barrels. The Express CCS European Classic (later known as simply the Express CCS) appeared in 1996, made for 8mm JRS and 9.3x74Rmm, with 22-inch barrels. The Express CCS Herstal appeared at the same time, in the same chamberings, but with 23.625" barrels (reduced in 1998 to 23.25 inches). Also appearing at the same time was the Express CCS-25, chambered for a wide variety of cartridges and with either 24-inch or 25.625-inch barrels. The Express CCS-375 African was introduced in 2000; it chambers the .375 H&H Magnum round, has 23.625-inch barrels, and is much heavier than most of the Express line. The Express Erice was introduced in 2001 as a luxury version of the Express; it chambers only two rounds, with 22-inch barrels, but the artwork on the weapon is first-class and gold-inlaid, and the stock is of the finest walnut root. The Express Erice can also change the convergence of its rounds by means of moveable spacers for the barrels. The Express Erice Duo was the final version, introduced in 2001; it has the fine quality of the Erice, plus interchangeable barrels that allow the shooter to fire either twin barrels of 8mm JRS, 9.3x74Rmm, or a 20 Gauge shotgun rounds. It also has long 28-inch barrels. FN Express Double Rifle This rifle is an improved version of the old Browning Superposed shotgun, turned into a rifle. It is an over-and-under design, and has the addition of a reduced-wear breech and a top-lever system for selection of the barrel to be fired. Most of these rifles are built with expensive woods and intricate engraving on the action. Because of the design of the weapon, only one barrel may be fired at a time. |