How much is it worth? Browning O/U Lightning

JrpSlm · April 23, 2016, 03:44 PM

I inherited a Browning O/U Lightening shotgun. It had been stored in a zipped-closed case and the end of the barrel was badly rusted (outside only, the inside barrel is fine). I had it shortened and Parkerized. It's in excellent condition. Does anyone know how much it's worth?

Scorch · April 23, 2016, 04:22 PM

Well, before you shortened it, it was probably worth close to $1,800, now it's worth a lot less (I wouldn't even venture a guess). By shortening the barrels, you now have no choke in the barrels (if it was originally fixed choke), or you have no threads to thread the choke tubes into (if it was threaded for screw-in chokes).

wizrd · April 23, 2016, 04:24 PM

$ 400 -- if you're lucky.

FITASC · April 23, 2016, 04:52 PM

Seriously? That looks like a Belgian Superposed.If it is, you took a $1500 gun and turned it into a tomato stake. And parkerized? SERIOUSLY?

That's a shame............

mavracer · April 23, 2016, 05:19 PM

Yep it's a superposed and I just threw up in my mouth a little.

BigJimP · April 23, 2016, 05:35 PM

You shortened and parkerized it - holy cow ..../ .....its virtually worthless now ( no chokes in the barrels )....and they look really short now...

Maybe its the light in your photo ...but the wood on the stock and the forend look like they don't match...and if that's true thats not good either.

( its now an unchoked coach gun....) ... $ 200 if you're lucky....( and all they want is the stock and the receiver as parts...)...

lefteye · April 23, 2016, 05:44 PM

Another example of the need to seek free professional advice about a firearm before making such an important decision.

Kvon2 · April 23, 2016, 05:49 PM

While I don't support the choice, I also won't bash you for it.

I've only inherited one gun and its probably the only one I ever will. It's nothing fancy but has more sentimental value than any of my other guns. Don't worry about the value, keep it, find something fun to do with it, use it!

FITASC · April 23, 2016, 06:23 PM

Quote:

While I don't support the choice, I also won't bash you for it.

I've only inherited one gun and its probably the only one I ever will. It's nothing fancy but has more sentimental value than any of my other guns. Don't worry about the value, keep it, find something fun to do with it, use it!

Normally, I would agree; BUT, I took his question to mean that he is looking to sell........if, not, no biggie, except................WOW, a Superposed........damn.......

Blindstitch · April 23, 2016, 07:52 PM

Ouch. Before you cut it I would have offered you cash. I just hope it's long enough to be legal.

Personally I would send it out to put chokes in it and thread some extended ones in. Poor gun.

New barrels for that gun probably cost a ton if possible.

JrpSlm · April 24, 2016, 12:22 AM

Guess I wasn't clear on my post. I took the gun to two different gunsmiths before I did anything. Both said the damage to the end of the barrel from rust and pitting, inside the barrel and out, was not repairable. The barrel would have to be replaced and fit to the receiver by Browning. Then rust to the outside of the rest of the gun would have to be reblued which wouldn't match the new barrel unless the entire gun, with new barrel was reblued. The total cost would be more than buying a new gun! The inside barrel, after the first several inches was not damaged at all. So, I had it cut to the minimum legal size. Rather than having a worthless gun I now have a nice home defense or truck gun.

Blindstitch · April 24, 2016, 06:23 AM

Any chance you have a before picture because it would take a lot of rust to make that gun worth lopping off.

243winxb · April 24, 2016, 06:57 AM

Find out what its worth at auction.

g.willikers · April 24, 2016, 08:35 AM

Don't feel bad.
Maybe its collector value doesn't exist anymore but,
You now have a safe and useful gun, whatever it turned out to be.
No worse than guys putting Chevy engines in old Fords.
As long as you're happy with the results, that's all that matters.
Now, don't you feel better?

BigJimP · April 24, 2016, 11:25 AM

As long as you like it - as is after the repairs - that's great and its all that really matters.

But you asked about value...and I'll still stand with my $ 200 opinion, if you're lucky, as a parts gun ....

.....even as a pseudo coach gun/ defense gun, without chokes, in my opinion its not really going to be sought after - but mechanically any Browning is a big step up over most any of the coach guns sold out there - and there are some gunsmiths that can put screw in chokes for a few hundred bucks - and then you might increase your value to $ 500 or so.

skimbell · April 24, 2016, 03:44 PM

Well one thing's for sure.
You're going to have "braggin' rights" just about anywhere you go.
Not many guys have a Superposed for an under the seat truck gun.

April 23, 2016, 04:22 PM	#2
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Well, before you shortened it, it was probably worth close to $1,800, now it's worth a lot less (I wouldn't even venture a guess). By shortening the barrels, you now have no choke in the barrels (if it was originally fixed choke), or you have no threads to thread the choke tubes into (if it was threaded for screw-in chokes). __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

April 23, 2016, 04:24 PM	#3
wizrd Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2012 Posts: 232	$ 400 -- if you're lucky. __________________ Sumo magis ammo

April 23, 2016, 04:52 PM	#4
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Seriously? That looks like a Belgian Superposed.If it is, you took a $1500 gun and turned it into a tomato stake. And parkerized? SERIOUSLY? That's a shame............ __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

April 23, 2016, 05:35 PM	#6
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	You shortened and parkerized it - holy cow ..../ .....its virtually worthless now ( no chokes in the barrels )....and they look really short now... Maybe its the light in your photo ...but the wood on the stock and the forend look like they don't match...and if that's true thats not good either. ( its now an unchoked coach gun....) ... $ 200 if you're lucky....( and all they want is the stock and the receiver as parts...)... Last edited by BigJimP; April 23, 2016 at 05:42 PM.

April 23, 2016, 05:44 PM	#7
lefteye Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2006 Posts: 1,433	Another example of the need to seek free professional advice about a firearm before making such an important decision. __________________ Vietnam Veteran ('69-'70) NRA Life Member RMEF Life Member

April 23, 2016, 05:49 PM	#8
Kvon2 Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2016 Posts: 757	While I don't support the choice, I also won't bash you for it. I've only inherited one gun and its probably the only one I ever will. It's nothing fancy but has more sentimental value than any of my other guns. Don't worry about the value, keep it, find something fun to do with it, use it!

April 23, 2016, 07:52 PM	#10
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,694	Ouch. Before you cut it I would have offered you cash. I just hope it's long enough to be legal. Personally I would send it out to put chokes in it and thread some extended ones in. Poor gun. New barrels for that gun probably cost a ton if possible.

April 24, 2016, 12:22 AM	#11
JrpSlm Junior Member Join Date: April 23, 2016 Posts: 4	Guess I wasn't clear on my post. I took the gun to two different gunsmiths before I did anything. Both said the damage to the end of the barrel from rust and pitting, inside the barrel and out, was not repairable. The barrel would have to be replaced and fit to the receiver by Browning. Then rust to the outside of the rest of the gun would have to be reblued which wouldn't match the new barrel unless the entire gun, with new barrel was reblued. The total cost would be more than buying a new gun! The inside barrel, after the first several inches was not damaged at all. So, I had it cut to the minimum legal size. Rather than having a worthless gun I now have a nice home defense or truck gun.

April 24, 2016, 06:23 AM	#12
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,694	Any chance you have a before picture because it would take a lot of rust to make that gun worth lopping off.

April 24, 2016, 06:57 AM	#13
243winxb Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2011 Location: USA Posts: 1,730	Find out what its worth at auction.

April 24, 2016, 08:35 AM	#14
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Don't feel bad. Maybe its collector value doesn't exist anymore but, You now have a safe and useful gun, whatever it turned out to be. No worse than guys putting Chevy engines in old Fords. As long as you're happy with the results, that's all that matters. Now, don't you feel better? __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

April 24, 2016, 11:25 AM	#15
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	As long as you like it - as is after the repairs - that's great and its all that really matters. But you asked about value...and I'll still stand with my $ 200 opinion, if you're lucky, as a parts gun .... .....even as a pseudo coach gun/ defense gun, without chokes, in my opinion its not really going to be sought after - but mechanically any Browning is a big step up over most any of the coach guns sold out there - and there are some gunsmiths that can put screw in chokes for a few hundred bucks - and then you might increase your value to $ 500 or so.

April 24, 2016, 03:44 PM	#16
skimbell Member Join Date: February 21, 2013 Location: NW Illinois Posts: 35	Well one thing's for sure. You're going to have "braggin' rights" just about anywhere you go. Not many guys have a Superposed for an under the seat truck gun.