5 Must-Have Features in a Genuine Maxus Parts

The most certain way to bulge or rupture a shotgun barrel is to load  a smaller gauge shell into a larger gauge chamber. The smaller gauge shell will not fall completely through the barrel; its rim is caught by the front of a larger gauge chamber or at the larger gauge’s choke. Your shotgun will misfire (with the chamber appearing to be empty). It is then possible to load the correct gauge shell behind the smaller gauge shell. If the shotgun is then fired, the result will be a so-called “12-16, 12-20, 20-28 or 28-.410 burst” which can cause extensive damage to your shotgun and possible serious injury to you and others.

Yuchung Power supply professional and honest service.

It is then possible to load the correct gauge shell behind the smaller gauge shell. If the shotgun is then fired, the result will be a so-called “12-16, 12-20, 20-28 or 28-.410 burst” which can cause extensive damage to your shotgun and possible serious injury to you and others.

The barrel and action of this firearm have been made with safety margins over the pressures established by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) for Service Cartridges. However, we assume no responsibility for incidents which occur through the use of cartridges of nonstandard dimension or those developing pressures in excess of SAAMI established standards.

Maxus II 12 gauge, 3" chamber models will shoot all 12 gauge, 2¾" and 3", 1 oz. and heavier factory lead and steel target loads. Maxus II 12 gauge, 3½" chamber models will shoot all 1 oz. and heavier factory lead and steel 12 gauge, 2¾", 3" and 3½" field loads.

MAGAZINE CAPACITY

With the magazine three-shot adaptor (plug) removed, A5 3" shotguns will hold four 2¾" or three 3" shells in the magazine. A5 3 1⁄2" shotguns will hold four 2 ¾" shells, or three 3" or 3 1⁄2" shells in the magazine. 

Speed Unloading

1. With the “safety” in the on safe position, turn the shotgun over so the trigger guard is facing up, then depress the carrier with your finger as far as it will go.

2. Shells are retained in the magazine by the shell stop that catches the rim of the shell base. Locate the shell stop inside the receiver on the right side of the loading port (visually to the left side when looking down into the loading port).

3. Push inward on the shell stop with your index finger (Figure 14) to release a shell from the magazine. As the shell stop is pressed in, a shell will be forced out of the magazine under spring pressure. Catch the shell in your hand as it comes out.

4. Press the stop again to release the next shell. Continue to do this until the magazine is empty. Be careful not to pinch your finger.

5. With the “safety” still in the on safe position, pull rearward on the bolt handle to eject the shell from the chamber. The bolt will lock rearward when the action is cycled with an empty magazine.

6. Using your index finger, feel the opening of the magazine to make sure there are no shells that have not been fed from the magazine and ejected. Visually inspect the chamber, feed mechanism and magazine to ensure there are no shells remaining.

Unloading by Cycling the Action

1. With the “safety” in the on safe position, grasp the bolt handle and cycle the action until all shells are transferred from the magazine to the chamber and then ejected. Take care to avoid damaging shells. Avoid letting them fall to the ground.

2. When the last shell in the magazine has been cycled through the chamber and out the ejection port, the bolt will lock rearward. The bolt will lock rearward when cycled with an empty magazine.

3. Using your index finger, feel the opening of the magazine to make sure there are no shells that have not been fed from the magazine and ejected. Visually inspect the chamber, feed mechanism and magazine to ensure there are no shells remaining.

MAGAZINE CUT-OFF

Maxus II shotgun barrels are threaded to accept the Invector-DS choke system. Confirm the choke system of your shotgun by looking on the right side of the barrel where the specifications are inscribed. Invector choke tubes are identified in Figure 17 (flush mount tubes are shown).

The constriction of each choke tube is indicated twice on the choke tube: On the side of the tube, and indicated with a “notch” code on the top rim of the tube. The included choke tube T-Wrench is used to remove and install choke tubes.

Some target shotguns include premium extended choke tubes. The constriction of premium choke tubes is indicated twice on the choke tube: On the side of the tube, and indicated with an abbreviation in he colored band. The constriction of flush fit choke tubes is indicated twice on the choke tube: On the side of the tube, and indicated with a “notch” code on the top rim of the tube.

The included choke tube T-Wrench is used to remove and install
choke tubes.

Invector choke tubes are compatible with factory ammunition that has been loaded in compliance with SAAMI specifications, including magnum lead and steel shot loads, sabots and shotgun slug loads.

Replacement and additional tubes and wrenches are available from your Browning dealer, or by contacting our Consumer Department. See “Service or Repair” on page 56 for contact information.

CHOKE TUBE SELECTION

To help you choose the correct choke tube for each hunting and shooting situation, all Browning Invector choke tubes are inscribed on the side with the patterns they produce with both lead and steel shot. Each Invector tube also has notches in the top rim of the tube (Figure 18). These notches are a code to identify the choke designation while the tube is installed. Rim notches refer specifically to lead shot. Use the chart to cross-reference from lead to steel, and determine the appropriate tubes for your ammunition and hunting/shooting situation.

Several choke tubes are supplied with your shotgun. The choke tubes listed are also available as accessories. Remember, Standard Invector, Invector-Plus and Invector-DS tubes are not interchangeable.
Invector-Plus and Invector-DS tubes are for Browning shotguns with back-bored barrels only. Before removing or installing tubes, or reading the rim notch code, make sure the shotgun is fully unloaded.

CHOKE TUBE REMOVAL

1. Place the “safety” in the on safe position. Always make sure the shotgun is completely unloaded. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

Six shims are included with your new shotgun (Figure 25). The shims fit between the buttstock and receiver, allowing customized adjustments to the comb and heel. Each shim is labeled/stamped for a specific amount of adjustment. The neutral shim, No. 2, is already installed on your shotgun.

Drop at comb is defined as the place on the comb that your cheek rests when taking aim. If drop at comb is correct, your eye naturally falls in line with the sight.

Shims marked 1, 2 and 3 do not give any cast on or off. The stock remains straight. They only adjust drop at comb.

These shims with their respective stamps are further clarified here:

•  Shim 1 raises the comb approximately 1/16", and the heel approximately 1/8".

•  Shim 2 is neutral. This shim is already installed on the firearm.

•  Shim 3 lowers the comb approximately 1/16", and the heel approximately 1/8".

Some right-handed shooters like the stock to angle away (cast off) from their face, making their line of sight more directly in line with the barrel. Angling the stock to the left for left-handed shooters is “cast on.” Shims marked 1R1L, 2R2L, and 3R3L, will all adjust drop at comb the same amount as shims 1, 2 and 3, and will also adjust the cast right or left approximately 1/8". You will notice that the two opposing edges of these spacers are different in thickness. For right-handed shooters, install shims between the receiver and the stock with the R facing the end of the buttstock, so its thicker side is on the left side. This casts the stock slightly to the right, away from the face of a right-handed shooter. If you turn the shim around so the L is facing the end of the buttstock, and it will cast the stock to the left. These shims with their respective stamps are further clarified here:

•  Shim 1R1L raises the comb approximately 1/16", and the heel approximately 1/8" and will adjust the cast on or cast off
approximately 1/8".

•  Shim 2R2L adds the same amount of cast to the stock as shim 1R1L with neutral drop like shim 2.

•  Shim 3R3L adds the same amount of cast to the stock as shims 1R1L and 2R2L, and lowers the comb approximately 1/16" and the heel approximately 1/8".

INSTALLING A SHIM

IMPORTANT: Before loosening the buttstock to install shims, the trigger group should be in position in the receiver. This aligns the buttstock and makes assembly easier.

1. Make sure your shotgun is completely unloaded and the “safety” is in the on safe position.

2. Use a #2 cross tip or Phillips screwdriver to remove the recoil pad from the buttstock (Figure 20.) Place a small amount of petroleum jelly on the screw access slits on the top and bottom of the rear of the buttstock to prevent damaging the recoil pad. Insert the screwdriver into each of the two access holes. Make certain the tip of the screwdriver engages the head of the screw. Turn the screw counterclockwise until the screw is completely loose from the stock. When both screws are free, remove the recoil pad.

1. Place your shotgun on a table or other safe/secure location. Protect the finish with rags or other padding.

2. You should have a compatible one-piece style base and three screws of at least 11/32" in length.

3. Clean all oil, grease or dirt from the receiver top and from the scope base parts.

4. Position your shotgun in the horizontal position with the top of the receiver upward.

5. Remove all three filler screws from the top of the receiver using a very small, thin-bladed gunsmithing-type screwdriver.

Are you interested in learning more about Genuine Maxus Parts? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

6. Pre-position the base on the receiver top to determine the best orientation of the base. Most bases have transverse grooves cut into them that are offset from the middle. These are the grooves that the crossbolts in your scope rings will pass through. The grooves are offset to allow you to position the bases to fit the design/length of your scope and the placement of the scope, front to rear for proper eye relief. Place both grooves to the rear, both to the front, or one in each direction, depending on the desired position of your scope.

7. Once you know which configuration you will use, insert the screws through the base and screw it into the receiver top using the

correct wrench or screwdriver (usually a 3/32" hex wrench). You must use screws which are at least 11/32" in length to ensure proper thread engagement. Once the bases are installed, check inside the receiver to verify that the base mounting screws are not too long and interfering with the operation of the bolt. Many gunsmiths find it helpful to use a drop of serviceable blue thread locking compound to ensure the screws stay tight. Make sure the thread-locking compound does not get into the action. Be careful to ensure that the threads of each screw engage properly in the threads in the receiver to prevent stripping the threads in the receiver.

8. Tighten the screws according to the scope base manufacturer's instructions. Do not over tighten.

9. Mount your scope rings and scope as outlined in the instructions supplied with your scope rings and/or scope. Always make sure you have the proper eye relief. Always make sure that the saddle crossbolts and cap bolts are fully tightened before using your shotgun.

CLEANING THE BARREL

Your Maxus IIshotgun will function better and more reliably over a longer period of time if it is properly maintained and kept clean. You should clean your shotgun after every day of shooting, and more often if it becomes excessively dirty. At a minimum the barrel should be cleaned and the action wiped clean and oiled after every day of shooting. The slide assembly should require only occasional cleaning.

Normal maintenance can be accomplished with the barrel still attached to the receiver (oiling and wiping down). More careful cleaning requires removal of the barrel from the receiver (cleaning the barrel) and the removal of the slide assembly. A complete cleaning requires removal of the slide assembly and trigger group.

If a malfunction occurs, perform a thorough cleaning to see if it solves the problem before seeking the services of a Browning Recommended Service Center, the Browning Service Facility in Arnold, Missouri, or a qualified gunsmith.

1. Place the “safety” in the on safe position. Open the action and inspect the chamber and magazine to make certain they do not contain any shells. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

2. Remove the forearm and barrel as explained under “Disassembly” 

3. Using a shotgun cleaning rod with a slotted tip or cleaning jag and a patch large enough for a snug fit in the bore, insert the rod and a lightly oiled patch into the breech end of the barrel and run it back and forth through the bore several times. Remove and wipe the choke tube, threads and barrel threads with a nylon brush and lightly oil.

Browning offers a complete line of products to make cleaning your firearm fast and easy. Be sure to follow the manufacturers' instructions when using any product to clean your firearm.

4. Inspect the bore from both ends for leading and plastic residue that often remains in the bore from the shot cups in modern shells. Leading and plastic residue will appear as longitudinal streaks and is usually more predominant near the muzzle and just forward of the chamber. A normal amount of either is common and not serious.

5. If leading or plastic residue seems excessive you can remove it by brushing the bore with a bronze brush. Soak the brush or spray the bore with a powder solvent first. Scrub until clean. To prevent bristles from breaking off, push the brush fully through the barrel each time before pulling it back through.

MAINTENANCE OF OIL FINISH STOCKS

Keeping the oil-finished wood surface on your firearm looking its
best requires only a small amount of maintenance. When the surface becomes spotted or dull, the affected area(s) can be treated using rubbing alcohol on a soft, lint free cloth and allowed to dry. A small amount of a linseed oil-based finish, such as Watco® Danish Oil Finish, Deft® Danish Oil Finish, or Formby’s® Tung Oil Finish should then be applied to the surface of the wood with a soft, lint free cloth according to the manufacturer’s instructions. To treat the checkering, a small amount of oil-based finish can be applied and then distributed evenly using a toothbrush or other soft bristled brush.

MODELS WITH SPECIAL FINISHES

As with any firearm, the only way to preserve its pristine condition and collector appeal is to never handle or fire it, which in turn would deprive you of much of the enjoyment that comes with owning a fine Browning firearm.

While special finishes such as engraving and gold plating greatly enhance the aesthetic appeal of your shotgun, please be aware that
they are no more durable, and in some cases may even be slightly less durable than more common firearm finishes.

As you use your shotgun, you can expect special finishes to wear in much the same manner as any other firearm finish. These marks are the honest product of the hours spent enjoying your firearm and each scuff and scratch will probably have a good story to go along with it.

CONNECTICUT

“UNLAWFUL STORAGE OF A LOADED FIREARM MAY RESULT IN IMPRISONMENT OR FINE.”

FLORIDA

“IT IS UNLAWFUL, AND PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT AND FINE, FOR ANY ADULT TO STORE OR LEAVE A FIREARM IN ANY PLACE WITHIN THE REACH OR EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE OR TO KNOWINGLY SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OR POSSESSION OF A FIREARM TO A MINOR OR A PERSON OF UNSOUND MIND.”

MAINE

“ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD IS A CRIME. IF YOU LEAVE A FIREARM AND AMMUNITION WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF A CHILD, YOU MAY BE SUBJECT TO FINE, IMPRISONMENT OR BOTH. KEEP FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION SEPARATE. KEEP FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION LOCKED UP. USE TRIGGER LOCKS.”

MARYLAND

“WARNING: Children can operate firearms which may cause death or serious injury. It is a crime to store or leave a loaded firearm in any location where an individual knew or should have known that an unsupervised minor would gain access to the firearm. Store your firearm responsibly!”

MASSACHUSETTS

“WARNING FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL: This handgun is not equipped with a device that fully blocks use by unauthorized users. More than 200,000 firearms like this one are stolen from their owners every year in the United States. In addition, there are more than a thousand suicides each year by younger children and teenagers who get access to firearms. Hundreds more die from accidental discharge. It is likely that many more children sustain serious wounds, or inflict such wounds accidentally on others. In order to limit the chance of such misuse, it is imperative that you keep this weapon locked in a secure place and take other steps necessary to limit the possibility of theft or accident. Failure to take reasonable preventative steps may result in innocent lives being lost, and in some circumstances may result in your liability for these deaths.”

“IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE OR KEEP A FIREARM, RIFLE, SHOTGUN OR MACHINE GUN IN ANY PLACE UNLESS
THAT WEAPON IS EQUIPPED WITH A TAMPER RESISTANT SAFETY DEVICE OR IS STORED OR KEPT IN A SECURELY LOCKED CONTAINER.”

NEW JERSEY

“IT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE TO LEAVE A LOADED FIREARM WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR.”

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

“THE USE OF A LOCKING DEVICE OR SAFETY LOCK IS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF RESPONSIBLE WEAPON STORAGE. ALL WEAPONS SHOULD BE STORED UNLOADED AND LOCKED IN A LOCATION THAT IS BOTH SEPARATE FROM THEIR AMMUNITION AND INACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN AND ANY OTHER UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS. NEW YORK CITY LAW PROHIBITS, WITH CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS, ANY PERSON FROM ACQUIRING MORE THAN ONE FIREARM, OR MORE THAN ONE RIFLE OR SHOTGUN, WITHIN A 90-DAY PERIOD.”

NORTH CAROLINA

“IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE OR LEAVE A FIREARM THAT CAN BE DISCHARGED IN A MANNER THAT A REASONABLE PERSON SHOULD KNOW IS ACCESSIBLE TO A MINOR.”

Any person who resides in the same premises as a minor, owns or possesses a firearm, and stores or leaves the firearm (i) in a condition that the firearm can be discharged and (ii) in a manner that the person knew or should have known that an unsupervised minor would be able to gain access to the firearm, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor if a minor gains access to the firearm without the lawful permission of the minor’s parents or a person having charge of the minor and the minor:

(1)       Possesses it in violation of G.S. 14-269.2(b)

(2)       Exhibits it in a public place in a careless, angry, or threatening manner;

(3)       Causes personal injury or death with it not in
             self defense; or

(4)       Uses it in the commission of a crime.

TEXAS

“IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE, TRANSPORT, OR ABANDON AN UNSECURED FIREARM IN A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN ARE LIKELY TO BE AND CAN OBTAIN ACCESS TO THE FIREARM.”

WISCONSIN

“IF YOU LEAVE A LOADED FIREARM WITHIN THE REACH OR EASY ACCESS OF A CHILD YOU MAY BE FINED OR IMPRISONED OR BOTH IF THE CHILD IMPROPERLY DISCHARGES, POSSESSES, OR EXHIBITS THE FIREARM.”

PLEASE CONSULT YOUR LOCAL FEDERALLY LICENSED FIREARMS
RETAILER, STATE POLICE OR LOCAL POLICE FOR ADDITIONAL WARNINGS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED BY LOCAL LAW OR REGULATION. FIREARMS REGULATIONS CHANGE CONSTANTLY AND YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITIES ARE THE BEST SOURCE FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION ON SUCH LEGAL MATTERS.

Want more information on YUEJIN TRUCK SPARE PARTS NJ? Feel free to contact us.

http://www.browning.com/library/infonew ... asp?id=180

Review of Nick Sisley article on Maxus.

Nick Sisley, well-known outdoor writer of many years with Sporting Clays magazine says of the new Browning autoloader Maxus shotgun, "The Browning Maxus should be available now at your Browning dealer, or in the very near future. There should also be Maxus info at www.browning.com by the time you read this. This one is well worth checking out."

Many Maxus articles are now appearing in the popular outdoor magazines, and you can review them here on the web. Also, there are lots of links to what makes the Maxus so popular. You can study each new feature in depth right here. These unique features on the Maxus are innovative, and make the gun lighter, easier to dismantle and clean, more reliable with a wide array of shells, easier to shoulder and swing and much more enjoyable to shoot than what you may have been used to in an autoloader.

Sisley mentioned in the beginning of his article, that "all autoloading shotguns are pretty much the same, and if you've fired one, you've pretty well know how it goes. But the new Maxus has so many slick features, that it bears a close study."

Sisley touches on each feature of the new Maxus in depth. Read his article in the March, issue of Sporting Clays magazine. Let's summarize what he says on each innovative feature of the Maxus shotgun.

New Power Drive Gas System: "The Power Drive system features larger exhaust ports that permit quicker dumping of excess gases from higher-powered shells. Further, Browning has found a way to seal crud and residue from getting into the action, so the gun stays cleaner longer—and a clean semi-auto action contributes to functional reliability. The first ten prototypes that came out of Belgium (where the parts are manufactured) were used at R&R, and Browning would not let any of us writers bring home the guns for further testing since they were taking them all to its annual sales meeting, but they all performed very well on both pheasants and clay targets."

Inflex® Technology Recoil Pad: "Browning claims that the material used for this pad is softer than any other manufacturer uses on any autoloader. But there's more technology to this pad. It is designed to not recoil into the shooter's face but instead away via directional deflection."

Vector Pro, back-boring and lengthened forcing cone: Browning was one of the first to over-bore its barrels, and its back-boring is engineered into every Browning barrel these days. Vectro Pro is now a part of that back-boring, which combines an over-bored barrel (most Browning 12-ga. bores I've measured are .739" to .742") with a 2 1/2" long forcing cone that's just forward of the chamber area. Browning was reluctant to come around to longer forcing cones, but now it combines that 2 1/2" cone with one of the widest internal bores in the business. I am certain that both longer cones and over-boring can improve patterns. Both factors simply deform fewer pellets, with more pellets staying within the pattern."

Invector-Plus™ Choke System: "The Maxus comes with Invector-Plus™ screw chokes, plus Browning claims that its barrels and screw-ins can take the punishment of steel shot better than the competition."

Lightning Trigger System: "The Maxus also features a new trigger system. Dubbed the Lightning Trigger System, Browning claims it now has the fastest trigger time in the autoloading world, at . second. I found the pulls on all the guns I tried in South Dakota to be plenty light enough for me, and they broke crisply. The trigger assembly is easy to pull out for maintenance. The bolt is innovative in that the link extension drops right into place as you replace it and the bolt into the receiver. With other bolts, a lot of 'feeling around' must be done to fit the link into place."

Turnkey Magazine Plug and Speed Lock Forearm: You can use a door or car key to simply turn and push down on the retaining cap at the front of the tube to add or remove a magazine plug. Browning actually calls this feature the Turnkey Magazine Plug. We all tried this, and removal or insertion of the magazine plug could be accomplished in seconds. To make the plug change or even barrel removal even quicker, as well as removal of the forearm, there's a totally new Speed Lock Forearm. Traditionally, fore-ends attach via spinning a screw-on magazine cap. Maxus technology does away with that type of system. You put the fore-end over the magazine tube in the traditional manner, but to lock that fore-end in place, just press down the exposed lever at the front of the fore-end. This effectively "cams" the fore-end into place, and it's tight. To take off the fore-end, there's no spinning the screw-on cap. Just pull up the lever, and the fore-end is ready to pull off."

Speed Loading and Unloading: "The gun has a speed-load system; push a shell up into the magazine and let it go, and a spring feeds the shell directly into the chamber. Unloading the magazine is easy; just depress a latch inside the receiver, and the shells come out into your hand one at a time."

Magazine Cut-Off: "There's also a magazine cut-off a la the old Browning Auto-5. Flip the cut-off switch, open the chamber to change the round or whatever else you want to do, and the shells in the magazine stay put. Without a magazine cut-off, if you open the action, the shell in the magazine pops out onto the carrier.

Optimal dimensions: "This is a pretty light smoothbore. While a 7-lb. shotgun for sporting clays isn't for everyone, such a light gun will be welcomed by many— like octogenarians, youngsters, and even some women."

These are the features you want to become familiar with. They make the Maxus the most incredible, dependable autoloader on the market. Perhaps you too will see what a sweet handling, light carrying shotgun this is, and how fun it is to shoot.

http://www.gunmart.net/gun_review/brown ... semi-auto/

Browning Maxus semi-auto

Just back from Burkina Faso where he has been shooting the latest Browning shotgun Pete Moore gives us his views on their new Maxus semi-auto
“Francolin, Francolin!” My tracker cried as we pushed through the heavy African bush, bringing the Browning Maxus up to my shoulder I saw the small brown, partridge-like shape flitting through the trees. The first round was a miss but I nailed him with the second. Not bad for me a noted dummy with a shotgun, but what was I doing in Burkina Faso shooting a smoothbore?
Browning has just launched a new semi-auto, which is Fusion-like in some respects. There’s little doubt that they have really got the most out of that design – Fusion, Fusion Evolve etc and not forgetting the SX3, which is near the same gun but with the Winchester badge on the side.
Evolved Evolve
The cynical might consider the new Maxus as an evolved Fusion Evolve, but it is a lot more. There have been some major and notable re-designs both inside and out plus a bit of retro as it borrows features from the classic, Browning (bang & clang) A5 auto!
Having been well received in the US it was our turn to experience the gun first hand. Till Cussmann (Events Manager) at Browning International in Belgium invited the major European magazine editors to come and try the gun for ourselves. Which coincided nicely with the fact I am starting to get into shotgunning, so the chance to go to Africa with three days of intensive hunting was an opportunity too good to miss.
The event was hosted by Nahouri Safaris at a place called Elephant Camp hunting lodge in Burkina Faso, I’d heard of the country but had to look it up in the atlas. Simplistically it’s just over halfway up and slightly left of centre. The trip was more an adventure, as this is the true Africa! A Russian colleague of mine described it thus; ‘Namibia is Germany, but Burkina is real Africa’. I have to agree, with everything happening at its own pace and unique way.
We were bussed around in a fleet of aging 4x4s that included an open topped, original Range Rover; Jeremy Clarkson would have loved it… Despite their age and minor breakdowns they took us over some serious gnarly ground that would have had many an off road enthusiasts worried.
Convoy…
We flew into Ouagadougou air port at 21.00 and the temperature was around 30º C. Arrivals and baggage reclaim was shall we say African; the carousal broke down three times and it was a free for all for the luggage. A bit worrying given we had 10 boxes of guns and lot of ammo too. However, we got sorted thanks to the arrival of the Nahouri Safaris’ PH and his crew, then it was convoy time. Given it was night and we would be travelling up country we got an armed escort of gendarmes with AK47s, which was both worrying and comforting. Like I said this is real Africa, the journey time was down as 2 ½ hours, we left at 23.00 and got to Elephant Camp at 02.30, to be told we would be up at 0.500 and ready to hunt…
This consisted of mornings pushing through the bush acting as our own beaters in terms of flushing game. We were each allocated a ‘tracker’ who would identify species and pick up. In the afternoon we had the choice of doing this again or shooting doves as they flew into water. I found the former hard work; especially in temperatures of 40º C once the sun got up. The latter was very exciting as the birds come in fast and furious and I reckon I leaned more about shotgunning than I ever had. Also this sort of quick reaction shooting really allowed me to test and appreciate what the Maxus offered…
Though no bird hunter, I have none the less used a lot of different semi-autos in intensive Practical Shotgun (PSG) shooting, so feel reasonably qualified to give an objective view on the Maxus. In some ways the quick reactions and loading/operating skills required are similar!
Spoilt four choice
The Maxus comes in four options; Composite (all black with synthetic stock), Hunter lightly engraved silver action with wood stock), Premium (as Hunter but with better wood and gold inlays) and the Camo Duck Blind (as Composite but in Mossy Oak Duck Blind camo finish).
The furniture is reminiscent of the Browning Cynergy over & under or X-BOLT rifle as the forend angles away from the barrel slightly, though the pistol grip is reasonably upright. At the back is a thick, Inflex recoil pad and this feature combined with long forcing cones makes what is quite a light gun smooth to shoot and also very recoil friendly. We were using the new Winchester Super Speed 2, 36-gram, #6 loads with a pressure-formed case. I fired around 200-rounds in the three days with no bruising or ill effects… We are told that felt recoil reduction is around 18%.
The receiver is hi-strength alloy with the Hunter and Premium models being nickel-plated, all models have scope mounting cut-outs. The rear curves down as opposed to the stepped look of the Fusion. Both synthetic guns offer shims to adjust the butt angle and also inserts for increasing the length of pull; the wooden ones don’t. Also 3 ½” chambers as opposed to 3” on the Hunter and Premium models. Most noticeable is the fact the Maxus does not have a magazine end cap, as the forend finishes in an uncluttered angled tip with a hidden/fold-down QD sling stud, with a second, fixed one under the butt.
Related articles
Browning’s B525 Heritage Hunter
Verney Caron V12N
Beretta A400 Xplor Unico
Browning B25
Benelli Vinci
The forend locks to the magazine tube by an Anson and Deeley type, pull-down, latch underneath, like an over & under. This is a clean looking design, however it means the maximum capacity is 4+1 only. On that point the guns can be limited to 2 +1 with a dedicated restrictor for countries that demand it. This new layout also makes the Maxus a doddle to strip with no faffing about having to position the barrel/piston etc.
It’s what’s inside that counts
The Maxus shows a redesigned, Fusion-like operating mech, which as before is self-adjusting. Unlike a conventional gas/piston drive it uses a free, short stroke tappet/tube. This strikes the bolt carrier to knock it open, there are no connecting rods to cause drag so dwell time is reduced.
Called the Power Drive Gas System it shows a new piston design that’s more reliable, regardless of heavy or light loads. There’s also a larger exhaust port that dumps gases faster on heavy loads. A new enclosed, O-ring seal keeps residue out of the action for cleaner operation. The piston has a 20% longer travel making it potentially more reliable with light loads.
Further the rising lug bolt has been modified, with the most noticeable aspect being the omission of the firing pin spring. Retraction is now done by the carrier, so again saving a bit of weight and with slightly less inertia to overcome, perhaps aiding the cyclic rate.
A new trigger mech (Lightning Trigger System) has also been added. This offers a crisp pull of around 5lbs with minimal travel. Lock time averages . seconds and it’s rated 24% faster than the nearest opposition.
Barrels are steel proofed in a choice of 26 or 28” and back bored for less pellet deformation. They also have long forcing cones that helps reduce recoil. The tube shows a flat rib and replaceable, hi-vis, coloured front beads, with a small pack included. A set of three InvectorPlus chokes is standard issue and the chamber extension shows a sprung ejector, which gives a consistent throw.
Combining all these elements together – long forcing cones, Inflex recoil pad, improved operating system, new trigger etc., makes for a significantly improved and advanced shotgun. In the US the Maxus seems to be winning fans over both the Benelli and Beretta semis; which is no mean feat…
Exterior considerations
Controls are simple with a cross-bolt safety at the rear of the trigger guard and a bolt release button below the ejection port. Adding to this are a magazine cut-off lever (front left of the receiver), which allows the feed to be interrupted so a different shell can be chambered. Same as the A5 Browning, likewise the speed feed facility. With an open bolt the first round is pushed into the magazine in the normal manner, where it’s immediately fed and chambered. So no mucking around dropping the shell into the action then punching the bolt release. I found this useful as you can keep the gun upright and scan for targets and reload without needing to look down or press buttons. It also has a speed unload that allows you to dump the magazine contents.
The Maxus proved 100% reliable apart from one occasion when I was moving through heavy cover and unknown to me the magazine cut-off had been pushed ON by a branch. I fired at a bird and the gun stopped, thinking it was empty I went to reload only to find the mag full and the bolt open. It took me a few moments to realise what had happened, but I consider that an extreme case.
Pleasing too is the trigger guard, which compared to other makes is large with plenty of finger access. However, the safety catch is quite long and when set to FIRE (right to left) a fair bit sticks out to the right. I am used to a flush fit in this area and occasionally as I swung onto a bird I could feel it sticking out against my trigger finger. This gives the impression that it might be ON; especially in the heat of the moment…
Apart from that no complaints. For me the Maxus proved itself on the doves as the shooting was fast and furious. Light to start and stop and easy to keep full, I soon got my head around it. Most noticeable was gun control. If for example I missed with the first shot (not unusual) the gun was back on target for the second in an instant, which usually hit.
More by luck than judgement I actually got a triple, with three doves coming in over my right shoulder I lined up and shot and swung across and to my amazement I dropped them all. By this time I was in the zone and just as in PSG shooting you are literally at one with the gun and everything appears to be very slow, yet is actually fast and totally instinctive…
In total I got two guinea fowl, three francolin, 36-doves and something that looked like a big pheasant. OK I’d be the first to admit that it took a lot more than 42-rounds to do so, but there’s only one way to shoot and that’s to pull the trigger and learn by your mistakes. Walked up hunting requires you to carry the gun at the high port all the time and unless you are used to it; it puts massive strain on your supporting arm and shoulder muscles as I discovered. As a deer hunter I’m more used to the rifle slung or at the low port for the final part of the stalk!
Apart from having a great time and a very different hunting experience, I was most impressed with the Maxus. They should be in the UK by end of March this year and I will get a grown up shotgunner to test one. But from my novices’ view point I reckon Browning has made a decidedly better mouse trap…
I’d like to thank Till Cussmann and the Browning crew for putting on such a great event. Plus all the guys at Nahouri Safaris for showing us a brilliant time, I have to say the trackers were great and some of the nicest keepers I have ever met…

http://www.gunmart.net/gun_review/brown ... composite/

Browning Maxus Composite
By: Don Brunt
Don Brunt revisits Browning’s premier autoloader shotgun and finds that to pass it by would be a mistake…
Go into any gunshop and the chances are that there will be a pile of semi-auto shotguns on the rack. 30-year old Remington ’s sit alongside Hatsan Escorts, Beretta’s old and new sandwich the new (ish) kid on the block, Benelli, and others from the likes of Fabarm, Guerini and Franchi add yet more choice into the mix.
For many years one semi-auto was viewed very much as another regardless of manufacturer. Most people that bought one used it for pigeons and/or wildfowling; consequently looks were not that much of an issue which considering how some older guns look might not be a bad thing.
One shot advantage?
Handling was also not always at the top of the agenda, if you wanted a really sweet shooting gun you bought an over and under or a side by side. Plus the fact that an auto didn’t handle so well was compensated for by that extra shot, or in the days prior to Hungerford the extra three.
However we do - as they say - live in more enlightened times, and the big manufacturers have realised that churning out the same old thing just isn’t cutting the mustard in the sales figures. With new entrants such as Hatsan producing cheap workaday guns that do the job well, albeit without any particular degree of finesse, the majors have had to bring their offerings up to the cutting edge of design and performance! Consequently in the last few years we have seen the launch of the Winchester SX3, Beretta A400 Xplor, the Benelli Vinci and our test gun the Browning Maxus.
All of the aforementioned guns are technological marvels. Benelli’s new incarnation of their inertia system is genius even though the aesthetics of the gun itself might not be to everyone’s taste, but what then does the Maxus bring to the party?
Gas Guzzler
Browning has preferred to concentrate on honing the traditional gas-operated system rather than go down the inertia route favoured by the likes of Benelli and has built what it calls the Power Drive Gas System.
This features larger ports to allow the excess gases produced by the really high performance loads to be vented away quickly, thus making the whole cycling process much smoother. It manages to do this without coating the internals with muck and dirt thanks to the Browning engineers having paid attention to getting the seals to do their job properly. Take a look at the spring on an old style semi-auto after just a handful of shots and chances are it will be covered in powder residue and other detritus but not so with the Maxus. There is no mainspring in the conventional sense, or connecting rods either, instead a free floating tube/tappet comes back when fired striking the bolt carrier backwards and so cycling the action.
Fire!
The Maxus also sports the Lightning Trigger which Browning claims gives a lock time of just . of a second, though in all honesty if you can tell the difference between that . and say . you are a better man than I.
Trigger pulls from the removable trigger group were very good on the whole by semi-auto standards, being crisp, consistent and breaking around the 4 ½ lb mark. The safety is of the usual cross- bolt format though this control is quite chunky and, as with others that tested it, I found that it can be a little confusing if you are more used to a flush-fit design when in the fire position. On more than one occasion I had to double check that it was indeed off, though owners would soon become used to it no doubt.
Related articles
Barrelling along….
The Maxus barrel on the test gun was 28” which equates to a 30” over and under when looking at total overall length. It is fitted with an attractive vented rib that offers a good sighting plane, at the end of which is a replaceable high visibility bead (spares are included). The tube follows Browning’s long established practice of back boring combined with 2 ½” long forcing cones. Something they were reluctant initially to adopt though the results are now plain to see. These two features working in harmony to reduce recoil and minimize pellet deformation meaning better patterns from the business end. The choke side of things is handled by their Invector-Plus system, three tubes being included as standard. The Maxus is also steel shot proofed as a matter of course.
Clunk Click….
A quick look at the Maxus and you would be forgiven for thinking something is missing, until that is you take a look at the forend release catch. Unlike the round magazine end caps of every other auto on the market this operates via a pull down lock up lever much like that on the bottom of an over and under forend. It makes for a much smoother looking design and although it feels fiddly and a little strange the first time you do it, after a couple of times it becomes second nature. Browning calls it a Speed Lock and it’s easy to see why; it takes just a couple of seconds to remove it compared with trying to spin off the end cap which invariably ends up on the floor in the mud.
The Maxus also has a speed loading function, resurrected from the original, Auto 5 Browning. Simply push a cartridge into the magazine and let it go and the gun does the rest for you, loading and chambering the round. Similarly unloading it is trouble free, just press the latch inside the receiver and the shells come out one by one. Magazine cut off switches are another feature that identify the later generation semi-auto’s and this is no exception, flip the easy-to-use switch located on the left side of the action and you can quickly chamber a different round without having to unload the lot.
Fit for purpose
The test gun is the composite model (black synthetic) following the current vogue for semi-auto’s and it certainly felt comfortable enough between the hands. The close radius grip means the trigger is comfortably within reach and the moulded grips feel positive. Though the test was done in dry weather I could not imagine it proving difficult to keep hold of the Maxus in even the wettest of conditions. The composite material had a quality feel about it with none of the cheap hollow sounding characteristics of some other plastic stocks. Dimensions are pretty standard with a length of pull of 14 ¼” and a drop at comb of 1 ¾” and at heel of 2”. Shims and spacers are included with the gun so it should be easily adjusted to suit just about anyone. Call me a traditionalist but I personally prefer the wood stocked versions, however the fit and finish on this composite are as good as any I have seen.
Range Time
Shooting impressions of the Maxus were very good, starting with a round of skeet on Wylye Valley Shooting Ground’s newly installed range. Being light (at a shade under 7lbs) the gun moves well and doubles from the centre peg 4 posed no problem, the gun being able to change direction quickly without becoming unduly unstable. Similarly the super fast birds from station 8 were easily dealt with though experience in the past has found that guns which perform well here sometimes struggle when dealing with long crossing targets out over 45 yards or more.
However trying some of the more challenging Sporting targets showed that the gun performs well here too. As with all auto’s you do need to drive the gun a little more as it doesn’t have the front end weight of an over and under to keep the swing going and keep it stable but on the whole the experience was very pleasant and I would have total confidence in it as a clay buster. Patterns seemed to hold up well, half choke and Gamebore Black Gold 8’s being plenty enough to dispatch anything Wylye had to offer.
Recoil was acceptable thanks to the back boring and to the Inflex recoil pad which is designed to divert the punch away from the shooter through a clever directional design of the baffles. Cartridge choice is something that Maxus users won’t have to fret over either, operation proving consistent whether fed a diet of 20-gram light loads or 42-gram heavy hitters.
Verdict: A super-efficient interpretation of the gas driven semi auto, it manages to combine clever design features along with robust engineering principles. Whether its clays, pigeons or tackling wildfowl on the foreshore it is unlikely that you will find the sweet handling Maxus wanting.
We Reckon!
• A versatile gun that may be the last semi auto you ever need to buy
• Fast handling but steady when it needs to be
• High tech design without being overly radical