Browning BSS 20 gauge SXS value

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dutch_m

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Hello gents
Trying to get a rough value on a browning SxS from around 1979 , 20 gauge with single tringer and selector , also ejectors , also it is 26 inches and is a full and modified

This gun is used , the front forearm has a ding in the wood , some blueing loss , the butt pad has been replace and not original

It looks like from the pictures that when they were doing the butt pad removed that they hit the stock with the grinder and left marks

Also has a crack in the wood in the checking area near the rear tang screw ,

I had pictures sent to me , the owner or I should say the seller seems to think that it would be classed as mint

I've also been told that most of them browning BSS shotguns came with a vanish finish and not oil rubbed stock , can someone that knows confirm this for

If the gun is not in all original condition , I would think it is not worth the price of a mint one

I've done some researching , and some of the bss that I've found in 12 gauge have fetch like $1200 or $1300 when used and not mint or oringal

Thanks for your opinions and value
 
Sounds like you already know it’s not mint. I won’t say they never came with an oil finish because likely I’ll be proven wrong but I’ve never seen one that wasn’t produced with anything but the lacquer finish Browning used back then.
 
I owned a mint BSS 20 Gauge IC / M with 26” barrels straight Sporter stock that I sold to feed my Sporting Clays addiction. It had a factory oil finish on the stock and not the Browning gloss.

As for your inquiry, that gun is certainly not mint based on your description. Cracked stock, dinged stock , grinder mark and blueing loss. Without seeing pics always tough to value but overlooking the cosmetics a $1000.00 - $1200.00 max to use as a upland gun.

Personally I’d put my money in a new CZ rather than a roughed up BSS.
 
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The BSS 20 gauge came in two versions, the pistol grip type and the straight grip Sporter. The Sporter version is worth significantly more in the used market, but condition is everything.
You describe some pretty serious flaws in the one that you are considering, which should reduce the value by quite a bit.

You can see BSS 20 gauge listings on the US gun sites. I would say that prices in Canada should be at $Can for US prices at best, and reflecting condition issues as well.

12 gauge BSS guns are a whole other issue, a heavy double gun, and priced quite a bit lower than 20 gauge.
 
Sounds like a beater gun to me. I wouldn't pay more than $700-$800 for it and know that depending on what you plan on hunting with it, the F/M chokes may not be suitable for close upland use.

For $1K, I'd look for a nice SKB M100 with proper chokes. Got lots of time till next year hunting season.
 
as already mentioned oil finish stocks were offered on sporter models with the english stock. The pistol grip stocks always had the lacquer finish. The value difference between the sporter and regular BSS is substantial. Mint 20g sporters regularly sell for over $2000. But a gun in the condition you describe is far from mint. Without seeing photos of course...cracks, gouges, bluing loss all say that the gun could be anywhere from poor to good condition. I wouldnt pay more than 1000-1200 for BSS in that stated condition. And that is being extremely generous
 
I own a 20 BSS Sporter with 26" barrels and imp/mod chokes. Yes it has oiled stocks, and mine is what one would classify as mint /lnib. Not a mark anywhere metal or wood. And very few rounds down the pipes, gold trigger, selector, the desirable chokes, straight stock etc. this would be a $2000 plus gun, not the one you speak of. As said about prices, If it were me, bottom would be around $700, top $1000 depending on the extent of the flaws you are mentioning and what you're intended use for it would be.
 
[

There have been a few beautiful examples on the EE last few months. They are no longer listed on the EE though. With any luck, they havent sold and the sellers may message you. I advise to list a proper WTB ad in the EE
 
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I have owned more than a dozen BSS shotguns, both Standard and Sporters... the gun you describe would be considered "Fair" or even "Poor" condition due to the cracked stock, bluing loss and non-original recoil pad as well as damaged wood... in addition, there is a pretty good chance the stock has been cut, which often happens when the recoil pad is changed...

Here is some BSS info;

The Sporters are more valuable, have straight English style, oiled stocks... the 26" guns are choked Mod/IC and the 28" guns are choked F/M.

The standard models are pistol gripped and lacquer (glossy) finished. They are also choked Mod/IC in 26" and F/M in 28"... which means there is something odd about the gun you are considering being a 26" F/M???

Personally, I would not be interested in the gun you describe. However the value is most certainly not over $900 as a Sporter or $700 as a Standard pistol grip.
 
hoytcanon said:
I have owned more than a dozen BSS shotguns, both Standard and Sporters... the gun you describe would be considered "Fair" or even "Poor" condition due to the cracked stock, bluing loss and non-original recoil pad as well as damaged wood... in addition, there is a pretty good chance the stock has been cut, which often happens when the recoil pad is changed...

Here is some BSS info;

The Sporters are more valuable, have straight English style, oiled stocks... the 26" guns are choked Mod/IC and the 28" guns are choked F/M.

The standard models are pistol gripped and lacquer (glossy) finished. They are also choked Mod/IC in 26" and F/M in 28"... which means there is something odd about the gun you are considering being a 26" F/M???

Personally, I would not be interested in the gun you describe. However the value is most certainly not over $900 as a Sporter or $700 as a Standard pistol grip.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing that info for me ,
I passed on his gun ,
 
dutch_m said:
Thanks for sharing that info for me ,
I passed on his gun ,
Click to expand...
You didn't pass on it! It was sold before you tried negotiating via this thread.

And for Hoytcanon;
"I have owned more than a dozen BSS shotguns, both Standard and Sporters...
The Sporters are more valuable, have straight English style, oiled stocks... the 26" guns are choked Mod/IC and the 28" guns are choked F/M........
which means there is something odd about the gun you are considering being a 26" F/M???"

For a person that claims to have owned more that a dozen BSS shotguns, both Standard and Sporters, one would think that you would have had at least one owners manual and would really be "well informed" on this variety of shotguns. So with this in mind, I suggest to you to check out page 19 on the following link to the BSS owners manual. On this page you will see the stamp codes for the shotgun bores on the BSS models. Please note stamp imprint * is for full bore and ** is for modified. Those are the markings that adorned the underside of the respective 26 inch barrels.

https://www.browning.com/content/dam/browning/support/owners-manuals/bss-om.pdf

As a note, I have to be honest here. There was/is a crack at the last screw on the tang. I didn't notice it until after the O/P pointed it out. The area is a small knot that ran vertical to the grain of the wood and the knot ran a deeper reddish brown color than the rest of the stock. I can tell you that the cracks (that's right, there are 2 that ran slightly parallel to each other and were microscopic). One started where the other ended. Separated by 1 mm, one measuring 5 mm, the other 3 mm, most likely a factory occurrence. Only detectable under magnification such as only a zoomed in video or photo would reveal. The other two imperfection were equally minuscule, however it sported a recoil pad. The video I supplied, taken with a cell phone did not do justice to the metal work.
However, these flaws were pointed the lady that bought it and she was pleased with her purchase.

If a prospective purchaser or seller is not happy with an item, they should confine their bargaining to private messages, email or phone calls or walk away. To gain leverage via a erroneous bargaining thread is not of good intention.
 
Dogbite said:
You didn't pass on it! It was sold before you tried negotiating via this thread.

And for Hoytcanon;
"I have owned more than a dozen BSS shotguns, both Standard and Sporters...
The Sporters are more valuable, have straight English style, oiled stocks... the 26" guns are choked Mod/IC and the 28" guns are choked F/M........
which means there is something odd about the gun you are considering being a 26" F/M???"

For a person that claims to have owned more that a dozen BSS shotguns, both Standard and Sporters, one would think that you would have had at least one owners manual and would really be "well informed" on this variety of shotguns. So with this in mind, I suggest to you to check out page 19 on the following link to the BSS owners manual. On this page you will see the stamp codes for the shotgun bores on the BSS models. Please note stamp imprint * is for full bore and ** is for modified. Those are the markings that adorned the underside of the respective 26 inch barrels.

https://www.browning.com/content/dam/browning/support/owners-manuals/bss-om.pdf

As a note, I have to be honest here. There was/is a crack at the last screw on the tang. I didn't notice it until after the O/P pointed it out. The area is a small knot that ran vertical to the grain of the wood and the knot ran a deeper reddish brown color than the rest of the stock. I can tell you that the cracks (that's right, there are 2 that ran slightly parallel to each other and were microscopic). One started where the other ended. Separated by 1 mm, one measuring 5 mm, the other 3 mm, most likely a factory occurrence. Only detectable under magnification such as only a zoomed in video or photo would reveal. The other two imperfection were equally minuscule, however it sported a recoil pad. The video I supplied, taken with a cell phone did not do justice to the metal work.
However, these flaws were pointed the lady that bought it and she was pleased with her purchase.

If a prospective purchaser or seller is not happy with an item, they should confine their bargaining to private messages, email or phone calls or walk away. To gain leverage via a erroneous bargaining thread is not of good intention.
Click to expand...

Well this retort definitely has a 'bite' to it.
And a well stated reply which I presume would be the seller of said cawf cawf poor condition BSS.
Tizz t'uther side of the story.
Even with a 1+ trader rating, I sure wouldn't have an issue buying from you.

Thanks for chiming in Dogbite.
 
Dogbite said:
You didn't pass on it! It was sold before you tried negotiating via this thread.

And for Hoytcanon;
"I have owned more than a dozen BSS shotguns, both Standard and Sporters...
The Sporters are more valuable, have straight English style, oiled stocks... the 26" guns are choked Mod/IC and the 28" guns are choked F/M........
which means there is something odd about the gun you are considering being a 26" F/M???"

For a person that claims to have owned more that a dozen BSS shotguns, both Standard and Sporters, one would think that you would have had at least one owners manual and would really be "well informed" on this variety of shotguns. So with this in mind, I suggest to you to check out page 19 on the following link to the BSS owners manual. On this page you will see the stamp codes for the shotgun bores on the BSS models. Please note stamp imprint * is for full bore and ** is for modified. Those are the markings that adorned the underside of the respective 26 inch barrels.

https://www.browning.com/content/dam/browning/support/owners-manuals/bss-om.pdf

As a note, I have to be honest here. There was/is a crack at the last screw on the tang. I didn't notice it until after the O/P pointed it out. The area is a small knot that ran vertical to the grain of the wood and the knot ran a deeper reddish brown color than the rest of the stock. I can tell you that the cracks (that's right, there are 2 that ran slightly parallel to each other and were microscopic). One started where the other ended. Separated by 1 mm, one measuring 5 mm, the other 3 mm, most likely a factory occurrence. Only detectable under magnification such as only a zoomed in video or photo would reveal. The other two imperfection were equally minuscule, however it sported a recoil pad. The video I supplied, taken with a cell phone did not do justice to the metal work.
However, these flaws were pointed the lady that bought it and she was pleased with her purchase.

If a prospective purchaser or seller is not happy with an item, they should confine their bargaining to private messages, email or phone calls or walk away. To gain leverage via a erroneous bargaining thread is not of good intention.
Click to expand...

Who's to say the barrels werent cut to 26". An owners manual wouldnt explain that. And just an FYI, Browning isnt the only manufacturer to use those stamps. Doesnt mean that the barrels havent been modified in some way since the date of manufacture.
 
1963beretta said:
Who's to say the barrels werent cut to 26". An owners manual wouldnt explain that. And just an FYI, Browning isnt the only manufacturer to use those stamps. Doesnt mean that the barrels havent been modified in some way since the date of manufacture.
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Here's an explanation why you're out to lunch. Besides the * on one barrel and the ** on the other barrel, this 26" marking appears on both along with 20, NP and the proof mark.
Referring back to page 19 in the owner's manual (which you probably didn't look at) you will see that both 12 and 20 gauges came with 26", 28" and 30". Looking further down, you can see the choke combinations: Full/Full indicated by one * on each barrel; Modified/Full indicated by two ** on one barrel and a single * on the other; and lastly, Improved cylinder/Modified indicated by **- on one barrel and two ** on the other.
Browning tells me that Full/Full was not available on 20 gauge 26" barrels, only the latter two combinations and you can take my word that and the fact the barrel was not altered. Capisce?
 
Dogbite said:
Here's an explanation why you're out to lunch. Besides the * on one barrel and the ** on the other barrel, this 26" marking appears on both along with 20, NP and the proof mark.
Referring back to page 19 in the owner's manual (which you probably didn't look at) you will see that both 12 and 20 gauges came with 26", 28" and 30". Looking further down, you can see the choke combinations: Full/Full indicated by one * on each barrel; Modified/Full indicated by two ** on one barrel and a single * on the other; and lastly, Improved cylinder/Modified indicated by **- on one barrel and two ** on the other.
Browning tells me that Full/Full was not available on 20 gauge 26" barrels, only the latter two combinations and you can take my word that and the fact the barrel was not altered. Capisce?
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For a guy with 117 posts and 1 trader rating since 2005, you would certainly think you’d have less of a attitude issue! You really missed the mark on your username...... dogsh!t would have been more appropriate.

What makes you think I give a crap about anything you are saying?
 
Well you are very wrong
I have a new in box 20g with full full 26inch marked as such. So who ever you talked to at Browning is incorrect. As mine is marked on the original invoice and browning packing slip as such.
Also any shotgun with a replacement recoil pad and cracks(no matter how small) as well as defects to wood and metal is considered fair to poor.
Now the OP was not wrong asking the question here to see on value. I would if i did not know what something was worth
 
leeelmer said:
Well you are very wrong
I have a new in box 20g with full full 26inch marked as such. So who ever you talked to at Browning is incorrect. As mine is marked on the original invoice and browning packing slip as such.
Also any shotgun with a replacement recoil pad and cracks(no matter how small) as well as defects to wood and metal is considered fair to poor.
Now the OP was not wrong asking the question here to see on value. I would if i did not know what something was worth
Click to expand...
I think the reps name was Brad. He worked in customer service in Morgan, Utah.
And the O/P was trying to use it as a bargaining chip, his description was according to the replies he wanted. And without seeing it, you can hardly give an honest opinion either. However, hypothetically, were you to sell your BSS 20, what would you ask for it? Assuming it is in lnib condition. I am not trying to be facetious, I am just curious.
 
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