Browning Superposed Midas Grade BROADway Trap 12 Gauge 32 Inch Over Under Shotgun, Manufactured 1963 C&R
Archival record: Specifications and condition reflect the firearm as listed at the time of auction.
Final Auction Price: $5,225.00
The Browning Superposed Midas Grade represents the highest level of Browning’s regular production Superposed line, combining the legendary Belgian over under action with extensive hand engraving, gold inlaid game scenes, and exceptional walnut. Manufactured in 1963, this Midas Grade BROADway Trap pairs that elaborate presentation with a specialized trap configuration featuring 32 inch barrels and Browning’s distinctive 5/8 inch wide ventilated rib. Remaining in Fine to Excellent condition with approximately 98 percent of its original metal finish, it is an exceptional example of the postwar Belgian Superposed.
Identification
MMA#: 260623ZG018
Make: Browning
Model: Superposed Midas Grade BROADway Trap
Serial Number: 9932 S3
Year of Manufacture: 1963
Gauge: 12 Gauge, 2 3/4 Inch Shells
Action Type: Top Break Over Under Shotgun with Single Selective Trigger and Ejectors
Barrel Length: 32 Inches
Choke: Modified Bottom Barrel, Full Top Barrel
Sights / Optics
As a BROADway Trap model, this Superposed is fitted with its defining 5/8 inch wide ventilated rib.
The rib carries two white beads, with a larger bead positioned at the muzzle and a smaller alignment bead mounted midway along the rib.
The unusually broad sighting plane was a defining feature of the BROADway configuration and gave the model its memorable name.
Stock Configuration & Condition
The stocks are fashioned from highly figured marble grain walnut with elaborate Midas Grade checkering. The checkering pattern is considerably more intricate than that found on lower grade Superposed models and complements the extensive decorative treatment of the receiver.
The buttstock shows only a couple of light compression marks and faint handling marks. There is some faint cloudiness visible throughout the buttstock. A black spacer and white spacer are installed ahead of the still pliable White Line recoil pad.
The forend displays only light handling marks and a few very minor compression marks.
Drop at heel measures approximately 1 5/8 inches and drop at comb approximately 1 7/8 inches. Length of pull measures approximately 14 3/4 inches from the front of the gold trigger to the rear of the recoil pad and 13 1/4 inches to the wood.
Overall stock condition: Fine Plus.
Finish & Overall Condition
Type of Finish: Blue with Gold Plated Firing Pins, Ejector Rods, Trigger, and Gold Inlaid Engraving
Finish Originality: Original
This shotgun retains approximately 98 percent of its original metal finish.
There are light marks on the barrels beneath the forend and only extremely faint handling marks across the normally visible portions of the shotgun. A superficial scratch is present on the right side of the lower barrel.
The screw heads remain sharp and the markings are clear.
Overall condition: Fine to Excellent.
Bore & Mechanics
Bore Condition: Both bores are bright with no erosion. In the original evaluator’s opinion, the bores rate 10 out of 10.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The shotgun was not test fired. As with any previously owned firearm, a thorough cleaning may be desired depending on individual maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories
Included is a brown leather Browning case.
Our Assessment
The Browning Superposed occupies an extraordinary position in twentieth century sporting arms history. Designed by John Moses Browning and completed for production after his death, the Superposed became one of the defining over under shotguns of its era and one of the most enduring examples of the relationship between Browning and Fabrique Nationale in Belgium.
Within that family, the Midas Grade represented the pinnacle of Browning’s regular production high grade Superposed shotguns.
The Midas treatment went far beyond simple embellishment. These guns received elaborate engraving and deeply carved backgrounds highlighted by 18 carat gold inlaid game scenes. Gold plating was also used on components including the trigger, firing pin tips, and ejector rods. Combined with highly figured walnut and more elaborate checkering, the result was a sporting shotgun that showcased both the mechanical quality of the Superposed and the specialized decorative skills of FN’s Belgian craftsmen.
The work involved was substantial. According to the historical information accompanying this example, approximately 60 hours of engraving and inlay work could be required for an individual Midas Grade. Demand during the 1960s reportedly challenged Browning’s ability to supply the guns because relatively few craftsmen possessed the necessary engraving and gold inlay skills. More than one thousand Midas Grade guns were sold through Browning in the North American market between 1960 and 1969.
This 1963 example combines the Midas Grade treatment with another distinctive Superposed configuration: the BROADway Trap.
The BROADway name refers to its exceptionally wide ventilated sighting rib. Measuring approximately 5/8 inch across, the rib was unusually broad for its period and created an expansive sighting plane above the barrels. Combined with 32 inch barrels, a Full choke in the upper tube and Modified choke in the lower, the configuration is unmistakably oriented toward the trap field.
That combination makes this shotgun particularly interesting. It is simultaneously an elaborately finished high grade Browning and a purpose built competition gun. Beneath the gold inlay, deeply worked engraving, and highly figured walnut is a specialized 12 gauge Superposed configured around the demands of trap shooting.
This example is unsigned. As noted in the historical information accompanying the shotgun, some Midas Grade engraving and inlay work was reportedly completed by FN craftsmen outside normal factory hours, and such work could be left unsigned. Without additional documentation, however, the absence of a signature alone cannot establish where or under what circumstances the engraving on this individual shotgun was completed.
Condition is exceptional for a sporting shotgun manufactured in 1963. Approximately 98 percent of the original metal finish remains, with only minor marks beneath the forend, faint handling evidence, and a superficial scratch on the lower barrel. The marble grain walnut remains in Fine Plus condition, while both bores are bright, free of erosion, and rated 10 out of 10.
The Browning Superposed was already an important sporting arm. In Midas Grade BROADway Trap form, it represents something considerably more specialized: Belgian hand craftsmanship, Browning mechanical design, elaborate gold inlay work, and serious mid century trap shooting equipment brought together in a single shotgun.
For the advanced Browning collector, Superposed enthusiast, or collector of high grade Belgian sporting arms, this 1963 Midas Grade BROADway Trap stands near the top of the classic Superposed hierarchy.
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