Guns International #: 102853240
Seller's Inventory #: 346
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Guns International #: 102853240
Early 1957 Browning SA-22 Takedown w/Wheel Sight 22 Lr Pre-letter prefix - Excellent Condition
Description: Early 1957 Browning SA-22 Takedown w/Wheel Sight 22 Lr pre-letter prefix. Description: 2nd year of production with Wheel Sight. These wheel sight guns were only produced from 1956 to 1961. This gun is in excellent condition with a beautiful amber satin finish. Metal is in great shape and the furniture shows only a couple of small handling marks on the forend. Will accept a C&R licence. Will trade for a Browning Trombone in like condition. Anyone who has read about John Moses Browning will undoubtedly have come across those two iconic photographs of “le maitre”. In each, he is holding examples of his genius, the unmistakeable FN Browning Auto-5 (the ‘humpback’) and the FN Browning .22” calibre Automatic Rifle. The latter became the most successful of Browning’s small calibre sporting rifles, also taking credit for being the first production semiautomatic .22” rifle. Introduced in 1914, this blowback action self-loading rifle has an overall length of 37 inches (94cm) with a round, ‘take-down’ barrel of 19.25 inches (489mm). It was also known as the ‘Browning Semi Automatic 22’ or ‘SA-22’. A leaf rear sight with a knobbed wheel adjustment was later replaced with a simple fold-down rear sight. A small bead front sight was common to almost all models. A tubular magazine is located in the walnut butt-stock and, in early rifles, loading was utilizing a port located in the top of the stock. Later versions replaced this by a side-loading port on the right side of the stock. This enabled the capacity to be raised from eight rounds of .22” LR to eleven rounds and eleven rounds of .22” Short to sixteen rounds. A cross-bolt safety is positioned at the front of the trigger guard. The one-piece receiver has an opening at the bottom for the ejection of spent cases, with FN’s brochures claiming; “complete protection of the user from hot powder gases or defective cartridges is assured”. The downward ejection makes it suitable for either right or left-handed shooters. ‘Taking down’ the rifle is relatively straightforward. The barrel lock, located underneath in front of the breechblock finger piece, is pushed forward while the breechblock is moved back about a quarter of an inch. This prevents the extractor from catching during disassembly. By rotating the barrel a 90-degree turn to the left, it can now be pulled forward and out. The firing mechanism can be removed from the receiver with no need for tools. It is not uncommon to find examples where the butt-stock has been gripped, instead of the receiver, to gain extra leverage on disassembly, resulting in a split developing in the wood. With no side ejection port, the receiver had a large “canvas” for engraving. There were six grades, in total, with the higher grades including gold inlay and elaborate wood carving. During the move of production, in 1974, from Herstal to Miroku, Japan, the order of the serial number code was, in effect, reversed. The serial number now preceded the calibre code, followed by a two-figure year code. E.g. 1270T74 = a 1974 Semi-Auto rifle in .22” LR calibre with the serial number 1270. This arrangement was only used until 1976 when Browning standardised its serial number identification. The serial number remained at the front but a two-letter code now denoted the year of manufacture with a three-digit numerical code for the firearm type and grade of finish. E.g. 01035RT246 = a .22” Semi-Auto Grade 2 rifle, made in 1976 with the serial number 01035. Layawy: 1/3 down 90 days Shipping: $50, with insurance extra upon request shipping hard case $20 optional Payment: Personal Check, Money Order, Cert. Check, or Zelle randywine2000yahoo (703) 858-2881 Returns without damage or alteration within 3 days of delivery minus a 20% restocking fee Price: $1,699.00 Buy Now Curio/Relic: Yes Rifle Caliber: .22 Long Rifle Manufacturer: Browning Model: SA-22 Takedown Serial Number: 13401 Barrel Length: 19.25 Chambers: 8 Ejectors: Auto Condition: Excellent Metal Condition: Excellent Wood Condition: Excellent Bore Condition: Excellent Action: Semi Auto Triggers: Single Stock: Black Walnut Butt Pad: Factory Plate Finish: Satin Sights: Wheel Manufacture Date: 1957 Engraving: Factory Case: Optional Grips: Checkered Pistol Optic: Grooved Contact Seller |
Guns International #: 102853240
Seller's Inventory #: 346
Guns International #: 102853240
Seller's Inventory #: 346