Spampinato 1 Mark Spampinato Brian Anderson English 1113-044 25 November 2013 Autoloaders: The Browning Maxus When thinking

of buying an auto-loading shotgun, stop by a sporting goods retail store and compare the Browning Maxus to other major retailers. Browning has been known for producing some of the most reliable and advanced firearms in the United States. Waterfowl hunters want a gun that will perform flawlessly under all conditions. These shotguns are getting better and better. Manufacturers are improving the designs of guns to have features that distinguish them from other gun manufacturers, reduce the felt recoil, produce a gun that functions very well, make them easier to clean, and produce an inexpensive product. This gun successfully illustrates how the Browning Maxus is an auto loading shotgun that is a force to be reckoned with by big named gun manufacturers. This gun seems just like an ordinary shotgun because it has similar exterior features. The gun has a barrel that does not seem out of place, it has a normal butt stock and a sliding action. However, when the gun is examined closer, it does not have the traditional magazine cap. The engineers introduced the speed lock forearm designed to make breaking down and putting back together easy. All that is required to remove the forearm is push a button, lift the lever and pull the forearm forward. This creates a roadblock if the buyer is going to use a sling, because they have to be a certain size to fit in the opening provided. The gun has a magazine cut off switch that makes it easier to change the chambered shell. Brownings designers made the gun with a speed load function. This feature automatically loads a new shell into the chamber when it is

Spampinato 2 inserted into the magazine. This is wonderful except when the goal is to stay as quiet as possible. A new trigger design has also been incorporated. Many shotgun manufacturers like Remington, Beretta, and Benelli still use the traditional screw on magazine cap and probably will keep that design. It has been proven to keep the forearm on the gun. A big problem with other manufacturers is not having the speed load function. Time matters when a shell needs to be reloaded into the chamber, and even though it might just be a second or more, the final bird to fill the bag limit could have been brought down in that time. There is not a need for any other brand to have a magazine cut off switch since the user has to manually load a shell after the gun is emptied. A big fault for guns is the recoil forced upon the shooter when a shell is fired. Very few people want a hard kicking gun. Gun manufacturers eliminate recoil with weight. When a Maxus is first picked up, it might be thought of as kicking very hard. It comes in at a slim 6lbs 15oz on a gun with a barrel length of 26 inches and 7lbs on a 28 inch barrel equipped gun (Browning). The Remington VersaMax weighs-7.7lbs with a 28 inch barrel (Remington); the Beretta Xtreme Optifade weighs 7.8lbs with a 28 inch barrel (Cove Creek Outfitters); and the Benelli Super Black Eagle II weighs in at 7.3lbs with a 28 inch barrel (Benelli). The Beretta has an option that utilizes two hydraulic dampeners to reduce felt recoil, but that adds on to the already hefty price tag. Browning has introduced a new recoil pad for all of their guns called the inflex pad. The design moves the gun down and away from a persons face. This pad uses recoil to operate and thus reduces the recoil. The gas system is the other part of a low recoiling gun. By using a large percentage of the gas to reload a new shell, and by porting the rest of the gas outside of the gun where the ports are located, the majority of recoil is from the shell being ejected from the chamber.

Spampinato 3 The Browning Maxus is an auto-loading shotgun, which means that each time a shell is fired a new shell is automatically loaded into the chamber. Many hunters and shotgun sports enthusiast will appreciate this function because of how quick the shells cycle in case a follow-up shot is required. With lock times averaging .0052 seconds, the Lightning Trigger is 24% faster than the nearest competing autoloader, making every pull perfect (Browning 33). The gas system is designed to be reliable in all conditions whether it be transitioning between light 2 target loads and heavy 3 steel shot loads. Other guns can shoot multiple weighted loads but the system does not function as well as the Maxus. Guns like the Remington 1100 will not cycle shells that have a small powder charge. The Maxus continues to cycle shell after shell of different load types. The new gas piston has a larger exhaust port to expel spent gases faster with heavier loads. The gases also help to reduce the carbon build up. We all know that a cleaner gun in the field will just function that much more reliably from shot to shot (Bourjaily). Takedown and cleaning are easier than ever due to the speed lock forearm. With a simple push of a button and pull of a lever, the forearm is removed with ease. The guns manual states that the use of dry lubricant is recommended over the traditional thought of Rem Oil. The build up of dirt and debris is increased, but the gun functions far better than with oil. The cycling speed is enhanced and jam occurrence is reduced. The gas system is the hardest thing to clean. For it to be cleaned properly, it needs to soak in a cleaning solution. This means the easiest way to clean it is by taking it to a gunsmith. As long as the gun is kept clean, there is not a reason to take the gun to a gunsmith. The action assembly can be removed and examined by removing the bolt handle and pressing the action close button on the right side of the gun. The trigger assembly is removed by pressing two pins

Spampinato 4 out in the receiver. The action, trigger assembly, and the inside of the receiver are easily cleanable with a brush. The entire system is put back together just as easy as it came apart. There is no need to worry about something being assembled incorrectly. It simply will not go back together any other way. A big issue when buying a gun of any type is the price. Brand markup is normally a part of the price, but brand reputation overrules those thoughts. From my experience, you will get what you pay for. The Maxus is surprisingly low priced compared to many others. With a base m.s.r.p of $1299.99 (gandermtn.com) for a 26 blued barrel, black synthetic stock gun ranging to $1869.99 (gandermountain.com) for the top of the line grade III high gloss walnut stock, Browning makes an edition for any sport. This might seem like a lot, but compared to the closest competition, Remingtons VersaMax starts out at $1399.99 (cabelas.com); Benellis Super Black Eagle II-$1699.99 (basspro.com), Super Vinci-$1729.99 (basspro.com), the Super Black Eagle II waterfowl edition-$2499.99 (gandermountain.com); the Beretta A400 Unico-$1849.00 (gandermountain.com), and the Xtreme Optifade-$1895.00 (covecreekoutfitters.com). These seven auto-loading shotguns are the guns people dream about owning to use when hunting waterfowl. When someone walks into a retail sporting goods store and asks for a gun to hunt waterfowl with, the majority of the time, an employee will advise the purchase of one of these guns. These gun manufacturers have been around the longest time and have made a name for their brand. If a person looks at these and compares them to a cheaper gun like the Winchester SX3 which is an exact replica of the Maxus (but does not have the speed load function, magazine cut off switch, and a screw on magazine cap), and is only $150.00 less than the Maxus. Many of the other companies own the cheaper branded shotguns such as Browning owning Winchester. The guns those companies now make are knock-offs of the real thing. If

Spampinato 5 there is enough money to spend on a knock-off gun, just imagine what that extra money could have bought- the real thing. The Browning Maxus has several faults. If the magazine plug is ever lost, the easiest way to replace it is by putting a pencil in its place that is cut to the proper length. Since it needs to be lubricated with a dry substance, the receiver will become a dust and dirt magnet. If any dirt ever gets accumulated in the receiver and is not cleaned immediately, the entire stock and recoil spring will need to be completely disassembled, blown out, and oiled. This is not something that is recommended except to do in a confined area. Due to the design of the forearm, if a sling is desired, the grommet has to be small enough to fit in the catch. In a duck blind or any other small confinement with other people, it is suggested that the gun be on the far right side. With a heavy duck load, shells can land 20-30 feet away from the gun. This is caused by the type of gas system the gun has, so walking a little further to pick up the shells can be sacrificed for the lack of recoil the gun gives off. Although the Maxus has its faults, the good attributes that the gun possesses outweigh them. It is the most technologically advanced shotgun that a person can buy without spending almost double the list price on another auto-loading shotgun. The Maxus has many features that make it stand out from the rest. It is one of the best performing auto-loading shotguns on the market today. It actually comes down to personal preference. Each gun will suit a wide range of people, but the Maxus has many unique features that other guns do not have. Just keep in mind The Maxus delivers 18% less felt recoil for more accurate follow-up shots, 19% faster bolt speed and 24% faster locktime than the nearest competitor. (Browning 32) So go on out and purchase a Browning Maxus and own that famous Buckmark that continues to lead the way in advanced shotgun design.

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Works Cited Bourjaily, Phil. New Lightweight Shotguns: The Browning Maxus and the Lanber Grey Stone Field and Stream. Field and Stream. 31 Mar. 2009. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. Browning. Advertisement. Master Catalog. 2012. 33. Print Browning. Advertisement. Master Catalog. 2012. 32. Print Gander Mountain. Web. 26 Nov. 2013 Bass Pro Shops. Web. 26 Nov. 2013 Cove Creek Outfitters. Web. 26 Nov. 2013 Cabelas. Web. 26 Nov. 2013 Remington. Web. 14 Nov. 2013 Benelli. Web. 14 Nov. 2013 Browning. Web. 14 Nov. 2013

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