Browning BPS Owner's Manual
®
The Best There Is
PUMP SHOTGUN
BPS
OWNER’S MANUAL
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING A
BROWNING BPS SHOTGUN.
The BPS has a proven design that incorporates the best of
Browning workmanship and rugged dependability. The
Browning BPS offers the same pride of ownership that one
receives from any of our fine shotguns. With a reasonable
amount of care your BPS pump shotgun should give you
many years of enjoyable service.
This owner’s manual covers the 10, 12, 20, 28 gauge and
.410 bore shotguns. Please feel free to write us immediately
if you have any observations regarding the gun’s performance
and operation.
2
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
FIREARMS SAFETY
As a gun owner, you accept a set of demanding responsibilities. How
seriously you take these responsibilities can be the difference between
life and death.
There is no excuse for careless or abusive handling of any firearm. At
all times handle all firearms with intense respect for their power and
potential danger.
PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE CAUTIONS, PROPER
HANDLING PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS OUTLINED IN THIS OWNER’S
MANUAL BEFORE USING YOUR NEW FIREARM.
1
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE OF YOUR SHOTGUN POINTED IN A SAFE
DIRECTION
even though you are certain it is unloaded. Never point
any firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot. Be extremely
alert and aware of all persons and property within the range of
your ammunition.
2
NEVER RELY TOTALLY ON YOUR SHOTGUN’S MECHANICAL “SAFETY”
DEVICE.
The word “safety” describes a gun’s trigger block mechanism,
sear block mechanism, hammer block mechanism or firing pin block
mechanism. These mechanical devices are designed to place your gun
in a SAFER status. No guarantee can be made that the gun will not fire
even if the “safety” is in the “on safe”position. See “Operation of the
Safety” on page 9 for instructions on operation of this gun’s “safety.”
LIKE ANY MECHANICAL DEVICE, A “SAFETY” CAN SOMETIMES FAIL;
IT CAN BE JARRED OR INADVERTENTLY MANIPULATED INTO AN
UNSAFE CONDITION.
Mechanical “safeties” merely aid safe gun
handling and are no excuse for pointing your shotgun’s muzzle in
an unsafe direction.
While it is a good idea to “test” your shotgun’s mechanical “safeties”
periodically for proper function,
NEVER TEST THE “SAFETY” WHILE
YOUR FIREARM IS LOADED OR POINTED IN AN UNSAFE DIRECTION.
Safe gun handling does not stop with your gun’s mechanical “safety”
devices — it starts there. Always treat this shotgun with the respect
due a loaded, ready-to-fire firearm.
3
WHENEVER YOU HANDLE ANY FIREARM, OR HAND IT TO SOMEONE,
ALWAYS OPEN THE ACTION IMMEDIATELY. VISUALLY CHECK YOUR
SHOTGUN’S CHAMBER.
Make certain it does not inadvertently contain
any ammunition. Always keep the chamber empty and the safety in the
“on safe”position unless shooting is imminent.
4
DO NOT TRANSPORT ANY FIREARM LOADED.
Keep all firearms unloaded
during transport, whether stored in a holster, gun case, scabbard or
other container.
5
HUNTING FROM ELEVATED SURFACES SUCH AS TREE STANDS IS
DANGEROUS.
Doing so may increase the risk of handling any firearm.
The following rules should always be observed by you and those you
hunt with: Always make certain that the stand being used is safe and
stable. Always make certain that your firearm is unloaded when it is
being taken up and down from the stand. Always make certain that
your firearm is not dropped from the stand, or dropped while it is
being taken up or down from the stand. Remember, a loaded firearm
may discharge when dropped.
6
BEWARE OF BARREL OBSTRUCTIONS.
Do this for the safety of both your
gun and yourself. Mud, snow, and an infinite variety of other objects
may inadvertently lodge in a barrel bore. It takes only one small
obstruction to cause dangerously increased pressures that may damage
your gun and cause injury to yourself and to others.
BEFORE CHECKING FOR A BARREL OBSTRUCTION, BE CERTAIN NO LIVE
ROUNDS ARE IN THE CHAMBER. PLACE THE “SAFETY” IN THE “ON
SAFE” POSITION.
After assuring yourself that the firearm is
completely unloaded, again, open the breech or action and look
through the barrel to be sure they are clear of any obstruction. If an
obstruction is seen, no matter how small it may be, clean the bore
with a cleaning rod and patch as described later in “Cleaning and
Maintenance Suggestions” on page 23. Before the first firing, clean
the bore with a cleaning rod and patch, and wipe away any anti-rust
compounds in the action/chamber areas.
3
7
ALWAYS UNLOAD YOUR SHOTGUN WHEN NOT IN USE.
As a safety
precaution, it is preferable to disassemble your gun for storage. Store
your firearm and ammunition separately –– well beyond the reach of
children. Take all safeguards to ensure your shotgun does not become
available to untrained, inexperienced or unwelcome hands.
8
USE THE PROPER AMMUNITION.
The barrel and action of this shotgun
has been made with substantial safety margins over the pressures
developed by established American commercial loads. Nevertheless,
we can assume no liability for incidents which occur through the use
of shotshells of nonstandard dimensions which develop pressures in
excess of commercially available ammunition which has been loaded
in accordance with standards established by the Sporting Arms and
Ammunition Manufacturer’s Institute (SAAMI).
BE ALERT TO THE SIGNS OF AMMUNITION MALFUNCTION. IF YOU
DETECT AN OFF SOUND OR LIGHT RECOIL WHEN A CARTRIDGE IS
FIRED, DO NOT LOAD ANOTHER CARTRIDGE INTO THE CHAMBER.
Open the action and remove all the shells from the chamber. Glance
down the barrels to make sure that a wad or other obstruction does
not remain in the barrel. Completely clear the barrel before loading
and firing again. Failure to follow these instructions can cause
extensive damage to your gun and possible serious injury to yourself
and others.
Make sure of adequate ventilation in the area that you discharge a
firearm. Wash hands thoroughly after exposure to ammunition or
cleaning a firearm.
Lead exposure can be obtained from discharging firearms in poorly
ventilated areas, cleaning firearms or handling ammunition. Lead is a
substance that has been known to cause birth defects, reproductive
harm and other serious injury.
9
NEVER INSERT A SHELL OF THE INCORRECT GAUGE IN ANY SHOTGUN.
The gauge of your shotgun is marked on the side of the barrel. Store
all shells of different gauges in completely separate and well-marked
containers. Never store shells of mixed gauges in a common container
or in your pockets.
4
EXAMINE EVERY SHELL YOU PUT IN YOUR GUN. DO NOT PUT A 20
GAUGE SHELL IN A 12 GAUGE GUN. DO NOT PUT A 28 GAUGE SHELL
IN A 20 GAUGE GUN. DO NOT PUT A .410 BORE SHELL IN A 28 GAUGE
GUN. NEVER PUT METALLIC CARTRIDGES OF ANY KIND IN A SHOTGUN.
SPECIFICALLY, NEVER PUT CENTERFIRE RIFLE OR PISTOL CARTRIDGES IN
A SHOTGUN CHAMBERED FOR .410 BORE. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS
WARNING MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO YOU AND TO OTHERS.
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 gun 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 gun is then fired, the result will be a so-called “12-20,
20-28 or 28-.410 burst” which can cause extensive damage to your
gun and possible serious injury to you and others.
10
USE SHELLS OF THE CORRECT LENGTH.
Do not use 3" or 31⁄2" shells
in a barrel with a 23⁄4" or 21⁄2" chamber, or 31⁄2" shells in a barrel with
a 3" chamber. Doing so can result in a buildup of dangerously high
pressures that may damage your gun and possibly cause serious
injury to yourself or others. The size of the chamber is inscribed on
the side of the barrel.
11
DO NOT SNAP THE FIRING PIN ON AN EMPTY CHAMBER — THE
CHAMBER MAY NOT BE EMPTY!
Treat every gun with the respect due
a loaded gun, even though you are certain the gun is unloaded.
12
KEEP YOUR FINGERS AWAY FROM THE TRIGGER WHILE UNLOADING
OR LOADING, UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO SHOOT.
13
BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND BACKSTOP.
Particularly during low
light periods. Know the range of your ammunition. Never shoot at
water or hard objects.
14
ALWAYS UNLOAD YOUR SHOTGUN’S CHAMBERS BEFORE CROSSING A
FENCE, CLIMBING A TREE, JUMPING A DITCH OR NEGOTIATING OTHER
OBSTACLES.
Never lean or place any loaded firearm on or against a
fence, tree, car, or other similar object.
5
15
WEAR EYE AND EAR PROTECTION WHEN SHOOTING.
Unpr otected,
repeated exposure to gunfire can cause hearing damage. Wear ear
protectors (shooting ear plugs or muffs) to guard against such
damage. Wear shooting glasses to protect your eyes from flying
particles. Always keep a safe distance between the muzzle of your
firearm and any persons nearby, as muzzle blast, debris and ejecting
shells could inflict serious injury. Also, wear eye protection when
disassembling and cleaning any firearm to prevent the possibility
of springs, spring-tensioned parts, solvents or other agents from
contacting your eyes.
16
DROPPING OR JARRING A LOADED GUN CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENTAL
DISCHARGE.
This can occur even with the “safety” in the “on safe”
position. Be extremely careful while hunting or during any shooting
activity to avoid dropping any firearm.
17
IF YOUR GUN FAILS TO FIRE, KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A
SAFE DIRECTION.
Hold this position for a minimum of 30 seconds.
Carefully open the action and remove the shotshell. If the primer is
indented, the shell should be disposed of in a way that cannot cause
harm. If the primer is not indented, your firearm should be examined
by a qualified gunsmith and the cause of the malfunction should be
corrected before further use.
18
BE DEFENSIVE AND ON GUARD AGAINST UNSAFE GUN HANDLING
AROUND YOU AND OTHERS.
Don’t be timid when it comes to gun
safety. If you observe other shooters violating any of these safety
precautions, politely suggest safer handling practices.
19
BE CERTAIN YOUR SHOTGUN IS UNLOADED BEFORE CLEANING.
Because so many gun accidents occur when a firearm is being
cleaned, special and extreme care should be taken to be sure your
gun is unloaded before disassembly, cleaning and reassembly.
Keep ammunition away from the cleaning location. Never test
the mechanical function of any firearm with live ammunition.
6
20
TEACH AND SUPERVISE FIREARMS SAFETY TO ALL MEMBERS OF
YOUR FAMILY — ESPECIALLY TO CHILDREN AND NON-SHOOTERS.
Closely supervise newcomers to the shooting sports. Encourage
enrollment in hunting/shooting safety courses.
21
NEVER DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR TAKE ANY TYPE OF DRUGS
BEFORE OR DURING SHOOTING.
Your vision and judgment could be
dangerously impaired, making your gun handling unsafe to you and
to others.
22
READ AND HEED ALL WARNINGS
in this owner’s manual, on
ammunition boxes and with all accessories that you install on your
firearm. It is your responsibility to secure the most up-to-date
information on the safe handling procedures of your Browning gun.
We assume no liability for incidents which occur when unsafe or
improper gun accessories or ammunition combinations are used.
23
PRACTICE PERIODIC MAINTENANCE — AVOID UNAUTHORIZED SERVICING.
Your firearm is a mechanical device which will not last forever, and as
such, is subject to wear and requires periodic inspection, adjustment
and service. Browning firearms should be serviced by a Browning
recommended service facility or by Browning’s service facility in
Arnold, Missouri. We cannot assume any responsibility for injuries
suffered or caused by unauthorized servicing, alterations or
modifications of Browning firearms.
DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, ALTER THE TRIGGER, SAFETY
OR OTHER PARTS OF THE FIRING MECHANISM OF THIS OR ANY OTHER
FIREARM. FAILURE TO OBEY THIS WARNING MAY RESULT IN INJURY
OR DEATH TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS.
BE CAREFUL!
7
NOMENCLATURE
In conventional gun terminology, the position and movement of gun
parts are described as they occur with the gun horizontal and in
normal firing position; i.e. the muzzle is forward or front; the
buttstock is rearward or rear; the trigger is downward or underneath;
the sight is upward or on top. For general parts nomenclature refer to
Figure 1. The BPS also is shown disassembled to the extent necessary
in order to follow instructions contained in this book (Figure 1A).
GENERAL OPERATION
The Browning BPS shotgun is a manually operated, slide action, repeating
shotgun. The release mechanism is operated by moving the slide (forearm)
in a rearward motion, followed by a forward motion. This action unlocks
the breechblock, extracts and ejects the fired shell casing, transfers a live
shell from the magazine to the chamber and re-locks the breechblock. The
BPS is loaded from the bottom of the receiver and fired shell casings are
ejected from a bottom ejection port. Bottom loading and ejection makes
the BPS ambidextrous. The BPS is designed so that the barrel can be easily
removed by unscrewing the magazine cap from the magazine tube and
then sliding the barrel forward out of the receiver. This facilitates cleaning,
transportation and storage.
SERIAL NUMBER
The serial number of your BPS shotgun is found on the right side
of the receiver, at the bottom, near the front — just above the
ejection/loading port.
8
FIGURE 1
Butt
Stock
Trigger
Receiver
Forearm
Barrel
Muzzle
Rib
Safety
Release Button
Magazine Cap
OPERATION OF
THE “SAFETY”
The thumb “safety” is
located on the top rear
portion of the receiver.
To move the “safety” to
the “on safe” position
press the “safety”
rearward with your
thumb so that the red
warning dot is covered
(Figure 2). To move the “safety” to the “off safe,”position, press the
thumb “safety” forward with your thumb, exposing the red warning
dot, indicating that the gun is ready to fire (Figure 2A).
NOTE: Do not depend on the red color alone to indicate your gun’s
safety status, as time, exposure to the elements, as well as the abrasive
action of cleaning agents can erase it.
9
FIGURE 1A
Magazine Cap
Receiver
Forearm
Barrel
Guide Ring
Three-shot adapter plug
Barrel Tab
Carrier
Ejection Port
Barrel
Extension
Barrel
FIGURE 2A
FIGURE 2
Safety shown in the “off safe”
position with red warning dot
showing.
“Safety” shown in the
“on safe” position.
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