Browning A-500 Manual

We are pleased that you have chosen a
Browning A-500 shotgun.It is certainly a gun you can be proud to own. Itrepresents the state-of-the-art in modern gun design 
and manufacturing. The processes of design, testing
and manufacturing were all assisted by advanced
computer systems. The result is superior dependability,greater ease-of-operation, smoother handling andmore reliable overall function. With a reasonable
amount of care, your A-500 shotgun should give you
many years of dependable, enjoyable...

You Are Responsible for Firearms
Safety
As a gun owner, you accept a set of demandingresponsibilities. How seriously you take these 
responsibilities can be the difference between life 
and death. Mistakes made with guns are final
and cannot be paid for with money or regret.
There is no excuse for careless or abusive
handling of any firearm. At all times handle your 
shotgun and any other firearm with intense 
respect for its power and potential danger.
PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE CAUTIONS,...

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. The
A-500 has a cross bolt “safety” which 
blocks the gun’s trigger. See “Operation of 
the Safety” on page 15 for instructions on
operation of this gun’s safety.
Like any mechanical device, a...

WHENEVER YOU HANDLE A FIREARM,
OR HAND 
IT TO SOMEONE, ALWAYS
OPEN  THE ACTION IMMEDIATELY
VISUALLY CHECK YOUR SHOTGUN’S
CHAMBER, FEED MECHANISM AND
MAGAZINE  to be certain that they do not
Inadvertently contain any ammunition.
Always keep the chamber empty and the
“safety” in the “on safe” position unless 
shooting is imminent.
DO NOT TRANSPORT YOUR SHOTGUN
LOADED, WHETHER IN A SCABBARD
GUN CASE, OR OTHER CONTAINER.
BE WARE OF BARREL OBSTRUCTIONS,
for the safety of both your gun and
yourself. Mud, snow,...

yourself that the shotgun is completely empty,
again, open the breechblock, locking it to
the rear, and look through the barrel to be 
sure it is 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 in “Cleaning and
Maintenance Suggestions” on page 
54.
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.
ALWAYS UNLOAD YOUR...

liability for incidents which occur through 
the use of cartridges of nonstandard 
dimensions which develop pressures in 
excess of commercially available 
ammunition which has been loaded in 
accordance with standards established by
SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition
Manufacturers Institute).
DO NOT PUT A 20 GAUGE SHELL IN A
12  GAUGE GUN. Store all shells of
different gauges in completely separate
and well-marked containers. Do not store
shells of mixed gauges in a common container or in your pockets....

DO NOT USE 3 SHOTGUN SHELLS IN
A BARREL WITH A 2 
3/4  CHAMBER.
THE SIZE OF THE CHAMBER IS
INSCRIBED, ALONG WITH CHOKE 
DESIGNATIONS, ON THE SIDE OF THE
BARREL.
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.
KEEP YOUR FINGERS AWAY FROM THE
TRIGGER WHILE UNLOADING,
LOADING  
or until you are ready to shoot.
BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND
BACKSTOP particularly during low...

WEAR EYE AND EAR PROTECTION
WHEN SHOOTING.  
Unprotected, 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. Also, wear 
eye protection when disassembling and
cleaning your shotgun to prevent the
possibility of springs, spring-tensioned
parts, solvents or other agents from
contacting your eyes.
DROPPING A LOADED GUN CAN CAUSE 
AN ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE...

lBE DEFENSIVE AND ON GUARD
AGAINST UNSAFE GUN HANDLING
AROUND YOU AND  OTHERS. Don’t be
timid when it comes to gun safety. lf you
observe other shooters violating any of 
these safety precautions, politely suggest
safer handling practices.
l_.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...