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 service. Please
feel free to write us immediately if you have any
observations regarding its performance and operation.
Also, please take a moment to complete and mail in 
the brief attached marketing survey card found on our
back cover. It helps us considerably in our constant
effort to provide you with better service.
NOTE:
 All current production A-500 shotguns have animproved trigger group assembly. You can confirm this
by the letter “H” stamped on the trigger guard. (SeeFigure 10 on page 37 of this manual.)
If your trigger guard does not have the letter H”
stamped on it then please contact our BrowningService Department toll free at 1-800-322-4626 forinformation on how to get the improved trigger
assembly installed on your A-500.
Thank You.
Route #1 Morgan, Utah 84050     
Distributed in Canada by Browning Canada Sports Ltd./Ltee, St-Laurent, Quebec H4S lS0
1 
						

							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, PROPER HANDLING
PROCEDURES AND  INSTRUCTIONS
OUTLINED IN THIS BOOKLET BEFORE USING YOUR NEW FIREARM.
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE OF YOURSHOTGUN POINTED IN A SAFE
DIRECTION 
even though you are certain
the shotgun 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.
NEVER TRUST 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. 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 “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 
SHOTGUN 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. 
						

							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, 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 can ruin (swell or rupture)
the finest shotgun barrels.
BEFORE CHECKING FOR A BARREL 
OBSTRUCTION, BE 
CERTAIN NO LIVE
ROUND IS IN THE CHAMBER AND THAT  THE MAGAZINE AND FEED
MECHANISMS ARE COMPLETELY
EMPTY. PLACE  THE “SAFETY” IN THE
“ON SAFE” POSITION (See page 28 for
instructions on unloading). After assuring 
						

							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 SHOTGUN WHEN
NOT IN USE. REFER TO PAGE 28 OF THIS
INSTRUCTION BOOKLET EXPLAINING
THE UNLOADING OF YOUR SHOTGUN.
As a safety precaution, it is preferable todisassemble your gun for storage. Store
your gun 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.
USE THE PROPER AMMUNITION.  The
barrel and action of this shotgun have
been made with substantial safety margins over the pressures developed by
established American commercial loads. 
Nevertheless, Browning assumes no 
						

							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.  
EXAMINE
EVERY SHELL YOU PUT IN YOUR GUN.
The most certain way to bulge or rupture 
a barrel is to drop a 20 gauge shell into a
12 gauge chamber. The 20 gauge shell,
unfortunately, will not fall completely
through the barrel; its rim is caught by the
front of a 12 gauge chamber. Your gun will
misfire (with the chamber appearing to be 
empty). 
It is then possible to load a 12
gauge shell behind the 20 gauge shell. 
If
the 12 gauge shell is then fired, the result
will be a so-called 
“12-20 burst” which can
cause extensive damage to your gun and possible serious injury to you. 
						

							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 light
periods. Know the range of your ammunition
Never shoot at water or hard objects.
ALWAYS UNLOAD YOUR  SHOTGUN’S
CHAMBER BEFORE CROSSING A
FENCE, CLIMBING A TREE, JUMPING 
A DITCH OR NEGOTIATING OTHER OBSTACLES.  
Refer to page 28 of this
instruction book for instructions on the
unloading of your shotgun, Never place
your shotgun on or against a fence, tree, car, or other similar object. 
						

							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  
even with
the “safety” in the “on safe” position. Be 
extremely careful while hunting or during 
any shooting activity, to avoid dropping any firearm.
IF YOUR SHOTGUN 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 cartridge. If the primer is indented, the cartridge should be 
disposed of in a way that cannot causeharm. 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.
8 
						

							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 the cleaning location. Never test
the mechanical function of any firearm 
with live ammunition.
l EDUCATE AND SUPERVISE FIREARMS
SAFETY 
TO ALL MEMBERS OF YOUR
FAMILY 
-especially to children and
nonshooters. Closely supervise newcomers 
to the shooting sports. Encourage
enrollment in hunting/shooting safety
courses.
l  , NEVER DRINK ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGES OR TAKE ANY TYPE OF 
DRUGS BEFORE OR DURING
SHOOTING Your vision and judgment
9