Browning Gold
- Category
- Shotgun
- Barrel
- 711 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.17 kg
- Introduced
- 1994
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Browning Gold is a gas-operated semi-automatic 12 gauge shotgun introduced in 1994. Its self-regulating gas system bleeds high-pressure gas through two barrel ports into a gas cylinder, driving a piston and rod that cycle the action, allowing reliable functioning across a wide range of 2.75-inch and 3-inch loads. The Gold was offered in numerous hunting and field configurations before being succeeded by the Browning Maxus.
The Browning Gold's gas action was shared with the Winchester Super X2, the two sister shotguns rolling off related production under the FN/Browning/Winchester umbrella, making the Gold and the SX2 mechanical twins wearing different badges.
A popular gas semi-auto hunting platform through the 1990s and 2000s; succeeded by the Browning Maxus line.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Browning Arms Company
- Category
- Shotgun
- Country
- United States
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1994 to 2009
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 711 mm
- Overall length
- 1245 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.17 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated short stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 4
- Magazine
- Tube
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 457 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 3340 J
- Effective range
- 40 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Self regulating gas system
Twin gas ports
Interchangeable choke tubes- Speed loading
Vent rib barrel
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 622 12 Gauge shotguns | 3.17 kg | 3.29 kg | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 570 12 Gauge shotguns | 1245 mm | 1150 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 650 12 Gauge shotguns | 711 mm | 711 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 647 12 Gauge shotguns | 4 | 3 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Browning Gold
How much does the Browning Gold weigh?
The Browning Gold weighs 3.17 kg (7.00 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Browning Gold?
The Browning Gold is chambered in 12 Gauge.
How many rounds does the Browning Gold hold?
The Browning Gold holds 4 rounds, fed from a tube magazine.
How long is the Browning Gold?
The Browning Gold is 1245 mm (49.0 in) long overall, with a 711 mm (28.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Browning Gold?
The Browning Gold is made by Browning Arms Company (United States).
When was the Browning Gold introduced?
The Browning Gold was introduced in 1994 and discontinued in 2009.
How does the Browning Gold operate?
The Browning Gold uses a gas operated short stroke action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
72%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/browning-gold' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "browning-gold", "name": "Browning Gold", "manufacturer": { "id": "browning", "name": "Browning Arms Company", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1878, "website": "https://www.browning.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:43", "version": "5d8cf4fb4b938ebaed9e76da3c57ad4cd9f27d22ee35d8b2265942435fbb875c" }, "category": { "id": "shotgun", "name": "Shotgun", "description": "Smoothbore firearms designed to fire shot or slugs" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 1994, "barrel_length_mm": 711, "weight_empty_g": 3175, "action_type": "gas_operated_short_stroke"}