This info is for dgludwig and all other Browning Double Automatic fans on SW. These steps will allow you to really clean your DA. Video link on page 4 of this thread. Start by placing the breechblock in the rearward position. Pull the forend latch and then lower the forend. Now the barrel should slide off the front of the gun.
Next, retain the breechbolt with one hand and release the carrier latch with the other. Gently and slowly allow the breechbolt forward and it will stop against the receiver. Remove the buttplate or recoil pad and remove the stock bolt.
With the stock removed, look into the rear of the receiver. You will see that there are two pins that hold the trigger group in the receiver. There are small notches that you need to engage with a screwdriver(be gentle) or button hook (works best) to start to retract these pins. Once they are part way out grab them with pliers and completely remove. Once they are out, note that one rod is longer then the other. This will be important when the gun wants to go back together! The long rod goes on the left side of the gun (left of the gun as if you are looking down the barrel). With the pins out the trigger group will now slide down and out of the receiver.
Turn the gun over and unhook the inertia block from the breechblock link. This can be tough at first you just need to lift the hook, push the inertia block rearward, and rotate it just a little. This rotation will "catch" the inertia block and keep it from going forward.
Once this is accomplished the breechblock link will swing down.

The breechblock assembly will now slide out the front of the receiver. The operating handle will slide rearward and out of the breechblock assembly.
With these parts removed, the gun is down to parts that you can really get clean.
I don't remove the forend of my DA's when I do this type of clean up. I use Clenzoil and am not afraid of it damaging the wood. If you choose to remove the forend, take the barrel off the gun. There is a pin at the front of the forend wood that holds it on the gun.
This pin will push out with a punch or other device. The wood will now slide forward and off the recoil unit. With the forend off the recoil unit is now exposed. You can see a top view of it in this previous picture.
I DO NOT mess with this recoil unit. The Browning Auto 5 guys are comfortable turning that friction ring back and forth for different loads. The DA's unit is adjustable but I have never seen one that would not cycle any new factory shell, big or light. One thing to keep in mind is that these shotguns were put together by hand. If you are having trouble with a part not coming out or back together, you are doing something wrong. These guns will only come apart and back together one way, the right way.

If you are not familiar with the Browning Double Auto, take a close look at these photos. The short recoil unit, the easy barrel removal which keeps the forend on the gun, the sliding safety, the speed loading system, and the style are unique and ahead of their time. This is a great gun and I hope this post informs SW users on a overlooked classic Browning shotgun.

Well done, Dbl Auto! I'm a guy who needs all the help he can get when doing something more complicated than changing the oil in my car (am I the last person in the world that still changes his own oil?). Looking forward to meeting you at the show next Saturday and/or Sunday.

Hey, guys here is a post from awhile ago that should help you take apart your DA.

Great post Dbl Auto. Let's make it a "Sticky".

Hi, you say they will cycle most loads. Do you think they would handle 1oz loads Ok. Does anybody know if you have to adjust the friction settings as with an A5. Regards Richard.

Dickiebig,
I just went rabbit hunting on Wed. with my Dragon Black Double Auto. I use Remington game loads with 1 oz. of 6's. This gun operates perfectly with these 1 oz. loads. This gun does not like to cycle reloads though, no matter how big or small.

Thanks for the info, now time to start looking around, trouble is when I start looking for something I generally end up with something completly different. Thats part of the fun. Richard.

you forgot to mention at the bottom with the colors the steel frame model, its just as cool as the rest

amp51, you are right! By the way, it is a steel gun that I am holding in the pic above the four colors of the DA. It took a couple of squirrels that day and might get out soon to take a few more in that same spot.

Dbl Auto,
I recently picked up a DA and can't seem to get the barrel off the receiver. I've followed your post and the barrel just doesn't seem to budge. Is there any difference in certain DA's that might be different? Thanks in advance.

HL

harry I had the same problem. here is dbl_auto's response which fixed mine...

Thx BBass,
I figured this out fooling around with the gun the other day. Is this a common issue? It almost seems like the barrel wasn't the original. If other examples just slide off without having to recess the barrel a bit maybe ours have a problem or were pieced together. Have you had any issues with your DA other than the barrel fit?

Thanks in advance.

HL

I'm new to these guns so I don't know how common it is. Someone else can confirm, but my understanding is that there is some pressure on the foreend which is keeping it from pulling down far enough to release the bbl.

Unfortunately I have only shot about 10 rounds testing it out so far, but I did have one shell that didn't eject which was the only problem I had. I've given it a good cleaning since then and will hopefully get out soon to give it a better test.

Thanks. maybe a couple of the other folks will chip in on this.

HL

Thanks. maybe a couple of the other folks will chip in on this.

HL

I have seen many DA's and some have this "tight" barrel fit. I feel that this all has to do with the setting of the recoil spring and the hand fitting at the factory. Some users will bang on the rear of the forend to get it to double click and release the barrel lug. This could cause the wood to crack as I have seen many times. This simple trick will allow easy barrel removal and will prevent any wood problems. On all of the DA's that I have I have only adjusted the recoil spring on one gun. This was because the previous owner had messed with it and the forend was cracked as a result. Long story short, if the DA cycles shells don't mess with the recoil unit. Dirty guns cause almost all of the problems in this model.
Doug

Bbass,

After much trial and tribulation I think I've got this DA barrel removal down pat. I talked with some folks at Browning and while there isn't a manual available on the web site they did have a paper copy and faxed it to me. Even thought it was written in the fifties it was pretty good. Here's the trick. Hold the gun with two hands just under the receiver. With one index finger pull back on the latch under the receiver. It should fall down about a half inch or so. Now here's the trick...with both thumbs push down together on each side of the stock. When i did this I heard that magic second click and the barrel slid forward about a half inch and I was able to easily pull it off the gun. Give this a try and see if it works for you. Putting it back on was exactly the opposite except you have to make sure to route the barrel guide into the fore end notch which is inside the fore end stock. When the barrel is fully seated into the receiver gently push the fore end back into position. If it won't click give it a "bump"! That's the word they used in the manual. Hope this helps. I thought I would pass it on since it was such a hassle to find. Good luck!

Gents,
My recently acquired Twelvette had the "tight barrel syndrome" too. I pulled the forearm, remove the front pin with a punch, and the barrel was then no problem to remove. In the interests of cleaning I removed the adjusting cap from the recoil tube. You can now remove the friction rings and the internal action spring.
On reassembly I found that the adjustment of this cap is critical to barrel removal. It was on again off again with the forearm as I gradually tightened the cap, it sets the barrel lug which controls the barrel setback in the receiver, as well as tensioning the main recoil spring. When you snap the forearm completely shut there's a locking lug that pops up just in front of the two "wings" that the barrel slides on. VERY easy to get the barrel on and off now with my minimal setting.
I believe the factory setting is as tight as possible for heavier loads. I've deliberately set mine to a minimum to handle 7/8 oz. I believe that more tuning could be done by playing with the bronze friction rings and the beveled spacers a la A5.
My initial test run at the clays course went fine for a while, ran the first station! But with 40F and a wind blowing I think my ammo got cold, and after the first box of shells, started to fail to eject. Also old grease/oil stiffening up with the wind chill was probably a factor.
Here's a link to a parts list, and schematic.
http://www.sarcoinc.com/bda.html
http://www.sarcoinc.com/images/bda-breakdown600-shp.pdf
Cheers,
R*2

the adjustment ring is too tight. take off the f.arm. knock out the f.a. pin. slide the f.a. forward andoff. loosen the ring by turning the ring out. stick a dowel in the holes too turn it. reinstall the f.a. and insert bbl. hold the f.a. against the bbl squeeze and place bore on ground. push down on the bbl and the f.a. will click in. thats a correct fit.

I just want to thank the OP for a superb write up.

After having my DA for about 6 months, I figured it was it was time to strip it all the way down for a full cleaning instead of a normal field cleaning.

The only issue I had was finding and then removing the pins in the rear but other than that it was a piece of cake!

It looked like it hadn't been fully broken down in a long time and I spent the last 2hrs or so cleaning every nook and cranny.

I've put about 1000 rounds through this baby in the time I have had her and she's a truly awesome gun and always the conversation starter. In that thous and rounds I think I've had 2 failures to eject and that's it. Other than that she's performed flawlessly and now she's spic and span.