OK heres the story...
We had X-mas early this year so...
I got a shotgun for X-mas from the parents but they nore I know much about it. Parents bought it used from a co-worker. Its a Browning 20gauge Auto. It says Magnum Twenty on the left side of the reciver. It says it was made in belgum.
On the right side of the barrel it says: Special Steel- 20 gauge-Shells 3
Ok now what I want to know is:
Is "magnum twenty" the model?
Aproxamatly when was it made?
Where the hell should the S/N be?
Im assuming "special steel" designates I can use Steel shot in this gun correct?
Overall Is it a good reliable gun?
It looks to be in good shape so Hopefully it will workout well.

does is look like any of these?....

www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/gold/gold.htm

Sorry, I tried to look it up, but found too many that fit the description.  You can look it up yourself or narrow down the description.

Worst case... contact Browning, and ask the same question.  

Dont think it is a gold.

They have owners manual up on the site for 'Auto-5 Semi-Automatic Magnum 12 and 20 gauge' shotguns.

www.browning.com/products/manuals/auto5mag/auto5lmag.htm

If it helps any it says

 FN Browning Automatic on the buttplate

Its wood stock and blueing

It has a gold trigger so now Im assuming it may be an older Gold model.
It does not say gold anywhere like the new ones do.

S/N is
69X
228XX

The browning auto I had said the same thing approved for steel shot(meaning you can hunt waterfowl)  But mine said made in belqim assembeled in spain,some say made in canada assembeled there, some assembeled in Japan!

 Some made in so and so assembeled in so and so!   This is the definning measure of there worth,when and where they were made and assembeled!


  Bob

Without seeing a picture, odds are about 99% that you have a Browning Automatic 5, or more commonly known as an A-5.  The gold trigger does not indicate a "Gold" model - hell, Browning has splashed those gaudy triggers over nearly all of their guns for years.

These are excellent shotguns - as good as it gets.  You have an FN built gun.

The A-5 is a recoil operated semi-auto shotgun.  Try pushing the barrel toward the receiver - it will telescope into the receiver.

"Special Steel" DOES NOT[u/] mean the barrel is a steel shot barrel.

S/N 69V 228xx range is for 1969 production; 69 is the production year, V indicates a magnum model (3 inch chamber).  This numbering scheme was used to at least 1976 - I don't know if the current custom shop guns still follow this convention.

I recommend against shooting steel shot in this barrel, but Browning might give it an okay - give them a call.  You can always get a new barrel to use with steel shot and save the original barrel for lead - I'm not so sure shooting waterfowl is a good idea with this gun anyway.

You can shoot up to 3 inch long shells in this shotgun; you can also shoot a shorter shell.  

If you take the handguard off, the original paper that shows how to install the recoil bushing for magnum or low brass shells may still be intact.  If the paper is missing, get a copy of the shotgun's manual from the Browning web site - if you try to shoot a low velocity, light load with the bushing installed in the magnum position, the action will not function in auto-load mode.

The choke codes - look on the the rear left side of the barrel for one or more asterisks and other characters -
  * : full choke
 *_ : improved modified choke
 ** : modified
 **_ : improved cylinder choke
 **$ : skeet
 *** : cylinder bore

Hell yes it is a good reliable gun - have fun, and give your folks an extra hug for such an excellent gift.

AeroE...gives good advise....far from being a browning person..but i know that "belgian browning" guns were sought after and used to bring a good price.....aside from having a FN built gun...(doesn`t get much better than that)...a 20 guage "magnum" of that vintage...is a rarity in itself.....my guess is that "special steel" means the content of the gun...or reciever as far as "type" of steel used in construction......you can get a ton of info from a search using..browning...john browning...fn herstal....belgian guns...belgiium browning...etc.etc....it`s not a gold.....that`s new stuff.....the gun you have is old style...but certainly one hell of a "gift".....i`d say you bumped into something unique.....personally...i would never let it go.......and as aero says...visit the browning site..........p-s...in those days..(when it was built)...finding 3" 20`s was a project in itself......steel shot was not heard of then...but a magnum 20 for...maybe the wife to go duck hunting...was...it`s probably one of the first...maybe THE first 3"20 made....do some reasearch........

Does the receiver look like this? If it does then its an Auto-5. Note the 'humpbacked' apperance.

I believe the last Brownings to be made in belguim were in '71....maybe ,72

I have  a <edited to add: I guess min isn't a gold...thought that the trigger denoted that, paron my igorance/>   gold 20 ga. in 2 3/4.   The sn on mine is left side (w/ barrel pointed away from me) right above the forearm.  

I am told that the Belgium made Brownings are prefered over the japanese versions.
Mine is no safe queen....it's had a hard life and seen lots of action. I've had it since the mid eighties and it has never jammed. The relative I aquired it from said that he bought it in the mid sixties....unless your's is a fluke, I would say that calling the gun reliable would be a drastic understatment.