Model 11 Sportsman Help

[Backwoods_Legit]

I have an old Browning style 12 gauge Model 11 Sportsman (has duck engraved on one side & a pheasant on the other) that belonged to my great uncle. It is marked “PROPERTY U.S.NAVY” and was supposedly gifted to him when he left the Navy as an officer either during or post WWII. The S/N# is 458265. I am trying to determine the age of this shotgun.

[Researcher]

The receiver with serial number 458265 was put in work during March 1942. There should be a two-letter date code on the left side of the barrel showing when the barrel was made.

210610 01a close-up with yellow arrows, 28-inch, FULL, XE X = December E = 1936.jpg (63.14 KiB) Viewed 695 times

For the correct terminology, The Sportsman is the three-shot gun and the Model 11 is the five-shot gun.

Model 11 and Sportsman.jpg (27.18 KiB) Viewed 695 times

[Backwoods_Legit]

Thanks for the info and for setting me straight on the correct model names. This Sportsman appears to have a small “CL” next to a slightly larger “N” with a 4-point star or “+” sign. See attached.