The Shooter’s Companion

Shotguns·makers·models·history

An independent reference on sporting shotguns, for shooters, collectors, buyers and sellers.

Portugal

Gunmaking districts, proof and makers.

Gunmaking here

Browning Viana was founded on 12 April 1973 at S. Romão de Neiva, Viana do Castelo.1 Its factory makes rifles and shotguns under the Browning and Winchester names, chiefly for export.2

Districts

Viana do Castelo

Winchester describes the Super X4 as made and assembled at its Viana factory.3 Browning’s manufacturing list, dated 2018, places the Maxus, A5 and Silver at Viana.4, 5

Proof and marks

Portugal belongs to the C.I.P., whose signatories recognise one another’s .6, 7 The C.I.P.’s September 2026 directory lists the Banco Oficial de Provas da PSP at Rua Antonio Castanho, 14, Neiva.8, 9

Makers

Winchester also describes assembly work in Portugal on its Belgian-made over-and-unders.10

Brands made here

Shotguns

  • Browning A5

    An inertia-operated semi-automatic for game and wildfowl

    2012

  • Browning Maxus

    A gas-operated semi-automatic with a lever-fastened fore-end, in field, sporting and wildfowling forms

    2009

  • Winchester SX4

    An Active Valve gas-operated semi-automatic for hunting and clays, with enlarged controls

    2017

Sources

  1. Browning Viana factory, factory-founding. Browning Viana. maker website · Archive
  2. Browning Viana factory, winchester-production. Browning Viana. maker website · Archive
  3. Where are Winchester firearms manufactured? Archived maker FAQ, sx4-at-viana. Winchester Repeating Arms. maker website
  4. Where are Browning firearms manufactured?, locations-listed-in-2018. Browning. maker website · Archive
  5. Where are Browning firearms manufactured?, barrel-inscriptions. Browning. maker website · Archive
  6. C.I.P. organisational diagram — Portuguese membership and recognition, portuguese-membership. C.I.P.. proof house · Archive
  7. C.I.P. organisational diagram — Portuguese membership and recognition, mutual-recognition. C.I.P.. proof house · Archive
  8. C.I.P. Address Proof-Houses — Neiva, directory-date. C.I.P., 2026-09-23. proof house · Archive
  9. C.I.P. Address Proof-Houses — Neiva, neiva-proof-house. C.I.P., 2026-09-23. proof house · Archive
  10. Where are Winchester firearms manufactured? Archived maker FAQ, model-101-partners. Winchester Repeating Arms. maker website

Revised