Got my 1967 Browning A5 20 mag. in the mail today. WooHaw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Thread starter salarguy
- Start date
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
Very nice. Is it Belgian made? Choke and barrel length? I assume 28" FULL.
Darryl
Darryl
Congrats!! My son bought 1 early in 2017. Believe his is a '69 in as New condition. He used it with non toxic shot to shoot some mallards at a pond this past fall and absolutely loves his as well. Look forward to hearing how you make out with it this coming fall.
25.5" improved mod. Belgian made. Pretty shot gun, swings and points like a dream!
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
You found one rare barrel length/ choking option for the Magnum 20. Like winning the lottery.
Darryl
Sounds like a sweet heart 20 ga . being Belgium made the barrel length is most likely metric 650mm .
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Can you post a pic. It was not a dot punch mark as you show. It was a clear dash for IM. With out seeing it I would say mod with a weak second punch star from your measurements
Cheers
20ga fixed full is 585
IM 590
mod 595
IC 603
skeet 621
Here is brownings complete list
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Browning Auto 5
What's the source and YEAR of your choke measurement? Mine are from Browning 1967 Magum specs. Maybe they changed the spec in different years. The asterisk is so faint and the dot appears to be a punch slip. I had to use an old Panasonic 30X light scope to even tell. It's enclosed in a horseshoe stamp or C with Ts crossed if you know what I mean, which I assume means choke. If it patterns for me I don't really care if it cylinder bore. If it's tight my gunsmith buddy is a master at the reamer and hone. This shotgun will be my boy's after me, so a collector piece it will never be.
What's the source and YEAR of your choke measurement? Mine are from Browning 1967 Magum specs. Maybe they changed the spec in different years. The asterisk is so faint and the dot appears to be a punch slip. I had to use an old Panasonic 30X light scope to even tell. It's enclosed in a horseshoe stamp or C with Ts crossed if you know what I mean, which I assume means choke. If it patterns for me I don't really care if it cylinder bore. If it's tight my gunsmith buddy is a master at the reamer and hone. This shotgun will be my boy's after me, so a collector piece it will never be.
Love to see a pic of the barrel and those 67 mag specs you talk about since that chart I posted is from a browning repair manual if you want to be 100% but to me the measurement says it all
They don't change
Again I say the dot was to be another star for a modified choke which makes a lot more sense than a IM in that gun of that vintage unless a trap barrel which it is not
Like struff55 I have never seen one in my day in one of these especially a 20ga mag
There is nothing wrong with it being a mod choke that is for sure IMO better than an IM
Cheers
I hope you are right. For my purposes modified would be better. It's all for nought anyway because I think I'll get the barrel modified for Carlson chokes if the barrel can take it.. That just seems like a lot of wear from .595-.597. I'll see if I can find that link. I think I got it from a US Browning exclusive owners site. I'll have to admit the repair manual should be spot on.
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
A lifetime duck hunting buddy had the same gun as yours but it was choked FULL. When steel became mandated he (with my urging) had a good smith open the barrel to MOD. He had been missing a lot of inside 30 yard birds with the full. That gun threw the nicest most even patterns of steel #4's I have ever seen. With that gun he became in his words a better shooter than with lead shot and the full choke. I hunt with a lot of fixed choke guns. I have to say I think screw in chokes are over rated unless you are a turkey hunter, use heavy buck loads for big game (deer) or a competition card shooter (big in the USA) Your factory MOD is more desirable than a full by a long shot. It is a great choke for hunting partridge on the barrens. With steel it makes a very decent duck gun too.
Darryl
Darryl
Hey Darryl I just left My buddy Terry the gunsmith >50 years. He said if I wanted to have screwin chokes in that fine shotgun I'd have to find someone else to do it! He agrees with you wholeheartedly. We'll pattern it over the weekend, hone it > .600 +/- until we get 80% @35 yards. That's what my 20 101 did and I shot that fairly well. 1 oz.Fed. in lead always patterned nice. Wish me luck!
What are you using it for
I would not touch it with a hone if you are going to fire steel shot at any time
I don't know why your smith of 50 years cannot do it unless he is not set up to do 20ga screw in's which many are not
Send it to briley they will have no problem
For me screw in chokes in vintage shotguns increase value, honing a barrel with a good mod choke decrease value
Cheers
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It's not a can't do it. He's set up for two or three different brands.He knows it's for Partridge and Grouse. He just talked me out of it. He honed my 101 20 gauge 40 years ago. We patterned that as well and I was thrilled with it. I'm not a customer, I'm his friend. We're talking .003 aka taking it to where it should be. Like I said it's not being sold. My boy is getting it. When he's finished it will be mirror polished like it is now.
