Rhodesian A5

.22LRGUY

.22LRGUY

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Hey guys-not sure if this belongs in the Milsurp sub-forum, but as much as I've poked around online in the last decade or so...mostly gun related, I can't believe the first time I'd ever heard of this shotgun was last night. I've only read a little bit about them, but look forward to learning as much as I can. Obviously, in the dictatorship we live in, this capacity in a semi is a big no-no..but this might be the first "clone" I've ever been interested in trying to build. Would need to be based off of a sporting A5 with Canada's capacity limit adhered to. That huge forend should be achievable, though beating it up to match an old buttstock would be hard on the soul. lol

Anyhow, just wondering if this is a gun that's ever been discussed on CGN, or, if there is any interest at all...? Either way, exciting to discover something new...and always looking for cool stuff to read-up on.

***BTW, I can add a photo once home...can't access/post photos from where I am***
 
Youtube "rhodesian a5 shotgun" and you'll find several tests. The short answer is civilian pattern small arms are almost always a bad fit for military service. But, for a specialist or a soldier not likely to get into a bruising heliborne small-squad anti-terrorist insertion, the A5 was not a bad choice. Obviously the RhSF and BSAP could acquire enough of these shotguns to meet their needs that 40-odd years after the fact, we're discussing them.

You might have good luck contacting a South African gunsmith and asking about take-off parts lying around which might be suitable for the project. A handguard is a chunk of machined and varnished wood after all.
 
Seen a lot of pictures of BSAP officers carrying standard Auto 5 models with 26" barrels on patrol with RLI and other army units. The old guns must have worked well enough for so many to be found in photos.

Darryl
 
browning_a5_l32a1.jpg

BrowningAuto-5 shotgun of Belgian manufacture in military configuration, as used by British forces under L32A1 designation.
Malaya-SAS-.png
 
enefgee said:
Any idea what the barrel length was on that?
Click to expand...

I believe that one is 20". They were just cut down by armours. They are recoil operated. You could cut one down to 18.5" or 18.6" to be on the safe side in Canada. I looked it up in one of my combat shotgun books. It said armours cut them down to 18" to 20". Shortest factory barrel produce was 20". Browning offered 20", 22" and 24".
 
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Rebel Rouser said:
I believe that one is 20". They were just cut down by armours. They are recoil operated. You could cut one down to 18.5" or 18.6" to be on the safe side in Canada. I looked it up in one of my combat shotgun books. It said armours cut them down to 18" to 20". Shortest factory barrel produce was 20". Browning offered 20", 22" and 24".
Click to expand...

OK, that might be an interesting way to salvage an ugly one if I run across one.
 
enefgee said:
OK, that might be an interesting way to salvage an ugly one if I run across one.
Click to expand...

I've reached out to a few places looking for specs on the forend, including FN. (=lol) Not anticipating a reply, but what the heck? If I can round-up enough info, I'll explore the idea of reproducing one. I can replicate the exterior NP, need more info on what the inside looks like. That (too) could probably be determined by seeing an A5 forend, which is plan B.

I think to make it look like one of these, the bigger challenge will be securing the forend, especially if I need the magazine tube/nut to actually BE what secures it. I have a couple of solutions in mind.

Considering a clone. :)
 
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