1991 Browning Auto-5 3" 12g Duck Unlimited *Never Fired* picked up at auction

Ilove12gshotguns

Ilove12gshotguns

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Thanks too some advice given i passed on another Auto 5 and decided to check my local(ish) auction house.

Ended up buying a never fired 1991 Browning Auto-5 3" 12g Ducks Unlimited with amazing wood. I did a quick tear down, and yes it has never been fired. The deal came with Auto 5, DU original case, and signed artwork for the specific serial number.

Its not perfect, there is a small dent on the foreend, and some tiny scratches in the butt. Overall its just great and im very happy with it.

Im wondering if you guys could tell me what you would pay, too see if i got a good deal or not. Now keep in mind i have no ambitions of try to turn this for a profit, i plan keeping this and shoot it for the rest of my life. Maybe giving it to my son when he comes of age.









 
Ducks Unlimited guns generally don't command higher prices then their factory counterparts unless a potential buyer has a thing for DU guns. Many will actually say the DU gun is worth less to them then a factory version. As for value, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. $800-$1000 would be my valuation on the high end
 
That's an old outdated semi, I would give you $20 to take it off your hands and spare you the embarrassment of your friends seeing you shooting it..

Seriously though, I would expect around $1300 based on the condition.
 
wrong place to ask a value and I wouldn't even bother reading this post unless you wanted feel insulted by people who who are armchair experts. If you like it .....leave it at that.
 
These are worth a g-note................+ or -
As mentioned in another thread, these A-5's are worth only what
someone is willing to offer.
If yer happy with the deal, be happy.
Dad bawt me one new in 1983-84 and it was under a g-note.
A-5, 3" mag light weight with full rib and 30" barrel.
To me it's priceless.

Wonderful engineering loved by many and hated by few.

Long story short............fill yer bewts...............go use it.

Edit...........dang............I seen whut yew dun............:wave:
 
Thanks for the input.

I have to agree, yes the regular Auto 5's have a little more usability as your not too worried about beating it up. You have to remember that the biggest thing for me is fearing to scratch up the poly coat. Then again, ALL a5s have a poly coat.... so why not grab a nice one?

You have to admit, DAT WOOD is nice, seems all the Jap guns have great wood. More too that the Brownings high grade seems to be the onyl one out of the big 3 B's that actually put AAA walnut on when they charge for it. Just a thought.
 
$800-$1000 would be my valuation on the high end
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I would have to say it's worth more then a k-31, sometimes I don't understand the used market. I remember a couple of years ago rusted out 2 3/4 Belgium's were no less then 900$. With the Jap guns listed in the 1500$ range because they could shoot steel.
 
Had a similar or as close to as what you have....(yours is S/N # 283 while mine was #533 - same year 1991)..bought it brand new from a fellow who won it at a DU auction.
And I used it for a couple hundred rounds of 12ga 3" lead #2's and it was lethal on geese.
When the steel shot became law I quit waterfowl all together.

So to answer your question on value, I sold mine in AB ten years ago for $1800 advertised with little effort, in less than a week. And the new owner was thrilled with his acquisition!!
Used but not marked or scratched. Complete with hard case and artwork.

Try and purchase any shotgun of that level of wood and workmanship NEW for a grand.

I would keep it if you can not get $2K however I expect it to move quickly.

Thx for sharing a fine and special shogun.


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NHunter said:
Had a similar or as close to as what you have....(yours is S/N # 283 while mine was #533 - same year 1991)..bought it brand new from a fellow who won it at a DU auction.
And I used it for a couple hundred rounds of 12ga 3" lead #2's and it was lethal on geese.
When the steel shot became law I quit waterfowl all together.

So to answer your question on value, I sold mine in AB ten years ago for $1800 advertised with little effort, in less than a week. And the new owner was thrilled with his acquisition!!
Used but not marked or scratched. Complete with hard case and artwork.

Try and purchase any shotgun of that level of wood and workmanship NEW for a grand.

I would keep it if you can not get $2K however I expect it to move quickly.

Thx for sharing a fine and special shogun.


Christ $1800 did you kiss him also, if not you should have and bought some loto tickets
I thought I was the only one on that DU turnip truck

Yes sir started collecting new inbox ( only) DU shotguns in the early 80's thinking they were going to be worth something some day
Boy was I wrong. I have since sold off 13 of them and one just one I made worthwhile some cash on and was worth saving and it was a winchester super x1 DU gun
This browning I had also and managed to get 1100 for it unfired, in original case big deal when I had $1000 into it
I still have maybe 4 or 5 left which I am keeping and using since they are not worth any more than a regular production run to 99.9% of gun owners
I have two 1100 left one 12ga and one 20ga upland specials and two wingmasters one 20 ga and one 12ga for sure and I think one more maybe a bps?? 28ga I think. All now but one the 28ga has been fired
Just my 2 cents from being a small DU shotgun collector
Cheers
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NHunter said:
So to answer your question on value, I sold mine in AB ten years ago for $1800 advertised with little effort, in less than a week.
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10 years ago maybe, pretty sure it's a different market now. Just not as many DU collectors out there, and as 3macs1 already said, they just don't pull good money like they used to. Some of these DU guns had hundreds, sometimes thousands of copies made, meaning some aren't all that rare.
 
VICIOUS said:
HI; A DU Winchester model 12 sold for 1300 dollars yesterday at Swatyzer auction in Bancroft Ont.
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Assuming the 12ga this is a perfect example
Made in 1975 and 800 made
I bought one NIB around 78 for $1000 ( yes I was nuts) , resold it for $1200 about 7 or 8 years ago and now they sell for $1300 so not a great investment IMO
Compare that you my grandfathers model 12 28ga skeet that sold for $100 and change and now is worth $6500-$7500
Cheers
 
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browninggold said:
10 years ago maybe, pretty sure it's a different market now. Just not as many DU collectors out there, and as 3macs1 already said, they just don't pull good money like they used to. Some of these DU guns had hundreds, sometimes thousands of copies made, meaning some aren't all that rare.
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Other thing I have found is that the people that had them regardless of year and type all thought they were going to be worth some serious cash some day so stashed them away and never fired them ,kept the box, paper work etc so it is not that hard to find all models even 30 years later NIB which keeps value down
Cheers
 
3macs1 said:
Other thing I have found is that the people that had them regardless of year and type all thought they were going to be worth some serious cash some day so stashed them away and never fired them ,kept the box, paper work etc so it is not that hard to find all models even 30 years later NIB which keeps value down
Cheers
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I’ve had a few DU guns but I bought knowing they are not rare, just embellished for DU fundraising. I still own one, a 50th Anniversary 101. In 1987 average selling price on them was $1500. They did not fetch the prices hoped for. New unfired models now with all the stuff they came with when one does come up for sale, seem to have an asking price around $2500+ which is about the same as the Pigeon Grade model 101 grade they were built as, was retailing for back in the mid to late 80’s. As for mine I have all the stuff it came with too, box, hang tags, case etc not for any value purpose but merely to keep as a whole pkg however my gun gets used and used lots!! I probably have 50,000 rounds through it now between the skeet field, grouse hunting and 30 waterfowl seasons. I’ve worn alot of the pretty off it but guns imo are meant to be shot, not sitting around collecting dust and remainig purty!
I’d pay top dollar for that A-5 if I were looking for one as anything in that grade of autoloader today is going to be $2000+ and that A-5 is built much better than most of todays alloy & tupperware guns not to mention that grade of wood nowadays is insane to purchase. Plus I would be buying it to hunt with, not collect.
 
the spank said:
I’ve had a few DU guns but I bought knowing they are not rare, just embellished for DU fundraising. I still own one, a 50th Anniversary 101. In 1987 average selling price on them was $1500. They did not fetch the prices hoped for. New unfired models now with all the stuff they came with when one does come up for sale, seem to have an asking price around $2500+ which is about the same as the Pigeon Grade model 101 grade they were built as, was retailing for back in the mid to late 80’s. As for mine I have all the stuff it came with too, box, hang tags, case etc not for any value purpose but merely to keep as a whole pkg however my gun gets used and used lots!! I probably have 50,000 rounds through it now between the skeet field, grouse hunting and 30 waterfowl seasons. I’ve worn alot of the pretty off it but guns imo are meant to be shot, not sitting around collecting dust and remainig purty!
I’d pay top dollar for that A-5 if I were looking for one as anything in that grade of autoloader today is going to be $2000+ and that A-5 is built much better than most of todays alloy & tupperware guns not to mention that grade of wood nowadays is insane to purchase. Plus I would be buying it to hunt with, not collect.
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Yes sir. Almost all of the older DU guns had real sweet wood on them even the remingtons :) Buying one to hunt with is cool for sure just not as an investment from my experiences. I kick my ass for selling my 4 barrel set of 101's in skeet
A weak stupid moment for sure. Never regretted selling any auto 5 however. Kept just one a sweet16. They shoulder and swing like a log to me
Cheers
 
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