I'm a newb to this whole game but I went on gut instincts and picked up a mint Browning Auto 5 Light Twelve Model 73G 26### (made in 1973) at a local gun show. The gun also has a gold plated trigger and I did some looking up and I haven't seen too many with this. Just curious what fair market value is on this gun? Also I have been doing research on it and it has a 30" Full choke (marked with a *) vent ribbed barrel. I plan to use it for clay's and hunting Geese/duck. I hear that you can/can't put steel shot through this and just looking for thoughts on that too. Thanks in advance for helping a newb out.
Browning Auto 5 Light Tweleve, did I over pay?
- Thread starter IH8ATTN
- Start date
To know if you over paid, we need to know how much you paid, and the general condition. As for the steel shot, no. You need to have the choke opened up to modified at the minimum, or have the muzzle drilled and tapped for screw in chokes. Check with a good gunsmith. Other than that they are great shotguns, enjoy.
Well here she is...The guy was asking 650 but after talking to him for a bit we decided on 500. I have been looking at Guns America and other places online to get a rough value and they seem to be going for about 550-800 and even more. I think I did alright and it is a gun I really wanted and when its sitting in front of you, its hard just to walk away. What is the cost roughly to get it tapped for chokes by a reputable gunsmith? I would like to go this route as I would like to use it for waterfowl hunting as well as for clay's. Thanks again CGN
You did well on that one for five hundred.
I bought one for half that amount built in 1963 but it sure doesn't
compare to yours for luster and beauty.
My opinion is that you should find yourself another barrel to modify or
with a different choke. Mine came with two * * so it makes it the
Modified Choke. Is your A-5 chambered in 2 3/4" or 3"?
It's not even set up for sling swivels so untouched there as well.
Congratulations, this is a nice find for a great price.
Looky.
I bought one for half that amount built in 1963 but it sure doesn't
compare to yours for luster and beauty.
My opinion is that you should find yourself another barrel to modify or
with a different choke. Mine came with two * * so it makes it the
Modified Choke. Is your A-5 chambered in 2 3/4" or 3"?
It's not even set up for sling swivels so untouched there as well.
Congratulations, this is a nice find for a great price.
Looky.
Thanks for the compliments, its only chambered for 2 3/4 but that's all I really plan on shooting it with. My father in law has the same gun and since I held his A5 (made in 1953) I always wanted one. This one came by which is way nicer condition than his and has the gold plated trigger so I couldn't pass it up. I talked to him and he said he has been running steel shot through it for the last 20 years and its held up but I want to be safe and get it taken care of by a gunsmith and have it fitted with screw in chokes if it can be done or at least opened up a bit so I can run steel shot for geese. I have been trying to find another barrel with no luck yet, if anyone can steer me in the right direction that be great.
The A5 is an excellent design and a well made gun. There are, however, far more such guns available than there is demand for them. This is almost entirely due to their unsuitability for use on migratory birds. This fact severely limits the market for A5's because it was this purpose for which the A5 was especially well-suited.
They were used to great effect in the uplands, too (and still could be), although most upland hunters would probably opt for a lighter gun these days.
Your A5 is a mid-grade example and is worth what you paid for it as a collector's piece. But, you didn't buy it solely to admire it. Once fitted with choke tubes, it will once again be a fine waterfowler. IMO though, having done this work will not increase the value. In fact, shooting this gun will inevitably result in minor dings and scratches, as well as wear to the bluing and wood finish.
When the day comes to sell, the gun will have been modified (reducing the collector value) and will be reduced in overall condition as well. IMO, the only way you'll get what you paid for it, is if you sell it well into the future, when the purchasing power of $500 is half of what it is today. So, hopefully you didn't plan to turn it over for a profit some day.
Having said that, there are boundless purposes for a nice shotgun besides generating profit. If you bought it intending to use it, my advice would be to go ahead with installation of choke tubes and get as much enjoyment out of it as life will allow. Look after it, but don't hesitate to use it in the mud and the wet. Forget about getting your money out of it some day - instead, look forward to leaving it to your kids, or your grandchildren, because with even just basic care it will surely last that long.
Flipside: If you expect to get all or most of your purchase price back, I'd suggest the only way that will happen is if you sell it just the way it is today to someone who wants it for the condition it's in (and, obviously, plans to keep it original).
They were used to great effect in the uplands, too (and still could be), although most upland hunters would probably opt for a lighter gun these days.
Your A5 is a mid-grade example and is worth what you paid for it as a collector's piece. But, you didn't buy it solely to admire it. Once fitted with choke tubes, it will once again be a fine waterfowler. IMO though, having done this work will not increase the value. In fact, shooting this gun will inevitably result in minor dings and scratches, as well as wear to the bluing and wood finish.
When the day comes to sell, the gun will have been modified (reducing the collector value) and will be reduced in overall condition as well. IMO, the only way you'll get what you paid for it, is if you sell it well into the future, when the purchasing power of $500 is half of what it is today. So, hopefully you didn't plan to turn it over for a profit some day.
Having said that, there are boundless purposes for a nice shotgun besides generating profit. If you bought it intending to use it, my advice would be to go ahead with installation of choke tubes and get as much enjoyment out of it as life will allow. Look after it, but don't hesitate to use it in the mud and the wet. Forget about getting your money out of it some day - instead, look forward to leaving it to your kids, or your grandchildren, because with even just basic care it will surely last that long.
Flipside: If you expect to get all or most of your purchase price back, I'd suggest the only way that will happen is if you sell it just the way it is today to someone who wants it for the condition it's in (and, obviously, plans to keep it original).
This gun will be with me for life, until I pass it on to my kids (when I have some) or my bulldog (if he wants them). I think my plan is too TRY to find another barrel and modify that with screw in tubes or just find one with a fixed mod choke barrel. The gun even though its not my father inlaws has some sentimental value as he has the same one. Like I said I went with my gut instincts and picked it up but I think I did well with price, I was just hoping I didn't over pay. I plan to use this and even though its in great condition it will get dinged up with use through the years but I bought this gun to use, not to stare at. I hope it gives me years of service and lives up to the Browning name, I think it will do just fine.
$500 is a reasonable price for a nice example of a Belgian Auto-5. Use it and enjoy it; that's what guns are for. Even if you end up buying another barrel to shoot steel shot through, you still will have spent less on the gun than a comparable new semiauto shotgun.
Thats sorta the plan. I am trying to find a spare barrel for it so I can get the spare done and keep the original one original because its in pristine condition. If worse comes to worse I plan on just opening up the stock barrel.
The barrels are not matched to the gun so I wouldn't worry.
My father in law has a 1966 that has fired at least 10,000 shells. He threw away the rings years ago (not recommended btw). He wore out 1 barrel and a set of stocks. That thing still keeps on chugging along. Those guns are indestructable. He has never opened it to clean it. Every year he takes a paint brush full of gear oil and "paints " the whole gun (also not recommended). That shotgun is even more reliable than an ak47. It is essentially the AK47 of the shotgun world.
Enjoy
yeah my father inlaw has one and though not recommended he puts steel through the full choke and it has never been cleaned in atleast 30 years and it has never jammed ever. It is definitely a workhorse and that's the reason I needed to get one for myself.
Turkeyslayer 1300
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Russell, Ontario
I would have interchangeable choke tubes installed, if anything this would add value, fixed full choke guns have very limited usefulness in this day and age and as such fixed full guns are worth less, really any fixed choke gun should be worth less than a similar gun with interchageing chokes.
Why did you sell it?? I don't think I could ever sell this gun. For the fit and finish and history its a cool piece to have in your collection and to use.
