Browning Auto 5 Mag.

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Stefan

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I happened by the shop yesterday and something caught my eye. There's a Belgian Auto5 Mag for sale in nice shape. Its got the rounded pistol grip and engraving. Does anybody have any experience with these guns for waterfowl? I'll likely wind up getting a barrel from Hastings for it and save the Belgian version, but that likely won't happen until next year. Am I stuck shooting bismuth this year, or can I use small steel eg: 3's or 4's? I'm not going to push my luck, just curious if anyone else uses theirs for waterfowl.
Secondly, I'm curious about everyone's opinion of the gun itself. Any info is appreciated.

Cheers, Stefan
 
I bought a 1964 non-mag A5 last year, and with the barrel opened up to modified I shot steel #2 and BB shot out of the original barrel with no problem.

My gunsmith says he has opened bout 40 of these up to modified with no problems reported.

The Browning A5 has a long and remarkable history, you should go to Shotgun world and check the Browning forum there.

The guns were designed in 1898 and first went into production in 1903 I think it was. They are virtually indestructible and among the most reliable semi-auto shotguns ever made.

Unlike gas-operated shotguns they do not clog up and fail to cycle when dirty as the recoil operated action does not get any spent powder in it like the gas guns do. A buddy has had one for 30 years and has never cleaned it and it has never failed to cycle for him.

As far as I've been able to determine, they do require a powerful enough load to cycle though, so some light trap or skeet loads may not be strong enough to cycle the action.

You can set the recoil spring rings for "heavy" or "light" loads.

I'm no expert, this is just stuff I picked up from SG World and other users.
 
I bought a 1952 Auto5 last year. After measuring the muzzle, it showed as improved modified, so i opened it up to skeet II. If it has a full choke don't use steel at all, since browning traditionally used softer steel and ring bulging could occur at the muzzle. I shot #4,2 and BB with no problem, but i wouldn't go any larger than BB.
 
Owned a belgian 50's Browning A5 for last 6 years ,--- thinking of selling all the other scatterguns I own ( just kidding ) but it is a great shotgun, problem free a real joy to shoot! -- just too dam nice to hunt with.
 
Another option is to have the original barrel chpped and threaded for choke tubes of your choice. My local gunsmith did this to my A-5 for 150$ including a front bead replacement
 
This was the first successful autoloading shot gun design and was so successful that it was in continuous production for 94 years. Other than the Colt .45 there may not be another gun that was as successful. By they way, John Moses Browning had a hand in the Colt too.

It is about the only hand fitted, hand engraved and hand checkered gun you can get in it's price range. I have a big pile of them but understand that they are not for everyone. Borrow one and shoot it before you write a check for one.

I wont shoot any steel through my Belgian barreled guns unless the choke is Imop Cyl or less. But I shoot Biz out of Auto-5's as old as 1904 and kill geese with them like crazy.

Take my opinion with a grain of salt....I'm a fan:

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But they do work, this is a 1904 Model:
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Here is a '51 16 ga and a '84 12 ga:

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Jeff
 
No better auto loading shotgun in my opinion for water fowl hunting than the Browning Auto 5 3 inch.Have owned two of them and had no trouble with them even when used in very cold weather and around salt water.

I have kept the barrel from mine and bought another with a poly choke so that I can use steel in my 3 inch Browning Auto 5.
 
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I have a '65 A5 magnum. Bought a brand new invector barrel with 3 chokes for $200 and put the old 30+" barrel in the grease. The 28" invector swings nicer, IMO, and lets me shoot steel.

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Great shotgun.

RC
 
Everyone should have one. A Light Twelve and the Magnum. I clobbered a nice Snow this spring using my Uncle's Grey Rat. First Auto-5 goose btu won't be my last.

Those Invector barrels are going to be like hen's teeth in a few years, if they aren't already.
 
If somebody needed to design an industrial-strength machine to fire thousands of shotgun shells non-stop, the A-5 is what they'd come up with.
 
Wow, thanks for all the input gentlemen. I appreciate the info and suggestions that you've made, as well as the pictures, they've really whet my appetite now! The shop is closed Sundays and Mondays, but I hope to go in and seal the deal tomorrow after work.
 
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