How good were Browning Auto 5`s

Not only is it an A5 its a sweet sixteen.
I would love to see Phil and Jase start to endorse the 16 gauge. May force manufactures to load up some better steel and non-toxic loads for the 16.
Of course they need to endorse it after I find a sweet sixteen. I don't want demand to drive up their prices.
 
Unfortunately its not that simple internally theres a lot of precision fitting and finishing which is what put it out of production. JMB was a genius and way ahead of his times, and created one of the longest lasting and most relieble guns ever (if properly cared for) the down side is he used more moving parts then where needed.
 
JamesM said:
Unfortunately its not that simple internally theres a lot of precision fitting and finishing which is what put it out of production. JMB was a genius and way ahead of his times, and created one of the longest lasting and most relieble guns ever (if properly cared for) the down side is he used more moving parts then where needed.
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Browning's shotgun designs are very complicated, overrated and derivative of preceeding designs. The Auto 5, Superposed and 1897 are more complex than they need to be and have been superceded by better designs. The JMB fanboys need to keep in mind that when Hiram Maxim was demonstrating a functional belt-fed machine gun to the British Army, John Browning was making single-shot rifles at Winchester.
 
Claybuster said:
Browning's shotgun designs are very complicated, overrated and derivative of preceeding designs. The Auto 5, Superposed and 1897 are more complex than they need to be and have been superceded by better designs. The JMB fanboys need to keep in mind that when Hiram Maxim was demonstrating a functional belt-fed machine gun to the British Army, John Browning was making single-shot rifles at Winchester.
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Uh-huh, and the Maxim was continually produced and issued as a front line weapon in major militaries for what, maybe 30 years? The 1911 is a hundred years old and the most popular gun in the west, the M2 has been front line kit for 80 years, as has the Hi-power. Not to mention every single rifle Winchester is famous for, and of course, the Auto-5, which has now ceased production, but had a production run of nearly 100 years. I don't discredit Sir Hiram Maxim, but based only on fame related to firearms, John Moses Browning trumps just about every one who has ever lived.
 
Maxim guns were widely used for a lot longer than 30 years. The Russian PM M1910 was still widely used in WWII and Korea. The British Vickers, essentially a Maxim with the toggle action inverted, was not replaced by the GPMG until the 1960s.
 
Blastattack said:
Uh-huh, and the Maxim was continually produced and issued as a front line weapon in major militaries for what, maybe 30 years? The 1911 is a hundred years old and the most popular gun in the west, the M2 has been front line kit for 80 years, as has the Hi-power. Not to mention every single rifle Winchester is famous for, and of course, the Auto-5, which has now ceased production, but had a production run of nearly 100 years. I don't discredit Sir Hiram Maxim, but based only on fame related to firearms, John Moses Browning trumps just about every one who has ever lived.
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The 1911 is great as a sport shooter. It hasn't been a front-line service pistol in decades.

Browning's rifle designs have largely based on the work of others so he didn't create as much as improve concepts developed by Henry, Spencer and Burgess.

As far as longevity is concerned in rifles Mauser wins that award. There were and are more Mauser pattern rifles used by the military and sport shooters around the world than any lever action or single-shot developed by Browning. Same with shotguns, designs by Boss, Anson and Deely to name a few are still in use and in production while the Auto 5 went its demise in the 90's and no one with the possible exception of Franchi is still making a shotgun on that pattern.

Browning was a very good gun designer but he was not the be all and end all.
 
I have to agree with Claybuster. In my time I have owned numerous Auto Fives in all gauges. All were uber reliable. All required fiddling to shoot high brass loads at ducks one day and low brass loads at grouse another day. Fore ends had to be handled like fine crystal to avoid any mishaps while changing recoil settings. If left too long the mag cap would tighten to a point a strap wrench would barely break it loose. My Sweet 16 Buck special would put MOST slugs into a 5 gallon bucket at 75 yards on a good day due to the recoil design and moving barrel. Now having slagged the old girl enough an honest comparison between my Baikal MP 153 design and that of the Auto Five is evidence that some things can be improved upon in huge leaps and bounds with time. Older is often not better. I no longer own an Auto Five but I do have respect for senority in any field (especially the hunting field) and I tip my hat to the old springer. Now let me save enough to buy the new version.....

Darryl
 
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Me Lord.
All this cuss'in about the A-5 makes me want to cuss.
Any one of you natter'in about these probmatic A-5's ever
read the owner's manual?
My old man bought an A-5 the year after I was born. Sort of like maybe a
Man's Ceegar. I don't ever remember him cleaning that thing. Left it up to
me to do it when I lernt how. I do remember him pouring gas through it on
a dang mighty fine freeze yer pecker cold chukar hunt. I still have that old
gal down in the locker. Yes, it does have a slight crack on the forewood.
But help me out here, that sliver of wood is over fifty years old. I have never
seen an A-5 forewood in two pieces. Hell, I can chop a chunk of firewood with a
splitting maul with a few swipes. If you are having problems with an A-5, I
suspect there is a problem with comprehending the English literature.
 
I have up reading all the "nuff said" posts

I thought the auto-5 was ugly as sin, but it grows on ya, my mag 12 is the only other shotgun that sees near the rounds my old SxS 16 does, and in over 40 years of use, 10's of thousands of rounds, the only jam I remember was after heavy use for a full season, dirty handloads, and hunting waterfowl in December over decoys in freezing rain. I wouldn't trade my auto 5 for ANY other auto shotty. I am not saying they are the best, but they sure point nice, and mine has been as reliable as anything I have ever heard of.
 
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