Mystery notch in 1904 Browning auto-5

MBiz

MBiz

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Here is a little challenge for the specialist among you that surf this forum. I have posted this on two other forum but I have not had any definitive respond. I thought that I will turn to my Canadian compatriots to discover the answer.

I have the chance to own 3 very early Browning auto-5s (1904). The serial numbers are very closed thus I believe they were made the same week or maybe even the same day.
The two first specimen have a notch at the top of the ejection window. The third one has none. Is it a defect into the manufacturing process or does it serve any purpose.
Thank for helping







Here is a close up of the notch.
 
I don't know anything about these guns whatsoever. I'm looking at the one with no notch and it has a mark there in the same spot. Can this be due to an extractor problem and over time it can chip the notch out?
 
Prob not as I think of it. The extractor would be more brittle and break I would guess. The one edge looks too clean cut. The bottom edge looked chewed I guess and made me think in that direction.
 
I just read something regarding allowing the breech bolt snap home with the barrel removed can cause this. The cocking knob shafts will.pound there.
From the owners manual
 
Just a guess but I think that the versions made with the notch may be for allowing the bolt to move slightly further ahead to align the punch pin to be drifted out for disassembly. I agree that those notches are FN factory work.

Darryl
 
9x19p said:
Any story behind having 3 guns so close in serial number?
Click to expand...

Those three are among my prized A-5 of my collection and it is pure chance that the serial number are so close or it maybe that there were few Auto-5 imported in Canada in 1904. We have to remember that John Browning first order to the FN was only 10000 shotguns. Even better would be to have one of the first 300 were you can see the patented date on the trigger housing instead of the receiver.
 
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