Older Browning A5s-anybody's favorite?
- Thread starter .22LRGUY
- Start date
sharp shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Essex county (Ontario)
badgreenbird
Regular
- Location
- Dawson Creek, BC
An old Auto-5 12 gauge (3" chamber, vented rib) handed down to me from my great uncle was my first semi-auto shotgun. Got it as a teenager, and didn't care for / respect it as I should have. But by God I USED it! I absolutely slayed sea ducks with it, even prairie mallards when I moved out west. I shoot well with it, and even used steel shot (up to #4) for a few years when I had no alternatives. It now stays in the safe, but I still use it on occasional turkey hunts. Great gun that will stay in the family as long as I have any influence...
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
In my opinion the A-5 was made with the waterfowl hunter in mind not an upland hunter. They are the classic style duck and goose blind gun. That big hump back lends itself to big open water shooting or long range pass shooting. I've owned a couple, my first when I was 16. Bought it used at a gun shop in downtown St.Catharines. To me they are great guns purpose built for waterfowling for yesteryear's style of hunting.
sharp shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Essex county (Ontario)
One of my favorite from my pre-war collection. A 3 shot with a solid rib. Almost mint
I'd love to see the rest of your collection.
I got one from FLHTCUI who also haunts this site. I don't use it near salt water, that's what my 870 Express is for, but for decoying ducks in fields, the A5 smokes 'em. I don't claim to be any kind of ace waterfowler, but that Browning A5 is the only gun I ever got a triple with jump shooting out of a potato field ditch.
sharp shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Essex county (Ontario)
The gun in my collection are not necessarily all nice or beautiful. I collect them because they are in very good condition, they are rare, or my favorite, they have an historical significance.
Here is an example of historical significance. During the second war, the German invaded Belgium and reoriented the Fabrique Nationale firearms production to their war effort. Loosing his European supplier, Browning, in order to supply the American market, turned to Remington which was making since 1905 the model 11, a Browning auto-5 clone. To distinguish them apart, Browning ask Remington to do some cosmetic changes to the model 11. The new look of the Remington model 11 that roughly ressemble the iconic Belgium made shotgun was not convincing. But we have to remember that was the war time and Remington did certainly not had the skillful workers of the prestigious Fabrique National. Never the less it is interesting. They bead blasted the top of the receiver, and they roll stamped some scrolls that mimic the hand engraved one.
First, Belgium made 1939, second, Remington made
If you would like to know more about the American made Browning auto-5, you can read that posted that I initiated on Shotgun World
https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads/the-neglected-american-browning.457808/#post-3756113
Fascinating, thanks!
OK, this great thread prompted me to open the safe and pull out my FN-marked 16 gauge with the short chamber (65mm / 2 9/16"). I really like the solid rib; the safety took some getting used to. This one has seen a lot of use but not much abuse. I thought it dated from 1932, but it might be 1947, though still before the 'Sweet Sixteen' markings. Perhaps the FN-marked guns are dated/marked differently from the American-marked guns? I defer to the experts on this.
Long live the A-5!
Long live the A-5!
OK, this great thread prompted me to open the safe and pull out my FN-marked 16 gauge with the short chamber (65mm / 2 9/16"). I really like the solid rib; the safety took some getting used to. This one has seen a lot of use but not much abuse. I thought it dated from 1932, but it might be 1947, though still before the 'Sweet Sixteen' markings. Perhaps the FN-marked guns are dated/marked differently from the American-marked guns? I defer to the experts on this.
Long live the A-5!
Very nice 16 gauge. Most of the nicest engraved auto-5 were done on 16 gauge. The serial number would tell us a lot. The barrel should have the marking "acier spécial". Why do you think it is specifically one of those two date?
