browning auto five 16 ga
I have a browning A5 16 gauge and the serial #s put its manufacture in 1930 it has quite a bit of engraving on the reciever the barrel is 25" from the front of the reciever top the end of the barrel, has a vent rib and weighs 7.5 lbs which seems light for a standard. It is not marked sweet sixteen what is it.
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To know how it left the factory, you will need to letter it. Browning offers the service and it is reasonable. 0 -
Sweet 16 came much later. Would be marked Sweet 16 and have a gold triger. Should be standard 16 guage A5. The weight does sound light though. It would be a good idea to have the chamber length checked. A lot of the early guns had 2 9/16 chambers instead of todays standard 2 3/4 chambers. Impractical to rechamber and dangerous to shoot 2 3/4 shells in. 2 9/16 shells are hard to come by in this country. 0 -
The barrel should say what length shells the gun is chambered for. If not sure you could remove barrel and drop a regular 2 3/4" shell into barrel. If the shell drops all the way to the rim of the shell case...you should be fine. I know I have a 1938 Remington Model 11 Sportsman (same as Browning) in 16 Ga. And mines takes 2/3/4" shells. I agree that your is probably a "standard" model...and not a Sweet 16. Still a GOOD gun! 0 -
All pre-war Belgian A5's had 2 9/16" chambers. It wasn't until the post-war guns that the chamber length was marked on the barrel.
Since short chamber 16 gauge guns can be found with either 2 1/2" or 2 9/16" chambers manufacturers stuck to the 2 1/2" cartridge.
http://www.polywad.com/vintager.html
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/164394/gamebore-game-and-hunting-ammunition-16-gauge-2-1-2-1-oz-6-shot-box-of-25
If you reload or, intend to, MEC makes a short shell plate to adapt their presses for 2 1/2" loading.0 -
Thanks for the input on my A5. What I have found out serial # in front of the loading gate 1013xx FN stamped above and match the #s on the barrel. I measured down the barrel 25.5" weighed the gun on a better scale it is right on 7 pounds and 2.75 shells fit right and function properly. The saftey is in front part of trigger gaurd. I used to own a slightly newer A5 16 ga that had much less engraving,weighed 8 lbs and had 28" barrel. My reserch says that the sweet sixteen was not marked as such until 1937 but some light sixteens were produced before that. The gun does not have the gold plated trigger of the sweet sixteen or the label so it is not a sweet sixteen but given the weight and length it is probably not a standard model either. I will have to contact Browning to see if I can confirm this. Thanks for the input 0 -
The problem with shooting 2 3/4" shells in the 2 9/16" chambered gun is that the shell case opens up into the forcing cone, thus squeezing the wadding and shot into a smaller diameter. This can/will result in higher pressure than the gun is designed for. Seeing if a fired 2 3/4" shell will work through the chamber and eject through the ejection port. Of course the unfired shells are shorter and the fact that they function through the gun can be misleading. 0 -
I think my gun is modified if they didn't come from the factory 2.75 with the barrel off a 2.75 shell klinks all the way to the rim and when fired it ejects spent shells flawlessly. 0 -
I am not a gunsmith but I cant see any obvious alterations. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by cys1957
I think my gun is modified if they didn't come from the factory 2.75 with the barrel off a 2.75 shell klinks all the way to the rim and when fired it ejects spent shells flawlessly.
The 2 3/4" length comes from the length of a fired hull. The loaded cartridge is actually 2 1/2" in length and will fit into a 2 9/16" chamber.
Some of these short chambered guns will function with the longer cartridge.0
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