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Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen

grantonetoo
Hi
I would like some advise on my A-5 Sweet Sixteen. I have done some research and have found it, by serial S 7190, to be around 1953, Belgium, Modified choke due to ** marking. The two things I have not had any luck with is, all the ones I viewed had ventilated rib barrells, and mine has a solid, not ventilated, rib. The other feature that I cannot find information on is that the stock and forearm are not checkered. The stock is the square knob type, and the buttplate is incorrect, no Browning markings.
Any ideas on these two points of confusion? The overall condition of the gun is about 85-90 %, the stock and forearm having the most issues. An estimated appraisel with these features would also be appreacieated.
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • MIKE WISKEY
    "on is that the stock and forearm are not checkered. The stock is the square knob type, and the buttplate is incorrect, no Browning markings."..........NON FACTORY WOOD=NO COLLECTOR VALUE, VALUED JUST AS A 'SHOOTER'. SOLID RIB?? DOES IT SAY "SWEET SIXTEEN" ON THE RECEIVER, IF NOT IT IS A 'STANDARD' 16 GA.
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  • grantonetoo
    Reciever says Sweet Sixteen and all the engraving is there. Barrell with solid rib, not ventilated, reads special steel, **, made in Belgium. Serial is 7190 with a star above it.
    I suspect either the stock, buttplate, and forearm have been changed to aftermarket, or perhaps Browing sold a model with a solid ventilated rib and un-chekered wood. Could even be that just the reciever is from a Sweet Sixteen. Guess I will have to call Browning.
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  • grantonetoo
    Correction
    Serial is 7190 with S above it. Not star.
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  • Garth
    to reiterate was has already been stated, non factory stocks means no collecter value. if you do some online research you just might be fortunate enough to find some factory stocks though it may be costly. i own a savage A-5 clone in 16 gauge. it was handed down to me by my grandma after my grandpa passed away. it has a lot of family history. he was a hunter who got hundreds of pheasant and quail and a few deer with it. he wasnt known for taking care of his firearms so it was in major disrepair. it wouldnt even shoot. the blueing was missing(rusted), the stocks were cracked, the external receiver screws were missing, the firing pin was broken and the firing pin spring was missing. it was a boat anchor when i came into posession of it. i had it completely refinished and restored. its so beautiful that it looks like it just rolled off of browning assembly. it will never have collecter value but maybe one day i will hand it down and i will tell its story and it will still be in existence another 50 years from now. you might even go to the wanted forum and ask if anyone knows where you might find a set of factory stocks. good luck on your online search.
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  • timbroman
    Hello Grant - Welcome to the forum - It sounds like you have a very nice shotgun - Very conservative estimate of $500.00 assuming the shotgun is mechanically sound - You would probably want to replace the wood and buttplate and that can be pricey but stocks are certainly available - I suspect at least half of the Belgian A-5's have stock problems - Fore-stocks are pretty much easily swapped - Butt stocks may be another matter as tang variations must be considered - someone on this or another forum was contemplating the purchase of a Standard 16 ga A-5 for the purpose of "up-grading" a Sweet Sixteen but I don't recall how that concluded - anyway on-line auctions and sales sites as well as gun shows could offer a solution or a gunsmith in your town is a great choice - I would also pack the shotgun to a few gun shows for hands-on assessment - Cleaned up and restocked you will have a classic Browning. Best regards.
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