Another Browning ID Conundrum
I looked at a nice Sweet Sixteen at the lesser site and I'm curious about the serial number - a 1958 Belgian Sweet 16 with s/n A8440. I would have thought the 1958 s/n would have looked something like 8Sxxxxx. I would have thought that the A prefix meant Remington-made standard 16 ga. Browning identification continues to fascinate me. I hope Mr. Browning is amused.
"The reward of a thing well done is to have it done." - Emerson
"The reward of a thing well done is to have it done." - Emerson
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A week ago today, at Tulsa Show; saw an "A" prefix Sweet 16 within 200 digits of the one you're referencing.
Regarding the "A" and "T" Prefix Series.
Almost all of this production was sold to Browning. FN records
indicate "A" represents Allege or Lighweight/Sweet Sixteen while the
"T" refers to the Lourd (heavy) model or the Standard 16. The
serial numbers are in consecutive order from 01 thru 10900 with the appropriate letter code prefix. However, they are mixed in production, and it requires listing all 10,900 to accurately reflect which were "A" and which were "T" prefix models. Serial number A-01
was shipped to Browning 11/14/57 and the first "T" prefix models to be produced was serial number T-229 that was shipped to Browning on 11/24/57. NOTE: This was the "Second" time the "A" prefix had been used and there is no way to distinguish this series from the 958 (A-01
thru A-958) produced in late 1953. As with the first time the "A" prefix was produced, this appears to be an interim production run between the "R" and "S" model codes and the introduction of the year code along with the model code introduced early in 1958. The following dates are established by when FN shipped the guns and there is no date available for acceptance into the warehouse, in my records.
Serial Number "A" or "T" 01-1300 had been shipped by 12/31/57, and
Serial Number "A" or "T" 1301-10900 had been shipped by 4/30/58.
*******The Year Code and Model Code Series*******
Beginning with the March 1958 production the serial numbers are preceded with a year and model code as part of the serial number.
Note, piece of information picked up last week-end.
Production of the Standard 16 ended in 1964 with serial number 4R-99999.
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SpringCreek, Thanks for the info. I was hoping to hear from you on this one. If you'd write a book I'd buy it. As it is, I'm printing and putting these kinds of posts in a three-ring binder along with the notes I've taken at shows. I know it will never become the definitive A-5 identification guide but it has got to be better than what I've come across (and paid for in some cases) so far. Best, Tim
"The reward of a thing well done is to have it done." - Emerson0
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