Browning Sweet 16 Value Question
Good Afternoon All,
My name is Chuck, I'm new to the forum and I have a question about the value of a Browning Sweet 16 ... I have been offered the chance to purchase what I think may be a vintage, very early manufacture Browning Sweet 16. While I've owned several "used" or hand me down Browning Sweet 16s in the past, all of those were destined for and put to considerable field use ... I love Brownings and have NEVER
regretted carrying one into the field. This one may be different thought beacuse of it's condition ... IF I decide to buy it, she'll probably be retired to my personal collection ... I just haven't seen too many like this one. Since I'm not any sort of a Browning expert or specialist and have a relatively short period of time to make a decision, I wanted to post what I know to see if this forum could provide some direction / guidance re: determining fair market value and my decision to move forward with trying to acquir ... details
follow:
Ths particular specimen is clearly marked "Browning Sweet Sixteen"
and has a serial number of "A 23xx" ... while she doesn't look brand spanking new ( not a virgin ), she's a good looking ol' Girl when you stop to consider she's well over 50 and maybe closer to 75 years old. I hope I look that good when I hit 75 ...
Visual inspection details follow, any info regarding value would be appreciated .. thanks in advance for taking the time to review this post and for any information you can provide ... best wishes to all,
Chuck in Florida
============================================================================================================================================
1) Stock is gorgeous, even coloration throughout, appearance /
grain consistent with walnut from other guns I own now ..
no scratches, dings or nics on stock, forearm shows a few
minor handling marks
2) Butt Plate ( Hard Rubber? ) marked "Browning Automatic FN",
looks flat ( smooshed ), possibly a result of being stored
upright in a closet for the past 40 years ...
3) Receiver and barrel evenly blued with exception of small area
on the barrel directly in front of the point the forearm ends.
Some minor discoloration ( mottling ) present ... ran my hand
the length of the barrel ( used gloves ) and no pitting present,
used bore light on barrel and is mirror white ... no indication
of any barrel bulging ... I don't see any indication of chamber
length ( 2 3/4", 2 9/16" etc ) ... sight line from the end of
receive to tip of ramp sight is machined, I can feel it with
my finger but don't know what to call that, it isn't like an
elevated rib, it's just "bumpy" .. sorry if my lack of proper
temrinology drives anyone crazy, just trying to note salient
things here for the sake of for accuracy. The trigger almost
appears white metal but HAS traces of gold coloring, don't
want to try to clean or polish since it isn't my gun ( yet )
nut thought this was a bit strange since the evvery other
Sweet Sixteen I've owned had a gold trigger ( almost like a
trademark, isn't it ? ) ...
Similar to barrel, did glove test on the receiver and no
rust or pitting found there either ... action locks up tight
and trigger pull is very crisp ( used snap cap )
4) Ramped front sight missing ball / post
5) Pistol grip stock, forearm show consistent coloration,
checking is precise and almost sharp to the touch ...
Current owner is a friend of very close personal friend of mine
so tend to take at face value ... current owner, approaching 80,
was dealer in Carolinas in 50-mid thru mid-70s, moved to Florida
then and been here since ... said he couldn't remember exactly
when he bought this but thinks it was in the early 1950s and to
have had it since ... said he was keeping for daughter or one of
her children but they decided they didn't want firearms in the
house so that's why this is coming to market now ...
Offered to me with first chance to buy so trying to research to
arrive at fair market value ... checked out Blue Book of Gun
values but not much help there ... most references I saw were
to guns manufactured mnore recently than I think this one might
have been ...
Bottom ine, need help determining just how old this particular
shotgun is ( hoping the A23xx serial number can help nail that
down ) and am in establishing "fair market value" to see if I
should be interested in or have any chance of being able to add
this shotgun to my eclectic personal collection. All helpful
questions, comments or concerns welcome ... again , thanks in
advance to all who reply.
My name is Chuck, I'm new to the forum and I have a question about the value of a Browning Sweet 16 ... I have been offered the chance to purchase what I think may be a vintage, very early manufacture Browning Sweet 16. While I've owned several "used" or hand me down Browning Sweet 16s in the past, all of those were destined for and put to considerable field use ... I love Brownings and have NEVER
regretted carrying one into the field. This one may be different thought beacuse of it's condition ... IF I decide to buy it, she'll probably be retired to my personal collection ... I just haven't seen too many like this one. Since I'm not any sort of a Browning expert or specialist and have a relatively short period of time to make a decision, I wanted to post what I know to see if this forum could provide some direction / guidance re: determining fair market value and my decision to move forward with trying to acquir ... details
follow:
Ths particular specimen is clearly marked "Browning Sweet Sixteen"
and has a serial number of "A 23xx" ... while she doesn't look brand spanking new ( not a virgin ), she's a good looking ol' Girl when you stop to consider she's well over 50 and maybe closer to 75 years old. I hope I look that good when I hit 75 ...
Visual inspection details follow, any info regarding value would be appreciated .. thanks in advance for taking the time to review this post and for any information you can provide ... best wishes to all,
Chuck in Florida
============================================================================================================================================
1) Stock is gorgeous, even coloration throughout, appearance /
grain consistent with walnut from other guns I own now ..
no scratches, dings or nics on stock, forearm shows a few
minor handling marks
2) Butt Plate ( Hard Rubber? ) marked "Browning Automatic FN",
looks flat ( smooshed ), possibly a result of being stored
upright in a closet for the past 40 years ...
3) Receiver and barrel evenly blued with exception of small area
on the barrel directly in front of the point the forearm ends.
Some minor discoloration ( mottling ) present ... ran my hand
the length of the barrel ( used gloves ) and no pitting present,
used bore light on barrel and is mirror white ... no indication
of any barrel bulging ... I don't see any indication of chamber
length ( 2 3/4", 2 9/16" etc ) ... sight line from the end of
receive to tip of ramp sight is machined, I can feel it with
my finger but don't know what to call that, it isn't like an
elevated rib, it's just "bumpy" .. sorry if my lack of proper
temrinology drives anyone crazy, just trying to note salient
things here for the sake of for accuracy. The trigger almost
appears white metal but HAS traces of gold coloring, don't
want to try to clean or polish since it isn't my gun ( yet )
nut thought this was a bit strange since the evvery other
Sweet Sixteen I've owned had a gold trigger ( almost like a
trademark, isn't it ? ) ...
Similar to barrel, did glove test on the receiver and no
rust or pitting found there either ... action locks up tight
and trigger pull is very crisp ( used snap cap )
4) Ramped front sight missing ball / post
5) Pistol grip stock, forearm show consistent coloration,
checking is precise and almost sharp to the touch ...
Current owner is a friend of very close personal friend of mine
so tend to take at face value ... current owner, approaching 80,
was dealer in Carolinas in 50-mid thru mid-70s, moved to Florida
then and been here since ... said he couldn't remember exactly
when he bought this but thinks it was in the early 1950s and to
have had it since ... said he was keeping for daughter or one of
her children but they decided they didn't want firearms in the
house so that's why this is coming to market now ...
Offered to me with first chance to buy so trying to research to
arrive at fair market value ... checked out Blue Book of Gun
values but not much help there ... most references I saw were
to guns manufactured mnore recently than I think this one might
have been ...
Bottom ine, need help determining just how old this particular
shotgun is ( hoping the A23xx serial number can help nail that
down ) and am in establishing "fair market value" to see if I
should be interested in or have any chance of being able to add
this shotgun to my eclectic personal collection. All helpful
questions, comments or concerns welcome ... again , thanks in
advance to all who reply.
0
-
My book says 1957. Gold trigger was standard. 2&3.4 inch shells and Blue Book value for a 95% gun is $625.00 but I think maybe a little higher value if you know the gun. Good luck.
I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.0 -
You describe a nice shooter rather than a good collector. No mention of a raised or vented rib. Thus, a fairly plain Sweet 16.
I'd lower the $625.00 estimate by the value of a vented rib... Perhaps by as much as $125.00 as the gun is more in the 80% category than the 95% mentioned.
Obviously this is my opinion. What you decide to pay will be the true value of the gun as it passes into your hands. Just be careful and know that there are perhaps better deals out there for not a whole lot more money.
Nord0
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