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Approx. value and year of an a-5 browning

Stanghunter
I have a browning 16 gauge a-5 shotgun that I got from my grandfather and it had origionally been owned by my great grand father. The serial number is X53xx. The gun functions extremely well and the only problems I can see that would affect the value is that it has a polly choke on the barrel and the engraving on the reciever is so that you can only see about 60% of what was origionally there. The stock is in execlelnt condition for a firearm this old and it has the original butt plate that has engraving on it and the very edge of it is chipped off in an area about 1/2" long and 1/8" wide. That is all I can tell you about the condition of the gun.

I looked on the browning site and from what it said it was made between 1903 (#X1) and 1939 (#X220,000) It also said that the first 10,000 guns were included in John Brownings first order from FN manifacturing. Which would put this gun in the first order placed for the A-5 shotgun.

I would never sell the gun but my grandfather and I were talking about how old the gun was and he said he had had it since the late 30s. He and I were courious as to the value of this shotgun.

Any help would be appreciated.
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • 22WRF
    With out the poly choke somewhere between $300-$350

    The added on poly would be a deduct.

    I seen one (16 ga, vent rib) in a flea market a couple of weeks ago.
    Same age as yours about 60% blue and with a poly for $350 and I passed on it just because of the poly. Otherwise would have snapped it up.
    bumpersticker.gif
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  • dcj10
    Browning didn't start using the "X" prefix on the 16ga. A-5 until 1947. Serial number X1000 - X13700 was 1947 production. Without the "X" 16ga. A-5 Serial number 1001 - 10000 was 1926 production.

    dcj10
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  • nord
    Need to know whether a forward (suicide) safety or one at the rear of the trigger. The poly-choke feature was most popular in the 50's, but is a real demerit to value unless factory supplied. A forward safety would generally denote pre-WW2 production. 2 7/16" chamber length will usually denote pre-1930 +/-.

    Your description of the gun puts it squarely in shooter status and the value will be rather low. Everyone that I know will always pass on a poly-choke gun when one in the same condition can be had at the next table for as much as $100.00 more.

    The $300.00 estimate may be somewhat high in my area.

    Nord
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  • Stanghunter
    Sorry I couldn't get back to you guys sooner but the gun is chambered for 2 3/4 shells, nob stock and has the front mounted suicide safty. I haven't asked him if the polly choke was factory or not but it doesn't look like an origional part due to the bluing on it is in much better condition than on the barrel. The barrel does have the browning name and address on it so I am not shure if it is the origional barrel or if it was added at another time. Could the factory barrel be modified for the polly choke or did you have to order a specific barrel for this add on?

    My grandfather may be mistaken about when he got the gun concidering he is now 85 and his memory is not near what it used to be. Thanks for all the repilys.
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  • light12
    if you loosen your poly choke this will reveal a number stamped on the poly choke. dealers of poly chokes had numbers and browning was #9 (fn) was number #11 if it has any other nuber it was not factory installed also you can check under the barrel to see if the numbers match the receiver I think its the last four digits of the serial number should match if not the barrel is not original please e-mail me if you have any more questions there is a great book by wet dog publications on auto-5"s its about 70.00 but well worth the money
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