Browning Sweet 16
Considering buying extremely clean A-5. Near perfect stocks no cracks and no modifications from original. 28"(?)bbl with cross-hatched sight plane (no rib), modified choke, extremely fine blue and shiny bright inside. Gold(?) trigger has a little spotting. Has little (3"X5")instruction booklet. Comes with several boxes of Federal Monarch paper shells of varying shot and old Outers cleaning kit. Seller asking $750.00 but I would appreciate your thoughts as to value. I'm unable to determine year of manufacture at the Browning website...s/n is S14671. Thanks. Best, Jim (timbroman@aol.com)
timbroman@aol.com
timbroman@aol.com
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Was set up at a gun show and a woman and her boyfriend came up with 7 guns she had inherited and wanted to sell and I was trying to help her price them. After spending a great deal of time explaining retail, wholesale and market prices and gunshow prices I sent her on her way with the idea of having an asking price (somewhat below retail) and a selling price (somewhat lower still). In any case the best gun she had by far was a Browning Sweet 16 Belgian made in 73 with a vent rib barrel in as close to 100% condition w/o the box as you could get. The gun has absolutely no blue wear and no scratches in the finish. I would say hardly ever used. After a good cleaning it would look about new. She had a guy apraise it for 1,250.00. I explained that was for a Japanese gun and a Belgian gun was 2,150.00. But times are slow and money is hard to find and she sold it for 1,250.00. My question is what is the strength of these on the market at this time and who was closer to correct in the retail value, me or the buyer. 0 -
According to the Blue Book of Gun Values, that shotgun was made in 1952.
Welcome to the forum. There is lots of good information and some misinformation available here.0 -
A-5 value is quite regional here in the US. Different regulations for each state combined with regional preferences cause a huge disparity in values.
Here in southern NY the Sweet 16 is on top of the pile. Depending on accessories (wood, raised or vented rib, choke, engraving) and the percent of original finish your gun could be anything from a good shooter to a collectors item.
Value is impossible to determine as it's the amount of money that changes hands on any given day for any given item. As a rough guess I can tell you that a well used Sweet 16 will retail here for $350.00 and a nicely appointed one in pristine condition will push over the $1200.00 mark.
But... That's no indication that your gun in your part of the country will fall within that range. Go to a local gun show and cruise the aisles. Just remember that a dealer will often only offer about 50% of the retail price for such pieces.
One other point - If your gun is really nice, then you'll enjoy a long line of followers wishing to purchase your gun. Treat them nicely, but demand a fair price. Better yet, offer the gun for sale on this site. Nice folks here for the most part.
Nord0 -
Thanks for the info guys!
I'm in southern CT myself, so I figure the value would be similar to NY state. Not that it would really matter since I would never consider selling it. [;)]
I think the gun is really nice. I mean, it has some good looking engraving and the wood is all in good shape, but compared to some of the shotguns that guys show up with at the annual shoot I go to, it isn't over-the-top nice.0 -
Hmm, a Belgium Browning 16GA.. Now, that's a nice shotgun if I may say so. If i was you, i'd hold onto that, they're nice shooters, and could be some money someday, even though Browning these days are expensive enough [:p]
And welcome to GB, may it be a fun adventure.
It's not war untill someone breaks out the .50 calibers.0
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