Browning a5 barrel question (revised)
1946 browing a5 2 3/4" 12 ga--need to know if later belgium and jap 3" barrels will work IN THIS GUN WITH 2 3/4" SHELLS ONLY. I need a 32" barrel for turkey shoots (card shooting) and this seems to be the only way I can find them. AGAIN--I only shoot 2 3/4" shells and I am not concerned in the least about "collector value". Thanks,guys--Max
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Before Browning closed down their repair shop I had them completely rebuild my Browning humpback. Before I sent it to them I ask about what barrels might or might not fit because I was considering replacing the old barrel (which had been shortened to 24" and a poly choke added) with a 28" japanese barrel with screw in choke. I was told by their repair shop manager that any barrel made for the A5 would fit. He did say that the action would have to be modified by milling the shell port on the receiver by 1/4 in length if it was originally for the 2 9/16" length shell. Remember, the Browing A5 is spring recoil operated and not gas operated, so there are no worries about the gas port size. Short answer would be if you go that route DO NOT feed it any 3" shells as is will be hard on the action and will not eject because the shell opening will be too short. I'm not a Browning expert by any means but I would think that if you stayed with 2 3/4" loads you should be fine. 0 -
Rumrunner - My advice is first to disabuse yourself of any ideas about mounting a Mag-12 (3" chamber) barrel on an A-5 receiver designed for the 2-3/4" barrel. This just does not work.
I have a Japanese A-5 Mag Twelve Stalker with 3" chamber that is used almost exclusively for ducks and geese.
I also have a Belgian A-5 Light Twelve that I use for everything else.
I dismounted my Mag-12 barrel and my Light-12 barrel from their receivers. While you can indeed mount the Mag-12 barrel on the Light-12 receiver with the bolt locked rearward, the barrel extension of the Mag-12 barrel fully occupies the receiver and leaves no room for the bolt to advance forward.
The mechanical dimensions of the two barrels are so different as to require that they be used with the receivers designed for them.
The lengths of the magazine tubes on the two shotguns is different as to allow for the different length shells. This affects the placement of the barrel guide rings as well as the configuration of the forestock.
For the Light-12 barrel, the barrel guide ring is 10" toward the muzzle from the aft end of the barrel extension and the receiver guide lugs are approx 7/8" long.
For the Mag-12 barrel, the barrel guide ring is 12" toward the muzzle from the aft end of the barrel extension and the receiver guide lugs are 5/8" long.
My Light-12 originally was primarily a duck and squirrel shooter and was mounted with a full choke (*) barrel. Some time ago I got a Jap 28" barrel for it with Invector tubes. This might be an option for you if you'd like to have variable chokes. You still won't be using a 3" shell in a rig like this but the recoil brake rings can be set for heavy loads and you can shoot 2-3/4" magnum shells if you feel the need for that extra boom at some time in the future.
As to length of the barrel (32") that may be a challenge to locate. I don't know. I am not a turkey hunter, but I believe there are such things as extended turkey tubes that may bring the length of that 28" barrel out to 32".
Good luck with your project. And welcome to the forums. Tim
"If the zoo is closed, drop by the Senate. You'll get the
same feeling and you won't have to pay." Bob Dole0 -
Rumrunner, I'm no expert on the A-5, but I think the longest bbl made that fits your gun in 2 3/4" was 30". Find one and have Briley install an extended turkey choke tube.Use high base loads and you can hang with the 3" shooters. Check here for a barrel.
www.corsonsbarrels.com
"Aim small...Miss small"0
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