Browning A5

[JCSales2020]

Completely out of the blue today got this 12 gauge Magnum Browning A5. Barrel length is about 31.5". It's goofy looking and beautiful at the same time. I'm going to email Browning to get more info but am curious what y'all may know about it.

 

[Nihonto Chicken]

Congratulations, nice pickup! You're half way there. Destination pictured below ( ):

 

[meltblown]

What's the barrel choke? Looks like a duck or goose gun.

 

[JCSales2020]

3". Inherited from my rice farming Grandfather 20 years after his passing. A 20 gauge Stevens and three beat to hell S&W revolvers also were also acquired. This Browning must have been considered heirloom material due to the beautiful condition it's been kept in.

 

[harleyrider]

Does it say made in Belgium? The squared off pistol grip knob suggests a later gun. Earlier ones were rounded. Browning did have some later guns made in Japan.

Beautiful shotgun!

HR

 

[Nihonto Chicken]

More seriously, I believe your A5 was made in 1966 (serial prefix 6V, 6=1966, V=12ga magnum). The two piece carrier also indicates that this is a post-1952 model. Nice shotgun, not really a tactical candidate. Carry on!

 

[JCSales2020]

Does it say made in Belgium? The squared off pistol grip knob suggests a later gun. Earlier ones were rounded. Browning did have some later guns made in Japan.

Beautiful shotgun!

HR

Yes it says made in Belgium on the left side of the barrel. The bluing on this thing is just incredibly beautiful.

 

[harleyrider]

I concur! I have a pair of late 50’s A5”s, a 12 guage from my dad, and a Sweet 16 from my father in law. Both mod. choke, 28” vent. rib barrels. Both in very good to excellent condition considering their age. The blueing is still crisp. They are keepers!

HR

 

[meltblown]

Choke?

 

[meltblown]

I concur! I have a pair of late 50’s A5”s, a 12 guage from my dad, and a Sweet 16 from my father in law. Both mod. choke, 28” vent. rib barrels. Both in very good to excellent condition considering their age. The blueing is still crisp. They are keepers!

HR

I have my father's. 28" modified. He was more of quail and rabbit when he hunted years ago. I think around 52 or so. Has the FN butt plate. He always kept it nice. I remember taking it out and bringing it home and not wiping it down and he said nope. You're not taking it out again. I bought an 1100 remington. Mom gave me the shotgun just after he died and said that he wanted me to have it. To him a shotgun was the ultimate home defense gun. A pistol was if you had to travel.

I shot it last about 12 years ago on a clays range. Beat the hell out of me, and my father always would bitch about the kick. I put new recoil springs and the regulator bronze thing in it. I took it out at the range and put 10 or so out and it was like butter. BCG not slamming the receiver like it always had. Dad had guns but he wasn't a nut about them.

 

[FUUN063]

I have an older really nice 20 gauge version.

Leland

 

[VALMET]

I have my grandfathers 16 Ga A5 that his uncle bought for him when he returned from Europe in late 1945. It’s one of the Remington mfg’d guns for Browning after Germany took control of FN (it’s not a Model 11). I inherited in in 2007 and had it professionally refinished. It comes to the Southern VA dove fields with me every September.

 

[JColdIron]

Congratulations, nice pickup! You're half way there. Destination pictured below ( ):

View attachment 214073

You make the ghost of JMB cry...

OP has a very nice A5! Doesn't even look like the forearm is cracked. Which is RARE!

I'd keep that original and find a beater to turn into a evil black shotgun, if I needed another one...

 

[Nihonto Chicken]

You make the ghost of JMB cry...

OP has a very nice A5! Doesn't even look like the forearm is cracked. Which is RARE!

I'd keep that original and find a beater to turn into a evil black shotgun, if I needed another one...

Yeah, I agree, original comment made in jest. In fact I have a older A5 which I acquired long distance for just a conversion that, when I saw how nice it appeared in hand, I decided to keep it as is and get a better candidate, eventially obtaining a refinished item with minimum collectibility.

 

[CTW]

So I have the same gun it is my Dads old shotgun. Mine has a 32" full choke barrel. He bought his in the mid 60's. With 3" Turkey loads it will absolutely cut a soda can in half at 50 yards. I've seen my Dad kill many animals with it. Its very dear to my heart. You have a great shotgun there.

 

[Nihonto Chicken]

Yeah, I agree, original comment made in jest. In fact I have a older A5 which I acquired long distance for just a conversion that, when I saw how nice it appeared in hand, I decided to keep it as is and get a better candidate, eventially obtaining a refinished item with minimum collectibility.

Here is the result.

https://www.falfiles.com/threads/browning-a5-hd-riot-conversion.478933/

 

[FTH61]

Almost as nice as my Remington Model II

 

[Nihonto Chicken]

Almost as nice as my Remington Model II

Pics?