[jdbott]

I have an Auto 5 12 gauge made in Belgium, I think in the laste 1920s. Serial number 70326. The gun was bought new by my father. It has the safety on the front of the trigger guard, and has no engraving. Can anyone tell me what year it was made? Have had it many years but never researched it.

[Pete409]

I think that the Browning USA website has info on determining the age of a Browning gun. Give them a try.

[halfacop]

Should be a pre 58 model. Otherwise it would have a letter in it somewhere indicating what model it is. (ie. 8G12345)

Browning has no records to speak of for anything made before 1958. So anything you come up with would be pure speculation unless supported by original paperwork.

If I remember right - they made that type of safety into the early 50's.

[tbotts]

your A5 was made between 12/31/24 and 6/30/25.

[jdbott]

Tell me how you got there

[dogrunner]

Production dates from the ref. source I have indicates serial #s 63001 thru 78000 was produced in 1929.

Friend who's something of a Browning collector copied a page from his book..I'll have to contact him for the title if you're interested...PM if so.

Also, the letter prefix series according to that same data page indicate 1954 as the beginning of that usage.....listing H1 thru H39000 for standards and L1 thru L42000 for that year alone.....Data says H series ran thru 1956 and then the alphabetic start was M and G thru 1958

Article goes on to state that in 1976 the serial # sequence changed to include a one or two digit numeral followed by an alpha character etc...anyway, like I said, if you are interesed in the source pm & I'll have to run the books owner down for you.

Plus, there ain't no such thing as an "old" browning A/5....they just keep on and on and on!

[ImARugerFan]

Browning claims there are no details available other than the fact that it was sometime between 1909 and 1939. I have one like this and used it for everything. I even slayed a monster 8 point with it believe it or not.

[rcmodel]

Serial # range 63001 - 78000 = 1928.
Dates are approximate due to missing records at FN due to WWII.

Source Book = Browning Dates of Manufacture, 1824 to Present.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j219/rcmodel/KTOG/1224.gif
rcmodel

[Dixie Slugs]

Were those early models with the safety in the front of the trigger guard 2 3/4" or 2 9/16"?
Regards, James

[tbotts]

my source is: "Browning Auto-5 Shotguns, the Belgian FN Production" by H.M. Shirley, jr and Anthony Vanderlinden. page 67

[Big Az Al]

The A5 came along when the 2 3/4" 12 ga was well established,

by the 20's when this one was made just about all US production was 2 3/4

I have seen 3 and 4 place serials numbered guns, they have the safety inside the trigger guard in front of the trigger, the chambers of these are 2 3/4.

Just an aside,

the 93 win had 2 9/16 chambers and proved to weak for the 2 3/4 inch smokeless shell. so enter the the 97 win. I believe the A5 entered production 5 to 7 years after the 97 Win.

A lot of the 16's had 2 9/16 chambers,

[ImARugerFan]

Awesome, I wish that browning would make more details available on the web. I'll have to look my serial number up because I wasn't able to narrow it down any further. I don't have the number with me here.

[Dixie Slugs]

Right on about the 12's! I don't know where my brain was, since I was thinking about the 16's
Regards, James