any browning men on here? shotgun question

Very desirable gun, friend of mine had one just like it. Can't tell you any more then that.

Its a classic! And its very huntable or shootable. The scratches on the receiver will keep most collectors from being interested but as a shooter it will hold its own against most of the newer shotguns. Most of those scratches were probably put on there while some hunter was making memories!

I'm guessing an Auto 5, or A5. If it is, I mostly know those have a long and interesting history. I'm sure there are clues among the markings and engraving but I don't have the knowledge of what to look for or the resources for research.

It's a beautiful gun and probably a charm to shoot.

Wonderful old but entirely viable classic. Way too costly to make today to attract many shooters. The "Polychoke" is a fitting (and useful) accessory popular for the era.

16 ga are only chambered 2 3/4" That is a fine shotgun. Ammo can be a little tough right now but well worth the effort. That one would make a wonderful pheasant gun! If you lived closer to Nebraska I'd spare you a box or two.

Nice Belgian made Auto 5 Sweet 16! May need to replace the friction ring, a service item

https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/prod/B111120FR

The Auto 5 was a JMB design utilizing a long action recoil system, ie the bolt and barrel move together about 3” or so on firing, a strange sensation that take some getting used to. Enjoy!

The thrust ring is reversable depending on the shot shell used. Lo Po won't cycle right if it is set for heavy loads and the opposite hammers the works.

Dad's Sweet 16 [solid raised rib, gold trigger and upland scene on the receiver] was part of him. When I was getting old enough to want to start hunting, he took me out by the spring and sat a gallon plastic milk jug on a dead fall [age my self, those jugs were a new item back then] and he started speaking about the ability to make a 2nd shot. He blasted that jug up in the air and popped it again, sounded like one long shot...part of him!

When you were across the fence-row and it barked once or twice, you stopped and waited for him to recover the game. Only had he chance to ask 'did you get it?' if you heard all three...

Belgum made and bought in the mid 50's; he put boxes and boxes through it every year. Firing pin finally broke in 2001...OP it is a shooter!

I laugh at people who say the racking of a pump would scare intruders. With the bolt open, the sound of a A5 taking a round you push in and slamming it home would be truly scary, especially as the 'bang' comes a microsecond later.....

I don’t think it’s a Sweet 16 or it would say it on the left side of the breech. It is however an A5 16 gauge and is a great gun.
I’ve hunted with an A5 12 gauge for 40 years. Great gun.
Does it say on the barrel 2 3/4”?
Seems like I remember some early models shot 2 9/16”. Don’t quote me but might be worth checking on.
Did you inherit it?

e rex said:

16 ga are only chambered 2 3/4" That is a fine shotgun. Ammo can be a little tough right now but well worth the effort. That one would make a wonderful pheasant gun! If you lived closer to Nebraska I'd spare you a box or two.

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Incorrect. They were made in 2 9/16" chamber only until after WWII.

fishguts said:

thanks all im gonna have to find some 16ga and light her up im thinking i better stick to 2 3/4 inch?

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NO! It is 2 9/16" chambered. (65mm shell length) Have a gunsmith check it first! Before WWII they all had 2 9/16" chambers; RST shells makes a shell specifically for these old short chamber A-5's .

http://www.rstshells.com/store/p/135-16-Ga-2-1/2-A-5-Type-Vel-1200-1-oz-Load-Case.aspx

In this video, he has yours as made in 1928.



(at 2:30 in the video)

The barrel is not all the way down in your photos. Push down on the barrel while screwing the mag cap down-be sure the forend wood goes all the way back to the receiver.

fishguts said:

thanks docrock how will i know? do they wear or break? must be in the mag tube?

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@welldoya raises an interesting point about whether it is a Sweet 16. I believe that all from 1947 onwards were indeed marked on the receiver. But that is a very early serial number. As far as I understand it, production from 1902 through 1939 ranged from 1 through about 225,000. So, 89202 is in the first 40% of that production, but there is no year by year data available. Presumably there was no production during 1914-18. So, the question about whether it’s chambered for 2 9/16” is quite reasonable. If 2.75” the barrel will be marked 70mm; if 2 9/16”, it will be 65mm.

Finally, once you figure out ammo, if it’s not cycling either way, the ring is worn. If you examine it and it’s broken, that’s obvious.

(posted while Entropy was posting)

I read it as 69002, which would make it 1928 manufacture. If it is 89202, it would be 1929. Either way, it's a 2 91/6" chamber.

You are correct about chamber length. My bad. It is late in the evening for me. My Grandson has a 2 9/16 chamber model 12 Winchester, we buy 2 1/2" ammo from , I think it is RWS? Priced reasonable and usually available.
It is RST. Darn, I'm going to bed.

RST Shells. I buy my 2 1/2" 16 ga for my Sauer SxS from them;

http://www.rstshells.com/store/m/3-16-Gauge.aspx

As referenced by DocRock make sure the friction ring(s) are on the shotgun. Many Auto-5’s are missing them. Setting the friction rings correctly make the shotgun a very soft shooter. Friction rings set wrong make the recoil brutal.

Browning A5. Best auto shotgun ever IMHO. Have and shoot several iterations. Much info online about them and how to correctly set friction ring for load/recoil operation. Most naturally pointing shotguns I've ever owned. Kinda weird recoil impulse that many don't care for. Never bothered me. Many coot and ducks ended their days under it's muzzle while hunting in Florida. Too old and lazy to "get up with the ducks" these days. Pre-dawn is for the younger crowd. : )

All 16 gauge Auto-5’s were chambered for 65mm ammunition until the end of WWII. Many pre-war guns like yours were modified to use 70 mm shells. It looks like yours may have been modified. This thread will explain how to tell:

https://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=79647

By the way, I get 1929 as the year of manufacture:

http://www.nramuseum.org/media/940941/serialization-date of manufacture.pdf


Last, though you’ve gotten some good advice, whoever said the bronze friction piece is reversible is totally wrong. The bevel must mate with the matching bevel in the barrel ring.

e rex said:

16 ga are only chambered 2 3/4" That is a fine shotgun. Ammo can be a little tough right now but well worth the effort. That one would make a wonderful pheasant gun! If you lived closer to Nebraska I'd spare you a box or two.

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Some were 2 9/16" .

For those speculating about Sweet Sixteens, this lightened version of the gun was test marketed in 1936 and became a catalog item in 1937. It was identified by the gold plated trigger and safety. Some time in 1948 they started engraving the name on the receiver. Many 1948 Sweet Sixteens weren’t engraved. The gun lost its gold safety in 1951 when the cross bolt safety appeared.

Here’s a shot of my 1938 “Stealth Sixteen”:

fishguts said:

thanks for all this great info guys but looks to be 2 3/4 i was worried it wasent. did they make both that year? im lost ps i tightend the forearm retainer screw deal. LOLView attachment 990080

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Yours had the chamber reamed at some point (not uncommonly done in the 50's & 60's) to 2 3/4" I still recommend 2 1/2" shells for it, you will beat yourself and the gun needlessly with most modern 16 ga. 2 3/4" shells. They are almost all hunting rounds, on the stiff side for guns made in 2 3/4". A box for pheasants would be OK, but I wouldn't make 2 3/4" it's normal diet.

Rudolph31 said:

All 16 gauge Auto-5’s were chambered for 65mm ammunition until the end of WWII. Many pre-war guns like yours were modified to use 70 mm shells. It looks like yours may have been modified. This thread will explain how to tell:

https://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=79647

By the way, I get 1929 as the year of manufacture:

http://www.nramuseum.org/media/940941/serialization-date of manufacture.pdf


Last, though you’ve gotten some good advice, whoever said the bronze friction piece is reversible is totally wrong. The bevel must mate with the matching bevel in the barrel ring.

View attachment 990094

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I didn't catch the 'reverse the bronze ring' post, good point.

I load short shells for my short chambered guns. One ounce of shot at 1200 FPS is the same as most 2 3/4” ammo. Anything less likely won’t cycle the gun.