Browning A5 Barrel Doesnt Fit

[dubious]

Hi folks,

I am trying to replace the old fix choked barrel on my classy (1930s?) Browning A5. The replacement barrel has a different size "lug" on the bottom. Both say Browning made in St Louis. It looks like if I file down the width slightly it may fit? The original is a 20 gauge 2 3/4 inch shell fixed blued barrel. I ordered another browning a5 barrel which is also for 20 gauge 2 3/4 inch with ventribs and a powerchoke.

The top barrel is the original and the bottom is the replacement. Check out the lugs at the bottom.

Thanks for your help on this folks!



UPDATE:
Well it looks like the lugs could almost fit width wise into the channel in the reciever but are about 1/8th of an inch too wide on each side. That's why I was thinking of trying to fit it.

Here's another pic of bottom of the barrels. I'll measure more precisely after work.

 

[BigBore45]

to me, the one on top does not look typical of a light a-5 i have 3 of them and a rem model 11. None of them have that recessed part on the part that threads to the barrel. Might be for a mag receiver? Does it have length of the shells on it?

 

[dubious]

Hi... they are both marked Browning 20 guage 2 and 3/4 inch shells.. heres another pic of the new barrel

 

[BigBore45]

after some research the only difference i can find on the barrel Extension Assy. is between a light and a mag. That being said, i do not know the differences but are you going to use the other barrel you are replacing? because if you are not you should be able to unscrew the barrel extension and put on the old one. Maybe someone will chime in with more experience.

 

[BigBore45]

Hi... they are both marked Browning 20 guage 2 and 3/4 inch shells.. heres another pic of the new barrel

can yo post picks of them side by side from all 4 angles also measurements, looks like the barrel in the top one is bigger around out of the barrel extension.

 

[Jim K]

Either this was posted elsewhere or my post got lost. Either way, Dubious might consider finding a gunsmith who can install the new barrel in the old barrel extension, or contact Browning and see if they can do it. That way there is no need to worry about the barrel extension fitting.

Jim

 

[Les Brooks]

Old barrels not quick change

We fitted barrel extensions, breech blocks, and locking bolts to Brownings. Some time in the 1950's was when Browning started making the barrels to exchange. You need to find a old shop with older gunsmiths that know how to do this work. If you need to fix a new barrel extension it requires special reamers and headspace gages to fit according to Browning rules. Several parts for the older Browning A5 do to exchange with the newer ones. The older locking bolts with the thin guide rails broken off was a common repair. We used a Dremel tool with a thin cut off grinding stone to fit these new blocks to the older A5's. I have altered lots of older 16's 2 9/16 to 2 3/4 shells. That is a conversion that needs a lot of changes. I worked as a Warranty station for Browning in the old days and we got info that most shops never heard about.

Les Brooks, retired gunsmith

 

[dubious]

Well folks, the plot has thickened. It turns out I have a Browning 3 Shot version, which I gather is somewhat rare. Thats why the barrel doesn't fit. Do you guys have any idea how valuable these things are? I'm planning on having the existing barrel professionally bored out to improved cylinder for close range quail hunting. Would I be a fool to refinish the stock with linseed oil?