Browning Auto-5 Light Twelve Anomoly?

[Tuxx]

I have a question to submit to the brain-trust.

I have an FN manufactured Light Twelve that I'm trying to date, but it doesn't quite conform to the serial number coding scheme that I've found online.

It's a Light Twelve model, as confirmed by all of the internal lightening cuts as well as the cursive "Light Twelve" engraved on the receiver, and it still has the early style one piece carrier assembly.

However, it has a six digit serial number with no letter prefix that is outside of the range of serial range that is listed on Browning website.

According to that list, 1953 production at FN ended with serial number "438000" before switching to a letter prefix in 1954 to differentiate standard and light models.
However, the serial number on my shotgun is "447524" with no prefix.

Any insight as to its date of manufacture?
I'm guessing that the receiver was manufactured and serialized n 1953, but wasn't assembled and shipped until 1954, but I'm no expert.



What do you guys think?

 

[Rudolph31]

The fact that your shotgun is unengraved is a clue. Engraving became standard on US imports in 1938. It cost extra on World Market guns.

Guns for sale on the world market never switched to the letter prefix serialization of the US imports. They switched to a different system circa 1959, but through most of the 50’s they used the original sequential numbering. So according to this site:

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

your gun was made in 1954. And although Speed Load was introduced late in 1953, it took a while to use up all the old parts. And I believe the US market had priority.

Usually when we see an Auto-5 like yours it was purchased in a PX overseas .

 

[Tuxx]

Thanks for the insight.
I have another Belgian Light Twelve made in 1975 and fully engraved, but I always thought it was too pretty to drag through the kind of country I hunt in.
I picked up this one specifically because it was unengraved and looks a little more like how I picture a hunting shotgun.

Maybe I'm just a rube, but I sort of prefer the simplicity of the unengraved blued steel and wood style.
I put a two-piece carrier in it yesterday and it will be coming into the bush with me soon.