Browning Auto 5

[jsalcedo]

Last year I bought a French MAS 49/56 that turned out to be defective so I took it back and was offered a Browning Auto 5 for another $100 added to to my store credit.

I've always liked them so I went ahead and picked it up. Ended up costing $425 This was an impulse buy, was it a good price?

It is 100% condition has the box, chokes, choke tool, and some brass ring looking things. (what are these for) it is a 28in Vent
Rib Grade 1

I dated the serial number to 1990 and it was made in Japan.

Since I don't hunt, would this gun be good for trap and skeet?

Should I put it away, use my Rem 870 and Mossberg 590 and keep this
gun pristine?

 

[Dave McCracken]

It's too good a shotgun to just sit there...

Not the first choice for clay games, but trying it out a few rounds of skeet or trap will show you if it's fun.

A-5 owners tend to be quite happy with theirs. Enjoy...

The brass pieces sound like friction rings. Get the manual from Browning and see how they're installed...

 

[JStordahl]

jsalcedo:

Good price. The ones I've seen in the $3-400 price range were well worn finish wise. Shoot it. Even though they aren't manufactured any more, collectors usually go after the Belgium Brownings. The brass rings are part of the friction assembly under the forearm. If you are going to shoot 2.75" shells then the rings have to be assembled in the correct configuration for that. Likewise with 3". I just leave mine set up for 2.75 as I rarely buy 3". Usually there is an instruction panel inside the forearm for the friction ring assembly. Good luck, they're fine shotguns.

 

[Gordon]

The Japanese guns are approved for steel shot too! Excellent waterfowl gun IMHO!

 

[jsalcedo]

Glad to hear I got a decent deal.

It was just too pretty of a gun to pass up, deep bright blue, engraving, gold trigger and very nice looking wood.

I may look for a slug barrel for it if they exist.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Hastings makes a couple slug barrels, and Browning may still also, though the A-5 is discontinued.

For what you got, $425 is a bargain.

 

[Smoke]

Some of us silly shotgunners actually love those old humpbacks.

Its what I grew up on....and still use often. If I can't hit with other guns I can usually pull out the A-5 and start dropping birds.

Enjoy it. and by all means, shoot it!