Help on an ID of a Browning Auto 5 from 1931

[deanl]

My friend has an old Browning Auto 5 Standard. His Grandfather bought it in 1931 or so. I know it is a 12 ga and has a Solid matte rib. I know it has is full choke and the safety is in front of the trigger guard. How do I id the grade and type this gun is? I don't know much at all about old shotguns. Thank you

Dean

 

[elrod]

Welcome to THR.

I'm no "expert" on Browning shotguns, but we will need more info on this A5, and pictures are required to estimate grade. The grades differ in engraving, inlays, and grade of wood used. Also the serial number is needed to establish exactly when the shotgun was manfactured. Give us a little more information and we'll see what your friend has.

 

[Sunray]

Can't find anything for sure, other than production figures by serial number records are non-existant up to 1939(according to Browning's site), but I suspect there may not have been 'grades' in 1931. That's most assuredly a guess though.
"...Standard..." If there were grades, that'd be it. Either way, it's likely worth a ton of money. Remington took over the manufacturing in 1940 until 1952 when FN did. The last one was made in 1999.
This doesn't help much.
http://www.browning.com/customerservice/dategun/detail.asp?id=13

 

[Jim Watson]

I think you already know most of what there is to learn. A Browning Auto 5 Standard 12 ga bought in 1931 pretty well says it all; unless yours is heavily engraved (Browning has been putting a little engraving on nearly all their guns for a long time.)

I do not have a reference as far back as 1931, but in the 1939 Stoegers, probably laid out in 1938, the gun you describe would be a Browning Special. No difference from a Grade 1 that I can tell except the matted rib. Grades 3 and 4 got progressively fancier. Strangely, there was no Grade 2 listed at that time.