new steel barrel for an old Auto 5?

[roscoe]

I have an old Auto 5, a kind of family heirloom, that went duck hunting with Ernest Hemingway some time in the 1920s with my grandfather on the Missouri River, if family lore is to be believed. I want to make it a viable gun for modern use, but my understanding is that the old steel barrels can't take the modern waterfowl shot loads because the steel or tungsten will tear up the old barrel. It shoots lead buckshot just fine, as well as lead trap loads.

Questions - 1. is it true that the old barrel can't take the modern loads, and 2. if so, I assume I can just get a replacement barrel for duck hunting?

 

[mcb]

The old barrel can be damaged by some of the non-lead shot, especially steel and tungsten.

You can get a replacement barrels made from modern steels (with choke tubes if desired) that will make you old gun safe with modern non-lead ammo. By father did that with his A5 that is nearly as old.

 

[Scribner]

Briley advertises that old barrels can use steel if they have Briley’s new choke tubes

 

[roscoe]

The old barrel can be damaged by some of the non-lead shot, especially steel and tungsten.

You can get a replacement barrels made from modern steels (with choke tubes if desired) that will make you old gun safe with modern non-lead ammo. By father did that with his A5 that is nearly as old.

Any advice on good places to get a replacement barrel? I assume Browning no longer makes them.

 

[mcb]

Any advice on good places to get a replacement barrel? I assume Browning no longer makes them.

It been 15 year since dad did that but IIRC he bought a Hastings Barrel but I have no idea if they are still making good barrels. You might ask over at ShotgunWorld's forum, probably get more current information.

 

[Howland937]

There is a Hastings vent rib 12ga A5 barrel currently on eBay, that'll run you right at $300 shipped. Maybe high, maybe not...there are others as well, but I don't know how old a "new" one can be and be useable.

Or you can buy another old type, be period correct and not care if it gets damaged since you have the original.

 

[desidog]

I think I have a spare A-5 barrel floating around; Shoots fine but has some scratches. PM me if you'd like it.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

The problem with old barrels and steel shot isn’t the barrel itself, but the choke.

having the barrel modified for choke tubes would be a way to alleviate that. You could also look for a barrel with a polychoke. Those can be used with steel shot also.

finally, if you don’t want to chance it with the original barrel you can look for an aftermarket barrel as suggested above or try to find a barrel from a Japanese Auto 5. Those will work as well.

 

[Boattale]

Why not just buy a few boxes of bismuth shot shells and keep it original?

 

[entropy]

Why not just buy a few boxes of bismuth shot shells and keep it original?

Well....you could buy a new barrel for that!

 

[Boattale]

It's $40 for a box of 25 at Cabelas. Kent Fasteel is $28 for a box of 25. When you figure the entire cost of duck hunting, you might as well just forget the cost of ammunition.

 

[entropy]

Yeah, I know, I was being somewhat facetious there. I gave up ducks about 3 years after steel shot was mandatory, though I did go with my Dad one more year after I got out of the Army in '89, he had to get better at calling, 40 yards was a long shot in order to drop them, Dad is too cheap to buy tungsten or bismuth.

 

[paul harm]

Dick Williams in Bridgeport Mi will open up the barrel to Mod [ about $60 ] and you should be all set. Steel shot shells have a different wad so the shot won't rub through. The shot should never touch the barrel. Their phone number is 1 989 777 1240. They will answer any questions you have and have the correct answer. Good luck.

 

[Gordon]

Buy a Japanese A5 from ebay with removable chokes or modified or less chokes.The Japanese A5 barrels are known to be harder than the Belgian barrels.