Value of a 1953 Browning sweet 16?

[Newtosavage]

After my dad passed away, we found a shotgun I didn't know he had. From what I can tell, it's a 1953 Browning Sweet 16. It has an "X" serial number in the 94k range.

There was some light rust on the top of the receiver and end of the barrel that cleaned up pretty easily. No pitting but some of the bluing is gone as a result. It has a gold trigger that is very smooth. It's a very handsome shotgun that carries and points like a dream and is fully functional.

This is a full choke kicker that I just don't plan to use and I don't ever remember my father using it. I suspect he got it from a relative some time in the past 10 years. I'm thinking of either selling it or trading it for an over/under of equal vintage and value, because I would use the O/U. As it sits, I most likely wouldn't use the sweet 16.

Any advice on what I should value it at or what I should do with it would be welcome. Thank you!

 

[1KPerDay]

Check completed auctions on Gunbroker for similar condition. You’ll need to log in.

 

[welldoya]

Take a look at similar guns that have sold on Gunbroker.
A5s don’t seem to be as popular as they once were. All the young guys want Benellis.
My guess would be $800 or $900 but it’s purely a guess.
A couple of years ago I put my unfired, still in the box, Mid 80s Magnum 12 up for sale on a local forum for $1,000 and it didn’t sell.
Looking back, I’m glad it didn’t.

 

[JDeere]

It depends on the variation and there were at least 4 in the Belgium made. There is also American made models. They are not that popular at this time so if it belonged to your Dad you may want to keep it and shoot it...

 

[Rudolph31]

It depends on the variation and there were at least 4 in the Belgium made. There is also American made models. They are not that popular at this time so if it belonged to your Dad you may want to keep it and shoot it...

There were no American made Sweet Sixteens. The guns produced by Remington for Browning were tarted up Model 11’s with a mag cutoff added. And since the OP’s gun’s serial number has an X prefix, it was definitely made by FN in Belgium.

It’s a shame the OP scraped the rust and some of the blue off the receiver. Better results can be had by converting the red rust back to black by boiling and carding.

 

[Bill M.]

Does it say Sweet Sixteen on the gun?

 

[Newtosavage]

It depends on the variation and there were at least 4 in the Belgium made. There is also American made models. They are not that popular at this time so if it belonged to your Dad you may want to keep it and shoot it...

See, that's just it. I never remember my dad having this shotgun. I think he got it from a relative and never used it. He had several OLD unopened boxes of shells (including some paper hulls) which tells me someone gave all that to him. Probably my great uncle when he passed. If I had any memories of my dad using the shotgun. or even a story about how he got it, I would be more inclined to keep it. But I believe in using the guns you have, so I'd rather have a good quality O/U shotgun that I'll actually use, then when I hand that down my kids or their kids will appreciate that it was a gun I used and not just some old gun with an unknown origin.

 

[Newtosavage]

Does it say Sweet Sixteen on the gun?

Yes, it does.

 

[Newtosavage]

There were no American made Sweet Sixteens. The guns produced by Remington for Browning were tarted up Model 11’s with a mag cutoff added. And since the OP’s gun’s serial number has an X prefix, it was definitely made by FN in Belgium.

It’s a shame the OP scraped the rust and some of the blue off the receiver. Better results can be had by converting the red rust back to black by boiling and carding.

I didn't exactly "scrape" it off. I used a technique that I understood was well used by smiths for years - as I learned from the Brownell's video below. Oil and fine steel wool to lightly rub it off. It was a very light amount of surface rust. You have to look hard to see where it was on top of the receiver. It had already taken a hit near the end of the barrel so nothing I did made that any worse.

I believe in owning guns to use them. Other guys can collect them to admire. That's not me.

 

[lemaymiami]

I'm with you on only having what you'll actually use... I'm not a collector in any sense of the word. Hope you're able to send it down the line to someone that will actually use that fine shotgun. I've never shot a 16ga - but I can remember a time when skilled shooters really liked them for the field. Wish that were still the case....

 

[Newtosavage]

I'm with you on only having what you'll actually use... I'm not a collector in any sense of the word. Hope you're able to send it down the line to someone that will actually use that fine shotgun. I've never shot a 16ga - but I can remember a time when skilled shooters really liked them for the field. Wish that were still the case....

I've shot this one a few times with some of the older plastic-hulled #4 high brass. Without a recoil pad, and with it being the lightweight version, that thing kicks like a damn mule. Not very pleasant at all. With it being a full choke, it would make someone a dandy turkey gun or pheasant gun but I can't see much else one would use it for. Sure does have a nice trigger for a shotgun though.

 

[Rudolph31]

I think I paid Art’s less than $100 to take a barrel from Full to Improved Cylinder. You can also have screw-in chokes installed.

 

[Newtosavage]

I think I paid Art’s less than $100 to take a barrel from Full to Improved Cylinder. You can also have screw-in chokes installed.

That might be a good option too. Thanks for the idea.

 

[tactikel]

What do you want it for? It is perfect for upland game, Pheasant thru Quail. If you are not a hunter IMHO please sell it.

 

[Newtosavage]

What do you want it for? It is perfect for upland game, Pheasant thru Quail. If you are not a hunter IMHO please sell it.

I am a hunter. I just don't have much need for a full choke semi-auto in 16 gauge. My O/U 20 covers most all my needs and I don't shotgun hunt that much to begin with. But I have been thinking about shooting skeet/trap with the guys at the range I belong to. They have been inviting me to join them so long they have stopped inviting me. So I was thinking of trading it for a proper O/U skeet and trap gun. Mine is an inexpensive Yildiz which is very good in the dove field but probably not much else.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

I’d open the choke up, either thru Art’s or Mike Orlen, if he’s still doing them.

it would make it a more useful tool, and even if you did decide to sell it it would be more attractive to a buyer.

in my area, a $750 gun. Maybe $800.

 

[Poper]

My guess is the actual selling value is $600 - $700. Not a big demand for 16 ga. shotguns these days. The guys that have 'em love 'em, though. Ammo is not as common as 12 ga. or 20 ga.

I recently sold my 1963 Belgian A5 Sweet Sixteen with new buttstock and new forestock fitted and installed by Browning for $600. It was in similar condition as yours but had a non-ribbed, modified choked barrel. I used it for pheasant and grouse hunting and also Sporting Clays. One of the other competitors at a Sorting Clays event accidentally knocked my gun out of the rack and broke the round knob off the pistol grip and bunged up the forestock - thus the new wood at his expense. My guess is the actual selling value is $600 - $700. Not a big demand for 16 ga.
The Sweet Sixteen's frame is sized specifically for the 16 gauge and is not an adapted 12 gauge frame. I always felt it was a more refined and better feeling gun in the field than my A5 Light 12.

 

[Bill M.]

If it is in good condition I would price it fairly high and plan to look for a buyer for a while before I discounted it. At least in the past there have been some loyal fans of these guns.

 

[Newtosavage]

Thanks for everyone's input

 

[Remington1911]

I have a story a little like yours. My wife's uncle died and her dad did not want the shotgun and wanted to know if I wanted it. Sure. It ended up being an auto 5 with a (IIRC) SN# that has only 4 numbers in it and starts with a 3....so in the 3000, so a fairly early gun. It is also a 16, did not know they made those but it is sitting on my table. I go to take it apart and it just will not come apart....hammers come out and lets just say, you ever watch that gordon ramsey show kitchen nightmares and the frier looks like it was never cleaned....yup. The amount of black crud on this thing is amazing. I asked the FiL when the last time he cleaned it, he does not remember ever cleaning it, if it stopped working he would just oil it with motor oil. Old country boys......

I get it cleaned up and and shoot some clays with it in the back yard.....I just love this thing. It has blonde wood, and the fore end is cracked, but I can just shoot this gun.

16 is a pain to find, it is more expensive, OP says he will not shoot it, but you might give it a try, what does it cost you past a box of shells, you might find out you actually like it....if not, sell away. Never hurts to give it a go.

 

[entropy]

$700 to $900. If I were looking for a pheasant gun, I'd be interested, but I have several good pheasant guns.

 

[steveus101]

I've shot this one a few times with some of the older plastic-hulled #4 high brass. Without a recoil pad, and with it being the lightweight version, that thing kicks like a damn mule. Not very pleasant at all. With it being a full choke, it would make someone a dandy turkey gun or pheasant gun but I can't see much else one would use it for. Sure does have a nice trigger for a shotgun though.

My Sweet 16s don't hardly kick at all. Read up on the friction ring and friction piece placement, they may be wrong or may be missing. Great shotgun, hard to find a good one for less than $1000 in bird country. I have all I want, but don't sell it too cheap. Check over at Shotgun World site.

 

[Remington1911]

My Sweet 16s don't hardly kick at all. Read up on the friction ring and friction piece placement, they may be wrong or may be missing. Great shotgun, hard to find a good one for less than $1000 in bird country. I have all I want, but don't sell it too cheap. Check over at Shotgun World site.

I am not sure I would go that far, but it is not bad.

After I got all the krud off mine I put it back together and went out back for a go. I had the ring on for the heavy loads and the gun would not cycle, but it was like shooting a big 22, not much recoil. Flipped around I would say it is on par with a 223 bolt gun, there is recoil, more then a rimfire, but it is not bad or harsh like a 12.