I don't personally care for semis. Don't ask why. But A-5s have something cool about them. I feel it has something to do with that humpbacked receiver, the stock(Prince of Wales pattern, I believe) and just generally being a bit odd, compared to say, an 11-48/1100 etc. If I were ever to own any auto, it would be an Auto-5, no question.
Well, if you're going to make your choice of auto based on looks and who designed it, never mind it handles like a house brick, then I can legitimately make the following observation. Disclaimer, I'm a semi toothless higher-educated redneck who likes his pump. The following opinion is not necessarily the opinion of the author.
"Pump shotguns are the tools of the redneck, the uneducated, the clueless masses, the toothless hillbilly. If you wanna show some class, you use an autoloader, that is if you don't shoot an O/U or even a SxS if you are of a moneyed class. If you use a pump, you simply are of the underclass, a serf, a "Deliverance" antagonist."
That line of thinking against pumps makes about as much sense to me as the quote. I own both pump and auto and even a couple of cheap lower class SxSs. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. I like the auto for its light recoil. It's a rather light fore arm heavy balance gun and is quick, yet swings smoothly in a 28" barrel length. It handles superbly. I can't say that about the A5 I've hunted with. It didn't fit well, though, way too much drop in the stock for me and I tended to shoot low with it. I wasn't real impressed. Besides, A5s are one of the FUGLIEST shotguns ever created, even if God himself designed it.
But, different strokes for different folks. I prefer the lines of the modern gas operated Remington or Winchester or Browning shotguns. I also prefer how they point and shoot. I've yet to try one of the spaghetti guns, probably nice, just ain't interested.
