A5 sweet 16..... the A5

Belgian guns hands down, not even close. Thousands of shooters and collectors can't be wrong--want screw in chokes? Then buy an A5. The FN guns were and still are very high quality. I'm just not into copies, but to each his own.
 
Wolfchief said:
Belgian guns hands down, not even close. Thousands of shooters and collectors can't be wrong--want screw in chokes? Then buy an A5. The FN guns were and still are very high quality. I'm just not into copies, but to each his own.
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The Japanese Auto five isn’t a copy is it ?
 
Pretty much so except for the Invector tubes. I've owned both, as I'm sure others on this board have too. I just like the Belgians better, have 4 of them. Tradition is important to me. Plus, the story of how FN wound up being the producer of John Browning's invention has always intrigued me. Winchester, the "usual" beneficiary of John's long gun inventions, could have been the lucky winner but John wanted royalties on this special autoloading shotgun. When Winchester refused to pay royalties, he visited the offices of Remington, and, the story goes, as he was sitting outside the Remington CEO's office to discuss his invention, the guy had a fatal heart attack. Undaunted, Browning took a boat to Europe, visited with FN, and thus a legend was born.
 
Interesting article...I never knew the magazine tube carried so much importance - I seldom do any lube to the tube. My 1941 A5 12 ga is still going strong, but I seldom shoot it.
 
I got a Belgian Browning in 1973 as a senior in high school. My dad ordered it for me from Montgomery Wards for $269. Simpler to buy a gun back then. My Dad had an A5 that was about 5 years old then. We lived in Minnesota and went for a late season grouse hunt with the temperature about 5 above. We saw a few grouse and when we shot at them we found out we were carrying single shots. Both our A5s wouldn’t repeat in the cold weather. Ever since then I always made sure the tube was lubricated if it was cold. My Dad and I had many good laughs over the years about our Browning single shots. He bought a Japanese A5 from a coworker who was down on his luck. My Dad treated it like a loan. He said he would hold it for the guy and sell it back for the same price if his friend ever wanted it back. The guy never wanted it back. My dad passed away last fall and I kept the Japanese and gave the Belgian to my son. I like both of them but I think the Belgian seem better because it is older and maybe has more tradition. I took my Dad’s Belgian out one day last pheasant season. I whiffed on the first two I saw but got the third one that got up. It was a nice way to end the season. I now hunt with a Browning Silver. I guess I am a Browning guy. I like how it shoots but also like the Browning name and the histRoy behind it.
 
A5 Sweet 16 said:
Nostalgia is one thing. Manufacturing technology, precision & consistency is another. Japan hands down, even without somewhat improved materials & the addition of choke tubes.
(Plus, my "old" Sweet 16 is Japanese. The new one doesn't even count.)
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I totally disagree. I think the ones made before 1958 are the best.
 
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