Browning Auto 5 20 Gauge

Art's Gun Shop has some interesting video's on gun restoration et al. They are considered experts on the Browning series of guns, esp, the A5's.
 
I'd have to dig out the receipt, but I believe it was around 450. I had it re blued, forearm refinished. I had a stock in good shape, so I had them polish it up. I traded in the old stock and got some credit for it. It would have been another 200 or so to finish the stock. Also had the trigger plated. They used to have a price list for services on their website and I'm sure they still do.

Their videos are really good. They do a lot of guns so the turn around time isn't quick. Seems like I sent the gun to them in September. I got it back in January. It looked factory new when I got it back.
 
I have a Belgium 20Ga Magnum A5 that my Dad bought new for my brother and me when I was 14 in 1965 and it's in the safe. I wish he had not put a Cutts external screw-on choke system on but those were popular back then. I take it out for nostalgic walks once in awhile, or to a target course.
Tom
 
I own a very old a-5, used the hell out of that gun, and it never let me down.Its been in my family since 1958. 30 inch full,12 guage mag.It was made in the 20's, and I'm sure if I took it out today, it would work perfectly.I love that gun, it's the best.
 
I have both the Belgium and Japanese A5 20 gauge. I have hunted with both love them both. I prefer the Japan to hunt quail- improved cylinder- probably shot 500 boxes through it- be loading it up to go from Kentucky to Kansas in mid November. I like to shoot 8 shot- been known to bring down a big rooster at close range
 
Interesting post - thanks. Question: why prefer the Jap model?

Have used 71/2 shot during the early season on pheasants and found I was crippling birds - this with IP cyl. Dropped to 6 and 5's - not so many cripples. I do like the pattern with 7.5 shot, lot more pellets.

Trying my A5 20ga. today, that I bought sight unseen, online. 1994 gun was quite a surprise when I picked it up. Near perfect condition!

One comment - the shell cutoff lever is very hard to engage, perhaps never been used? Anyone have this issue?

More later.
 
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John1743 said:
I have both the Belgium and Japanese A5 20 gauge. I have hunted with both love them both. I prefer the Japan to hunt quail- improved cylinder- probably shot 500 boxes through it- be loading it up to go from Kentucky to Kansas in mid November. I like to shoot 8 shot- been known to bring down a big rooster at close range
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You are probably right that 8 shot will bring down a rooster at close range. The problem is the number of pellets in the bird and difficulty trying to remove all of them. Seems you are going to destroy a lot of meat. You would be much better served using 5 or 6 shot. More killing power for those that do get out ahead more than you anticipate and a whole lot less pellets in the meat. I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy eating lead. My teeth don't like the pellets either.
 
We come for the quail - the number 8's work good in my Jap Browning IC 26". The pheasants we harvest are just extra to the quail. I think the quail are much more challenging to hunt than the pheasants. If they are close in range, pheasants are not very challenging to kill. With that said, I like the low power winchester 8 shot for my gun. I am excited to make the trip to NE Kansas next month. My friend and guide says he has seen several quail and thinks it will be better than average. He says pheasants are down in that area.
 
Fifty shells through the A5, 20 and performed without a problem - really like the gun and plan to use it starting Wednesday.

Using 8's on quail -probably a good choice...
 
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