Sweet 16 Success

Mgorv said:
I have a chance to buy a A-5 12G from a neighbor. It's in new condition, like right out of the box new. He wants $800 for it. I'm shooting a Benelli M2 with pretty good results, especially after putting in an IC choke tube. Does going between guns mess you up so you end up shooting both like crap, or is it nice to have a little variety. Maybe I should wait for a Sweet 16, but this is really a nice gun. What do you think?
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Is this a Belgium made A5 or a newer one made in Japan? Fixed choke or tubes? If it's Belgium made with a fixed choke what is the choke? And you cannot shoot steel through the Belgium made barrels. The other issue with the standard A5 12 gauges is the weight. They are some heavy beasts. Weight is generally 8-8.5 lbs. $800 is a good buy. A nice Sweet Sixteen will cost you a few hundred more. But they will weigh a lot less. Usually around 7 lbs. or a tad more.
 
they're not heavy.they posses a manly balance and density.its because the receiver was whittled out of a solid billet of steel.the new a5 owner needs to be aware of the friction ring configuration under the fore end.trap loads are light, the old 1 1/4 oz.,high brass duck loads(12 ga) were set for heavy.there's a description on brownings website.again,go ahead and get it.
 
pointshoot said:
they're not heavy.they posses a manly balance and density.
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Not heavy?? Guess that depends on what you are using it for. But at 8-8.5 lbs. a 12 ga. A5 is a load for an upland gun. Much more than I would want to carry in the field all day. A duck or goose gun sitting in a blind now that's another story. My Sweet is probably a little over 7 lbs. and that about has heavy as I want to go for an upland gun. Maybe when I was a young stud an 8+ lb. gun wouldn't have been an issue, but at 66 it's too much. :)
 
A5

I need to find out a few details before I decide. My M2 only weighs about 7lbs and that is enough on long days.
 
Here is listing of the weights of the various Belgium A5's. No idea when this was published. Even the "Light Twelve" with a vent rib was 7 lb. 9 oz.

a5wt1.jpg
 
7.1 lbs for my Sweet 16...I'm all in now! However, I handled one of the new A5's this weekend...pretty darn nice, light and balanced. Just don't see myself buying another auto. I think the Sweet 16 and my 3.5" Maxus has it covered, but a new A5 might be cool.
 
Dakotazeb said:
Here is listing of the weights of the various Belgium A5's. No idea when this was published. Even the "Light Twelve" with a vent rib was 7 lb. 9 oz.

a5wt1.jpg
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This would be cool...framed in the man cave!
 
My pheasant hunting buddy just picked up a A5 16 Ga. He now has a 12, 16 and a 20.

He is going to try to add the 28 and 410. I think that's pretty cool.
 
AtTheMurph said:
My pheasant hunting buddy just picked up a A5 16 Ga. He now has a 12, 16 and a 20.

He is going to try to add the 28 and 410. I think that's pretty cool.
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I think he will be looking for a long time. I might be wrong, but to my knowledge Browning never made the A5 in a 28 or 410.
 
pointshoot said:
there's 2- 12's,the lite and the magnum
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Actually three 12's. The Magnum, the Standard and the Light. Browing didn't start making the Magnum until 1958. The same could be said of the 20 gauges. There were the same 3. Magnum, Standard and Light. The Mag 20 was also introduced in 1958.

The Magnum 12 was actually the Standard made to shoot 3" shells. I'm assuming the same could be said about the 20 gauge.

To identify a Light A5 look for the gold trigger. Browning put gold triggers on the Light Twelve, Light Twenty and the Sweet Sixteen.
 
Dakotazeb said:
To identify a Light A5 look for the gold trigger. Browning put gold triggers on the Light Twelve, Light Twenty and the Sweet Sixteen.
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I believe all of the Auto 5's had a gold trigger from somewhere in the 1950's on up

My magnum 20's both have Gold triggers.

Here's a magnum 12 and magnum 20 on Gun=Broker. Both have Gold triggers. They are all marked on the off side of the receiver as to what they are. Sweet Sixteen, Light or magnum. If unmarked. It would be a standard.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=324138753

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=324299146
 
Up until 1967 gold triggers were only put on the light weight versions. They broke the mold in 1967 and put a gold trigger on the Magnum Twenty. The Belgium made Magnum Twelves never had a gold trigger.
 
I believe you are correct Sir...
 
I own and shoot an A5 - 1941 vintage Browning. Several years ago I purchased what I thought was a 26" barrel as the original was 28" and I wanted it for grouse.

I just measured the barrel from tip to the front of the receiver - 24.75"

No wonder it comes up so fast, which is good for me, as my right arm basically doesn't work very well in mounting the gun.

Question: wonder why it doesn't measure 26"?? Perhaps you gun experts can shed some light on this. Thanks.
 
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jonnyB said:
I own and shoot an A5 - 1941 vintage Browning. Several years ago I purchased what I thought was a 26" barrel as the original was 28" and I wanted it for grouse.

I just measured the barrel from tip to the front of the receiver - 24.75"

No wonder it comes up so fast, which is good for me, as my right arm basically doesn't work very well in mouinting the gun.

Question: wonder why it doesn't measure 26"?? Perhaps you guhn experts can shed some light on this. Thanks.
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My Sweet with a 26" barrel measures 25" from tip of the barrel to front of the receiver. I assume there is part of the barrel that is down into the receiver that is included in the overall barrel length.
 
Thanks, George - good info..

When wearing heavy clothing, I found mounting my 12 ga. short barrel was much easier mounting than my 20 ga.; the "hump" really helps line things up.

Have you inspected the new Browning Auto.? Gander in Minneapolis was out of stock when I last inquired.
 
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