Sweet Sixteen

Dakotazeb

Dakotazeb

Well-known member
I didn't want to hijack the current thread on Browning A-5's so I'll start this one. I want to buy a Sweet Sixteen and would like some input from some Sweet Sixteen owners. onpoint has been very helpful but thought I might hear from others.

I want a 26" barrel and would prefer one with a rib. Which is a better choice a Belgium made or one of the newer ones made in Japan. I think the Belgium's are lighter weight but the choke tubes would be nice. I've got my eye on a very nice Sweet Sixteen made in the mid 50's that is in "mint" condition but it has a plain barrel. But it is choked IC which is what I would want in a fixed choke.

Not sure which way to go. HELP! :confused:
 
Dakotazeb said:
I didn't want to hijack the current thread on Browning A-5's so I'll start this one. I want to buy a Sweet Sixteen and would like some input from some Sweet Sixteen owners. onpoint has been very helpful but thought I might hear from others.

I want a 26" barrel and would prefer one with a rib. Which is a better choice a Belgium made or one of the newer ones made in Japan. I think the Belgium's are lighter weight but the choke tubes would be nice. I've got my eye on a very nice Sweet Sixteen made in the mid 50's that is in "mint" condition but it has a plain barrel. But it is choked IC which is what I would want in a fixed choke.

Not sure which way to go. HELP! :confused:
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Zeb , sweet 16 great gun but cant shoot steel shot, at least mid 50's. I have had two 16 a-5's and sold both. Wish I had not sold the last. I have two browning A-5's in 12 , from Belgium that will never be up for sale. Both are full choke and can't be beat. I no long shot them as they are My great great grandfathers guns and are in mint condition. Good luck on your hunt for the 16's. You shure you want to buy a gun that old, that can't shoot steel shot?

Are you collecting?:)
 
Not collecting, it would be shooter. I do have a bunch of 16 ga. Kent Tungsten Matrix I can use. I'd prefer one of the newer guns with tubes so steel wouldn't be an issue. But the Belgium's are lighter weight. Guess I have to compromise some place. If that older Sweet Sixteen I'm watching had a ribbed barrel for the price it's at I'd own it regardless if it can't shoot steel.
 
Dakotazeb said:
Not collecting, it would be shooter. I do have a bunch of 16 ga. Kent Tungsten Matrix I can use. I'd prefer one of the newer guns with tubes so steel wouldn't be an issue. But the Belgium's are lighter weight. Guess I have to compromise some place. If that older Sweet Sixteen I'm watching had a ribbed barrel for the price it's at I'd own it regardless if it can't shoot steel.
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Zeb, I see and good for you. I hope you find a sweet 16 with the chokes you want.:)
 
The mid 50s to early 60s Sweet's are said to be the highest quality and most sought after of all the Sweet Sixteen's.

Check out Arts Gun shop(Art is a former 30 year Browning gun smith) or Midwest Gun Works for guns. They both specialize in Browning's. The Barrel Exchange deals in all kinds of Browning barrels.
 
i have my father 16 it is very mint but is the old style that shoots 2 9/16" shells with the safey in side the trigger guard i still use it every year for one day when hunting sd. to remember my dad he got me and my brother into hunting and was a great teacher.
 
Dakotazeb said:
I didn't want to hijack the current thread on Browning A-5's so I'll start this one. I want to buy a Sweet Sixteen and would like some input from some Sweet Sixteen owners. onpoint has been very helpful but thought I might hear from others.

I want a 26" barrel and would prefer one with a rib. Which is a better choice a Belgium made or one of the newer ones made in Japan. I think the Belgium's are lighter weight but the choke tubes would be nice. I've got my eye on a very nice Sweet Sixteen made in the mid 50's that is in "mint" condition but it has a plain barrel. But it is choked IC which is what I would want in a fixed choke.

Not sure which way to go. HELP! :confused:
Click to expand...

Zeb, I just sold this sweet 16 it was a 1963 model in the box. I never even shot it,sat in the safe for years.
 
I just bought a Sweet Sixteen on GunBroker.com. Can't wait to get it. Hopes it's as good as it looks in the photos and what they claim. Here's a pic. It's a Belgium that was made in 1960. 26" IC barrel.

SweetSixteen.jpg
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SaWeet....a real dandy right there. Congrats George
 
Wow :eek:; nice...but how it the world are you going to shoot that thing with a tripod...:D
 
As my neighbor would say, "Ats ah gud un!"

Congrats on a nice find. You will bust a lot of clays and birds with that little honey.

Bob
 
I got the Sweet Sixteen today and am very pleased with the purchase. The finish (both wood and metal) is all original. There are some very small marks in the wood but nothing major and a couple marks on the barrel, but again very minor. After all it's a 50 year old gun that has been used but apparently very well cared for. For the price I paid ($893) I'm very happy with the gun. The balance is very nice with the 26" barrel and it feels lighter in the hands than it really is, even with the vent rib.
I took it out and fired a few field and game loads through her and she functioned flawlessly. Although it did have a tad more recoil than I was expecting. Something I probably won't notice when a big rooster flushes from under my dog's nose while on point. :)
 
Dakotazeb said:
I got the Sweet Sixteen today and am very pleased with the purchase. The finish (both wood and metal) is all original. There are some very small marks in the wood but nothing major and a couple marks on the barrel, but again very minor. After all it's a 50 year old gun that has been used but apparently very well cared for. For the price I paid ($893) I'm very happy with the gun. The balance is very nice with the 26" barrel and it feels lighter in the hands than it really is, even with the vent rib.
I took it out and fired a few field and game loads through her and she functioned flawlessly. Although it did have a tad more recoil than I was expecting. Something I probably won't notice when a big rooster flushes from under my dog's nose while on point. :)
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Great Zeb, how about a pic or two. :thumbsup::cheers:
 
jmac said:
Great Zeb, how about a pic or two. :thumbsup::cheers:
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I posted a picture of it earlier in this thread. It's one of the pics that the seller had of it on GunBroker. I could take another one but it wouldn't look any different. :)
 
You'll love it. I got mine about four years ago and the A-5 Light 12 hasn't been to SD since. I may take it this year to celebrate its 50th anniversary. I bought back in 1961. I should treat it better, but the Sweet 16 will do anything the 12 will do and is handier and lighter.
 
Like I said in one of my previous posts when I shot the Sweet it seemed to have a lot of recoil. I checked the friction rings and they were not installed properly so I figured that was the problem. I put them in right, shot it again and still feel the recoil is more than should be even with 1 oz. game loads. Would replacing the friction rings and/or the recoil spring help?
 
Dakotazeb said:
Like I said in one of my previous posts when I shot the Sweet it seemed to have a lot of recoil. I checked the friction rings and they were not installed properly so I figured that was the problem. I put them in right, shot it again and still feel the recoil is more than should be even with 1 oz. game loads. Would replacing the friction rings and/or the recoil spring help?
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Good Question I had to look it up and the answer is yes, if I read the following link correctly. http://www.browning.com> customer services. sorry I cant get it to link up. I found it on google under Browing a5 manuel, how do i change the rings on my Auto-5 Browing.

You may want to look at this George. It states that improper ring placement can cause sever damage..............
 
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I have the friction rings in correctly according to the manual. My question is do the rings and recoil spring get old and need to be replaced. And in doing so would that have a tendancy to reduce the recoil?????
 
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