doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT--Auto 5 BBL question

Does anyone know if jap made bbls will fit belgian A5s? I'm looking for a 26 inch 16 and found a great 30 inch gun. It occured to me that a second bbl would make this a great shooting set.

Tips on a source for aftermarket bbls would be appreciated as well.

DH

Dawson, my friend Jeff Mulliken talks about his A-5 adventures on shotgunworld.com Browning collectors section. He will tell you what you need to know, even may have some barrels. He lives just across the river in Poolesville. He posts under Jeff Mull, maybe here too.

Dawson,
I wondered the same thing when I had a A-5 years ago. I believe the answer is no, a Jap A-5 has something different that prevents its use on a Belgian gun. What it is, I never found out. It might be a simple mod or a no-way deal.

I have a Jap 20ga barrel in regular use on an FN made 20ga A-5, near the end of the production run.

There are some interchange problems with real early guns, due to a slot that was added in the barrel extention as I recall.

Also have a 1956 standard weight 12ga with a Jap trigger that was a drop-in fit.

Dawson,

I may have already answered this on the other board but here goes...

Japanese barrrels will fit on recievers made for the same length chambers. The only issue with fit is caused by rubbing between the forend wood and the barrel because the Japanese barrels are a little beefier. This can be relieved with a litt sanding of the hidden part of the forend where it touches the barrel.

The reference about different barrel extensions is on VERY early guns. I've only seen one barrel with that issue and it was made in the first or second year of production.

Just for grins I shot a round of skeet with a Japanese barrel on my 1906 A5. It did not prove anything....I just found it amusing.

Jeff

Thanks to all for the responses.

DH