doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Slightly off topic: Browning A5

Anyone care to hazard a guess at the value of a Belgian A5 12 ga. magnum? I was given one in mint condition; looks like it was never used. Ser No 72V-xxxxx

I have an A5 Light 12 in mint condition built in 1963 and in the hard case and I value it at $1,000
Jim

My SC's Fun gun is a A-5 Magnum (Jap) with 32" barrel. The gun wouldn't function with standard target loads using the Mag spring and rings. I replaced with a standard spring and tension ring and now it works fine. As for prices....they are all over the place.

I don't know if it is possible at this time, but, Browning used to sell the
"Stalker" composite stocks, which, could be fitted to an older A5, and didn't crack. Either the store bought version of the "Stalker" or an older A5 with the new stock and a Hasting's barrel, are a pretty decent do it all gun for a guy who only has one.
I have my Dad's A5 that he bought new, when he made Sergeant in the USMC in 1952, fitted with one of the plastic stocks, and a lefty safety. Dad had a variety of Hasting's barrels and the original solid rib barrel. The original wood is here, someplace, but it is pretty beat up and has about a 12 3/4" LOP. I don't think the gun is actually worth all that much, but, I wouldn't take $10,000 for it.
He hunted pheasants and later, ducks and geese with it, all of my life.

Best,
Ted

I used to have the same opinion as Miller.

The A-5 sort of grew on me after I found a decent 'light twelve' in a used rack for a reasonable price.

My favorite is indeed the 'sweet sixteen'. I finally found one with a 28" vent barrel and decent metal finish. Mr. Garvin recut the checkering and refinished the stock, and old Jess down in TX provided three beautiful concentric stainless steel choke tubes for it.

It looks very nice, it handles extremely well, and is now as versatile as any modern auto. Function is 100% with Fiocchi GT or GP loads.

Whenever I shoot it, I always chuckle. It jumps a bit, things go 'sproing'. The levers, cogs, and inclined planes do their thing, and a target breaks or a bird drops.

What could be more fun...

The first repeater I ever hunted with was a A-5, and I have few of them in 12,16, & 20. They range from around 1911 to 1959 in age and I have never had a minutes trouble with them.

A 12ga Auto 5 was the first really decent shotgun I ever had after a Savage 220A single shot 20 ga & an ancient Stevens 311 16 ga double & I killed my first deer with an Auto 5 slug gun so naturally I like them. The double shuffle recoil never bothered me & if maintained properly they are very reliable

One thing that I rarely see mentioned re. the Auto 5 is that the slug gun makes a dandy home defense shotgun as with the magazine cut off engaged you can have the bolt open & chamber empty with 4 shells in the magazine & when you open the magazine cutoff & the bolt closes on a live cartridge the sound is almost as intimidating as a Winchester 97 being shucked & just as quick to get into action.

I capsized with two buddies in six fathoms an hour before daylight in a bad spot 300 metres from shore in howling snow squalls just before Christmas six years ago and an A-5 was among guns that went to the North Atlantic bottom.

After a couple unsuccessful diving attempts because of bad weather and currents, I retrieved my SW and the A-5 covered in orange rust and slub. My buddy loaded three in the A-5 and it worked perfectly.

The first gun I bought with my own money ($125) was a like new, used Sweet 16.

Good to see your posts again King. You are missed when we do not hear from you for a coupla weeks...Geo