I found old 16ga Auto-5: short barrel around 25" in length IC with 70mm chambers. The gun is in very good condition with some handling marks. While little heavy to modern standards (when compared to Benelli or Beretta) it is of all steel and wood construction. Is it difficult to adjust recoil spring to make it reliable and to prevent forend wood from splitting. What loads are recommended.
Are the standard US game loads ok (Remington seems most available) or should one stick with specialty loads from RST, for example. thanks.

I have had two of them. Try the regular setting with the recoil
spring and concave-convex washer and I think the 1 oz loads from Federal or Remington would work fine. Back in the 50s-60s a lot of shooters used the even heavier loads in the 16, but they are unnecessary.

I always used 1 1/8 oz loads in mine( 26" IC),and it killed a pick up truck load of game for me. It never failed to operate, regardless of how I had it set. My dad gave it to me when I was 16,and I passed it to my son when he was 16. This thread brought back good memories, I wish I could still follow a bird dog.
Mike

The gun is 1/4 choke so I kinda wish someone loaded light Upland Steel loads for the 16ga. I know official verdict seems to be no steel in Browning fixed choke guns made before ca 1975. For those made after that date smaller shot can be used (no BB, BBB, T or F). This one is an old one with stripling on top of barrel to reduce glare, but I do not think occasional upland steel load would do any damage. Anyhow the major drawback is lack of affordable non-tox ammo in 16ga. Nice gun, but I have to do some thinking before putting down some hard earned cash to buy it. Thanks.

Yes, it brings back memories of better days. That is what attracted me to the gun in the first place. Today reasonably priced guns can't be made that way. Most semi-autos are produced with little or no human touch and have plastic stocks or worse yet look like a pile of leaves and twigs.

I have used 1 1/8 loads in mine also, but it is an overbore load and really not necessary and the heavier Express loads are more punishing to the gun..

If it is a Sweet Sixteen its probably fine to shoot with modern loads, but if it a sixteen gauge A-5 it may be an older gun. I have my Grandfather's A-5 16 but it is a '30s gun and I don't shoot it anymore.

There are two ways to set the spring and friction rings. Illustrations are easy to find. I'd set for the heavy load and shoot the lightest load it will eject. If the gun has original 2 3/4 chambers it probably a later model...Geo

P.S.: I'd bet RST's will fail to eject. Number 7 1/2 or smaller steel shot would probably not be a problem.

Geo:
With all due respect I have to question your above statement. I have a Sweet Sixteen that was made in 1952 and I sure wouldn't shoot anything out of it but lead. Please correct me if I'm in error here.
Jim

Jim, please note that I qualified the steel shot answer to size 7 1/2 and smaller. With today's plastic collars I think the barrel gouging concern is a non problem and I don't believe there is any problem with the small shot bridging at the choke like with bigger shot. That said, you are following the Browning advisory by choosing not to shoot steel at all in your own Belgian Browning and you can't go wrong there...Geo

What is your criteria for Overbore??
If one considers load density or weight per equal SqIn of bore area then 1 1/8oz in a 16 is about equal to;
1 3/8oz in 12ga
1oz in 20ga
3/4oz in 28ga
7/16oz in .410
Even if we include the 1 1/8oz load in the 16 it is probably the least overloaded of the lot. The .410 is of course the most overloaded.

Steel shot for 16's was discussed elsewhere recently. Nothing smaller than 4's available. So unless you reload steel, you're SOL.

Browning advises no steel in any of their Belgian-made guns. With A-5's, I agree they're probably erring on the side of caution. But I wouldn't shoot anything larger than 4's through a Sweet 16, and I'd want a choke no tighter than IC.

I see steel shot 4,5,6 as most useful for upland gunning. Experts recommend increasing by two sizes when going from lead to steel. It would seem 7.5 would not be very useful at all. Is my logic wrong?

What do you mean by upland gunning? It seems many on this board are only talking about grouse and pheasant when they say upland game. Would you see the need for steel 4,5 and 6 shot for woodcock?

SRH

Let me help you with that. I see LEAD shot loads in sizes from 5s to 8s as most useful for upland gunning. Leave the STEEL loads at home, unless you are forced to use them, most of the time the people doing the forcing won't be hunters, won't care what happens to your gun, and won't care if your hunt was successful.


Any further questions?


Best,
Ted

If I had to use steel for grouse and woodcock, I'd look for 6's.

Naturally one uses lead whenever possible, I was just thinking longterm. One doesn't blow a grand on a shotgun to hunt with for year or two. It is long-term commitment.

Jagermeister, you told us down in Misfires that you do not even own a double, and that you rent guns. I didn't even know you could rent guns, but I learn something new every day. You even rent a .22LR. That does not sound like a long term commitment to me.

If you spend a grand on a $700 gun, that is not too smart long term or short term. If you spend a grand on an $1100 gun, you can always get your money back out of it if you take care of it. Sounds like Hope and Change has not been kind to you. Maybe you should sell off some of your toy stuffed animal collection you showed us. Why did you delete that picture? I thought it was cute.