doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Early A-5 Question

Possibly it was Pablo Jartin. Jaime Pierna

Lengthening the chamber and making the ejection port longer on an A5 is just the beginning.
There are about 11 different machining steps required to convert an A5 to 2 3/4".
It is not a simple thing to do.

The half inch hole saw sounds like a bad joke.

If you wanted to accomplish that all you'd need to do is hold the crimped shell up to a belt sander for a few seconds....the rim of the crimp would be near gone in an instant. You'd eject a short hull when you fired it, but your velocity would go in the crapper without a tight crimp because you would not develop the pressure at ignition needed to get the proper burn.

Jeff

Coincidentally I looked at one of these three round guns today in 12 ga with the front guard safety. It is an ancient Cutts-like compensator whose name I forgot but it had broad chevrons cut into the barrel/body. This barrel also had a solid tube from the muzzle going back to about 3/4" from the muzzle.

I got the impression this was a thirties item as I was casually familiar with one of that era I almost bought. This thing had a 26" bbl and I think that included the muzzle device. This could only be a skeet gun or something for dedicated close range shooting. Price was $349 possibly as a consignment. Condition seemed pretty good overall and were it not for the barrel I might have bought it. I still might and toss it in with my Browning pile. On the other hand there was another light 12 of Belgian origin with a speckled receiver (too long in the attic) which was nonetheless restorable as regards finish. Asking price too high at $599 as I bought much better guns of the same type from the same place at the same price.

Jeff: Good points, and really nice guns in your pic. I love the A-5 and own four myself. In fact, I'd be happy to own the gun my buddy just bought -- I just don't think he will be. I thought he knew that not all 16s were "Sweet," but apparently not.

So if the gun is currently unaltered, does that process need to be a factory (or Art's) job, or can lots of gunsmiths do it? Also, based on your earlier post about "16-65" and "16-70," can I assume that all guns, even from 1932 (if that is really the year it was made), will be stamped like this, indicating the chamber length in millimeters?

I also agree that modifying the shells as discussed sounds like a real bad idea for several reasons, and a great way to obstruct a barrel with one shot and destroy it with the next. TT

The compensator FS describes is a Pachmayr Power Pac, hardly an obscure choke device, just not as common as the Cutts. A better design, actually, because the choke tube doeesn't protrude from the front of the comp body. A Model 11 had a sliding safety? I've not seen one of those, must be early guns. I would think that a serial number and chamber proof marks on the Browning in question would answer all questions about Sweet or not Sweet and chamber length.

TT,
I picked up another awesome Wm Schaefer gun yesterday, It came from Ithaca, over by Omaha. Its as nice as my 10ga B grade Remington but not much color left. Just another reason for you to head over here for Pheasant/Quail this year. Ross

Hello gentlemen:

I was the "guy" that "half-cuts" the center of the star crimp in order to operate a 16ga A5 with regular 2 3/4 shells. I only use CIP shotshells to mantain the presure as low as I can.

I only feel some kind of "pride" that my idea was mentioned in this prestigious forum and the reason of this post.

Best regards,

Jose

Jeff:

It is not a bad joke, I made the half cut with a "sacabocado" (cardboard cutter to make round taps)in a pedestal drill. I put an stop in the drill, so each cut have the same deep always. Every shotshell altered in this form make the shotgun function perfectly. ZERO malfunctions in more than 3 years.
1 oz Spanish "Escopesa J & G" shotshells.

Best regards,

Jose

I have a 1931 Vintage A5 16ga marked 2 9/16 with the safety in front. It is a more convenient safety I believe than the back one.It is Serial # 116875 and it ejects
my Federal 1 oz Game load just fine. The other A5 is X93955 "Sweet Sixteen"and is marked 2 3/4 and weighs 7 lbs. The older one is 7 1/2 lbs which is the only difference that I can find other than the safetys.

Stallones,

The 16 ga A5 #116875 was shipped by FN to Browning in shte second half of 1938. X93955 was shipped in the fall of 1953. The speed load feature was introduced right about that time. Is yours speed load or regular?

TT,

the proof marks on all FN A5's include the chamber information. The numbers are usually surrounded with a horshoe shaped emblem.

You may need help determining if the gun was modified, but the quick and dirty way is to look at the reciever where the barrel enters. If the barrel extension is flush with the receiver it is unmodified. If about 3/16's of shiny unblued barrel extension are sticking out it has been modified. But that is not all you should look for as a lot of them were modified by hacks that did not necessarily do all the other changes so the gun may not be up to snuff. PM me if you need help with the more subtle points on conversion.

If you have a conversion done I'd send it to Midwest or Art's. Even if there is a local guy you like, dont give him the job unless he is very comfortable with the process.

Jeff