Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Browning A5 20 Gauge

Never realized you could get an Auto 5 at 5 pounds 11 ounces. Nice!!!!

Oh, Gawd no. In the "old days" the head was held slightly more upright rather than pushed down and forward on the comb. Rather than being tight to the cheekbone as many use today, the comb is in light contact with the cheekbone. We ain't talking a 4" difference in drop and that "wall" is not any more visible than the rear of more modern designs. I won't be relying on an A-5 for serious competition but I likely won't be using an auto of any kind either.

I'm a sucker for anything in a 20 gauge and browning only sweetens the deal. One of my favorites I own currently 20 gauge b-2000

Me either! I posted a WTB ad here a few years ago and a member from MN sent me pictures of this gun. It was on a consignment rack and I got it for a steal.

Not sure what that abomination is but it is no A5. Nothing sounds like a real 75 year old A5 when you cycle her. Round knob only please.

My favorite bird gun ,1963 A5 20 ga. round knob 26" improved cylinder with rib. It points for me like pointing my finger. Same age as me and I grab it for every wing shooting outing.
I have 2 Light twelves that are great guns but safe queens.

For 2000 dollars I think there are better options for 20 gauge autos. I own two of the new A5 16 gauges. One gun has been flawless , the other gun's POI is a foot high and a foot to the left. Seems to be a barrel problem as different chokes make no difference. Speaking of choke tubes, the modified measures IC and the full measures extra full. Niether gun has ever had a malfuction. Friend of mine has a 12 gauge that is having speed load and feeding problems. The A5 is ok if you want a 16 gauge that weights the same as the 20 gauge but there are better guns for the money.

so, how did hunters manage the heavier guns back in the day?
oh, I forgot, men were men back then. lol.

bobski

"How did hunters manage the heavier guns back in the day". A very good question, short answer is because they had to. Back in the day hunters didn't have mid beads, interchangeable choke tubes, rust proof finishes, synthetic stocks, sling swivels. They got by. The British made 12 bores at 6.5 pounds, maybe somewhere along the way we got side tracked on what hunters wanted to push through a brier patch all day.

Addendum

Looking at an Arrietta 20 bore SXS, this Spanish lady caught my attention. Sent a text to my hunting buddy and his reply was that it looked nice but didn't see me using it afield. Point well taken, pass the 26" 20 gauge pump and hold the fluff, practicality rules on a cloudy, rainy day when the wind blows.

And they thought you couldn’t do better than a Buick station wagon for a hunting vehicle. 🤔

I will stay with my Belgian round knob Light 20.

Browning needs to make this with a synthetic stock for waterfowl hunting.

I fondly remember those days, although ours was an Olds Vista Cruiser. Grain shovel & coveralls in the back, didn't get stuck much as whitetail season was only 5 days(in Dec) back then & we usually had to cross a bean field & sometimes a cut corn field to get to the wood line where the timber & river were below the pasture. Good times

Yes, at one time a big station wagon was the cat's meow for a Bird Dog hunter. My fond memories....fond????....was a Volkswagen Super Beetle. With a set of real winter tires it was amazing in snow. Dog would hang out in the back or sleep on the front floor on the way home. Deer were an issue, but I usually went with a friend and we used their trunk.

Went Coon hunting one night with a local Coon hunting hero. Can't remember his vehicle, but do remember four Coon Dogs in the back seat. Occasionally they would get a little pissy with each other, which made for an interesting ride.