Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire A-5's

Believe it or not, the only gun that I regret selling is an 870 Express 20 guage with a little 21 inch barrel. I thought the thing was a pile of garbage, but I did some great shooting with it in the field and it was incredibly handy. Made the mistake of showing it to my cousin, and he decided he just had to have it. I regretted selling it immediatley, as it was a gift from my old man and I shouldn't have sold it in the first place. Tried to trade my cousin back out of it, but he likes it too much. At least it went to a good home.

Doesn't change the fact that I think they're garbage compared to a Wingmaster though.

Brian.

unless you want a gun that looks like a donkey dick. i thought they were wwuugly in the 50's when i shot a m.ward 16 ga one shot.

I've always considered people who shoot shotguns with a poly choke on them to be white trash. No offense.



I find your uncle's views fascinating, and would like to subscribe to his newsletter.



I refuse to own a gun with a polychoke. I would probably consider a gun with a Cutts Compensator on it if it was a Winchester 42 and nothing else. Those and gigantic, ugly muzzle brakes always bug the crap out of me.

Brian.

You're talking to someone who thinks a 2 3/4 inch 20 guage is over kill for quail.

Brian.

It is so easy to have thin walled tubes retrofitted, forcing cones recut, and back-boring done, I've just got to ask why bother with a Polychoke? They are the absolute scourge of firearms accessories, right next to stock compasses and see-through rings.

its time to experience true quality with life betting reliability from an auto. try an auto 12 some time also.

sorry, i meant pump mod 12.

Couldn't ever like an A-5, below is as close as I ever got:



Now, a Beretta 302/303 on the other hand makes me mighty happy, in particular the 20ga.

Should there ever be a 28ga 391 Beretta I'll kick, fight, scratch, and bribe to get to the front of that list.

When I moved up from my 870 Wingmaster LW 20 I started shooting dad's A5 he bought new in '72.

When my brother graduated high school dad bought him a new A5.

That was the plan for me as well but when he heard they weren't making them anymore I got mine a year early.

I also had an 870 express 12 I used in the marshes down by Pat and my dad later traded my buddy straight up for an A5 that had all the bluing worn off and the stock was kinda rough looking. He refinished the stock, reblued the metal, cut the stock and added a recoil pad.....it's his go to gun now.

He also picked up Light 20 a few years ago....I'm hoping my 3 month old son ends up with it.

There's Berettas, Benellis and Remingtons in the family too but we like our A5s.

What are your thoughts on the Polychoke II?

http://www.poly-choke.com/choke2.htm

The only thing I can think of is that people have sentimental attachments to them - a lot of folks grew up shooting a shotgun with a polychoke on it. Thankfully my old man never saddled me with one, mainly because he thought they were pretty awful as well.

And every time I see see-through rings, I think "oh look, a died in wool redneck".

Gigantic carvings of animals and crap on the stock is right up there as well.

Brian.

It's made in the U.S.A. and they're nice people, but that is one ass-ugly device.

Mine is a pre-war model in 12 ga, that I picked up fairly cheap ($150 in 2002). The buttstock was cut for a crappy recoil pad, which is now hard as a rock, and the forend was badly cracked. It also kicked surprisingly hard.



I found another forend, that was a passable match to the buttstock, and added one of the tune up kits that replaces the recoil spring and friction collar. It is now tolerable to shoot, even with turkey loads, and the mod barrel basically patterns like a full choke with modern shotshells. I've carried it for turkeys; haven't got a shot but it should do a real number on them. One of these days it will get a new pad, and maybe I'll look for a barrel with more open choke for dove.

I like them and will someday get a couple more. They definitely exemplify the phrase, "old-fashioned, handcrafted fit & finish". I like modern Beretta shotguns for autoloaders, but a Belgian A5 is indeed a classic.

The A5 has always been my favorite shotgun. I have only one now though.
This one was a gift from one of my Wife's brothers. He asked in a phone conversation many years back, if I would like an old shotgun. Without asking about it, I said 'sure'. Week later, it showed up in the mail. A5 Magnum 12 GA, with the most beautiful wood ever. He bought two of these from a Canadian company, when he was going to the Culinary Institute in New York.
Special gun evidently. When FN computerized their inventory, they found enough parts to make about 50 more A5s in Belgium. The manufacture had already been going on in Japan for several years.
The gun as I received it, had a 30 inch full choke vent rib barrel. Since I could not shoot steel shot with that barrel, I ordered a Hastings 26 inch barrel with choke tubes. That is what I use now for all my water fowl hunting, and most of my Turkey hunting.

I don't shoot plastic shotguns. I've got a belgian 16, and a 12-gauge Remington Model 11. Combined with various Model 37's, I'm a happy camper.

I may very well be wrong, but it was my understanding that the A5 was never built in Japan. They were origanally built in Belgium, and then when Browning started trying to cut costs they were made in Belgium but assembled in Portugal. I do recall the story about them finding the parts and building a small batch of A5's with them though.

BTW, that's a goregous gun.

Brian.

Hope I'm not breaking any rules or unsaid tabboos, but I own the exact same A5 as the one seen below. It's *much* too nice for anywhere I hunt, so it's never been outside. Mine has never been fired. Totally NIB mint. Almost 25 years now it has sat cased. The wood on mine is noticeably nicer than the one pictured (though that is obviously a personal opinion).

Has original DU case (albeit cheapo plastic hard side) and original manual. I've seen them--the exact shotgun I have-- sold for as much as $2300 on GB and GA. I'm sure you can find a value somewhere that's legit (anyone?), but I've never bothered, honestly.

To anyone on the 'fire who wants it, and *buys intending to use and not sell to make money flipping it immediately*, I'll sell for $1500 shipped. To anyone who sends me something good to eat from their locale with payment--and it arrives unspoiled--I'll knock off a c-note and do it for $1400 shipped. To anyone on the good guy list, I'll send it over to inspect *before* payment.

Again, if this is bad form, please lemme' know and I'll delete. I don't have any pics handy, but can take them, of course. I wish I had the balls to hunt it, but it'd be the kiss of death for a salty marsh stomper like myself to kill this thing so cruelly.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/90904108...ary_Ducks_Unlimited_A_5_Light_12_NIC.htm

Brian,
Later A5s were built in Japan. I believe you're thinking of some of the others....BAR for example.

And yes, Sam, beautiful gun.

Love to see pics Kamo!

Mannlicher, that's a beautiful gun.

I grew up hunting a magnum 20 Belgian A-5. Still have it, but dont hunt it much anymore. It's in pretty nice shape, but still, I should take it out more.

Kilt my first grouse and squirrel with it!

I brought one home once. The six Model 12s and the two 870s in the safe all ganged up on it and deported the ugly bastard out to the dog kennel. The dog peed on it.

I have always had problems with semi auto guns. They cycle so slow I wind up taking it down from my shoulder and looking at the all that crap moving by itself. The A5 with the whole barrel moving too is just that mush worse. I don't see how anyone shoots them, and that doesn't begin to address being seen with something that ugly in your hand.