Home Forums Reloading Shotshells Browning A-5 - 16 Guage

I need help to determine the year it was manufactured.
This is a beautiful shot gun with two matching barrels...they are ribbed but not vented.

Serial # is 99172.....anybody have any idea.

My father bought it from a ships captain in Galveston probably in the 1940's......this reliable beauty raised 3 boys shooting dove with me ending up with ownership. I believe it was originally bored for 2 1/2" (?) shells and was bored to accomodate the 2 3/4" shells.
Any help guys?
Thanks a lot!
P

If there are no letters/prefixes before the serial number (which there shouldn't be from your description) it is a 1934 model.

bgold,

I have an "X" prefix and believe it is an early '50s mfg.

Is it common to set the recoil spring to the heavy load setting, and then use that for all shooting? I have tried it with light loads, and they seem to cycle fine. Of course, the opposite would likely not be too good for the gun. Not sure what the advantage would be to setting up to shoot light loads, if it will cycle, feed and function at the heavy setting.

Thanks.

forepaw

Forepaw, you are correct. If it shoots set for heavy loads, leave it. It saves wear and tear.

The X prefix ran from 47-53, and was used on Standard and Sweet models. Early Sweet 16s were not marked as such, and pass under the radar if one doesn't pay attention.

Sounds like a nice one...

Havnt been around these much but recently got a sweet sixteen in 1964 model and its a pretty dog gonned nice ol shotgun enjoy the browning.................

Couple of things here on this 16 gauge, Auto-5.

Chamber length: If both of those barrels are original to the gun, they should be 2 3/4 chambers. I own two 16 gauges with the X serial number prefix and both of these are factory 2 3/4 guns. Barrels actually have the original chamber length stamped on it. There should be a marking 16-70 inside of a "C" the 16 stands for 16 gauge and the 70 stands for the chamber length in millimeters. 70mm is a 2 3/4 chamber length. Older, pre-war guns will have a 16-65 marking with 65mm being the chamber length. 65mm is 2.559 in inches, which equates to the older 2 9/16 length.

Friction ring set up:
If you are getting light loads to cycle with the rings set for heavy loads, there is probably too much oil on the mag tube. There needs to some oil on the tube, but not too much. If the tube is too dry, the bronze ring will start to drag on the tube. The design of those rings are such that during recoil they compress on the mag tube and it's this compression that uses up excess energy. Light loads should not function the gun when the it is set for heavy loads. If it is, the friction rings are not doing their job correctly.

Really depends on the load and the gun.

I very lightly oil the mag tube. Even so, I can have light loads cycle some A5s, and not on others that are the same model. This is noted even after swapping friction rings between guns.

The rule of thumb I've always followed is see if it cycles set for heavy loads first, then adjust if needed.

Also, to avoid confusion, the OP's 16ga did start life as a 65mm (2 9/16) A5, assuming there are no prefixes before the given serial number. It is believed that the 70mm (2 3/4") chambers started with the post-war X-coded guns.

I'm interested in picking up an A-5 16 gauge.

General question - what's the difference between a standard and a "sweet" 16?

Since I plan to hunt with this gun I assume I should make sure I'm getting the 2 3/4 rather than 2 9/16.

Anything else I should really be watching for?

Thanks for the info.

The Sweet 16 is a bit lighter than the Standard. This is done by drilling the barrel ring, or making a slimmer shaped barrel ring for 1972 and later guns.

The receiver has additional milling, and the butt stock also is hollowed under the butt plate to help reduce weight.

The trigger is gold, as well as the safety if it is in the front of the trigger housing.

Sweet 16s were not marked Sweet until 1948-49, so one would have to look for all the above for the first 11-12 years of production to be sure of what you have.

I'd prefer a 2.75" gun, but wouldn't pass on a nice 2 9/16 gun if the price was right. If it were really nice, I wouldn't even worry about chambering. Anything post WWII is going to be a 2.75" gun anyways...and plenty of earlier guns have been converted.

Thanks bgold.

Where the ventilated rib barrels an option, or availble after a certain date? I see most of the older ones don't seem to have them.

Luckily there seems to be a decent number of "shooters" around to be had.

Vent ribbed barrels were always available on the Sweet, along with several other options. When I got into A5s, I thought I really wanted vent rib barrels, but found that I really preferred how the plain (or plain matted) barrels felt. I live with vent ribs on the Inv/Inv+ Jap A5 barrels if I want to shoot steel, although I don't have one for a 16ga. Just food for thought.

Cheaper liking plain barrels as well, as vent rib barrels bring a premium.

BTW: Vent ribs are shorter on the Sweet as compared to the Standard 16.

I've got 3 Sweet 16's in the safe, would not part with any of them. One of them has a factory "Cylinder" choke (marked ***). You may not believe what it will do with an ounce of 8's.
Later
Kevin

I got one that my maternal Grandfather bought for me. He got it way before I was even a glint in my dad's eyes, but when I turned 10, it went to me, even though he passed away when I was 4.He had told my mom and Grandmother that he had bought it with his first grandson in mind. He was hunting with it when he died from a heart attack.Needless to say, it will never be for sale or trade. It's SN is 49xxx and it has the 4 1/2" chamber. The barrel is marked 16-65. How would I go about having it altered to use the 2 3/4" shells?
Thanks,

Frank

On the post above, I meant that it has the 2 1/2" chamber.