Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

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Fyodor
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Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

Post by Fyodor »

Hi!

Today at my local dealer I saw an old 16 gauge auto 5 shotgun. Obviously used, but seemed intact. When I asked for the price he didn't want to answer, because it was old and had some (or a lot) wear. He said it doesn't run smooth, and repairing such a gun is extremely difficult and expensive.

Is that really the case? I always wanted to have an autoloader shotgun, and I don't have a 16 gauge yet. The browning is an icon by itself, which would be a great add-on.

Does anyone here have some experience in maintaining and repairing auto 5 shotguns? I might step in again next week and try to buy it again, if I see any chance in getting it running again for a decent price.
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Re: Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

Post by RBHarter »

The only thing I can offer would be to contact Browning in Morgan Utah US or FN Belgium. A few yrs ago a full factory rework of a BPS was about $50 less than a new one . If you know exactly what is worn new parts should be obtainable from FN (showing how spoiled we are), you might be able to drive over on a long weekend and pick them up over the counter .

Looking at a 1974 FN Belgium A5 Magnum 12 ga there's not much to wear out and less to lube .
Not smooth is vague at best it may be a c as e of just a dirty gun . Outside of the trigger group there are only 3 springs and about 7 moving parts counting the bbl,bolt, firing pin and extractor .

I worked on a revolver once that acted out of timing turns out there was about a teaspoon of desert dust and 20 yrs of closet crud that had worked inside. An over night soak in a pan of CLP and cycling submerged washed out the crud and restored proper function. In an ironic kind of way the 1917 Colts at that point was cleaner than it had been since 1946 when it was removed from service. At that time upwards of 60 yr .
I find that my working shot guns will begin to get gummy about mid season but they are just as gummy and even less smooth if for some reason they set for 2 yrs.
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Re: Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

Post by jdl447 »

There are 2 adjustments for the operation of the recoil ejection mechanism . One is for heavy loads the other
for light loads.It only consists of three parts, a bronze friction piece, a friction ring and a recoil spring.
If they are positioned wrong the gun won't cycle well.
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Re: Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

Post by oscarflytyer »

I have an A5 clone (Diawa - made by Singer Nikko). Problem in the trigger group. Everyone I ask about working on/repairing the trigger group have mostly balked outright. Only had one guy flat say he ouwld look at it.

Issues I have heard are, don't let anyone into it that is not a Browning 'smith, trigger group is a bear and also they don't like all the set screws. These are some of the reasons it has been sitting idle in my safe for cpl years...
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Re: Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

Post by Fyodor »

Little update:

My dealer also had a "ligth twelve" Browning chambered in 12/70. The blueing is a bit thin but nearly complete, the gun is scratch and dent free, even the checkering on the stock is still sharp and crisp. Only the rubber butt cap got hard and brittle over time, but my dealer will install a new one fitted for me for free. It looks like this gun was taken care of, and it wasn't used a lot.

I got the gun for testing next weekend, and I'll report (including pics) next week.

Unfortunately I won't be able to put it in my safe before November, because of German regulations (as a sports shooter I can only acquire two guns within six months, and I already got two Schofield revolvers ordered that are at least two months late). But if it works fine, I'll pay for the gun and have it stored at the dealer's until I can get my permit to take it home.

@ JDL:
Can you give some more information about the setup of the friction pieces? Thanks!
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Re: Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

Post by jdl447 »

Here is the setup.
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Re: Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

Post by Fyodor »

Here is my pictured report about the gun:
20160416_183047_small.jpg
The blueing on the steel parts got a bit thin, but it's nearly completele there, and the metal has no dents, scratches or other damages.
20160416_183026_small.jpg
The gun is not from the first production, since it does have the rail on top of the barrel. From the small font two-digit number preceeding the serial number, I assume it was made in `63. The gun does have the "quickload" feature, which is nice: The bolt locks open on an empty magazine. Usually you would now load a "quick two", throwing one round into the ejection port, pressing the bolt release, turn the gun upside down and load another round from below through the loading gate. The "quickload" feature makes most of that movement obsolete. When you load the first round through the loading gate, the bolt automatically drops, feeding the round. So you just push two rounds in and continue shooting. No need to push the bolt release, or feed two rounds through different gates.
20160416_183038_small.jpg
The laquer on the wood parts is worn and old. It started getting loose and got some cracks. But the wood itself is in very good shape, also no dents or scratches. The checkering is still sharp and gives a good grip. Neither wood nor metal seems to be reworked, all checkering and stamps are clear and not polished over.
20160416_183031_small.jpg
All in all it's a nice gun, and it worked great, when proper ammo was used. I tested my usual cowboy loads (0.8 oz of lead in front of a low recoil load), and you could feel the action reciprocate, but not enough to fully cycle. Because of the long recoil action this would reduce the gun to a repeating shotgun, but would never cause stovepipes or other annoying failures. It worked great with 1 oz trap loads and with 1.1 oz competition slugs. Unfortunately it won't work with my ultra-short (2.5") 1 oz sport loads, that I use for my winchester pump to get six rounds in. It will fire and cycle, but the bolt catch will engage every round, and the next round won't feed reliably. Too bad, because that means I need a fifth type of shotgun ammo. And shotgun ammo takes up a lot of space.

My conclusion is, I'll definately buy the gun. All I need now is some space for the fifth type of shotgun ammo, a "good cause" to get the permission to buy it, and somehow bridge the waiting period until end of this year until I'm allowed to take it home. At least it's a nice Christmas gift to myself.
20160416_183019_small.jpg
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Re: Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

Post by RBHarter »

I don't envy you the wait . I was frustrated by 6 hrs because of call volume. .....or dealer sand bagging.
Christmas would be an eternity for me . Especially for a wish book gun .

It looks good . Maybe the light ,but it looks to have a bit of patina also. Maybe I'll take some pictures of mine and put them up.
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Re: Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

Post by Fyodor »

It does have some patina, but not a lot. As you can see on the ground, we thought about changing from a shooting to a swimming competition, so the light wasn't good either.

It's very frustrating with these German rules to only be allowed to buy two guns within six months. It's even more frustrating, when the first two guns for this year (I ordered two Schofield revolvers) are already two months later on delivery, which will delay any further gun buys for this year.

But at least we are safe here in Europe, because I can't buy five guns per year...
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Re: Browning Auto 5 16 gauge

Post by RBHarter »

I won't even tell you about my binge the last 6 months. I've been bad very bad , Europe would be traumatized, maybe even on high alert for fear an army might be rising.......er something.
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