VermontHunter Posted January 28, 2005 Report Share Posted January 28, 2005 If you are unsure of it's saftey have a gunshop check it over to see if it is still safe to use.... Still it's a great herloom to have regardless... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted January 28, 2005 Report Share Posted January 28, 2005 Re: Old shotgun What's the concern? Did it fire ok last season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted January 28, 2005 Report Share Posted January 28, 2005 Re: Old shotgun Don't know for sure, but I think the A-5 Brownings were invented around the late 1930's. I would think it would be fine, but as stated earlier, take it to a gunsmith if you're unsure about its safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted January 28, 2005 Report Share Posted January 28, 2005 Re: Old shotgun i dont think it would be from the 1800s. the year i had in mind is about the same idea as tominator. put a post up in the shotgun room and AJ should be able to help you out. i dont see any reason not to shoot it unless that it was not firing properly last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 28, 2005 Report Share Posted January 28, 2005 Re: Old shotgun Yep, take it to a gunsmith if you are not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted January 29, 2005 Report Share Posted January 29, 2005 Re: Old shotgun [ QUOTE ] ok guys I had it checked out and they said I can use but I can not use Saboth Shells in it, no big deal I Have remington shells, I do have a question though should I still look around for another shotgun to use next year or should I stay with what I have? [/ QUOTE ] comp-- A sabot shell is used for deer hunting. It's a type of shell, typically some sort of slug used for deer hunting. A Sabot is not a brand name like Remington. Most A-5's are prized possessions as they don't make the Belgian models anymore. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot it at all unless I was afraid of damaging it in some way. I had a buddy who had an early Belgian model A 5 in 16 gauge. believe it or not, he traded it for a Ruger 22.250. He's told me a few times it was a trade he regrets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archerjg Posted January 29, 2005 Report Share Posted January 29, 2005 Re: Old shotgun Sabot slugs are a type of slug like a rifled slug not a name brand like Remington, Federal, or Winchester. Sabot Slugs are usually fired from rifled barrels or smoothbore barrels with rifled chokes. The rifled slugs are usually fired from smoothbore barrels. Archerjg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browning_gold_12 Posted January 29, 2005 Report Share Posted January 29, 2005 Re: Old shotgun where is the saftey on this gun? if it is a normal crossbolt (button) type saftey, it is probably at the oldest, from th 50's. if it has the saftey that pushes forward from the center of the trigger guard, it could be from the late 20's or 30's. i have one with the latter saftey mentioned, serial # 90822, and it was manufactured in the mid 30's. i shoot it all the time. hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13littleones Posted January 29, 2005 Report Share Posted January 29, 2005 Re: Old shotgun If the gun is safe.....use it... your grandfather didn't hand it down to you for it to collect dust lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted January 30, 2005 Report Share Posted January 30, 2005 Re: Old shotgun I just read my Field & Stream and see that the A-5 made the 50 best list (of course), and I also see that it debuted in 1903 actually. . Sorry if I lead you astray there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedicast Posted January 30, 2005 Report Share Posted January 30, 2005 Re: Old shotgun My dad has a 12 gauge Belgium A5 from the mid 50's. What a sweet gun! Good looking, good handling, they don't make them like that anymore!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Re: Old shotgun Your gun is not a magnum. It will only take shells that are 2 3/4" long. You should not use 3" ammo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WABS Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Re: Old shotgun I've got a couple A-5s -- lots of good info on the Browning website. Using the serial number you get find out when it was made. I've got a Magnum model (12 gauge), it was my Dad's and it came with a 32 inch barrel, full choke. When I got it from my Dad I went ahead and bought another barrel (with chokes) for my peace of mind when shooting steel goose loads through it. If you're interested in shooting sabots through the gun (if it's in good condition), you could always buy a rifled barrel for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WABS Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Re: Old shotgun Went to the Browning Website -- and this is what it has for 1903-1939 Beginning with Serial Number 1 to approximately 228,000. Exact production figures are not available. Year of manufacture on Pre-World War II production is strictly a guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Re: Old shotgun Go here for your serial number, http://www.browning.com/services/dategun/detail.asp?id=13 Go here and scroll down into the Historic Manuals and download the Auto-5 Light Thats what you have. My father has a Browning A-5 Light 12. http://www.browning.com/products/manuals/index.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Re: Old shotgun [ QUOTE ] AJ the serial number is 205xxx when was it made, and also what else can u tell me about this gun. [/ QUOTE ] Your gun was made in 1938. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Re: Old shotgun You can save a little getting it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WABS Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Re: Old shotgun I don't remember where I purchased my new barrel, might have been Hastings, but it was right at $300, that I do remember. Old memory ain't what it used to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbonhunter Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Re: Old shotgun Comppro...no offence ment but if you start doing searches on the internet for this info you will be suprised at the amount of info allowed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Re: Old shotgun I got the info in the 25th Edition Blue Book of Gun Values. Collectors need to know when particular guns were built. This book lists many dates for collectable guns. Carbonhunter is correct. It's amazing what info you can come up with by doing a simple search in Google . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Re: Old shotgun I shoot slugs from my Belgium A-5. I bought a Hastings barrel and shoot Lightfields slugs out of it. It is deadly accurate!!!!! If you want a Belgium slug barrel the Syracuse gun show is coming up soon. There will be several there. It won't be rifled but Breneke Slugs shoot well out of the Belgium barrel I have as well. Ranger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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