A5

Phil Nowack

Phil Nowack

Well-known member
Well.... I survived a gun show today.... It was touch and go for a while....

Unfortunately... Or... Fortunately... I found a beautiful A5. I thought it was a 1958.. but now I think it was made in 1964. It is a magnum 12. The blueing is 100%. A few marks on the stock... Overall I am pretty pleased and the price was right.
 
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Brownings are fascinating guns, much in-line with their inventor.

A 1964 Browning Mag-12 will have a 4V after the serial number. A similar A-5 made in 1954 will have a 8V suffix after the serial number.

Source: "Blue Book of Gun Values" -S.P. Fjestad

Check inside the forearm for a paper diagram that directs you on installation of the spacer rings to adjust the gun's ability to shot 3" and light 2 3/4" rounds. It will provide you a reference to gauge whether they are all intact and in sequence.

Congratulations, I have my Dad's 1962 Mag-12 A5 in my gun safe. He used it on geese and pheasants. It is in good shape, other than the damaged spot in the checkering from his wedding band. He was left-handed, so his shooting prowess always impressed us, since he had to deal with the distraction of having an ejected hull popping out in front of his face. He used to joke about it by telling us he had to make that first shot "count"!

The Miroku guns shoot as well as the Belgian manufactured models, they just don't have comparable checkering quality.
 
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A5 is one of the best engineered shotgun ever built. Simple design. Have never had one in for repair, they are like a timex watch.
As for the ring placement, shoot your loads and place rings as needed.
 
That's gotta be sorta like your birthday, Christmas and the opening day of duck season all wrapped in one.

Pictures Please!!
 
Congrats on the find! I shoot my fathers A-5. He bought it new in 1954. It has never failed me. And yes...I shoot the heck out of it. Fresh water...salt water....it points so well and it kills ducks. I would pay any price if they just dusted off the blue prints and made the originals again!!
 
Mike, My cousin bought a new A5, but he still hunts with his old one. He says the old ones point better. I guess he isn't the only person with that feeling.
 
I don't see me hunting with this more than once or twice. It is too nice, and my SBE is EVERYTHING I could want in a shot gun.. AND it just got a new rattle can coat!!!!

How do I tell what choke is in this?




 
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That's a nice one.

* designates full choke (F).
*- designates improved modified choke (IM).
** designates modified choke (M).
**- designates improved cylinder choke (IC).
**$ designates skeet (SK).
*** designates cylinder bore (CYL).
 
Thanks. It is Full Choke...
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The magnum guns with fixed chokes that I ever ran into were choked full. Lead shooters liked tight chokes with 3" loads.

That is a beautiful gun. Good find.
 
I don't see me hunting with this more than once or twice. It is too nice, and my SBE is EVERYTHING I could want in a shot gun.. AND it just got a new rattle can coat!!!!

How do I tell what choke is in this?



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It's beautiful.
 
I also have a Belgian Magnum A-5 20 with a 28" VR barrel, choked modified. I had to look a long time to find one in this configuration with knock-out wood figure, but they do exist.

Phil, Browning.com or Midwest Gunworks both have disassembly diagrams for your shotgun that you can download. Art Isaacson, Art's Gun and Sport, or Midwest Gunworks would be the two facilities I would send a browning to for any work, from refurbishing to repairs and cleaning. Art was a Browning Factory Gunsmith who did not opt to relocate with the company when they moved to Utah. They refurbish side-by-sides and O/Us that I could never even consider for purchase. These two groups are the only facilities I would consider for any cold rust blue work, since it has to be carded-off the metal. I had my 20, as well as a superposed I bought in Texas refurbished by them- absolutely no loss of any of the engraving or hogging-out at screw holes.

I think this was in Ned Schwing's: The Browning Superposed. Herstal, Belgium, FN produced guns had slightly tighter chokes than other shotguns produced in that time period with the same choke designation.
 
Congrats on the find! I shoot my fathers A-5. He bought it new in 1954. It has never failed me. And yes...I shoot the heck out of it. Fresh water...salt water....it points so well and it kills ducks. I would pay any price if they just dusted off the blue prints and made the originals again!!

There are a legion of folks who own and shoot them that would heartily agree with your assessment!

The 1950s series guns that Browning marketed via FN production were some the finest production guns made, particularly the A-5 and Superposed models...very slim and trim forearms and stock wrists that have great balance, as well as fit and finish.
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