Browning A-5 question

Capt. John

Capt. John

Active member
Hey guys, I just picked up an A-5 magnum with a fixed full choke and plain barrel. I looked up the numbers and it was manufactured in 1960. It is in neer mint shape. Looks like it was purchased and set in a closet for 52 years. I want to use it on a limited basis for ducks but also want to keep it original because its in such good shape. Ive been researching it as best as I can online and Ive seen all over that you cant shoot steel through it but my question is why? I cant seem to find this answer. Is it a safety issue or will it break the action due to the fast loads? And as a second part of the question, is there a safe alternative to steel (hevi shot) or something else I can use for ducks? It would be a shame to only shoot doves with such a great waterfowl piece. Ive seen there are a lot of guys on here that shoot them, please give me your thoughts. Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
John
 
Congrats on a Great gun John.

I shot a Mag twelve (1966 Model) from 1978 till 2008. Mine was a Modified choke and when steel became the law I just never shot anything larger than Steel #3's. You will have to set the gun up for light loads to shoot anything but Mag Shells.

Belgium Gun steel is much softer than modern steel. The barrels are thiner on Belguim guns also. Much softer than steel shot. The main problem is You will get a ring bulge at the choke forcing cone. Worst case is the barrel will split.

I shoot Heavy shot Classic double in my Belgium Superposed.

Below is a 1960 NIB I use to own.

CopyofOldPhotos001.jpg


And one of my old 1966.


nov102005.jpg

 
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Thank you Rob, so it looks like I need to hunt down some classic doubles. Have you ever shot just plain hevi-shot? Just curious if the softer metal would alleviate the problem of bulging the barrel. Also, from seeing your previous posts while searching old threads I see your quite the expert on old brownings. With this one I just picked up it has a flat finish blueing not a gloss blueing. Do you know if they produced them in this finish or do you think the gun was reblued? I have no real background on the gun, found it at a pawn shop. Everything on the gun is extremely clean including the wood. It will not break my heart if it has in fact been reblued but I would like to find out if possible. Here is a picture of the reciever. Thanks again
100_0338.jpg

 
Thank you Rob, so it looks like I need to hunt down some classic doubles. Have you ever shot just plain hevi-shot? Just curious if the softer metal would alleviate the problem of bulging the barrel. Also, from seeing your previous posts while searching old threads I see your quite the expert on old brownings. With this one I just picked up it has a flat finish blueing not a gloss blueing. Do you know if they produced them in this finish or do you think the gun was reblued? I have no real background on the gun, found it at a pawn shop. Everything on the gun is extremely clean including the wood. It will not break my heart if it has in fact been reblued but I would like to find out if possible. Here is a picture of the reciever. Thanks again
100_0338.jpg
Click to expand...


John, I think Regular heavy shot is harder than steel. All 1960 Belgium Made Brownings came from the factory with a Deep Rich Rust Blue. That changed in the mid 1960's.

Im going to say it a Reblue John. The zig zag line engraved around the reciever looks Polished. Most guns are heavy polished before a reblue. I could tell for sure with a close up photo. Either way You have a Great gun.
 
John, another option, albeit not cheap is to install a new barrel. This would offer the Steel safe, variable chokes, the raised rib, but would also require either a modification to the forestock or a new forestock. The new barrel is larger and I am told does not fit the Belgium made forestock.

If you are going to hunt it, I would change to a composite stock for hunting anyway. I went through 2 forestocks and a butt stock on mine before I went to a composite stock. Magnum loads just cracked the fancy walnut stocks. While very pretty, they don't take the abuse my duck gun must!

I bought my A-5 Mag used, came with a slug barrel. I added the shot barrel when I got it. I bought the 26", wish I had the 28", but love mine, has been my duck gun for some 25 years I think?
 
Rich, thank you. You just answered my next question I think. If you bore out the choke this will solve the problem? I wondered about this option as well. Rob, I just went and looked really close. You nailed it. The zig zag line is in fact a little filled in. Not much but you can see it. And some spots are just a little polished out on the engraving. They did a great job on it.
 
I am not a gunsmith, and I rarely stay at a Holiday Inn Express, but opening the choke, is different then lengthening the forcing cone to address the barrel bulge issue. My understanding is the forcing cone is at the breach end of the barrel, as the shot exists the shell?
 
I shoot an a5 light twelve also. I purchased a hastings barrel for it. I dont think Hastings makes the barrels anymore for the a5. Thats what you need to find. You can also look for a Jap barrel as well. The choke can be opened up, as many of the guys I hunt with have. Im not concerned with hurting value,the gun fits me perfect and I can hit what Im pointing at. Thats the real value to me. I have 4 of them and a Benneli super black jammer as well. Bob
 
John, One word answer BISMUTH. I have an old Mod 12 and that is what I shoot in it, it is full choke and old. No problems at all, bismuth is softer than steel and shoots like lead. I love bismuth and also shoot it in my muzzleloader. Good luck, I am not much of an A-5 fan but they are cool. Shoot it in good health. I suppose you will want a leaking wood boat and wool coat to go with it;-)
 
Jap barrels will not fit on the Belgium Browings
Click to expand...

They will fit Mike. You will have to shave some wood off the forend if you use a barrell with invector plus chokes. Those barrels are over bored and thicker.


I miss spoke. The ring bulge is where the choke starts. Not at the forcing cone.

Yes, opening up the choke you could use smaller steel shot like #3 and smaller.
 
This is why I LOVE coming to this site. Awesome answers in short order. Thank you all for the help. Tom, the old belgium gun was the last piece of the puzzle for me. I'm trying to bring back a bit of family history. I've got the old wood/glass sculler and the wool jacket. Someday I want to graduate to a nice BSS but for now its gonna be the A-5. Guess I need to start looking for good gunsmiths around Austin and pick their brains. Thank you all for the help. Rob, its scary how much you know about these things. We dont live to far apart, maybe you can come down for a coast hunt this year?
 
I had an A-5 magnum that was a Belgium receiver with a jap choke tube barrel. I didn't put it together but it was a fine shooter. Tungsten matrix or bismuth will both work with the full choke barrel. If you open the choke I would look at lite mod. and you will have to set the friction rings to shoot lighter loads even with 3" steel.
 
I have an A5 from the early 1970's. I put a Jap barrel on it in the 80's and it worked fine without any modifications.
I just looked at it and the unattached Belgian barrel to make sure my memory was not failing me. I have not picked the gun up since 1992 when I bought a SBE.
 
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