Does anyone have Experience hunting with Browning Semi-Auto Shotguns?

W

Werner

Active member
Does anyone have any experience on the water hunting with the following shotguns: Automatic 5 Magnum, Auto 5, Maxus, and Gold 3 1/2?

I bought a 99% Gold Hunter 3 1/2 30" in the box but gave this to my son for Christmas last year. (After figuring out what size loads and dram to run through Gold, we only get about 1 jam per 50 rounds on the clay range. I have yet to clean the spring in the stock.)

I was looking at some very lightly used Japanese Automatic 5 Magnums in 30" and 32" in fixed full choke or the Invector choke.

I understand these firearms are recoil operated. I was wondering if the recoil operation made following through on the 2nd and 3rd shot more difficult than other firearms mentioned above. Also I was curious about cleaning this firearm.

My other curiosity is about the impact of cold weather and moisture on the operation of all 4 firearms listed above.

I believe the A5 is inertia operated. I have handled these and I like them. I understand the Maxus is gas operated (like the Gold) and I handled this firearm but thought it might be a shade too light -but I have never fired one from the seated position in a boat.

What is anyone's experience with these firearms firing from a boat duck hunting or goose hunting? I would welcome any input.

(By the way Thank You for your input about the Personal Flotation Devices. I found it most helpful.)

Regards
 
make sure your gold colored piece in the forearm is real clean the stuff they put on it to ship it will make it hang up
if you shot it alot the spring in the stock may need replaced surecycle is the way to go all stainless
 
I'm shooting a Maxus this year and absolutely love the gun. The weight makes it very easy to swing. Another selling point for me over the new a5 was the magazine cut off. At first I thought it was a gimmick but after having the gun in the field, and shooting at a mixing bag of waterfowl in this current mid season, it's handy to be able to pop in a goose load without having to unload the mag. The gun has never had an issue cycling. It has roughly 300 rounds through it between trap/skeet and field use. I cleaned and lubed it the day I brought it home with quality products and haven't cleaned it since. I have removed the fore grip, which is easy as cake btw, to check out the piston and springs and they have just a small haze of carbon on them. I'm sure this can be attributed by using high quality ammo that doesn't contain dirty powder, though.
 
My input would be that there are much better options, both of which start with the same letter as Browning.
 
All great guns. Go to a local range and ask the guys there to try their guns. All have different systems, that's why we have many to choose from. Just think if you may need repairs or parts, how available are they in your area.
 
I haven't actually hunted with them but I've never had a factory gun fit me better than the new inertia Auto-5. I am a pump gun guy at heart but if I was looking for a new semi that one would be at the top of the list!
 
Werner, I have shot a Belgium A5 Magnum for the past 25 years or so. It is my waterfowl gun. It will shoot 3" duck loads all day long. It does not like light loads but I have not spent much effort in tuning it for them. The inertia action only noticeable the first time you shoot it. I have shot gas action autos and find no difference between them with respect to 2nd and 3rd shots. 2 years ago I had my first part failure. $18 later, Brownell had the part, and I repaired myself. It is a little intimidating to disassemble and clean the first time. But there is a series of youTube videos that make it real easy. I do a complete teardown now at the end of the season, and only wipe it down each day. I keep my eye open for another just to have in the safe, but I can't imagine I will use up this gun in my lifetime. As the years go by there are a few more scratches, and some slight surface rust/pitting appearing, but for a 50+ year old gun, and being a waterfowler it is really in good condition. I did install a composite stock as I broke both a forearm and butt stock on it when I first got it. The fancy wood was too expensive to keep that up. The plastic stock is no fuss, no muss.
 
I've had a Browning Maxus for a few years now......My opinion: THE ABSOLUTE BEST WATERFOWL SHOTGUN!
I've had 2 misfires out of 1000+ rounds, and they were from cheap range ammo during sporting clays....the primer was clearly dented, but no fire.
The "speed load" option is awesome! The take-down lever on fore grip is super easy.
And being gas-operated, it cycles EVERYTHING!
(just my opinions)
 
I have hunted with my browning Gold 3 1/2 for about 20 years. I have also shot 20,000 rounds through it, skeet, 5 stand and sporting. I found that it needed cleaning every 200 to 250 rounds and needed a dry Teflon based lube. The cleaning is quick, hose everything down with brake cleaner, scrub the carbon off the silver magazine tube (should be a bright shiny silver, no black) the gas cylinder rides on, allow to air dry, then lube, allow that to air dry and reassemble. I am not a big fan of light loads but it cycled my 1 once and 1 1/8 once reloads fine. It also cycled 7/8 once reloads but I have never shot many of those.
A few years back I started running into an issue cycling (1 in 25 to 1 in 50) and retired it from the range and only used it hunting. I missed be a one gun guy, so this year I dug into the cycling issue. I replaced the recoil spring and tube with a sure cycle, because the was considerable gaulling of the follower. I still had issues but they were much fewer (1 in 50 to 1 in 100). Replacing the O ring solved those and now as long as I clean it once every 200 to 250 rounds there no issues.
I do recommend extended choke tubes as I find they are easier to change and check.
Great gun, I would buy another if I can find one for my son, but that is a few years away and he may have other ideas.
 
Weather and moisture will have no affect (or is it effect) on the Auto 5. It's one of my favorite firearms, if you decide not to buy the Mag with Invector barrel please send me the link.

It's been 7 years since I've fired a gas powered auto, all of my guns are either doubles, pumps or recoil/inertia, but I don't notice any difference in muzzle jump between any of them.
 
I've hunted with a Belgium made A-5 since the late 80's, early 90's. I love my A-5 ! The inertia operation is not noticeable to me as much as a gas operated action.

I've had a lot of people say don't shoot steel through it but I have shot #2 and BB without a problem to date. Its choked Improved Modified.

Do not disassemble without detailed instructions or a DVD guide. :)

I bought a Browning Gold Light 10 gauge earlier this year. Unfortunately, I've only had the opportunity to fire it once this season. There are just no ducks showing up in my area of west, central Indiana.

Gunbroker and Armslist can be your best friend in your search, as well as the classifieds of the waterfowl forums.

Good Luck !
 
Not moderns semi's...but my mid 80s Japanese a5 light 12 has taken plenty of birds. Was a present from dad for my 13th birthday. Nothing short of reliable. I have particularly great results with a Carlson's mid range choke and Blackcloud ammo in 3 shot. Best of luck.
 
My main hunting gun for many years has been a Belgium made A5 magnum. Had it tapped for thin wall chokes when steel came in. Haven't found a better gun to date, but you won't be shooting trap loads with it.
 
Hi Braden.......Have you been shooting steel out of your A5 Mag? If so, have you seen any ill effects? Are the barrels thick enough to have the choke opened up to say improved modified or improved cylinder? I love the nostalgic looks of those guns and have tried to talk myself into one on more than one occasion.
 
Hello MLogan89

The Browning Gold has a magazine cut-off. I found that to be a handy feature to use after loading.

I flip the cut-off and throw back the bolt clearing the firearm of a round in the chamber. In this way anyone can see that the firearm is clear. Further the firearm will not cycle unless the magazine cut-off is returned to the off position. I found this to be a good safety feature.

The Automatic 5 has the same feature. That is one feature lacking from the new A-5 that I wish Browning would have incorporated.

I did find 1 or 2 times shooting my son's Gold (with his permission of course as it is his gun) that I engaged the magazine cut-off during Sporting Clays. However I have not read anyone encountering the same issue with the Maxus. Have you had this happen to you?

I do like the quick release on the Maxus forearm and the gun appears easy to clean. I have read nothing but good reports on how the Maxus works with various loads. There are a couple of good Youtube Videos on the Maxus.

So you see the light weight as a bonus. I guess I just got too used to firing an Over-Under with the weight of two barrels. I am glad to see you are happy with your Maxus.

I passed up one of these at a gun show that was a stalker model 28" 3 1/2 with no box and no scratches or dings for $800. Yep. Now I am wondering if made a mistake in not buying it.
 
Tod,

I have one of those options starting with B but it is a 26" O/U. I wanted to try something new -I have given the Beretta family some business. My wife even bought the Beretta coffee table book.

I guess I am afraid of banging up the O/U. Their forearm and stock replacement prices are rich. Of course one of my co-workers said, "They are for shooting not looking at." He is right of course. Maybe I am just rationalizing an excuse for a new addition.
 
Hi Cody,

That is what caught my attention on the new A-5. That shotgun just fits nice. My eye drops right down the barrel when I shoulder that firearm.

The prices are kind-of-high when compared to other options -I am always trying to save a buck.

I even got the nickname "El Cheapo" from my brother which I learned my nephew referred to me when talking with his father :)
 
I've never accidentally operated the magazine cut off, it tucks up nicely against the receiver when it is disengaged. I haven't hunted with heavy gloves yet this year, but I don't see it being a problem. I'm not sure I'd rely on it as a safety per say... The reason I say that is because when you engage the magazine cut off, pull the bolt back and empty the chamber the gun is now in position that it's ready for speed loading. If that magazine cut off somehow got hit, a shell is going to load quicker than you're going to know what happened. Now you're going to have a chambered shell.

The gun breaks down extremely well. I can rip the gun apart in the field using no tools (unless the trigger assembly needed to come out) to clear the gun if a serious jam were to happen. This, again, was another huge advantage in my eyes.

The weight is a huge plus in my opinion. At first, I was nervous about the weight and feeling extra recoil. I can tell you the gun has minimal recoil. Prior to this, I owned a Mossberg 935. The 935 was manageable with 3" loads however with a 3.5" goose load it hurt. I've shot a 3.5" BB with the maxus and to be honest I am shocked at how the gun handled itself. Shooting 3" #2 at passing/decoying Ducks, I do not get any noticeable muzzle rise or get thrown off target between trigger pulls.

I picked mine up for $1,375.00 during the period when browning was offering $75 rebate on the maxus. The gun shop I purchased from was also running a special on the maxus that weekend only, where I got a free box of waterfowl load of my choice and a free soft case. Mine is the 28" 3 1/2 with the mossy oak shadow grass blades coloring. The duratouch finish makes the gun very grippy also. It's got a rubberized kind of feeling to it.
 
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