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BROWNING A-5 MAG

BAKSAM3BAKSAM3 Member Posts: 37 ✭✭
edited January 2002 in General Discussion
I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A 11-87 SUPER MAG FOR DUCKS & GEESE,I REALLY LIKE IT. BUT A FRIEND HAS A BELGIUM MADE BROWNING A-5 MAGNUM IT HAS A 30 IN. BARREL&FULL CHOKE IT IS ABOVE 90%,HETOLD ME IT WILL ONLY 3 IN. MAGS WITH AT LEAST 4 DR. EQ. POWDER TO MAKE IT CYCLE PROPERLY, HE WANTS TO TRADE BECAUSE HE WILL NOT TAKE IT OUT IN DUCK WEATHER AND REALY I DONT KNOW THAT I WOULD, IT LOOKS THAT GOOD,BESIDES HOW WILL THE FULL CHOKE BARREL HANDLE STEEL SHOT, DO I TRADE OR NOT HHHHHHHEEEEELLLLLPPPPPPPPPP
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Comments

  • PupPup Member Posts: 217 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What'd you pay for the 11-87? If it's about the same or less than an Auto-5's worth then I'd say trade. My father has 3 of these and they're of the highest quality. As for only shooting 3 inchers, the top two friction rings need to be removed from the top of the recoil spring on the magazine tube, after removing the forend. Then it should cycle well with most 2 3/4 loads although light target loads might not eject. I really can't say for sure the effects of steel shot on these older Brownings. I've had many tell me they're not proofed for steel shot and shouldn't be used. If that's the case you may need to buy an auto-5 barrel with the Invector choke tubes. I've been looking around for one recently and the price isn't cheap, around $300 or so which is almost half the value of the gun in the first place.
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  • simonbssimonbs Member Posts: 994 ✭
    edited November -1
    You said you bought the Rem for hunting, but you might not want to hunt with the Browning. That would answer that question for me.
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  • Miss. CreantMiss. Creant Member Posts: 300 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Pup is 100% right. The Browning will work fine when it is put together right. i use mine for sporting clays with no problems using factory AA sporting clay and/or trap loads. Belgium Barrels are not for steel.
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  • Spring CreekSpring Creek Member Posts: 1,260 ✭
    edited November -1
    Belgium barrel in Full Choke will "NOT" handle steel shot!NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM!DO NOT even try it.You will have a ring/bulge in the barrel exactly at the start of the choke restriction area.A Jap barrel, in Full Choke, on the same gun, will work.I sh*t you not, you will have a worthless barrel if you try it.
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  • timberbeasttimberbeast Member Posts: 1,738 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Turn the friction rings, as was stated above, and you should be able to shoot 2&3/4. Remember to turn them back for heavy loads, unless you want some very heavy recoil. Been shooting (2) full choke Belgium A-5's for at least 15 years with steel shot, one is from 1939. I'm talking full-season duck hunting, at least 300 rounds a year, magnum loads with BB shot. Barrels are just fine. I have two partners who shoot A-5 Belgiums as well, full choke with steel, one is from the 50's, one from the early 60's. Both hunt more than I do. Their barrels are fine as well. This can be a hot topic. I've lived it, not just read it, and I will continue to shoot steel. Every time I hunt ducks or geese. Listen to the opinions and make your own choice!
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  • PupPup Member Posts: 217 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Wow....two completely different replies from Spring Creek and timberbeast. Are there any gunsmiths/armorors/engineers that can give us a definitive answer on using these older barrels for steel? I'd hate myself for ruining such a fine gun, and I'd hate myself for not shooting it all this time if it was ok to do so. My main source for this kind of info says the older guns were designed around the paper wads that were used in the days before plastic ones, so that the chokes are actually a bit tighter than what modern designs call for. Since steel doesn't "give" as much as lead, if it gives at all, that's why it's hard on these guns. I'd really appreciate knowing for sure what to do.
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I thought you'd already answered your own question, you said you didnt know if youd want to use it for hunting, so if you make the trade anyway, just dont worry about takeing it hunting, use it for trap on nice days and skeet on nicer days, no steel in that, eh?
    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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  • Richie RichRichie Rich Member Posts: 439 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Timberbeast, I just became a a-5 owner today thanks to a az gun show. I got a what i belive to be a very old one would you be willing to swap some info with me to try and guess when it was made. I went to the browning site and it looks to be of the 1903-1939 era.xploringaz@yahoo.com thanks in advance.RichPs: any a-5 help is welcome
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  • timberbeasttimberbeast Member Posts: 1,738 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Richie, I found out when mine was made from a gunsmith older than the gun, he had a contact somewhere. With my old Winchesters and Remingtons, I just wrote the companies and they sent me a list of serial numbers and years, easy as that. I don't know if Browning does that. Capt. Kirk would probably know. Mine has a solid, matted rib, no engraving on the receiver. Also, the barrel of a newer model will NOT interchange. I believe there were 3 different barrels made throughout the years, and they won't swap.Other info which may help:On top of the rib, on a flat, it says: "Browning Arms Company, Ogden, Utah" all in capitals. On the left side of the barrel, just under the fore-end, it says: "Full 12 Special Steel", all in caps, plus various proof stampings. On the left of the receiver, all in caps again, it says "Fabrique Nationale Darmes De Guerre Herstal Belgique", and underneath that, in smaller lettering: "BROWNING S PATENT DEPSCC". The serial # is found underneath by the loading port, and is 107XXX. Hope this helps!
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  • Richie RichRichie Rich Member Posts: 439 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Timber, mine is alot like yours but it is a 16. Same rib on top solid with the same stamp on top, also I have the safty in front of the trigger guard which you push with your finger and the serial # on mine is 54xxx. are these guns plugged or not? and I hear/read about some pressure ring or something you adjust to shoot light or heavy loads do the older guns have that??thanks rich
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  • sandman2234sandman2234 Member Posts: 894 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Browning A-5 MAGNUM. I purchased it because it would shoot 3 and 2.75 shells. Was getting ready for a trip to Nebraska, so I bought a couple cases of field load 2.75" shells and headed for the skeet range. Gun would not cycle. Gun would not cycle. Gun would not cycle. Went home, called Browning, ready to chew some tail on the (pretty) piece of junk they sold me. They politely informed me (and showed me on the website), plus in the owner's manuel that the MAGNUM WILL NOT SHOOT LIGHT OR MEDIUM LOAD 2.75" SHELLS. Two and three quarter HEAVY loads and 3"magnum loads is all it will shoot according to Browning. Having bought all that ammo, I bought a few more in heavy, and alternated the shells, so I could at least shoot them up. Check with Browning, but don't expect to shoot Winchester AA's in that gun.
    Have Gun, will travel
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  • Miss. CreantMiss. Creant Member Posts: 300 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I got to call bull on that. I shoot a browning A-5 magnum for sporting clays. I shoot thousands of rounds every years. I use only WinAA shells. No problems at all. My best friend shoots the same gun with the same shells. We buy the Win AA shells at walmart and shoot away. Have you used light iol on the magazine tube? The only shells it will not cycle are the very lightest trap or target loads. But the average field or game or competition load is not problem. They also cycle Cabelas,Seller and Belliot and federal 2 3/4 shells just fine. My A-5 magnum owners manual even states the gun will cycle these if set up and lubed properly.
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  • sandman2234sandman2234 Member Posts: 894 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Without starting a war, I will retract my statement about the Winchester AA shells. I currently shoot them in another Browning gun but that is not the shells that I tried to shoot in my Magnum Twelve. I looked, but do not have any more of the Pheasant/upland gamebird loads that I was referring to. However, If your gun is stamped "Magnum Twelve" on the receiver, Browning tells me that it will not shoot field load 2.75" shells. I did not want to purchase another gun to take with me on that trip, and if it could have been made to work, I am sure Browning would have explained to me that I needed to oil the bronze rings. They didn't. I bought a different gun. They may have changed their position concerning this after this happened, and before your gun was made, I don't know. Or they may have discovered that a little oil on the mag tube would allow it to shoot the lighter loads, to a point. I don't know. I spent enough time on the phone with Browning to cost them the price of the gun in employee wages and was told that. I was also showed on their website, under the sales info for that gun. I cleaned the gun, put it away and have not shot it since. There are several guns available that will out perform the Magnum Twelve, which is why it stays in the box. Enjoy yours, and good luck with the light and medium 2.75" shells. Sandman2234
    Have Gun, will travel
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  • timberbeasttimberbeast Member Posts: 1,738 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Richie, mine has the friction ring adjustment, but I can't remember how to switch them, because I only use it for waterfowl, and use only heavy loads. They used to glue a piece of paper inside the forearm with the instructions. If I shoot trap with it, I just eject the shell by hand, and put another in, making it a defacto single shot. You'se other guys, these aren't Magnum 12's, they are the old 2 3/4 guns. Aren't the Magnum 12's Japanese??Richie, mine has the same safety yours does. It's beat up honestly and nicely, and I won't duck hunt without my ole' humpback! Somebody tell Richie how to turn the friction rings!!! And, yes the action does need a good coat of oil on the mag tube!
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  • timberbeasttimberbeast Member Posts: 1,738 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Woops forgot, Richie. Is it plugged? Not sure what you mean, I have a plug in so I can only shoot 3 shells, the waterfowl law in WI (may be federal). I just cut a piece of dowel for a plug, it stays in, because it's my duck gun. If you want to find out if there is a plug in yours, just unscrew the cap at the top of the forearm (hold the barrel down, the spring is stong!). When the cap is off, let the barrel come up and remove forearm, and look in the magazine tube. If there is a plug, you'll see it and will be able to drop it out. You may see a piece of paper glued inside the forearm wood, which will explain the friction ring adjustment to you. I have heard that some pre-WW2 A-5's came with 3-round magazines, though I've never seen one. Also, I think the Magnum 12 came out around the early sixties??? I believe the gun (A-5) itself was introduced around 1900. Good shootin', Merry Christmas from the insomniac!
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  • Richie RichRichie Rich Member Posts: 439 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I took it apart and no paperwork but I found it on the browning website. and I libbed it up also and cleaned it. the bore is realy shinny,it has been refinished and reblued, the blueing was done very well and looks factory new. I have always wanted one of these great a-5's and for 250. It will make a good shooter. Now I have to buy some 16 ga. since I got ride of my model 37 ithaca I gave my brother all the 16 I had. I hope it cycles okay I know they great guns.Merry Christmas to all.Rich
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  • Miss. CreantMiss. Creant Member Posts: 300 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Merry Cristmas!The following is word for word from my Browning A-5 Field service manual and mirriors what is in my A-5 owners manualLUBRICATION OF THE MAGAZINE TUBEWhether the friction ring is set for heavy loads or light loads, the amount and kind of oil on the magazine tube will, by varying the amount of friction, have an effect upon the amount of recoil. in general, the more oil that is put on the magazine tube (or broze friction piece), the easier this friction piece will slide on the tube; hence a greater degree of recoil will be obtained.If you are firing a light load and the gun fails to eject, the addition of oil to the magazine tube in the region of the bronze friction piece will sufficiently increase recoil to a point satisfactory for good ejection.The book also says the magazine tube is one of the lubrication points of the gun upon cleaning and re-assembley.Remember this gun is recoil operated and how you hold it makes a differance. Mine will not cycle my clay bird shells if I hold it loosely with one or both hands and fire it from the hip. But with it held firmly against the shoulder it works every time.Good shooting!
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  • Richie RichRichie Rich Member Posts: 439 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Okay here is the deal,the above mentioned a-5 16 ga.(belgium) when I shoot 2.75 in it the were hanging up. What I mean by that is this: the spent shell is getting stuck in the ejetion port like it is to long,it did this with 3 different brand of ammo.?????help please Rich
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  • timberbeasttimberbeast Member Posts: 1,738 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    That happened with mine. It needed some work on the bolt, as I recall, it cost me about 60 bucks. Before that, make sure your loads are heavy enough for how you have the friction rings set and lube the magazine tube. Maybe this is a common problem with guns of this vintage? Had mine fixed about 8 years ago, no trouble since.
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  • Richie RichRichie Rich Member Posts: 439 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Timber, I don't think my rings adjust. It is simply a brass ring and another ring of some-sort over it. I did lube it good before shooting, however the one thing is I was only shooting low-brass/game loads no heavy gameloads maybe I should find some high brass and try that. That would stink to have to shoot high brass all the time,(good thing for the 2 20 ga.'s.
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  • RedlegRedleg Member Posts: 417 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You should have 2 rings. One is a wide brass friction ring and the other is a smaller ring with a beveled inside like this:\_______/You can either place the small ring next to the reciever (at the base of the magazine tube, with the flat portion of the ring against the spring so that your gun is set up this way (from reciever to magazine cap: small ring, recoil spring, brass friction ring, barrel ring, magazine cap. In this configuration, you can shoot light loads.Or you cans set your gun up this way: Recoil spring, small beveled ring, brass friction ring, barrel ring, magazine cap. This will allow you to shoot heavier loads. Just make sure that the flat side of the beveled ring is against the recoil spring.And, by barrel ring, I mean the part of the barrel that slides over the magazine tube. Hope this helps.
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  • RedlegRedleg Member Posts: 417 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Oh, yeah...as for shooting steel through Belgian barrels... I've been hunting with my Dad's old light 12 (ser number is under 800) and I've put thousands of rounds of steel through it with absolutely no cosmetic deformation of the muzzle. And this thing has a fixed choke.
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  • sandman2234sandman2234 Member Posts: 894 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The friction ring paper that goes inside the forearm is available from Browning. Shredded mine first time out. Got another one from them in the mail. The problem with the 16ga may be the same we were having with 3 or 4 of the Double Auto's (same recoil principle) Even though they looked clean, we had them checked out because they kept "hanging up" a shell half extracted. Gunsmith friend cleaned them, send them back. Nothing else wrong. He mumbled something about that damn wd-40. None of them have done it since. Don't have anything against wd-40, but I quit using it on the guns. The statement about the MAGNUM TWELVES being Jap guns is correct, at least with mine also. I hope most of the people realize that not all a-5's are magnum twelves. It should say MAGNUM TWELVE on the receiver, or it is just another one (of Billions) of A-5's
    Have Gun, will travel
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