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Browning A5 and Sweet 16 Dating

NovexNovex Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
edited September 2004 in Ask the Experts
I have a Browning A5 16 serial# 58462. It has "Browning Arms Company Ogden Utah USA" stamped on it. Also their is foreign writing on it about Darmes De Guerre Hersial. I also have a Sweet 16 serial # 4s25963. It is stamped "Browning Arms Company St. Lewis Mo. & Montreal". They are both Belgium made and have round grips (knobs) on them. Could someone give me a manufactoring date and worth of these shotguns. I can't seem to find anything that makes sense.
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    Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello Novex...

    The Sweet Sixteen was manufactured in 1964. Your other gun was made sometime during the 1930s. Value is highly dependent upon the originality, specific factory features, and most importantly, the condition... none of which have you addressed.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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    NovexNovex Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the quick response. The Sweet 16 has a venilated rib and some wear on the gold trigger. The A5 has no speacial buzzers or whistles. Both guns have good stocks and forearms but the blueing shows some wear. However both barrels on the inside are beautiful and both shoot well.
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    Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    OK... I can see that I need to resort to my second profession... Dentistry[:D] The office is now open.

    What is the barrel length of each[?]
    How is each choked[?]
    What is the chamber length of the older gun[?]
    Do both have their original butt plates (verus an added recoil pad)[?]
    Are you absolutely sure that the forestocks are not cracked (I suggest removing them for a close inspection)[?]
    Expressed as a %, how much of the blueing remains in the worn areas[?]

    Finally, it would be much easier to give you an estimate of the value if you can post a few pictures of each gun.





    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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    NovexNovex Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    OK I may have to beg your indugence one more time.

    The barrel length of the A5 is 23 inches from the reciever to the tip and takes 2 3/4 shells. The Sweet 16 has a 25 inch barrel.

    I can't tell how either is choked. I'm not seeing the stamp or I do not know where to look.

    They both have the original butt plates.

    I can not find a crack anywhere even after removing the forearm.

    I would guess the the blueing would be about 80%.

    Finally my wife is the shutter-bug around here and she may use one of the guns on me if I wake her up for a pic.

    Thanks,
    Novex
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    a-5a-5 Member Posts: 4 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    * full, **modified,***cylinder,**-improved,**$skeet these symbols will be on side of barrel these are browning configurations
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    Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    No need to beg for my indulgence... I was just interjecting a little bit of my unique humor[:D] (just as you did with your last comment[:D])

    It appears that the barrel has been cutdown form its original factory length on the older A-5. The shortest listed barrel length for a Browning A-5 is 26-inches.

    I am assuming that you are not real familar with how to measure the barrel length correctly. The easiest way to do it (without disassembling your guns again), is to gently drop a cleaning rod down the bore with the action closed (on an empty chamber of course), and when it bottoms out, mark the rod at the edge of the muzzle. I am sure that you will find that the Sweet Sixteen is actually 26-inches. Is the Vent rib on this gun marked with a makers name (look on the edges of the rib)?

    The choke is marked on the left side of the barrel, and it appears as follows;

    * = Full Choke (F)
    *- = Improved Modified (IM)
    ** = Modified (M)
    **- = Improved Cylinder (IC)
    **$ = Skeet (SK)
    *** = Cylinder bore (CYL)

    By all means, don't wake up the Missus if she is inclined to use one of them on you... we/I can wait until she is good and ready to play shutterbug[:D]



    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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    NovexNovex Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The A5 is not that simple; it says 797, something that looks like a side ways fish hook, a *, a side ways H, and something that looks like a stick man. I guess it must be a full choke.

    The Sweet 16 has two stars ( ** ).

    Sorry Bert.
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    NovexNovex Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    No markings on the vent rib, seems to be pretty vanilla. You were right about the measurements. I remeasured and got 24" and 26".
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    Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You are correct on the older A-5, the "*" indicates that it is (or was) a Full choke, and it more positively indicates to me that the barrel has been cutdown. A standard Full choke barrel on a 16 gauge A-5 is most often 28-inches in length.

    On your Sweet Sixteen A-5, it has a Modified choke "**", which is what I was expecting with the 26-inch barrel.

    The value on your older A-5 is only going to be in about the $250 range due to the cut barrel.

    The Sweet Sixteen could be anywhere from $750 - $1000 (depending upon how well it really looks).

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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    NovexNovex Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks a lot. I appreciate the help and I learned a few things as well.
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    Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Novex
    The A5 is not that simple; it says 797, something that looks like a side ways fish hook, a *, a side ways H, and something that looks like a stick man. I guess it must be a full choke.

    The Sweet 16 has two stars ( ** ).

    Sorry Bert.


    You are quite welcome.


    You have nothing to apologize to me for. You are simply just like most of the other nice folks who ask questions here on the Experts forum... not real familar with all of the nuances of the topic at hand, and looking for some useful help[^]

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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    dcj10dcj10 Member Posts: 46 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The 24th Edition Blue Book shows 55001-64000 as 1932 production for the 16ga. A5.

    dcj10
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    NovexNovex Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Surely wouldn't have thought it would have been that old. I buy old guns from time to time and always wanted the Browning 16s. From what Burt told me I made a good deal but of coarse I was hoping they would be worth a lot more. They will still make good give aways for grand kids some day. Thanks again for all of the help.
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    Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dcj10
    The 24th Edition Blue Book shows 55001-64000 as 1932 production for the 16ga. A5.

    dcj10


    Just remember that the numbers quoted in the Blue Book are just "best guess" estimates. That is why I stated "sometime in the 1930s". It is really too bad that all of the original FN/Browning records were destroyed.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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