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Browning Belgian A5 16ga ODD Safety

TraderRegTraderReg Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
edited June 2008 in Ask the Experts
I have an OLD regular A5--SN 73729, NON-Sweet 16--plain barrel--that looks like--and has all usual markings--to be a regular Belgian gun. BUY--THE SAFETY IS MOUNTED IN THE FRONT OF THE TRIGGER GUARD, "FLICKS" OFF/ON W/TRIGGER FINGER--IS NOT--LIKE THE "REAR BUTTON ON TRIGGER GUARD, TRANSFER" TYPE SEEN ON EVERY OTHER A5, etc. I bought this out of TX off GB a while back. AND IT HAS TOTALLY STUMPED EVERY KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON SO FAR!!! Any ideas?? I'll send pics to anyone interested. Thank you in advance.

Comments

  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390
    edited November -1
    This the Standard trigger guard safety for EARLY A5's depending on condition it could be both a collector and shooter[^][:D]
  • bobskibobski Member Posts: 17,868 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    welcome to the boards!
    its a prewar standard grade 16. it was called the suicide safety. does your gun have chamber marks on it? if not, its 2 9/16" shells only. post war or very close to the war years, it switched to 2 3/4" and was marked.
    Retired Naval Aviation
    Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
    Former NSSA All American
    Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
    MO, CT, VA.
  • TraderRegTraderReg Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by perry shooter
    This the Standard trigger guard safety for EARLY A5's depending on condition it could be both a collector and shooter[^][:D]
    WOW!! Thank you & PARDON ME--1st FORUM--EVER--still learning rules, etc. I went on a "binge" trying to recreate my childhood--and a gun that my Uncle "promised/failed to deliver/liekly lost in a card game..."--and bought TWO Sweet 16's, then this one came up for $240--so bought it as well. It's "plain" but used & cared for, seems to work fine. No interest in selling(I'm a "buy & keep" guy...)--but guess it is clearly worth more than the $240??? FUNNY is I paid ~$700 EACH for my SWT16's--which are BEAUTIFUL! My SINCERE regards!!
  • TraderRegTraderReg Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bobski
    welcome to the boards!
    its a prewar standard grade 16. it was called the suicide safety. does your gun have chamber marks on it? if not, its 2 9/16" shells only. post war or very close to the war years, it switched to 2 3/4" and was marked.
    THANK YOU!! For the welcome AND the knowledge!! I am a "cherry" on forums--so feel free to correct my "manners"--I have NO problems seeking wisdom from folks smarter than me--which includes you two Gentlemen as of today. NO chamber marks, bolt has the "729" like serial #, barrel only has "Full 16 Special Steel"--so pre-War/short shells only?? I think it would be fine to shoot--"works" perfect, handles GREAT---BUT the "never seen one before/you two are the ONLY ones that have knowledge"--makes it "cooler to have than worry about shooting"! I guess we agree it was worth the $240(and on GB auction--no less--ONLY bidder--usually a BAD sign...) or more---so it's a "keep and hand down to my 10 year old, only son one day" type gun?? My SINCERE THANKS for the advice, guidance & Friendship.
  • MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,961 ******
    edited November -1
    welcome to gun broker, like the others said this is a standard a-5 made before ww2, chambered for 2 9/16" shells. These (16 ga. 2/16" ammo) can be found but may take some 'looking'. British 2 1/2" will work also.
  • TraderRegTraderReg Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    welcome to gun broker, like the others said this is a standard a-5 made before ww2, chambered for 2 9/16" shells. These (16 ga. 2/16" ammo) can be found but may take some 'looking'. British 2 1/2" will work also.
    THANK YOU FOR THE INFO & WELCOME!!! That is one HELL of a piece in the picture--reminds me of the old "Arms of Krupp" book(VOLUME) I read/re-read as a child about German munitions industry!
  • asphalt cowboyasphalt cowboy Member Posts: 8,904 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Once again, welcome. If you check here http://www.polywad-shotgun-shells.com/16-gauge-shotshells/ Polywad has some of the best on the market. With the full choke your pattern will tend to be rather tight shooting, those old barrels were made for fiber wads rather than plastic cups. I'll get the link for BP and edit it in.

    This http://shop2.mailordercentral.com/bpicart/prodinfo.asp?number=G1625GHF286 is for the Game Bore fiber wad ammo at Ballistic Products.
  • HerschelHerschel Member Posts: 2,035 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    TraderReg, A couple of years a go I owned a prewar Browning standard 16 ga 3 shot (magazine held only two w/o plug). It had been converted to shoot 2 3/4 inch. This conversion requires considerable gunsmithing and would probably not be worthwhile but it is an option.
  • givettegivette Member Posts: 10,886
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by TraderReg
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    welcome to gun broker, like the others said this is a standard a-5 made before ww2, chambered for 2 9/16" shells. These (16 ga. 2/16" ammo) can be found but may take some 'looking'. British 2 1/2" will work also.
    THANK YOU FOR THE INFO & WELCOME!!! That is one HELL of a piece in the picture--reminds me of the old "Arms of Krupp" book(VOLUME) I read/re-read as a child about German munitions industry!


    Yeh. Anzio Annie. The Germans had it buried in a RR tunnel about 20mi away. My dad was on the receiving end (at Anzio). The gun would fire, and during the projectiles flight, a second charge would ignite, propelling the projectile further downrange to its destination. My dad said you never heard 'ol Annie fire, but you had to instantly hit the deck (literally-as he was Port Batallion, unloading ships) when you heard the "crack" of the airburst from the secondary charge going off. My father saw 'ol Annie walk the rounds down the concrete breakwater at Anzio..fired from 20mi. away! How's that for accuracy! (There were German artillery spotters radioing-in corrections from the heights surrounding Anzio).

    Before an airstrike, 'ol Annie would fire a few rounds, and the ships that were unloading would pull out of range..then the Luftwaffe would dive-bomb the ships, because there was no shore-based anti-aircraft batteries to worry about. (Anzio had literally hundreds of US antiaircraft emplacements on the beachhead). Best, Joe
  • MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,961 ******
    edited November -1
    GIVETTE; thanks for info, 1st ww2 info I've had on 'Leopold'. the picture was taken when I was stationed a Aberdeen Proving ground in 1969
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