Tips for buying an A5?

P

Paul W

Well-known member
I'd like to get ahold of an a5 at some point, pretty much just because I think they're cool. Anybody here have any suggestions? I know they were made in Belgium a while, etc, and there are some differences in the way they were made over time.


Thanks guys. This is the worlds most helpful and nicest (except Todd, he's pretty much sarcastic even when he is trying to help! Ha!) forum out there.
 
Belgium manufactured guns will hold their value and appreciate at a higher rate than the Miroku manuf. The Belgian manufactured sweet 16s bring a premium, as do open choked A-5 20 gauge guns in a three inch chambering. Browning A-5s with wood stocks are heavy guns. I have had a 12 Magnum that is now retired for 41 years. If you change the rings to the correct configuration, they shoot well. Otherwise they will not cycle. That said, you should not shoot steel shot through a Belgium made tight choked (their choke constrictions ran tighter than the industry standards) barrel. Browning is back in production of an A-5 camouflage dipped gun again. Don't know anyone who is shooting one, nor have I seen any impartial reviews of it yet.
 
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Paul, will you hunt it? I shoot a A5 Magnum, as my duck gun. It is a Japan made gun, so I shoot 3" mag steel in it. I have screw-in chokes. I tried to hunt it with wood stock, but that was futile. I first broke a forend, then a new butt stock. Bought a plastic stock for it and have shot this gun for over 25 years. Keep it well oiled, clean it only when I get it in the salt or really mucked up... and it serves me very well. I think I paid around $350 but it had a slug barrel on it, so I spent another $200 I think or close on the Browning barrel for ducks. I got a 26", wish I had the 28" on it. I keep my eyes open all the time for another, just to have one in the safe, but honestly, unless I loose this or it gets stolen, I won't need another.

A year ago, I finally had to replace a part. The magazine keeper wore out. It is a folded over piece with pivot pin holes in it. One of the holes broke through to the edge, and the keeper could teter out of alignment. $18 from Brownell's and good for another 25 years!

If you get a Belgium gun, it will be fixed choke or poly choked. To install a newer barrel, I think the fore stock needs to be worked or replaced. As the Belgium barrels/lugs were narrower is what I understand. I don't have first hand knowledge.

I would like a Light 12 for trap... and a Sweet Sixteen for upland! I keep my eyes open, but so far just the Magnum in my safe.
 
i had a recoil opperated one & wouldn't buy another one, had alot of play, where as the gas opperated ones have a fixed barrel. just my .02 . btw i have over 5000 rounds thru a gold & love it.
 
i had a recoil opperated one & wouldn't buy another one, had alot of play, where as the gas opperated ones have a fixed barrel. just my .02 .
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There is no gas operated A5, the new ones are inertia driven as well. Browning calls it "Kinematic Drive", in my opinion, basically a Benelli with a humpback and recycled name.

Paul -
I'm not sure what your after, but I have owned 4 12 gauge A5s in the past 10 years. The Mag 12 was just too heavy for my long walk-in hunts and needed more work than I was willing to pay so we parted ways. I currently own/shoot two Light 12's; one all original Belgium with a modified barrel, the other a Jap Stalker (flat black metal and sythetic furniture). The Belgium is a little lighter, but as mentioned I don't shoot steel through it. Look around and you can find closeout deals on non-tox shot that won't damage the barrel. The Jap gun is threaded for Invector + chokes so I can shoot steel and I have no worry about a forearm cracking. All that said if I could only have one it'd be the Belgium. For me, not having to mess with friction rings out weighs the extra .25" worth of shell.

Regarding things to look for - The usual stuff with the bluing/metal of any firearm. Look hard at the wood especially the forearm (inside & out) for slight cracks, they won't get any smaller after you buy it :)

This will help you age your prospects - http://www.browning.com/...gun/detail.asp?id=13

If you're looking at Belgium guns you'll need this legend to determine what the choke is; * for full, ** for Modified, **- for Improved Cylinder, **$ for Skeet, *** for Cylinder.
 
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I have been looking for one, on and off. They are a sweet gun especially because the history and mistique. I have a pump to beat up but would love to get my hands on a jap made 12gauge mag with a 28" barrel (its going to be a duck gun and will eat a lot of steel). Especialy if it has some history to it. Old pictures of its previous owners would be awesome.

I shoot better with a heavy gun, too.

Good luck with your search
 
Chris, you mean like this one?



I always wanted one, because my dad had one...his was belgium made, and now only goes upland hunting once and while. Once I got a job I bought a Japan made magnum model (1992), and hunted the daylights out of it. I still have it, but it only sees limited duty as to preserve it. I always still look at them on the used gun racks, I'd love to find one in 20gauge.
 
I have a Japan made light 12, it was my dads slug gun for years with a scope. I never used it for deer as I was bite by the scope quite a few times at the range. But I finally got him to take the scope off this season, glad he finally did. took it out for squrriel the other day and it the softest shooting guns I have .
It going to see light duty for ducks this year. Part of the agreement to take th scope off was that it goes nowhere near the salt, which is fine its almost to nice to want to rust it up.
 
Paul, will you hunt it? I shoot a A5 Magnum, as my duck gun. It is a Japan made gun, so I shoot 3" mag steel in it. I have screw-in chokes. I tried to hunt it with wood stock, but that was futile. I first broke a forend, then a new butt stock. Bought a plastic stock for it and have shot this gun for over 25 years. Keep it well oiled, clean it only when I get it in the salt or really mucked up... and it serves me very well. I think I paid around $350 but it had a slug barrel on it, so I spent another $200 I think or close on the Browning barrel for ducks. I got a 26", wish I had the 28" on it. I keep my eyes open all the time for another, just to have one in the safe, but honestly, unless I loose this or it gets stolen, I won't need another.

A year ago, I finally had to replace a part. The magazine keeper wore out. It is a folded over piece with pivot pin holes in it. One of the holes broke through to the edge, and the keeper could teter out of alignment. $18 from Brownell's and good for another 25 years!

If you get a Belgium gun, it will be fixed choke or poly choked. To install a newer barrel, I think the fore stock needs to be worked or replaced. As the Belgium barrels/lugs were narrower is what I understand. I don't have first hand knowledge.

I would like a Light 12 for trap... and a Sweet Sixteen for upland! I keep my eyes open, but so far just the Magnum in my safe.
Click to expand...

Yes I plan to hunt it.

So basically I'm looking for a japan mag chambered for 3"? That sounds about right! I shoulder my father in laws 20 gauge and though it was too short for me, I like the longer rib, and the way it looked and felt.
 
Try going to a few gun shows, look on line and do your research. You can still find some good deals around. Cracked forends are not a problem. I have fixed many of them over the years...
Look for a good shooter and have fun...
 
I bought a Japanese A5 mag 12 with inventor choke tubes for about $575 off gbroker a couple years ago to use as my duck gun. It had some wear, but it was going to be a user so I didn't want a pristine model. I like how it shoots and cycles good, but heavy. I believe it weighs almost 10lbs. Almost no kick with even the hottest loads.
 
Well if any of you guys with jap a5 guns want to sell, let me know. Haha! I do want a heavier gun, currently shooting an sbe2, and I do like it but I think building a boat out of wood has gotten to me. the history and tradition of the A5 is too cool.
 
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