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The ONLY auto I can’t love!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ส.ค. 2024
- Sometimes a shooter and a gun just don’t click. The Browning Auto 5 is that gun for me...
I bought this gun out of Holt Auctioneers for the grand total of £90, and for the first time in a long time - I feel like I wasted my money!
Enjoy
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£90 was borderline criminal. The prices on Auto 5's in the USA are going through the roof.
I almost wish I had spent a little more and gotten a good one
Interestingly, you can still find Remington 11's (simplified Browning A5s) at an afforable price. I think I bought my last one for $130.
Remington m11 (American browning) 300 bucks but the Belgium ones are around 700 to 1300 usd I found a 12 magnum 3inch chamber Belgium 800 but sweet 16s about 1000
@@TheEvolvingWarfightereven the 11s are north of $400 these days
these are sub-100 euro guns here in europe.
Growing up in small town Texas, my family bought guns at the local hardware store. We shot Remington's, Savage, Mossberg and Brownings. There were not as many choices back in the 1970's, especially at the hardware store. I'm guessing that the Auto 5 was a bit more expensive than the other brands which likely made it a gun that everyone aspired to own. Plus, it just looks cool. This is the gun that my grandfather and father shot. This is the gun that family members fight over to inherit. Why is it so adored? For a lot of us it is the memory of learning to shoot with this gun, watching our elders shoot this gun on hunting trips, looking at its unusual shape among the other guns in the gun cabinet. Today, nearly every family collection in Texas has an old Auto 5. They are nostalgic. They do take a beating as you mention. Back in the day we didn't take good care of our guns. Spray WD-40 on the action before and after a shoot and you'd be good to go till next season. Likely why so many of the old models are so well worn. Lots of memories behind those scratches.
I think it was every boys dream gun growing up in rural America. Seeing Grandpa and uncles pull their Auto5s out of the case every year meant it was hunting season. I was handed down one from my grandad and shoot ducks every season. Lots of history and memories in the old humpbacks.
Same in Alabama. I’ve shot more rounds through my dad’s ‘56 model in 2 years than he did in 50 years. Mainly because I couldn’t wait to inherit it.
@@nolandenton1224fl to
Remember dove fields in the 70's were they were 80% of what was in the field.
A-5 Browning , Remington 870 , Winchester trench gun are the best in my opinion. The Berinelli that the USA Armed services use , l have never shot . I'm confident it's a good gun if it's used by our military .
ya my grandpa past away a few years ago and my dad got all his guns like his old 30 carbine from the navy and an auto 5 and an auto 2 he also got my great uncles remmington "i think" 1911 which is like over 100 years old super cool stuff that i hope i get but not yet.
You foreigners! If you knew anything about A5’s the springs can weaken over time. Proper lubrication is also needed. I’ve done everything with mine from submerging it in swamp muck while duck hunting and continuing to hunt. Turkey hunting and goose hunting. I’ve shot sporting clays and skeet with it. It’s the quintessential shotgun aficionado’s here in the USA love! The speed feed is way cool! JMB was a genius and we’ll keep him and the A5 in the good old USA!!!
The first gun that my dad gave me in grade school it was a 20Ga A5. It became an extension of my body and it still is. Into my late 50's now, I own many firearms now, but that is still "my gun" I love it. Thanks Dad!
A gun with a story !
☺️
The Auto-5 and the Winchester Model 12 are my two favourite repeaters hands down. I have 6 Auto-5s and 4 Model 12s and I wouldn't trade any of them for anything. Pure classics.
Can I just ask why you love the Model 12? I personally think they are very overrated, complicated in design, if you have issues you won't be getting a new barrel or parts easily, they are horrendous for Tactical reloading, and the Ithaca Model 37 and Remington Model 31 were far superior and still found cheaper.
I own a 20 gauge Model 12, looking for a 16 gauge one, would love to try a Model 42 and 28 gauge Model 12 but good luck.... I have repaired my Model 12 20 gauge (pain in the ass), and I have repaired a 12 gauge Model 12 and shot many of them. But I just don't get the appeal to them. They are good, but not the best in my opinion. They are very accurate and if it in decent shape are smooth, but the reloading on them drives me up the wall.
I am just really curious to why so many love these guns and swear by them. Not trolling or anything either, just trying to open my potentially closed mind. I love them, but not that much. I am an Ithaca fan instead.
@@Bitis11nasicornis Great question! I love my Model 12's because of the design, handling, quality of manufacture and the fact that my oldest Model 12 was made in 1913 and still performs flawlessly as do my others. I would like to know the nature of the repairs you had to perform. You are correct about loading the magazine tube. If you're not careful, you'll catch your thumb between the edge of the carrier and the base of the cartridge. I find that canting my thumb at a 45 degree angle when inserting shells prevents that. The Remington 31 was the last great repeating shotgun they made before going to stamped parts and cheaper designs (870 and 1100). The pre 1970 Ithaca 37's are great guns as well. After that parts fitting and reliability went out the window. I had a supreme grade and a standard grade and both guns dropped the third shell in the magazine on the ground every time. Also two things I don't like about the 37's. The receivers were designed about 3/4 of an inch too short which interrupts the design flow of the gun. This also caused the trunnion that operates the breech block to extend beyond the rear of the receiver. The head of the stock is very thin in this area and quite often is either cracked or will develop cracks in the future. I have a collection of Browning BPS's that effectively addressed this issue and are the only modern shotguns I like. I much prefer steel and walnut over aluminium and polymer. Sorry for the lengthy response.
@@Bitis11nasicornis The choke on a model 12 is tighter than any other common shotgun that I know of. They can really reach out there
I am with you Brotha! I bought a Browning A-5 in '68 from Coast to coast in Minneapolis. With employee discount came to $155.00, listed at $202.00. Never could get comfortable shooting it, but am in love with the craftsmanship of these guns. Bought a model 12 pump, like my dad has, and now own 3 of them. They are a man's gun and not for the sheepish new generation is what I have determined. Also love my Winchester model 50 auto. It kicks out everything and never gives me grief, Kinda been grabbing the model 50 as of late over the others
@@johnswanson3741 Those guns were built to last and I think more men weren't quite as "dainty" as they seem to be now. If you want to see what a Model 12 can really do I suggest you watch Winchester's exhibition shooter Herb Parsons vintage video on TH-cam.
From multiple US sources I understand that all the springs in an A5 that old are totally worn out. New spring kits are available. I understand they can be sweet shooters with good springs & lubricated correctly so it might be entertaining if you tried new springs.
They can be old as hell so the springs can be an issue. The biggest problem is the o-rings need to be changed from time to time. They're also supposed to be swapped from light to heavy loads. Much like the original Remington 1100.
"You are absolutely correct! Johnny had a completely worn-out example!" He would have been better served by one of my pristine Auto-5's!
This was my first gun I bought in Northern Ireland around 1970. Not being a big guy the A5 suited me just fine. The A5 was very reliable and very easy to clean, however it seemed to prefer Eley cartridges.
As my income improved, I sold the A5 and purchased a new Browning 2000 gas operated 12g.The browning 2000 was softer to shoot and had no problem with any 12g loads. It did require much more cleaning due to the gas system. I even took the gun with me when I migrated to Australia in 1997.
Looking back, I wish that I had keep the A5.
One of these guns brought home the cup.
As a young lad of maybe 14 or 15 at our local Reeth young farmers clay pigeon shoot Kieth my cousin insisted I took part and he let me use his old browning like this one. I’d only gone to help and do the traps but he insisted I took part. I’d never used this gun before and was allowed a few warm up shots and I ended up winning the shoot! I was absolutely over the moon as my name was added to the same cup my father won many years prior. That was over forty years ago now and I wonder if he still owns it. Thanks Kieth .
There are countless grown men and women with deep love for their “Hand-me-down” A5’s here in the United States of America. The Humpback is beloved, in my humble opinion, for the intangible nostalgia of being a “family” gun. Many people lovingly share the story of their “first shot from a 12 gauge”, and the star of the tale is often Grandpappy’s ol Humpback. The same shooting iron that fed the family through hard times, and defended the homestead from rabid raccoons and would be thieves. The same humpback that bruised their pappy’s shoulder when Uncle Fred dared him to fire a high dram reload of 000 buckshot. The same Humpback that paddled the duckboat home when the motor quit and busted ice to set decoys on a late season waterfowl hunt back when it was still legal to kill birds with lead.
Hopefully you get the picture I’m verbosely painting: A5’s are loved by their owners because they’re a physical representation of multiple generations worth of memories.
For those of us who grew up shooting something besides an A5, like our family’s Ithaca, Western Arms, Winchester or Harrington & Richardson; it’s a different story.
If we grew up without an A5, we can’t F-ing stand them.
😂😂
Thanks for being an awesome filmmaker displaying your passion for firearms and skillful marksmanship! You make us look good because you conduct yourself respectfully with a complete lack of fanaticism! Thank you for NOT being a stereotypical caricature or a tactless uneducated unsafe unskilled narrow minded naive “gun nut”. You are a phenomenal ambassador for our sport and proponent for responsible firearm ownership. Thank you,
-CY Castor
Good reply. Well said. Generational memories and nostalgia are powerful things.
I grew up without one but always loved them just got one still love the shit out of it its a dove killer even with a full choke
I find the humpback makes these things more accurate at long range than my other shotguns, although that could just be a quirk of my eyes. It's true they are finicky about cartridges and need plenty of TLC to keep them going but if you put in the maintenance they are soft recoiling, fast cycling, excellently accurate, solid milled steel semi-autos. Disclaimer: I am biased as I have four of them.
If your A5 if fussy about the shells you use, adjust your friction ring properly or get one from Belgium. These guns are extremely low maintenance also.
@@dirtydp4vp917 I was going to say, those I have shoot damn near anything. They almost never jam or foul.
The Belgians would be speaking German if it wasn't for browning ....I think you can give him credit for this design
They may of built it but JMB, all hail his name definitely kept everyone speaking their own language.
Being WW champs two rounds running it’s ours, we just outsourced to the best manufacturer ✌🏻
Then why doesn't Austria and Hungary speak german?
He’s really going all out Karen claiming the A5 is a “Belgian classic”. This guy is jealous of the A5 status in America 😂
My dad bought an Auto five used in the late 60s. I learned to shoot with this gun, as did my children. My children fight over who will inherit three of my guns, my grandfather's double barrel, my dad's Remington 22 bolt action, and my dad's Belgium A5. The A5 produced in the early 60s is the newest of these guns, and they are all exceptionally well made. In the US, the A5 has an almost religious following. This may be because you just can't kill these guns.
Johnny here's just a couple of points with the A-5. It's the model that caused JMB to split with Winchester. He knew it was revolutionary and wanted a royalty deal compared to his previous designs that he sold to them outright. Winchester didn't want to go that way for several reasons and there was eventually a big blowup. Winchester lawyers always did the patent applications and were VERY good at their jobs. Due to this once JMB found someone else to build the gun Winchester and everyone else for that matter couldn't find a workaround patent wise... OOPS!
JMB brought the gun to Remington and was in talks with them when their President had a heart attack putting things into limbo there. He then went to FN who had already been building small automatic handguns designed by JMB. They struck a deal. JMB then bought the first 10,000 guns slated for the American market. THIS is when Browning became a larger "brand" and not behind the scenes gun designers.
Remington DID build a version of the A-5 called the Model 11. This was after negotiations between JMB, Remington, and FN. Savage arms also built their own version I believe the model was 520. Funny enough the Remington and Savage factories were maybe 15 miles apart from each other in Upstate NY.
If you want to see a sleeker more refined version of the A-5 check out the Remington 1148. That gun was the last refinement of the design by Remington. The receiver shape is much the same as the 870, 1100 family of guns. It's also pretty cool because it was built in 12, 20, 28, and .410. I don't know if they ever made that one in 16.
I think that the Franchi 48AL is running a very similar long recoil system but I'm not 100%.
The Franchi 48 AL ('48 is the year it had been first introduced, "AL" because the receiver is aluminium alloy) is an Auto 5 with simplified stripping. It's known to be lightweight, sturdy and reliable, and had been the best selling semiauto shotgun in Italy from the introduction till the late '80s.
Good synopsis!
The one thing about the 1148 - the streamlining reduced the sliding surface area of the barrel extension within the receiver, and they are reputed to have some wear issues there with high round counts. But, an 1148 is a very nice handling gun.
And they did build 16 gauge 1148's; possibly the most nimble 16 gauge auto until the new A5.
They did make the 11-48 in a 16. I have one in my office. Bought at an auction in near mint condition, when no one else bid on it. Have the 28 version so thought the 16 would fit in. It kicks like a rented mule. My 1100 16 is much nicer and my favorite 16
They did make a 16, I have one.
Savage Arms was in Utica NY, Remington Arms remains (barely) to this day in Ilion NY. - just some "fun" facts to add
Thank you for this video. Very entertaining.
My Father owned (and I now own) a Browning Auto 5. He bought it brand-new in 1964. He shot sporting clays and hunted with it until his passing in 1985. I cannot begin to estimate how many rounds Dad ran through it. Next year (2024) it will be sixty years old. During the years since Dad passed, I have put about 20 or 30 boxes through it per year. Dad's Browning continues to function flawlessly.
That shotgun has put countless rabbit, squirrel, grouse, and pheasant on the table. (We hunt deer with rifles.)
In 59---soon to be 60---years, no repairs have been needed, just a good cleaning after use.
It is unfortunate that you and the Browning Auto 5 are not a good match.
I have my grandfather’s he bought in 1958 for $205 USD from Sears Department Store.
Try to take it out once a year for a pheasant hunt here in Ohio.
Happy to pay you 90 Quid to take that one off your hands Mate!
True Masterpiece by JMB!
We appreciate a shotgun that lasts. In the US we shoot a shotgun till it falls apart. We don't baby a hunting tool. Use abuse replace, not necessarily in that order.
I am almost 74. Seventy years ago, sitting in my dad’s lap while he was dove hunting, I shot my first bird with a Sweet 16 Browning A5. It was made in 1932 and was given to him by my mother’s “rich uncle”. It is one gun that I’ve asked my sons NEVER to sell. But I must say, I can’t hit anything with it either! Lol
That's a lie the sweet 16 did not come about several years later . I have a 16 gauge a 5 made in 1953 . The sweet 16 was still years away .
@larrycates7655 they started making the Sweet 16 in 1937. They actually started branding them as "Sweet Sixteen" in 1948, I believe.
@@larrycates7655You are both wrong. The Sweet 16 was introduced in 1937. It weighed a half pound less than the standard 16 gauge. Browning started engraving “Sweet 16” on the left side of the receiver in 1951, the same year it dropped the gold plated trigger.
@@larrycates7655 Also you should get your facts straight and get a dictionary before you accuse someone of lying. A lie is a statement made by someone who knows that the statement is not true. Someone can make a statement they believe to be true but is factually incorrect because they are ignorant of the facts. Someone who accuses that person of lying without having the evidence to prove that person is lying is just displaying their ignorance.
You a correct but it was not called the sweet sixteen . It was just a 16 gauge .
I had a "light" 20 gauge that I passed on to my nephew on his high school graduation. He is now a pilot in the United States Air Force. He still loves it, or so he tells me.
The A-5 I have was bought by my grandfather the same year that Bonnie and Clyde were always going down and camping on the creek by the side of their road. He wanted 5 rounds of buckshot to throw out before reloading, and he went and bought one. I've used it over the years, and worn enough finish off of it, but like you, I do not feel that I'm as good with it as a good side by side. I just can't make good shots with it. It is what it is, and the history to mine is there, but I have to be honest, it's not the first gun I would choose. -----A side note to the story: As I heard it, the concerns at the time were unfounded, as B&C were never a threat to anyone in the area, only the banks, and one guy that lived up the road from my grandparents had been squirrel hunting one morning and came upon B&C's car parked and camped by the creek there as usual. Not knowing who they were, he introduced himself. After a friendly conversation, in which he complained of not being able to afford shotgun shells and having only a few left to hunt with, Clyde gave him a $20 bill (which was a LOT then) and said "go buy some". They parted ways on friendly terms like everyone else, and soon after, he found out who he had actually been talking to. That spot on the road by the creek was no more than 3/4 mile from my grandparents' house, and I've hunted there quite often myself when I was young.
I have my Grandfathers/then Fathers Remington Model 11. From what I can find out talking with older family members a few years ago, my Grandfather bought it, was back in 1935. My Dad got it after my Grandfather passed in 1971. My Dad passed in 2017, and my brother got our Dads firearms. He presented it to me, roughly 2 years after my Dad passed. IMO, it's the easiest aiming shotgun, for birds on the wing. My oldest grandson will end up with this, once I'm gone. THAT is one hell of a 'Legacy'! My Grandson will own it, when it turns 100 years old! I just hope that he passes it down to his son, or grandchild!
I’ve got an FN branded one which is 4yrs older than yours and hasn’t lead such an exciting life.
I love it for all the reasons you mentioned; the design, engineering, quality, theatre and history.
I’m not an English-Scandinavian giant, I’m an English-Polish averaged sized person, but can only shoot it slightly worse than my other guns. I don’t hold it responsible though.
It’s a piece of history everyone loves having a god with, so it’ll always have a place in my cabinet. Great video.
112 dollars that's literally a 90s deal
Thought the same thing...won't touch one of those in the States at that price!
@@SamhainBelots of shotguns in the UK are very very cheap, single shots and old side by sides can literally be had for £50 or less. Always good for someone just starting out or needing a back up gun in the cabinet :)
Such a lovely shotgun, good quality steel and great engineering! 124 years old…but shoot like a charm….and the lastest built in Japan Miroku factory avec removable chokes!
I told him he’s wimping out Karen M-style and to sell me the A5 for double his “$99 quid”
This blasphemous Brit deleted my comment 😂
I've owned, shot, and hunted with both the old model and the new one. I love them both, ive never had a malfunction once even after dropping one in salt water and one fully submerged in the mud, they're just unbelievably reliable guns. 9 times out of 10 im grabbing my new style a5, but the few times a year i hunt with my late grandfather's old a5 its amazing, plain and simple amazing.
Great synopsis. My opinion is about the same. The sweet 16 is a nicer and better gun to shoot than the 12, I think it has aged better because of it. JMB was one of the great geniuses of firearms design to ever live and this gun was a testament to his creativity. But if he were still alive today, he would have certainly built a better mouse trap many times over by now. Great video.
The greatest easily. JMB has been copied more than anyone.
Browning also made a light 12 A5, I own two of them.
My father-in-law carried one of these in Borneo while serving with 22 SAS
He said he could empty it before he hit the deck 😉
I love my Browning Auto 5 Belgian made 12 bore Magnum simply due to nostalgia. The gun's shape and profile is unmistakable and nearly iconic. It harkens back to a simpler time in America Where memories where captured by Norman Rockwell. I time that I was not apart of being born in 1972, But the images were everywhere.
The gun was start of the art in 1899 and remained a top seller until the mid 90's. Are there better guns today?? yes but this is like driving a 1930's pick up. No one does it because its the greatest truck they do it because it make them feel good.
Quite the same way you treat those old doubles from a time not long ago in the UK where a London best SXS was the gun to have. and now you can get one of those gun for little money.
Going on 80 years now. The first gun I worked for was a Belgian A-5. It still runs. When steel shot came out the Brownings built in Japan changed the composition of the steel in their barrels and were thus able to handle the steel shot ....whereas it would damage the older Belgian barrels. I collect Brownings and have always valued the Belgian made ones.....but the guns from Miroku Japan are of superb materials and the workmanship is flawless. I have gunned so much game with the A-5 that I can run it without thinking. I have used the magazine cutoff to get a slug in the barrel while hunting quail when a buck started my way. And I have been in love with them over a long life. Good job on the video.
When the barrel is stamped "special steel barrel"...what does this mean for a sweet sixteen that was supposed to have been made in 1973?
It’s a hunting gun. They were tops for quail 16 or 20ga with 26in barrels. I still don’t think you can do better for that game. The short stock means you need to wear some clothes to get a little longer LOP. It is the definitive southern quail gun.
The auto 5 is my go to gun.
For birds or clays A 5 is the one
Not pumps with humps, in stainless or blue
No unders, no overs, no side by side too
Standard weight A5's can certainly feel on the clunky side but light weight models, in all gauges, feel sleek and agile by comparison. The fore end is narrower than most autos. They are a tad short so I add a slip on leather pad for a little extra LOP.
The milled steel parts and the speed load set it apart, as well as the deep purple blueing and the gold plated parts on the light models.
It is easily my favorite auto.
There are few guns that look better mint condition than a classic A5 Browning. Arts Gun Shop restores them. As far as shootability because of the humpback receiver and drop at comb then the basically neutral cast stock shootability is difficult. Another great video thank you for what you do.
So you bought a POS A5 and now you are an expert on Browning A5. My great great grand kids will be shooting mine long after I am gone.1971 Belgium made magnum. Hater is the words I think kids use these days.
I have a Japanese knock off version of this gun in 12ga. The materials, workmanship, fit, and finish are excellent and it functions flawlessly. One feature this gun has that I would like to see on more shotguns is that latch on the side that stops cartridges from feeding from the tube. This allows you to load a different round into the chamber without having to unload the regular rounds in the feed tube. It is also a way to have the tube loaded and still not be chambered after working the action.
That's not a knock off. Browning moved there in the 80's and the steel in the Japanese models are infact better. They can handle modern steel duck shot.
@@poundofbutter29 Thanks for this information as I never knew it was the real deal after all. I bought it from a coworker maybe 30 years ago and he didn't know this was anything other than a knockoff.
@@poundofbutter29The move to Miroku in Japan was in 1975. They make absolutely great guns. I once had an Anschutz O/U 12 gauge 30” (or maybe 32 I’ve forgotten) barrel choked Improved-modified and full. It was actually a Charles Daly Superior Grade Trap made by Miroku and sold only in Europe. It had been brought to the States by a GI. I bought it at a pawnshop located just outside Fort Riley Kansas. I shot some trap with it and it made a Hell of a good long range dove gun. Never took it duck hunting.
My father owned a Belgian made A5 and him and myself used it for over 30 years and in that time it must have taken thousands of foxes.
Unfortunately when the stupid Australian Govt banned semi auto weapons he had to hand it in.
That shotgun must be one of the most reliable weapons ever made. It never malfunctioned.
What Biden is trying to do in the U.S.
I would of buried it before I turned it in
@@rangerdanger766 All our firearms were registered, so they knew who owned them.
😢
Auto-5's are beautifully made shotguns, super durable and reliable, as long as you don't change cartridge loads abruptly (which requires setting up the friction rings accordingly). I have one that is extremally thight and accurate, with a smooth trigger and action. Too bad you didn't appreciated yours.
I have a 1906 auto-5 with a straight English stock. It's by far the softest shooting 12 gauge I've ever fired. It's also functions with black powder shells which for me is a big plus.
I have 5 of them , and hunt with them up here in cold country Canada, there killing machines you have to shoot it like a SXS don't need to put you're cheek hard on the butt stock I find lower comb guns are fast on game....with this gun its very easy to acquire your target in a lay down blind when you shoot from a sitting position or when walking and your footing is wrong it seems to find the birds all by itself...you can never shoot them loose ....to many clay shooters review guns...lol .... Love your channel keep up the good work.
In Australia the A5, was the most revered shotgun for fox drives (particularly the western districts of Victoria) and long range duck shooting through to the 80s and into the 90s. The 30" full choke barrel could reach game at extreme range. I can remember using my dads hand me down A5, at every duck opening and rice fields from the late 70s until the buyback in 96, shooting Winchester Super Rangers No4s. Or if I found some spare cash Id run the Winchester Duck Load copper plated 4s. Unfortunately all semi autos are now restricted and mostly unavailable to recreational shooters here in Oz.
In America the NRA (most of us hate them these days) was running an infomercial in 96 and 97 showing the scrapyards full of "buyback" guns, sawing actions in half, and moving it all with electromagnets. I was 18 at the time and it broke my heart to watch that. Made me shed a few tears for sure. Not for the objects destroyed, but the idea that was being forced on you. I still sympathize with your situation.
My experience with the A5 is different, as I have an excellent relationship with them. My milage may vary due the fact that I stick to the 20 gauge in this model. I have shot the 12 gauge version a few times and didn't mind it, but my 1969 A5 20 gauge is as enjoyable to shoot as my Benelli Montefeltro 20 ... side note the ol'A5 got the nod today for the dove opener ... she batted 1000 to boot ... made me feel like much better shooter than I really am. Another excellent review Johny, thanks to you and your crew.
I'm 60 years old, and the first semiautomatic shotgun I ever owned was a 1930s auto 5 12ga. 28" improved modified barrel 2 3/4 chamber.
It was sent back to Browning and completely refurbished and then given to me on my 12th birthday.
I used it for hunting, bobwhite quail, and absolutely loved it.
After getting used to the way it recoiled and swinging the 28-inch barrel, it was like it was made for me.
Afterward, when I would try any other shotgun, I always preferred the Browning.
I have talked to a lot of people who felt the same way after starting with a Browning.
But the opposite is true of people who have grown up with different semiautomatic shotguns until they get used to them, and afterward, they seem to really enjoy the Browning.
I would like to add I also have a Remington model 81, 35 Remington rifle that works on the same principle as the auto 5, and has the same humpback design.
It also has the same recoil impulse to.
The best gun ever made, PERIOD. own several in 12, 16 and 20, love the 16 and 20 magnum on pheasants. The recoil is so different and gentle, I have Benelli's, Remingtons, Winchesters, the Benelli's are fast, The remingtons alright, winchesters ehh take it or leave it, A5 still the best.
My dad still has his browning auto 5, 12 gauge. I grew up with the shotgun. Gave me lots of goose stew. It still works and functions reliably. One of the goat shotguns in my opinion.
IT IS NOT A CLAY SHOOTING GUN-The old duck hunters in America said: we had nothing good to shoot ducks with until this gun was invented. As a Wildfowler I totally agree with them. I had one for years and found it was the most pointable gun I have ever owned. And wearing it out (having to spot weld areas to keep it working) shooting thousands of ducks and hundreds of geese on the marshes,and once 5 teal with 5 shots; until it got unreliable. So I bought one of the new A5,s in 3-1/2" which I love, and this has now accounted for loads of triples inc:-teal, wigeon and geese. I know that it will not become a classic but it certainly puts the birds down with 'steel' shot.
My opinion for what it’s worth, the auto 5 was and still is great shotgun. I took over my fathers 1971, 12 gage and in turn, I’ll hand it over my own son.
I've had a 12 gauge Remington Model 11 (A5 Clone), which had a habit of going FULL AUTO when it warmed up. Fine for hunting, not for Clays. I now have a 16 gauge and it is one of my "go to guns" for a walk up hunt over my pointing dogs. I've had several friends and family offer to purchase it but no, I think my wife will bury it with me.
I SCORED A BEAUTIFUL 12 GAUGE BROWNING AUTO - 5 AT AUCTION. 1946 MODEL. $430. SHOOTS FLAWLESSLY. LOVE IT.
I grew up and around an A5 from the age of around 13 till the Aus government decided I (and the rest of the population) couldn't be trusted with a semi auto, great guns and great memories of an era gone.
cold dead hands....can't let government do that....ever.
Absolutely an American classic, with thanks to the Belgians to bring it to fruition, it would have never existed without JMB. After all it is what Americans do, the automobile, TV, radio and to many things to mention are American inventions that were/are predominately built in other places. I agree with you on shooting the A5 though, it's not for me either. I do love my clunky Remington 1100s and 1187s though, even though they are dirty and rely on a rubber o ring to function.
Bought mine in 1973 hunted birds, water foul, deer & shot skeet. I love it to this day.
My grandfather had an Auto5 from the 40s.. in 16 gauge with a straight handle.. with an interference fit of 0.5.. He used it for goose hunting. They say there are barrels 'Special pigeon shooting'
And here is also a good example in 16 gauge with interference *.. I like this option.. very well preserved and excellent barrel characteristics
I grew up shooting a Remington Model 11. Same gun made by Remington. I shot it at 11 in 12ga with a Cutz Compensator on it. You got the gun for basically free. I still love that old shotgun and bought my own much later made model 11 Sportsman. It’s a classic because name something John Moses Browning designed that isn’t loved by millions of Americans.
Be interested to know how many of these there are in the UK…and how many are owned and shot by a (nearly) 60 year old woman…me! I’ve got a 1962 Lightweight 12, love it. Every time it goes out, it’s an experience.
Thanks for the great video, it’d be a boring old world if we all liked the same things.
That is a voice of reason!
It's called the A5. A5 stands for auto loading. You can also mash down on the barrel loosen the fore stock nut remove stock, spring and brass bushing. The brass bushing is designed to be flipped one way or the other for high brass or low brass, if installed incorrectly high brass will cause the gun to kick the crap out of you.
Personally, I love the auto five and shoot it better than any other shotguns, John Browning went with FN after Winchester refused to give him a commission on each shotgun, he did go to Remington, but the CEO literally had a heart attack in his office while John went there to talk with him, years later Remington actually did start making them here in the USA as the Remington model 11, Savage also made a model.
The friction rings need to be lubricated occasionally, as far as the springs go, I’ve never had a problem, I’m 65 and both auto fives I have are older than I am.😊
In reading the comments, it's the nostalgia. The parent and grandparent used the A5 to great effect. Back in the day, the gun had to work. You did not want to pack your firearm up and return it to the factory.
I had a Sweet 16 and rue the day that I was weak and sold it. I found the 16 guage to be "perfect" for everything I needed a shotgun for.
Note that the early Brownings were not Browning roll marked, but Remington. It was the model 11, and the US Army took it to war in 1917.
It was used by all branches of service to great effect.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
My great grandfather shot nothing else but Browning designed firearms. The man was a genius and we have Auto 5s that are over a hundred years old that are still shooting. Before Browning died, he said that the Auto 5 was his “greatest design.” Those guns can take one hell of a beating and they will still work. That is the legacy of John Browning, guns that are made to last and will still work even almost a century after his death.
Heavy, solid, and extremely reliable, what else could one ask for? I literally grew up with this beast. Best gun in the duck blind I’ve ever used! I also own a Franchi recoil operated 20 gauge. Just love the action…
I inherited an A5 model G from my late uncle,it was used to dispatch 100s of feral pigs and cats as well as countless numbers of rabbits and ducks. When Australia banned semi automatics l nearly cried when l had to hand it in for destruction ,the best field gun lve ever used period.
I wouldn’t have done it .
@johngnipper8768 No choice in the matter,the gun was registered, so they knew l had it. I still regret to this day.
@@johndoherty34 damn tyrants !
Communists have taken over your country same as Great Britain before.
Yep, first comes registration, then confiscation!
I think it gets credited as a American Classic because John Browning was a American/USA citizen. He design the gun to be made by Winchester, But wasn't because of money disagreement . And it ended up being made by Remington for a time in the USA and Fabrique Nationale de Hersta around the rest of the world, Eventually being imported from Belgium then Japan . And The Browning Company still maintains its world headquarters in Mountain Green, Utah. But now it is own by Fabrique Nationale de Hersta and manufacture all around the World. So USA citizen and company HQ location gets it billed as a American Classic
I learned to shoot with a Auto-5 Light 20 gauge with a dowel rod to block off shells in the magazine. That sighting plane is what I used to shoot with. I think the new one balances better with that aluminum receiver versus the steel of the original.
I have one from 1953 that is still going strong and eventually be a gun handed down four generations. Highly doubt many modern made shotguns will still be running 50 years from now, but the A5 will.
Just used my father’s auto 5 for dove season , it was bought new in 1942 and is 81 years old . Still shoots like brand new !
We have a Belgium made 16ga "Sweet Sixteen" in the family. Great looking (it was refinished years ago), but I can't get used to all the movement going on during the shot. Being a 16, it's a little lighter too.
I recently passed my Dad's almost 100 year old "MADE IN USA" Browning A-5 on to my son. (Yes they do exist). I am sure it will be shooting great when he passes it on to his Grandson. This gun is 99.9% original having only one minor repair about 10 years ago. My Browning made in Belgium that my dad purchased for me some 50+ years ago has never had a repair and is 100% original. It is my go to firearm when ever I am not sure which gun to use in a particular situation. Contrary to popular belief, when set up and lubricated correctly they are very soft shooters with very quick recovery, I shoot doubles with no problem, have taken everything from quail to bear. The design is near perfection. While only God can be perfect, John Browning came close!!!
We used a cut-down version (18" barrel) of the A5 for riot squad use in Rhodesia during the 1970's
That’s wild!
Love your channel. Lot's of great gun reviews. If you still have it I will give you 91 Pounds for it. I would not say that the auto 5 is obsolete in design. It is well built, reliable, and does everything you would expect a modern shotgun to do. I have a 1966 Auto 5 Magnum 12 with a 32" barrel that shoots 3 inch shells. Great for taking down geese and long range. With the rings properly installed and a lightly oiled spring, the recoil is not harsh at all. Where it doesn't compete with modern auto loaders is in the the weight department. It used the heavy steel of the day. Build one of these out of titanium or aluminum alloy and it would be great today. But, hey, I know we can't all love the same things. Keep up the good work.
Dude American gun designer John Moses Browning made this. Belgum only took the blueprints once he gave them a patent and they started turning them out. That was only because Winchester who always bought Browning's patents turned him down after he decided he wanted a royalty for each gun they sold. President of Remington died before they finalized a deal so Browning went then to Belgum. Later he did give Remington a patent as well as Savage. This was also the first reliable semi auto shotgun ever so yea i'd say you dang sure better give it to America! Belgum had to stop making them during war time but Remington took up the slack and they were used in the war as well as more wars later. Remington model 11, the sweet and standard 16 yes it's American!
American here. The Browning Auto 5 is certainly...well...what it is. But it's a peculiar piece of our shooting heritage and carries a wonderufl nostalgia quality. So we love it anyway.
As much as I love the a5 my favorite is still a 16 gauge remington 1100. Perfect gauge semi auto gas operated. Smooth my grandfather left me one it's my favorite shotgun.
This was the first 12 gauge I ever shot as a kid. I can remember going hunting in below freezing weather, and guys with more modern semi-autos would often have problems with the gun cycling properly in the very cold, but the Auto-5 worked every...single...time. It's the most reliable gun I've ever owned. The only downside to the gun was the recoil. For hunting, you might only put a few rounds through the gun in a day before limiting out, so no big deal. But if you were shooting clays and firing dozens of rounds in a single day, you could sure feel it the next morning.
I just bought one,same year as the one in this vid,apart from a patch of worn blue on the barrel where it sat in the cabinet it’s in mint condition,paid £100 for it,was actually looking for a hushpower and I picked this up and it fitted like a glove so had to have it at that price,shoots like a dream,probably because it fits like a glove
I own a 'hand me down" A-5 and I absolutely love hunting with that shotgun. I recently took it on my yearly trip to Alaska where I hunted upland game and ducks with it. Of course the gun was made in '61 and it isn't in the best shape. It finally gave up on me on this hunt. One of the ejectors fell out and the spring in the stock sheared off. My local gun smith fixed it but due to the steel shot issue Im either going to have to get a new barrel for it or Im going to have to only shoot lead through it. I absolutely love that gun. Great video
John Moses understands it isn't for everyone. :) I know it's a bit off-topic for the channel, but the A5 did well in military applications. Bob the barrel to 18 1/2 inches, throw a two shot mag extension on it, and it'll serve well to defend the farm.
I just got gifted a Remington 11 built in 1914
These old guns NEED the bronze friction ring and the spring replaced or they'll beat you up and crack the forend.
I absolutely love mine
As an American, I agree about the American Identity thing. Browing went to FN because he couldn't get his price from Remington at the time. Belgium is The Home of such circumstances, and thus, they have a very long history of producing designs by others. Credit superb craftsmen.
It wasn't John Browing's only business connection with FN. The most famous pistol in history is arguabley the Browing Hi-Power, produced in Belgium. Interestingly, that pistol was never finished by John Browning, who passed away before it was completed in design phase. The actual designer/engineer was mssr. Deaudonne Saive' , who perfected the double stack feature which give the Hi-Power its unique place in history as the first hi capacity handgun. The Hi-power went on to become the most prolific pistol in history, supplying over 100 countries with their offical sidearm, not to mention civilian ownership.
So, I think that shared credits are appropriate.
Great honest review. My first shot gun was a Remington Mod 11, basically an A5 without the cutoff. No rib. It was awesome. Our priminister at the time, John Howard, stole it from me. I miss that gun.
It’s a classic and I couldn’t wait to inherit my dad’s ‘56 model - no rib, Prince of Wales grip, and stock oversaturated at the receiver from 50 years’ worth of 3 In 1 light machine oil as the cleaning agent.
I love the historicity of the gun. I love the gun because it was my dad’s. I don’t love shooting the gun. Shot 2 rounds of sporting clays 5 years ago and haven’t shot it since. I’ll never sell it but it’s not likely going to leave my safe until I hand it down to one of my sons.
Historicity is added to my vocabulary from here on in
Only 112 ish bucks that must be nice
Someone herein made a comment about the Remington model 11-48, which was still the same basic Browning designed long recoil action design but with the streamlined receiver vs the A5 and Remington model 11, as having O rings that could be a problem. The A5, Remington models 11 and 11-48 never used O rings. They did have a part called the Friction Ring that mated with a brass collar both which fit over the magazine tube in a certain order which along with the recoil spring helped to reduce recoil. The newer model 1100 used rubber O rings in its gas operating system. Those O rings definitely have a habit of disintegrating and turning an 1100 into a single shot shotgun. One should always keep some of the proper size for gauge O rings on hand when hunting.😊
Browning was probably the greatest gun and fireaarms designer that has ever been, he had no design software nor computers as modern designers have. Browning had designed many of Winchesters rifles but didn't get much out of that, so when he had designed the Auto-5 he patented it quite well and his patent was probably never broken, but he offered Winchester the deisgn but at terms that Winchester did not accept, so he took it to Fabrique de la National in Belgium who started production, and to tease Winchester he offered or granted Remington license to produce it also. This gun was produced for almost a century, there might be other products that have been produced for a century but they are rare. My father and his brother bought one of these second hand sometime in the 1950's but I think the gun was made in the 1940's, the barrel had a bulge on it when they got it but the barrel never failed completely, few years ago I was given a brand new barrel, so the gun would have at least 100 years left.
Enjoyed the vid. I have a 12 ga. A-5 from 1953 in near-perfect shape. The previous owner took really good care of and and I'm following in those footsteps. Mine doesn't have that "speed load" feature but I really don't care bcuz I just shoot trap and skeet with it. Mr. Browning was a genius in his designs.
I inherited a Remington 11 (Auto 5) Sportsman - fit a replacement springs/friction bushing kit and you will have a truly smooth and true tracking gun. I also have a Cutts choke barrel, which takes this great gun to an amazing level with distance tight patterns. PS I was born amd educated in the UK, proudly living in the States with worldwide shooting experience.
The first time I ever shot skeet it was with my (brand new to me) 1952 Browning Superposed. I believe I hit 11/25. The second round I handed it off to my friend and picked up my grandpa’s old Auto-5 (one of the old ones where you have to push the bolt release to load it). I hit 2 clays with it (granted it’s a fixed full choke and the O/U is a fixed full/mod). I then switched back to the Superposed for the last round of the day and busted 16. I love the A5, I’ve seen my dad do work with it and I’ve seen the score card where my grandpa hit 98/100 with it, but there’s just something about it I just don’t get while shooting🤷♂️
I have an old (Early 1900s) Remington Model 11, the same gun. I love the weight and feel, point of aim and action of that old gun. I don't love the safety, only used it dove and duck hunting, never quail because of the safety. Also, no matter how many parts I replace, how much I clean or maintain, it occasionally slam-fires. Overall it's not a particularly safe gun, I occasionally take it to the range to play but don't hunt with it anymore. Mine isn't collectible because three generations of my family shot the crap out of it. But I still love it.
"This is a gun designed by a man who really wanted you to kill shit"
This is my new favorite quote. Especially favorite about John Browning.
The A5 is one of my favorite shotguns but i dont know if I'd ever take it shooting clays.
There is not a scale for taste
Some people don't like chocolate cake
There was nothing hugely spectacular about a 57 Chevy 2-door other than it worked reasonably well and people loved them
I can fully understand why a young man in the UK would not have the affection for this A5 as people in the US
When you're comfortable with your firearm you're better at using it
I'd say sell it for-profit to someone who will love it
If Browning designed it, America has first dibs when claiming it, regardless of where he had to go to have it manufactured. Browning had been promised he could go forward with his development of his autoloading design and then, after being denied and delayed by Winchester (in order to not be their own competition) he was compelled to have it developed elsewhere. Belgium was not his first choice, but circumstances required him to go there in order to drag the technology forward. And Thank God that he did.
I love browing guns. I have a browning gold hunter with that gold trigger, have taken so many game and harvest from when my dad gave it to me at 19 to now, 30. That quick speed load browning offer is pretty damn awesome, lock the bolt, load one shell in, bolt slam home ready to go
I have two that will remain in the family as long as I have a day. One was my great grandfather's 1920's era long barreled goose gun and my grandfather's 1951 that's just a hair over the US legal length he has for home defense.
Both are fantastic shooters, well maintained and my absolute favorites to take to the range.
Dude I don't care how bad of shape it's in I have a special place in my heart for the A5 if u want to sell it I will double ur money for it
Well, it may not have worked for the author, but it works extremely well for me. With the inclusion of spring and friction ring rebuild kit, my A5 light 12 will continue to be in my battery for another 59 years as I bought it new in 1965. It has taken vast quantities of duck, goose, quail, dove and pheasant, and an occasional deer and hog without fail. For me at 5'11 and 175 lbs it fits just perfect, balances perfect and I even have two barrels, one 28" and one 30". So, I do understand not every piece is good for every shooter, so I take no offense that author did not find it to his liking. I would say, try one and then decide, don't take my word or his, but make up your own mind.
I get the feeling the OP poses the misnomer that it is a Belgian gun due to the desire to create discussion and flare some feathers. You could say its a Japanese gun because it was produced for decades there too, or call it a Portuguese gun because the new A5 is produced there as well, heck, for a while it was produced in the U.S. during WWII...what do these Browning guns all have in common? It was invented and created by an American for American shooters.
Thanks for finally doing the A5! Got to come down on the other side f the fence though. This gun is so ingrained in American hunting culture that I can never really see it as being Belgian in anything of their than manufacture… it’s so loved by those guys and everyone’s grandpa had one… but I do get your point Jonny! I’ve got a 1929 one and I love it and it feels American 🇺🇸 Not the nicest thing to shoot but so much fun. I’d describe it as like shooting a 3 shot Greener GP. Or like getting someone to lash an old mechanical typewriter to your face and hitting the keys 😂. Not that you would. You’ll have more fun with an A5.
I inherited one from an uncle. He bought it new in 1954. I call it the gun that kicks twice. There is a distinct second kick as it cycles the next round. Iy can be disconcerting when hunting and you need that second shot in a hurry.
I used to borrow one my local gunsmith had on the shelves as a loan gun. When I borrowed it got stripped, scrubbed clean, oiled, put back together then given back. It was the five shot version, used to use it for clays and pigeon shooting
I had a 1928 model with a cut down barrel. The Auto-5 was the only gun design that Browning wouldn't sell the design for outright. He knew he had a winner. Greatest gun designer ever. The man was a genius.
American Classic? Yes from the stand point that up until the late 80s middle 90s this is one the most popular autos in American hunting households.
Yes in 12 ga it is a thumper. (Check your slow motion of your ShotKam flopping around. Lol) In 16 and 20ga it’s a sweetheart.
Actually, it's an American gun exclusively. Yes it was manufactured by FN in Belgium, as at the time, FN wanted to take on Browning firearms. I forget the man's name, but the head of FN was Brownings best deciple. He would take on the Browning company after Brownings death and finish the Browning Hi-Power pistol.
The major reason it became a shotgun manufactured in Belgium was because Winchester screwed over Browning, with the Winchester Model 1911. This angered Browning so much, he took the patent of the charge handle with him, leaving Winchester with a sub partner version of a Browning A5. His first stop was Remington, but Remington died in his office of a heart attack as Browning waited in the waiting room. Despite this, Remington did take on the Browning A5 as the Remington Model 11, which technically is still being made today despite the revisions and redesigns as the Remington 1100 today. Savage also made a lower end Browning A5 as well. However, Belgium still made most of the guns and were still the better quality gun. In fact, the Browning Sweet Sixteen is the only gun John Moses Browning wanted his face on, as this was his final repeating action creation, a semi-auto and in his favourite gauge, 16 gauge.
If it wasn't for Winchester totally screwing Browning over, it would have been a Winchester Model 1911 shotgun, and Browning as a company may have not existed. Ironically, the company to screw Browning over is now a sister company where they get their stuff manufcatured by one another in the same factories. Now all are made in Japan or Belgium.
I agree with you about not being able to hit with the classic Auto-5. I still absolutely love the gun due to the fact that I am a waterfowl hunter in the USA and love the history of the Auto 5! But I hunt with the new Browning A-5😊
My father had a friend back in the late 1930s who had one but it obviously had some mechanical issues as it would fire fully automatic. My father said that it was a terrifying experience.
That would have been cool