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When was this Browning A5 Made?


Jim Neal
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I have custody of my Dad's Browning A5, serial is 465667, but I can't make any sense out of the available info as to when it was made.  Does anyone have any ideas?  He's owned it since at least the late 70s if not earlier.  His oldest sxs is over a century old so it's one of his "new" ones! :D

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8 hours ago, Jim Neal said:

I have custody of my Dad's Browning A5, serial is 465667, but I can't make any sense out of the available info as to when it was made.  Does anyone have any ideas?  He's owned it since at least the late 70s if not earlier.  His oldest sxs is over a century old so it's one of his "new" ones!

Are the first two numbers in a bigger font, if they are this is the year.

If they aren't I'm sure someone else will be able to help 😊

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9 hours ago, Jim Neal said:

I have custody of my Dad's Browning A5, serial is 465667, but I can't make any sense out of the available info as to when it was made.  Does anyone have any ideas?  He's owned it since at least the late 70s if not earlier.  His oldest sxs is over a century old so it's one of his "new" ones!

Try the speedload test. Either with, or without, a snap-cap or (in a safe direction) cartridge.

Without. See if without pressing the button on the side you can press the plate at the bottom of the ejection port upwards when the bolt is in the forward position. If you cannot it doesn't have the speedload feature so is pre-1953/1954

With. See if when the bolt is in the rearward position you can simply insert a snap-cap or cartridge into the magazine in the usual way and that when you do the bolt then will on its own without pressing the bolt release immediately move forward and chamber that cartridge into the barrel. It is post-1953/54 (or at later date has been retro-fitted with the speedload feature).

Check the Belgian proof marks as these again have a letter code that will give a broad date range or use one of a number of online websites that give serial number ranges for the A-5.

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You can test the speed load feature by just poking the lifter from the bottom. if it moves freely it's speed load, if it requires you to hold the bolt release button down in order to push it up to insert a cartridge into the magazine, it's an earlier one.

Your serial number makes it seem like a 1958-ish version? My 1960's version begins with a small "60" followed by the larger font 5-digit serial number

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Thanks for the replies, gents.  Next time I'm near the cabinet and have 5 minutes I'll grab a photo of the s/n.

The last snap caps I owned are probably by now well buried in the mud somewhere in one of the woods I shoot after losing them one day 🤥  I should get some more really, seems as my guns tend to hibernate between March and October.  @enfieldspares and @Opossumthanks for the tips, I'll run through those procedures as and when I get a chance.  I'm quite curious to find out exactly how old the gun is!

Cheers 👍

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Try having a look here:

https://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=216472

Somebody has done awful lot of research on the Auto 5!

Edit; Just realised the above link only goes as far as 1940, yours is later, but it's still some interesting research.

Edited by Hector Vector
Inaccuate info
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