A-5 help

[movevio]

i just bought a A-5 sweet sixteen and am trying to find out its manufacture date and am having problems in running down the number. the date code tables i have seen so far don't match my number on the gun. any help appreciated thanks

 

[42769vette]

your in for a tough time. is it a round knob or square is the first thing to look for. the round knobs were discontenued in 67 i think. if its not 67 its somewhere in that area. i found this on another form. hope it helps.

Browning Auto-5 Date Historic Information Serial Number Info 1903-1939 First 10,000 shipped to U.S. Marked with "BROWNING AUTOMATIC ARMS CO. OGDEN UTAH-U.S.A." Very few serial number records remain. Beginning with Serial Number 1 to approximately 228,000. Exact production figures are not available. Year of manufacture on Pre-World War II production is strictly a guess. 1940-1946 From 1940 to 1946 production of the Auto-5 was turned over to Remington. Serial number is on the side of receiver. "ABC" for American made Version. (A=16 gauge, B-12 gauge, C=20 gauge) 1946+229,000-237,000 1947 237001-249000 1948 249001-270000 1949 270001-285000 1950 285001-315000 1951 315001-346000 1952 F.N. took over production of the Auto-5. 346001-387000 1953 387000-438000 1954-55 Serial Numbering System changed. H=Standard Weight. L=Light Weight. H1-H83000 L1-L83000 1956 Serial Number designation for the Light Weight changed to G. H83001-H99000 G1-G23000 1957 Serial Numbering System changed again. M=Standard Weight. G=Light Weight. M22000-M85000 G23001-85000 1958-67 From 1958 serial numbers were preceded by the date of manufacture. 8M=standard weight for 1958. 8G=light weight for 1958. Example: 8M1000 = A 1958 Auto-5 standard weight shotgun with serial number 1000 G85001-G99000 8G1-8G2000 M=standard weight G=light weight 1968-76 In 1969 Browning started using two digits for the date of manufacture which was followed by a four digit code that identified the type of Auto-5: M=standard weight G=light weight This was then followed by the serial number beginning with 1000. Example: 69G1000 = A 1969 Auto-5 Lightweight 12 ga.. shotgun with a serial number of 1000. M-standard weight G=light weight 1976-1997 In 1976 Browning standardized its serial number identification which it followed until 1998. 1. Auto-5 Type 151=Magnum 12 gauge 161=Magnum 20 gauge 211=Light 12 gauge 221=Sweet 16 231=Light 20 gauge 2. Date of Manufacture is a two digit code Z=1 Y=2 X=3 W=4 V=5 T=6 R=7 P=8 N=9 M=0 3. Serial Number beginning with 01001 at the start of each year.

somewhere on the net there is a fairly good chart that ive used a few times but i cant seam to find it. ill keep looking and get back to you

 

[42769vette]

here is what i was looking for.

Auto-5 Semi-Automatic Shotgun

 

[movevio]

thanks for the info but the only number i see on it is the bottom of the receiver and it says S 1091. still guessing

it is round knob

 

[42769vette]

the records on the a-5 are better for the newer shotguns. the old round knobs are pretty much pot luck