Any New A5 Owners? Opinions Please

[meyer4589]

More than likely my next purchase will be a higher end auto shotgun. I've mainly just looked at the new Browning A5. The one I have looked at is the new 3.5 chamber and 28" barrel. I would mainly use this as an all around gun. Trap, ducks, field use, etc... Do any of you have experience with the A5? Would I be better off with a 30" or 28" barrel. Are there any other options out there in the $1000 to $1500 range?

 

[Whitsettd8]

I'm in the same boat I'm looking for a dual purpose shotgun something I can waterfowl hunt and switch out to 3 gun. I've narrowed my search down to the Versa Max and the FN SLP MKI.
The Versa Max will shoot 2 3/4- 3 1/2 inch shells where as the SLP will only do 2 3/4-3 inch shells. The draw back of the Versa Max is that barrels are $550 bucks so unless you want to run a 26 or 28 inch barrel the entire time your kind of hosed. The SLP barrels are around $350

 

[PUalum04]

My Brother bought one last year. His is the 3" synthetic stock "Stalker" model with a 26" barrel. I have shot it several times. It shoots and functions well, is relatively light weight (seems that way to me) and is well balanced. If you are recoil sensitive, the A5 is not for you. Depending on the load, the recoil can be a bit harsh.

For a general purpose shotgun, I would not go longer than a 28" barrel. Just my opinion.

Below is an article from Chuck Hawk comparing the A5 and a Benelli Vinci:

Benelli Vinci and Browning A5 compared

 

[asevans]

wish i could give you an opinion. wish i had one. have used belgium a5 for hunting all my life. I have been looking at the newer ones as well. Indiana gun club had a couple of them. a 3 inch and 3 and a half model. camoed. go up there and check them out.

 

[Birdblastingbrad]

Had one and it is NOTHING like the original auto-5. I bought mine right when the came out, and just never liked the feel of it. It's a classic looking gun, but felt kinda cheap. Maybe I compared it too much to the originals. I sold mine for what I had in it, and bought a Benelli Legacy and I couldn't be happier. It is as much a technological marvel as the A5, but more refined.

 

[Twangbanger]

If you've not shot an A5 extensively before, I recommend you go to Indiana Gun Club, and shoot a round of trap with one of their used A5s before you buy. They're very welcoming about letting people step out the door and shoot a round of trap with a used gun (not new ones), just give them a drivers' license (if I recall) and go "test drive." 25 or 50 shots should tell you if you're going to like the recoil.

If you like it, I'd buy a used "old" model A5. I don't have experience with the new ones, but the shotgun "snobs" definitely like the old ones better, and it might prevent you from taking a bath on resale if you trade later (as serious shotgun shooters usually do).

 

[Leo]

I actually kind of like the A-5, but I have not shot one in 25 years. I liked the 1100 and 11-87 Premier . All have good points.

Not like an A-5, but the auto loaders you see at sporting clays championships are Beretta, Beretta, Beretta. I figure if people are traveling around the world and spending hundreds of dollars of entry fees, they can have any shotgun they want. If there was something better than the Beretta, they would buy it. They have camo versions for hunters also.

 

[meyer4589]

After looking at a bunch of different guns over the weekend, and I think I have narrowed it down to the Beretta A400 Outlander

 

[Birdblastingbrad]

Do yourself a favor and look at some of the Benellis. The reliability of the recoil operated guns is very nice for field use with various shells.