Help with Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen

[Thoughthound]

I inherited this gun and it is a semi-auto 16 guage. I know little about shotguns.

It is not auto loading for some reason.

I am loading shells into the magazine and then pulling back the breech and closing it.

Does anyone know if there is a different loading protocol to get the shells to eject like a semi-auto, or does it sound like the gun needs attention? It is in very good condition externally.

It is also a mid-50s Belgian made weapon if that makes a difference.

While we are on the topic, I also inherited a very old (1920s or 1930s I'd guess) single shot 12 gauge. How do I know if it is safe to fire? It worked the last time it was used in the early 1950s. Since then it has been stored in a closet with a vaccuum cleaner.

Thanks in advance.

[gunsmithgirl]

Not quite sure I understand what your saying about the browning. Is it not ejecting the shells (throwing them out of the firearm, like an empty shell after being shot) or is it not chambering ( bringing a shell from the magazine up into the barrel).

[Thoughthound]

It loads fine, but is not ejecting shells after firing.

[Pouncer]

There is an assembly on shotguns which ejects and most often either the one slide part is out of adjustment (sorry can't think what it's called just now) or spring.

Find a local trap or skeet club, someone there can probably fix it right up-including your older firearm. If they haven't been well oiled and greased from time to time, they need cleaning too-which might be part of the issue with the 16 ga.

This from a gal who hasn't shot clay targets in almost a decade, but who used to do so with a 12 ga. auto. It had an O ring that would sometimes roll out of position. Had to unscrew the cap, take off the wooden handle, clean all, and re seat the O ring.

[Bearfootfarm]

The first thing I'd try is to take it apart and give it a good cleaning. On a Browning, the entire barrel moves back, and if not well cleaned and lubricated, it wont move freely enough.

There are some friction rings on the magazine tube that MUST be assembled in the right order for it to function.

http://hometown.aol.com/jtjersey/page2/index.htm

When you disassemble it, lock the bolt back and put the butt of the gun on the floor.

Push down on the barrel to move it rearward a little to release the spring pressure on the front knob, and remove the knob at the end that holds the barrel on. If you DONT do it this way the barrel will fly across the room, which is NOT a good thing to have happen.

Once you do it a few times, it's easy

When you gat the barrel off, pay close attention to the order in which the rings are on the tube before you remove them.

Once you have them off, clean the tube well. If there is any rust, use some VERY fine steel wool with a little oil on it. Once its totally clean, wipe it with an oily cloth, and reassemble, and it will work as good as new

99% of the time that will solve your problem

http://www.schiessen-erzgebirge.de/B...ning_Auto5.gif

[EDDIE BUCK]

I may be wrong but I believe there is a backward-forward lever on the side that when pushed forward will be auto and when pushed rearward will only shoot one shell and not reload the chamber.

[Bearfootfarm]

Originally Posted by EDDIE BUCK

I may be wrong but I believe there is a backward-forward lever on the side that when pushed forward will be auto and when pushed rearward will only shoot one shell and not reload the chamber.

That's a "magazine cutoff" that keeps it from loading the next shell, but it wouldnt keep it from ejecting the fired shell

[Jolly]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

The first thing I'd try is to take it apart and give it a good cleaning. On a Browning, the entire barrel moves back, and if not well cleaned and lubricated, it wont move freely enough.

There are some friction rings on the magazine tube that MUST be assembled in the right order for it to function.

http://hometown.aol.com/jtjersey/page2/index.htm

When you disassemble it, lock the bolt back and put the butt of the gun on the floor.

Push down on the barrel to move it rearward a little to release the spring pressure on the front knob, and remove the knob at the end that holds the barrel on. If you DONT do it this way the barrel will fly across the room, which is NOT a good thing to have happen.

Once you do it a few times, it's easy

When you gat the barrel off, pay close attention to the order in which the rings are on the tube before you remove them.

Once you have them off, clean the tube well. If there is any rust, use some VERY fine steel wool with a little oil on it. Once its totally clean, wipe it with an oily cloth, and reassemble, and it will work as good as new

99% of the time that will solve your problem

http://www.schiessen-erzgebirge.de/B...ning_Auto5.gif

Oh, and make sure you put some lube on those rings when you put them back in...if you want to get the bejesus kicked out of you! Seriously, the advice given in this post is good, and the only thing I can add is that the rings can be reconfigured to handle low or high brass better, so it could depend on what kind of shells he's trying the gun out with...

[EDDIE BUCK]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

That's a "magazine cutoff" that keeps it from loading the next shell, but it wouldnt keep it from ejecting the fired shell

Like I said I may be wrong, but the autoloading is the problem isin't it?

[gunsmithgirl]

Try cleaning it first. Then if the problem persists you can go from there. Only work on one thing at a time. Don't go tryin to change too much at once. Your lucky there are lots of schematics on the web for the browning a-5.

As for the other shotgun being safe to shoot, I would check a few things. Make sure the bore/barrel looks good. Some of the older shotguns had damascus barrels and many are now considered unsafe because of the barrels. Preform a function test if everything functions smooth it is probably o.k. As a gunsmith I would test safteys, firing pin protrusion, headspace and timing.

[Bearfootfarm]

Originally Posted by EDDIE BUCK

Like I said I may be wrong, but the autoloading is the problem isin't it?

See Post #3

[EDDIE BUCK]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

See Post #3

You are right I never noticed the 3rd post. No wonder I'm not seeing any bucks. LOL Oh by the way nice buck the Mrs. killed with BP. Eddie

[Bearfootfarm]

Originally Posted by EDDIE BUCK

You are right I never noticed the 3rd post. No wonder I'm not seeing any bucks. LOL Oh by the way nice buck the Mrs. killed with BP. Eddie

LOL Its easy to miss some posts.

Thanks for the congrats.
I saw a BIG 6 pointer yesterday. Unfortunately my gun was on the ATV about 100 yds away. I was walking around in a field I had planted a while back to see if anything was coming up, and my dog jumped him out of the edge of the woods. It was the middle of the day and I wasnt really hunting.

He SLOWLY went across the field within about 60 or 70 yds of me and went back into the woods. If I had had my gun, he would have NEVER gone that slowly. Oh Well!!

[mdharris68]

Try this link
http://media.browning.com/pdf/om/auto5_light_om_s.pdf

your gun should be safe to shoot lead shot, but it is not recomended to shoot steel shot through these older guns. If in doubt, take it to your local gunsmith.