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The serial number is normally on the shotguns barrel or breach. In 1923, Brownings contract with Remington expired and, once again, FN exported Auto-5s to Browning.īetween 19, FN sold more than 87,000 Auto-5s but Remington sold almost 270,000 Autoloading Shotguns.īrowning offered four grades of Auto-5s when imports from FN resumed.īuyers had standardized options for engraving, grade of wood and finish. Locate the serial number of the weapon and write it down exactly as it is engraved. The 16 gauge was also introduced in 1909, and both the 12 gauge and 16 gauge were available with the same options. They are not considered Auto-5s, although they are made on the Auto-5 patents. The Remington version of the Auto-5 was introduced in 1905 as the Remington Autoloading Shotgun and later became known as the Remington Model 11. In 1903, a new agreement released Browning from his obligation to purchase Belgian-made Auto-5s but permitted FN to continue to sell them in all countries except the United States.īrowning negotiated a contract with Remington to produce the gun for the American market. Typically these early Auto-5s are not engraved however, FN contracted with local engravers to perform embellishments on them on a per-order basis. It was a design that would eventually come to be known as the Auto-5, A-5, Browning Automatic, Humpback, Wild Mule, or Aristocrat of Automatic. When Winchester wouldnt let Browning have the royalties on the Auto-5, the inventor took the design to Fabrique Nationale in Belgium, which was delighted to produce the gun. Henry Frenay, FNs general manager, was thrilled with the opportunity to produce the new gun, and a contract was executed March 24, 1902. Unlike his prior arrangements with Winchester, Browning wanted to receive royalties for the design instead of selling the patent outright.īennett initially balked at the idea, but negotiations continued for almost two years. The gun that would become the Auto-5 was the first successful semi-auto shotgun. John Moses Browning filed his patent for a Recoil Operated Firearm on May 6, 1899. His first patent for a Recoil Operated Firearm was filed May 6, 1899.
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It is much harder to imagine Browning not thinking of an invention for two years. Doesn't get much use anymore.It is easy to imagine the idea for the Auto-5 taking hold in Brownings fertile mind while he was engaged in his missionary work. Great for pass shooting not so great in a laydown blind. The Hastings barrel is about as heavy as the 30" that came on the gun and swings easily. When the requirement to use non toxic shot came out I had the barrel reamed to modified and also purchased a 34" Hastings barrel which came with 6 chokes.
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I would agree, I have the same gun that I purchased new in 1972 and the serial number begins with 72V. Mine is 87XXX and no letters? I have looked everywhere?īelgium Browning, 12 gauge, 2 3/4" chamber and a round barrel. If anyone has any insight on this they can share with me, I would really appreciate it! I would like to find out for sure, and maybe have it appraised as I don't shoot it and I am not sure if I want to hang onto it anymore. I know it is a magnum, so I am thinking maybe the "V" is what they used to classify the magnums? However, the Browning website only lists "M" or "G". So going by this I think it was made in 1971. I think this gun was produced in this time frame, but the serial looks like this: I have been on the Browning website to see if I can ascertain what year it was produced, but it hasn't been much help.įor Auto-5's made produced between 19, their website says the serials numbers started with two digits for the date of manufacture, then the letter M (standard weight) or G (light weight), followed by the 5 digit serial number.
#Browning serial numbers auto 5 code#
If you own one of these guns and it has a letter in the serial number, your gun would have been made after 1953 and the letter is a code that represents G Lightweight, M Standard Weight, V 12 Gauge Magnum, S Sweet Sixteen and X 20 Gauge. I have a Belgian made Auto-5, it was my dad's shotgun - he purchased it sometime during early 70's I believe. Shotgun Serial Number Tables with Photos hot.