1930s Browning A5 Value

Those cracks in the forearm are bad news. The A-5's were notorious for those. The forearm is very thin to clear the recoil spring. I have repaired plenty of those by sanding the inside down some and lining the inside with fiberglass mat & resin. It holds up pretty good after that and I never had one fail.
However, the best way to prevent cracks is to replace the stock & forearm with synthetic ones. I did. They look like crap compared to wood but they are bulletproof. I don't know if they even make them anymore. I bought and installed mine 20+ years ago. Good luck.
 
Thank you. I like the original stock, and the crack has already been repaired, so no need to worry about that. Any idea of what the gun might be worth, considering the vented ribs?
 
As was previously mentioned above, about 400 give or take.

In the fourth photo, I see what appears to be a crack starting right near the two screws on the action and running longitudinally through the wrist and checkering. Maybe it is just bad lighting.
 
Yeah, I was a little unsure about that mark. I guess 400 seems a fair value, but I wanted to know the value more just for curiousity because I would never sell my Auto-5.

Thank you everyone for all of your help.
 
FWIT

I see ones in that shape for 400-500 here in the LGS. In fact, I have one in that shape - my grandad bought it from a fellow farmer in the 70's, and he replaced the original forearm (cracked, which as people have stated is common) with one that is unfortunately not the exact same stained as the butt-stock - so it is obvious they don't match. I would be lucky to get around 400 for it....but would not take a grand for it even if offered.

J
 
However.....

You guys who are mentioning that it might be worth $100 or a parts gun in your neck of the woods - I will pay $150 for ANY A5 that actually shoots! LOL. I will even kick in the shipping!

J
 
I don't see anyone saying it's a $100 gun; it's a $400 gun at best (and that is only if I am wrong on the seeming crack on the left side)...........
 
I could price that a5 out at $499 and get every penny of that rather quickly in my pawn shop. Folks around here, in Charleston SC, are still excited about browning automatics, especially Belgian guns. Nice shot gun.
 
A5's were made in Belgium and Japan for the better part of a century. Polychoke meh!
Just me but by the looks of the shotgun, and if it cycles nicely -- I'd say $400. Be careful to keep the forearm cap screwed down tight or the forearm will crack. It's happened to many, many A5's.

.02. :)
 
It's already cracked.

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Yes, in that condition ...Crack in for end is a big deal in my view - plus the other Crack and dings I see in photos..... ( rust and or pitting, buggered up screws, poly choke...) .... ( but I know I'm in the minority in this discussion )....../ there are too many of these old guns out there for under $500 in way better condition....

But I don't get the attraction to the auto 5's anyway....( I didn't like them in the 50's either...)...and I don't like the new version either although they're priced competitively ....at around $ 1200, I think..../ there are just too many other good options out there today in sem- autos. ..or in used semi autos from browning, Beretta, etc....that are better all around guns for the money.

I get the nostalgia of the auto 5's...../ but in my view they cycle so slow, it's like watching paint dry....not really, but you get my point. I know i'll get "roasted" for this....but seriously ...shoot an old auto 5 ...alongside a Benelli Super Sport ( which is my semi auto of choice )...and the benelli cycles so fast you can shoot it as quickly as an over under, with no hesitation...

So maybe i'm biased --- but at least one shop owner in my area agrees with me.../ but I also know the market seems to vary a lot regionally on these old guns..../ I will admit, I may be wrong on this one.....but I would not have told anyone to buy that gun, at any price, in that condition....sorry...


But I hope the OP gets a lot of use out of it - and is happy with whatever he paid ...
 
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I can help you out Jim P....

To be honest, my affinity for the A5 is strictly sentimental. And I mostly just collect them, not shoot them. Handsome as all get-out and look GREAT in a wood display case. Haha. My grandad and father both bird hunted in the 60's and 70's and they collected them - a Sweet 16 was considered THE quail gun if you did not like doubles. I was brought up "brainwashed" that it was the be-all end-all auto. LOL. Yes, they do cycle slow. I just get a warm and fuzzy feeling shooting them. Truth be told, my main bird gun is my Browning Superposed - on the couple of times a year I get to shoot birds. You are correct on all points in your above post, save for it bringing $100 - at least anywhere around here. LOL.

J
 
Cycle slow?
I used two different Remington Model 11 riot guns over years, and they were very fast cycling.
I recall firing five rounds of 00 buck, and having all five empties still in a line in the air, like a comic book machine gun.
 
Oh, come on man..../ the only way you'd get 5 shells in the air at one time out of an Auto 5...

...( is to load the gun with 5 shells...and throw the whole darn thing up in the air...)... :D --- in my experience, of course... ;)
 
Big Jim, I know you don't do much bird shooting in your area; but, it's pretty wet. An A5 could be used as an emergency paddle (USCG approved?).


Sorry A5 fans, I couldn't resist.
 
A5 "shuffle"-- you have to love it -- unique ! The recoil pattern from my A5 mag has brought a smile to the face of more than one of my friends upon shooting it for the first time.

Rings set up right and you have a solid shotgun. Hard to argue with a century long production run.

.02

David. :)
 
More like an anchor Zippy........................too much drop for a paddle:D:eek:;)

They just aren't that great compared to other guns - even of the same genre. Heavy, poorly balanced, older ones can have issues finding parts or getting repaired (like old Colt revolvers).

Shoot it, enjoy, realize it is not a collector; have a backup for when it goes kerplunk, but most importantly

If YOU love it and it works for you, go have some fun with it
 
I love old guns like that. I'd put it around 400-500 around here. You can get replacement stocks and forearms from Numrich for about 120.00 or original for about 350.00 but if you do that you're never going to get 750.00 bucks back out of it.
 
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