Browning A5 Police Special

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bamaranger

New member
Had an interesting A5 pass through my hands lately, from a bud to another bud who effected a repair and then back again.

Browning A5 with factory extended mag, factory extended forearm, 20 inch or so barrel, (I didn't measure) funky baked enamel finish, sling swivels.

As near as I can tell, it is correct and special order for South Africa police, circa 1960. Sorry, no pics, but a search will yield some photos I'm sure.

Never heard of the gun before!
 
I remember when those were being sold in Shotgun News, but don't know anything of their history. The South African connection is even new to me.

The British shot at Communist insurgents in Malaysia in the 1950s with regular A5s. They had a special load for the purpose, buckshot with the nooks and crannies filled in with smaller shot. I guess the idea being that even a No 6 puncture might fester in the jungle and put a Red out of action.
 
when

Hey Jim,

The shotgun bore Century Arrms Int. import marks, and also an RA***type number on bolt and barrel. There was also a number on the butt llike a rack number.

The South Africa info was from a cursory on line search. Can you remember about when you saw them in SGN???
 
Max Popenker has a pic of one on his web site:

browning_a5_police8rd.jpg


http://world.guns.ru/shotgun/be/browning-auto-5-e.html
 
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"They had a special load for the purpose, buckshot with the nooks and crannies filled in with smaller shot. I guess the idea being that even a No 6 puncture might fester in the jungle and put a Red out of action. "

This is known as "Rhodesian Jungle", the theory being the large buckshot will clear away the foliage whilst the smaller shot did the damage. (Those guys weren't convinced of the merits of buckshot as an anti personal round).

Believed by some to have been developed by the Rhodesian SAS on deployment in Malaya.
 
Rbernie, WOW, that's some serious fore-wood on that A-5. If I didn't know better, I'd suspect the pic was Photoshopped.
 
Notice that the 'riot gun' version had a reinforcing crossbolt in the stock wrist, to make it a bit more robust under CQB conditions... :eek:
 
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