Browning Auto-5

[oldbillthundercheif]

Today I pondered purchasing a used auto-5 but hesitated...
The one I came upon had a FN-marked receiver, but it also had Japanese characters on the bolt. Where was it made? When? Is it a "parts-gun" made from the random pieces of several shotguns?
It had obviously seen hard use, but the finish was still pretty nice-looking.

It was marked at $500, but I could probably haggle it down some, these guys will almost always wheel-and-deal on used cannons. Is this an acceptable price?

My grandfather had one of these when we went hunting back in the old days and I have always wanted one of my own...

 

[SOSARMS]

Do you have the serial number???
I bought one 2 months ago on an internet auction site, sight unseen, ( I know really stupid ) and paid $255 for it.....Turns out it was a '20s production, had a 4 digit serial, and had F N on the receiver........Seems to function OK......Imagine yours might be old as well

 

[Jeff Mulliken]

Those marks are not Japanese, they are the original Belgian proof marks from when the gun was proofed before as required by Belgian law. Each mark has a different meaning, interesting but not something you need to know....unless it's a 16 ga and then you may want to read them to find out if it has a 2 9/'16" in chamber....that migh be nice to know before shooting it!