FN Auto5 From work colleague - Curious about it.

Y

YoungKiwi

New member
Hi,

Browning/ FN Shotguns are really not my thing, but I had a work colleague want to get rid of one, so I took it from him. for NZD$400 (about usd$290)

I was curious if anyone here could tell me about much about it. It is an FN produced gun, for export only. (not for USA)

Serial number is 66 (small type) and then 298xx (in larger type) following it.

Barrel marking : FABRIQUE NATIONALE D'ARMES DE GUERRE - HERSTAL BELGIQUE
ACIER SPECIAL - C12 - CART 2 3/4

Thanks if you can help.
 
Exact same gun as those imported by Browning Arms to the USA.

http://www.browning.com/customerservice/dategun/detail.asp?id=13
1958-67 From 1958 serial numbers were preceded by the date of manufacture.

8M=standard weight for 1958.
8G=light weight for 1958.

Example: 8M1000 = A 1958 Auto-5 standard weight shotgun with serial number 1000 G85001-G99000
8G1-8G2000
M=standard weight
G=light weight


1968-76 In 1969 Browning started using two digits for the date of manufacture which was followed by a four digit code that identified the type of Auto-5:
M=standard weight
G=light weight
This was then followed by the serial number beginning with 1000.
Example: 69G1000 = A 1969 Auto-5 Lightweight 12 ga.. shotgun with a serial number of 1000. M-standard weight
G=light weight
 
I'm assuming that what you have is the gun known in the US as a Browning Auto 5, aka the "Humpback". (Substantially the same high quality gun was manufactured by Remington in the US and was called the Remington Model 11.) If what you have is an Auto 5, you've purchased one of the finest and most reliable mass-manufactured shotguns ever made. It was designed by John Moses Browning in 1898 and is still one of the fastest-operating autoloaders ever made. If it's in good condition, you got a wonderful deal. Most of these guns are still perfectly servicable, and if given a little care will still be going strong through the next century. Prices are going up as these guns are starting to become collectors items.

FYI, John M. Browning designed the 45 automatic pistol that was used by US forces through two World Wars, Korea and Vietnam. He also designed several machine guns that were used for about the same period. His "Ma Deuce" heavy 50 cal. machine gun is still used by the US today. He also designed the Browning Hi-Power" 9mm pistol, another wonderful handgun, and the Winchester Model 1897 shotgun. He even had a hand in the design of the wonderful Winchester Model 12 pump action shotgun. But from all these products of his genius, he personally considered the Auto 5 shotgun to be his greatest achievement. Browning died in 1926 and his importance to the US military was such that the then US Secretary of War gave his eulogy.

Check out the hyperlink below to see what was being said about the Auto 5 by a shotgun rapid fire expert as late as 2001:

http://74.6.239.67/search/cache?ei=...W&icp=1&.intl=us&sig=vRnp5PQXJOTTbGDJE5euEg--
 
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