Need Browning A-5 info

[G21NE]

I know I've asked this before, but I lost the original post.

I have a Browning A-5 that my dad gave me.
Serial # is 104xx (I think that's the SN. It's on the bottom of the receiver, ahead of the loading port.)

What year was it made?

Left side of barrel reads ACIER SPECIAL, then a whole bunch of symbols.

Then kind of a division problem: D= 65 over 20.9 m/m.

I think Harry mentioned that this indicates a 2-9/16"chamber.


Does anyone make 2-9/16" shotgun shells anymore.? PS 2-3/4 shells feed and cycle just fine.

Thanks in advance!

 

[James K]

Acier means steel; the "Special" is obvious.

The 65/20.9 is the length of the chamber (2 9/16) and the diameter of the chamber just ahead of the rim, in mm. The other marks are, I assume, Belgian proof marks.

The problem with using 2 3/4 shells in a 2 9/16 chamber is that the throat is shorter and the shell cannot open out fully, increasing pressure. The longer shells will fit OK just cycling them through the gun, and will seem to fire all right, but the pressures will be higher.

It is easy for a gunsmith to lengthen the chamber, but the carrier and maybe other parts would have to be changed also. I don't know about the ejection port, but it would probably be OK.

Jim