Anybody know about the Auto 5?

[MtGun44]

I got a deal on a Rem 11 that has no finish, but otherwise looks pretty reasonable. Bead
blast and rust blue, refinish the stock and deepen the checkering. It has a Cutts with what
appears to be a full choke tube on it by the length. Probably will find or make a
spreader. Definitely install a new fiber buffer - Gun Parts has them.

Thanks for all the info. Wasn't actually looking for the best self defense shotgun, was looking
for info on Auto 5s. I have a Mossberg 500 and an Ithaca Riot Gun pump and they are fine
for the job. I just wanted to fool around with an Auto 5 or clone to learn about another
classic Browning design and maybe make a useful self defense shotgun out of it. The
info on using an 870 mag tube is REALLY great news, appreciate hearing that. Hope the
Rem 11 has the same situation.

Reid Coffield had a series on rebuilding a Rem 11 and I have read several of the installments.
If anyone has the Part 2 of 'Salvaging a Remington 11", I'd love to borrow it or maybe
you could scan the article and send it.

Thanks again for all the info - learned a lot already, will certainly learn more. I think
$150 is a fair price, we'll see once I get it in my hands!

Bill

[W.R.Buchanan]

Bill: I bought an Auto 5 a few years ago for $300 specifically to make into a riot gun. I have had it apart 15 times trying to get the bolt to stay open after the last shot. Finally wen to Brownells and they sent me the right part but I never put it in and the gun has sat. I am going to talk to Tim about fixing and re-bluing it. It was made in 1950 and I think that was prior to the speed load function being added. It also has a Cutts Compensator but it will be removed for the shortened barrel, and open sights added.

Don't go below 20" on your barrel cut, it makes the gun look and feel weird, and also replacement barrels are not interchangeable on any of them. They all have to be fitted to each individual gun. IF you are going to put sights on it make sure they are "Open Sights," since the barrel moves so much a rear sight mounted on the receiver won't be too accurate. Also If you shoot with both your eyes open seeing the barrel coming at you the first few times can be distracting.

I have a pristine 1964 Light 12 that my favorite uncle gave me before he died, it has the speed load function where the first round you stuff in the magazine automatically feeds to the chamber. This gun came with both full and modified barrels from the factory in the Browning hard case. It is not going to be modified in any way except it does need a new recoil pad which I can do.

Just my take on these guns

Randy

[scb]

If you are going to mount sights on the barrel just be really careful about the position.
One day Bubba drug is Browning A5 into the shop. He had silver soldered one of these on.

He attached it too far to the rear. When he fired the first round it split the top of the old A5 about half way back. Was gona to save a few bucks and do it his self.

[W.R.Buchanan]

SCB: Where did that sight come from , who makes it? I am looking for rear sights for my gun as we speak.

Obviously I need a steel one so it can be silver soldered onto the barrel.

That doesn't work with Williams Aluminum ones.

Randy

[scb]

Remington factory. 700's, 742's 760's etc. I think they still use them. Haven't paid much attention lately.
Yup they do. http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts...ke_3=Remington
I would caution against using this on a recoil operated barrel. I have seen them used but the inertia of the barrel slamming back and forth makes it hard to keep the elevation set.

[HighHook]

I know on the a5's I change the spring settings 12 ga load specific and really eats the recoil force on shoulder.

[MtGun44]

Randy,

Beautiful shotgun, super nice case and extra bbls. I got a already bubba'd barrel on e-bay for $40 without bbl extension, so will swap
them and leave the original unmolested. Cleaning out a lot of grunge and it all actually looks pretty good inside, including the
bbl.

I appreciate all the info, and a friend has an 870/1100 extension that we will try. So - where exactly does this 1/8" spacer go?

Bill

[W.R.Buchanan]

Yes Bill: the one in the case is a nice one. The one I'm making into a riot gun is and older one I got for $300 a few years ago.

I have seen Remington and Savage military guns at several gun shows and they are not uncommon. Apparently they were highly regarded since during those War times all of the alternatives were pump actions.

Having 5 shots on hand to instantly fire into a problem was a good thing. Being able to load on the run is something you have to learn. IN your 3 gun comps the mantra is if you're not shooting, you're reloading.

I have been using a Mossberg 500 that holds 8 but I assure you that you can go thru them just as fast as you can 5 rounds and you still have to reload anyway. The extra work running the pump gets old pretty fast. And an extension tube for the Browning is something I just have to find. that gun with 8 on board would be a pretty formidable weapon.

The one thing about the A5's is that you have to decide which level of loads you want to run and set the guns recoil system up for either light loads or heavy loads. The bronze bushing under the fore end has two ways to run it, depending on what you are shooting. If you are planning on shooting 3 gun or any tactical type of use then I would recommend running the lightest birdshot loads you can find or make and make your own buckshot and slug/ball loads out of the same recipe. Mine are my standard trap load with either #8 shot, 000 buck or a .665 round ball that weighs 422 gr. All in the same hulls, with the same wad and powder charge.

This way the A5 will run all of them and never know the difference.

One thing to note is that a light birdshot load is only a relative thing. Any shotgun load used on meat is devastating, and getting hit by anything that comes out of a shotgun will ruin your day, and in most cases permanently. The point is to minimize the wear and tear on your shoulder by shooting light loads for games or home protection. Getting hit by a 1oz slug at 1100 fps will not be more pleasant than getting hit by one at 1300 fps or 1600 fps. But your shoulder will certainly know the difference. It is also the same as a 435gr .45-70 boolit at the same velocity so that should give some point of reference.

Randy

[MtGun44]

NO doubt that at short range, ANY 12 ga load is going to be fatal to any part of the trunk.
Even #8s at in-the-house ranges, although I'd choose #6 or #5 for that application first.

How do the round balls shoot as far as accy out to 50 or even 100. I have been amazed at
the accy of ordinary Foster slugs at 100 yds. Do you load these in a normal poly shot
cup?

Arms and legs not as likely fatal, but may be a missing limb.

Mine will be just as a house gun, but I may put the cutts barrel back on from
time to time and hunt with it, too.

Bill

[W.R.Buchanan]

Bill: My normal trap load is an old style Win AA hull with 20ish gr of Green Dot, and a Claybuster WAA12 clone for a wad and Win primers. I use the exact same setup for buckshot and the .665 round balls except with the round balls I use a 1/4" thick felt wad under the ball. The crimp folds down exactly like it does with #8 shot.

This is all coming out of a Mossberg 500 and I have not shot it to 100 yards yet. At 50 I was able to hit Clay pigeons laying on the berm but had to aim low to do it as the front sight was not high enough. I got a more proper sight mounted yesterday so after it is sighted in we'll see what it will do further out. It should be minute of man at 100 although coming from a smooth bore there is really no telling where the round will end up.

I think the inertia from the speed of the round is what keeps it going in the intended direction, and as the speed drops off the thing is prone to wander. This is essentially the new model Repeating Brown Bess Musket.

Don't expect rifle accuracy cuz it ain't ever going to be there. Some loads are definitely going to be better than others however you can only do so much with a round ball with a big sprue cutoff sticking out . It can and will influence the direction of travel depending on how it is oriented in the shot cup and how it comes out of the barrel. There is little you can do to alter this fact.

Could you hunt with them? Sure, and anything inside of 100 yds. is definitely doable. My Balls weigh 422 gr!, any way you look at it getting hit by one is going to create a serious problem .

Randy

[Hooker53]

Weren't some of the early A5 and Rem 11 shotguns 2 1/2" shell only guns??

[Cap'n Morgan]

I've seen a few old Belgian made A5 with straight stocks and they all where 2 1/2", this chamber length was quite common for European shotguns. One had no lock screws, indicating it was made before 1909.

Lots of info on the A5 here: http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...?f=53&t=216472

[Ragnarok]

Young kid down the road bought a nice nice Browning A5 3 incher from his uncle for like $400(a store would've priced it at like $800-$1000 it's so nice!). Anyhow..the Browning wouldn't run very well(at all) with 2 3/4" shells. The kid took it to his neighbor for inspection..and they both brought to me. I know how to take the A5 apart and reassemble it..but don't know how to set-up the friction rings. We cleaned the petrified grease out of the recoil spring and off the mag-tube. Cleaned the entire gun and lubed....

Got some destructions online to assemble the friction rings for various length/power shells and set the thing for 12ga 2 3/4" shells and it ran pretty good with 1 1/8 ounce 3 dram loads. I had thought the A5 had a decal inside the forearm illustrating the friction-ring settings(but maybe not?)...also was not aware a 3" Browning A5 could handle 2 3/4" shells as an auto!!

[Hooker53]

Thanks Cap. The reason I was asking. I also came into ownership of a Mod 11 I know they are a lot alike it and the A5. When I had it down cleaning and looking it over I had a spent 2 3/4" shekel on the bench and picked it up for comparison. It almost would not clear the port and maybe didn't. So I was just wondering about that. I think mine is of or around the 1925 vintage. Not sure on that. Good story Ragnarok. I don't think mine would pass a fired 3" thru the front of the port.

[Finster101]

The A 5 sure does look good too. Here is a project that I started a while back with the help of some fella's here on this board. Randy, recognize that mag tube extension?

[W.R.Buchanan]

Finster: Yes I do. The problem I had is that tube would thread on my 1964 gun but wouldn't thread onto my older 1950 gun. That's why you got it.

I'm still looking for one that will work on mine.

How long did you cut your barrel? Looks like 20"?

Also I like your usage of the TRS 25 on that gun. I may do the same thing. The Red Dot on that gun will help you get on target faster than anything there is, and it also will work very well at Night.

You'd also be surprised how that green front sight will work at night with a good light on the gun. I have several Streamlight TLR 1 S's mounted on Carbines and one on my Mossberg as well. They make using Iron Sight's completely possible at night. The Day Glo Green sights are like LED's with the Streamlight on.

The S means Strobe function. Very disorienting. These things are on sale for < $100 in a lot of places. Good addition to your shotgun.

Your gun came out nice!

Randy

[Finster101]

Randy, I believe the barrel is just over 20". The deciding factor was the mag extension. I wanted the barrel either even with it or just past the end of it, I like the look better that way. I still have the original factory vent ribbed barrel as well. I put the red dot on mostly for slugs. I tried a couple with just the bead up front and had no clue where they were hitting. No problem with that now. The only thing I have left to do is a recoil pad, because I would like a little more reach. I have one I'm just a little leary of doing it myself.

James