Got me a Rifled Barrel for my old A5

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have had an old Browning A5 for a few years now that I bought as a project gun to make a Riot Gun out of. Have been looking kind of halfheartedly for a Hastings Rifled Barrel for the gun and actually wanted one for along time.

Well I won one today on Ebay! It is a Miruko one made in Japan which is not a problem as they a ll fit all the A5's

It came with a Tasco Scope and a B Square mount which I will probably sell. $190.50 total. Can't wait to see it arrive.

It is my birthday present to myself.

I will be shooting slugs with this barrel and as soon as the gun is setup the way I want it will be going to Front Sight for a Shotgun Class so I can learn how to run it.

Counting the hours. Picture sucks, I copied it off Ebay and shows the sharp and very prominent Rifling.

Randy

[6pt-sika]

For some reason I was under the impression that Hastings barrels were made in France ?

[Ranch Dog]

Can't see much from the picture, but I'm excited too!

I've been pondering how to store spare barrels in my reloading/gun room. I don't want to keep them in the safe as the standing room only has been long exceeded and my display racks are outside of their capacity as well. I've been searching for a wall mount of some kind just for the spare barrels, but have not come up with anything. It would be even better if it could secure the shotgun plus say, four or five barrels on the wall.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Yeah the picture sucked. It looked better on Ebay and it shows the heavy rifling in this barrel. I'll take a better one when I get it.

I don't know where Hastings barrels are made, but this one is from Browning/Miroku. The other source was Belgium.

They all appear to have the same rear sight which is unique to Browning guns, and shows up on BLR's and others.

I have wanted one of these since I first saw them in my first Browning Catalog in the early 60's.

Mike I have 2 A5's this one which I bought a few years ago to make a Riot Gun out of (1950) and the pristine one my Uncle gave me in 1995. It was made in 1964 and is nearly perfect, simply because it has lived in a Browning Case with it's Full and Modified barrels for its entire life. All my good shotguns live in take down hard cases. It eliminates Safe Rash and bumps and bruises from mishandling.

My O/U's get taken to the range put together, shot, taken apart, wiped down with a Silicon Cloth, a bore snake run thru, then back in the case. No transportation damage ever.

Keep in mind these are all $2000+ guns so they do get special treatment.

My M 500 currently lives in a soft case at the foot of my bed and goes places in that mainly because it is being used most. The old A5 will end up in the safe with the rifles.

A rack with multiple hooks for various barrels wouldn't be a bad way to store a gun that gets used alot, as long as it didn't just sit there for long periods to collect dust.

Another thing to consider is Humidity, and safes need a Golden Rod Heater in them, and hard gun cases need Desiccate packs inside .

When I get this other gun up and running I may make a top loading Case for it.

Randy

[NyFirefighter357]

I have 2 Belgium A-5's I don't know what all the Hub Bub is about them. I don't really like them. Hastings shows there rifled barrels for the classic A-5 won't fit the Miruko guns and that even the ones made for the classic A-5 may need to be hand fitted. https://www.hastingsdistribution.com...uct_detail&p=3. With that said, I do have 2 Marlin 512 Slug Masters with rifled barrels and slugs through a rifled barrel are a game changer. If I did more hunting I'd get either a Savage 220 or a rifled barrel for one of my 1100's. Good luck with the barrel, I use Hornady SST's & Nikon PROSTAFF Shotgun Hunter 2-7x32 Matte BDC 200.

[Ranch Dog]

A rack with multiple hooks for various barrels wouldn't be a bad way to store a gun that gets used alot, as long as it didn't just sit there for long periods to collect dust.

Another thing to consider is Humidity, and safes need a Golden Rod Heater in them, and hard gun cases need Desiccate packs inside .

Thanks, Randy, that's the idea I was looking for. All the barrels have a slot where they meet the receiver, I can hang them through that slot. I have just the place for them.

My reloading/gun room is a stand alone room within a large metal barn/garage. It has its own central air/heat system. I run a Golden Rod in the safe. I have a display rack along a wall that starts at the entrance door, and I noticed that the firearms in that vertical display were getting rusty (light color on a paper towel). I figured it was the proximity to the door as it opens and closes. I ran a Golden Rod along the base of the display box and that took care of that. A note, LimbSavers don't like a Golden Rod with the confines of the safe. They will melt.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

FWIW my smooth bore 870 barrel with sights shot as good as my rifled barrel did + you can shoot shot out of the smooth bore so you can mix and match your Ammo

[W.R.Buchanan]

Well guys I got my rifled barrel for my A5 today. it came with a Tasco 3x9 scope a B-Square mount and rings.

Only one thing missing,,, The Rifling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!! it is a smooth bore!

This guy posted a pic of the breech end of the barrel and it very definitely showed rifling. It's not.

I was pretty hot about this and fired off a snotty letter to the guy,,, but I think I will keep it and then find a real rifled barrel in addition. I can use the gun with the smooth bore barrel for Front Sight where we fire the majority of rounds birdshot...

I was all hopped up to shoot the **** thing tomorrow with the Lyman slugs thru the rifled barrel and amaze everyone with the new accuracy standard.

Instead I'll probably stay home and work as I need some screws for the rear sight so I can't shoot it anyway.

Randy

[tomme boy]

Attachment 230571

No where in his ad states it is rifled. The pic kind of looks like it MAY be rifled. But what looks like rifling is in the chamber. Not in the bore. Sorry but I think you are in the wrong on this one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Browning-Au....m43663.l10137

[pashiner]

Another vote for hastings. Their distribution center is in the next town over from me, and I've dealt with them a little. Top notch products and service...limited selection though. Most of their stuff is manufactured by verney carron in france. I think it would be worth having one of their barrels fitted to that A5.

[6pt-sika]

Another vote for hastings. Their distribution center is in the next town over from me, and I've dealt with them a little. Top notch products and service...limited selection though. Most of their stuff is manufactured by verney carron in france. I think it would be worth having one of their barrels fitted to that A5.

I have a pair of Belgium A-5 12 Mags . Have s Belgium smoothbore rifle sighted slug barrel already but I’ve started giving serious consideration to a Hastings rifled barrel .

[6pt-sika]

Well guys I got my rifled barrel for my A5 today. it came with a Tasco 3x9 scope a B-Square mount and rings.

Only one thing missing,,, The Rifling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!! it is a smooth bore!

This guy posted a pic of the breech end of the barrel and it very definitely showed rifling. It's not.

I was pretty hot about this and fired off a snotty letter to the guy,,, but I think I will keep it and then find a real rifled barrel in addition. I can use the gun with the smooth bore barrel for Front Sight where we fire the majority of rounds birdshot...

I was all hopped up to shoot the **** thing tomorrow with the Lyman slugs thru the rifled barrel and amaze everyone with the new accuracy standard.

Instead I'll probably stay home and work as I need some screws for the rear sight so I can't shoot it anyway.

Randy

I kinda thought it wasn’t rifled but rather just “rifle sights” . I’m to a degree a student of Browning Superposed and A-5’s , can’t recall ever seeing where Browning made a rifled bore barrel for an A-5 .

[W.R.Buchanan]

Tomme: No where in his listing does it say it is a Smooth Bore Barrel either. I can clearly see the rifling extend past the step in the chamber leading me to believe what you are seeing in the chamber area is reflection from the bore. Like if there was a light in the muzzle when the picture was taken. My wife who is expert in this says he probably "Copy Pasted" the pic from another listing. It happens to her all the time.

If there's no rifling in there then where'd that reflection come from?

I doubt the guy will take it back, but I will get my money back from Paypal or Ebay one way or another.

This barrel is also choked down to .715 at the muzzle so it won't even shoot slugs right. It was designed to shoot buckshot exclusively.

Honing the choke out of the barrel would be a problem to get done right and probably cost more than it's worth. Maybe cutting it to 20" and reattaching the Front Sight could work. But those are solutions to a problem I don't want to deal with. I just wanted a Rifled Barrel to shoot slugs thru, not a project.

But it is going back as soon as the guy responds. We have had to do returns many times and it's no big deal except you have to eat the shipping back to you. It is incentive to be very precise with your descriptions.

The Description could have been,,, "Browning Buck Special Smooth Bore Barrel with Rifle Sights, made in Japan" Simple as that, and I would have passed.

Life goes on, and my Birthday Cake was the highlight of my day. My Birthday present kind of missed the mark.

Randy

[longbow]

Randy:

Not trying to dilute your dismay but the choked barrel may be okay with slugs. I have a buck and slug barrel for my Browning BPS and it says I/C choke but mikes at 0.710" so TIGHT for I/C. It shoots slugs as well as my cylinder bore gun except you can't use hard cast full bore slugs in it. Softish Fosters or sub bore round balls in wads only.

If you can get your money back that would be a good thing. If not it may still be useful or you could sell it.

On the subject of rifled barrels, I just found a used rifled barrel for my Slugster at Ellwood Epps! $150.00 CDN so a good deal and the add says excellent condition. So now I am wondering if I should buy that, as I doubt I'll find one cheaper, or look for a Maverick 88 with rifled barrel. I just found a new Maverick with rifled barrel for $239.00 CDN. Not bad and the barrels are interchangeable...and I wouldn't mind rough handling of a Maverick new or not. My understanding is that they are basically a cheaper version of the Mossberg 500 but with double action bars and such, just not as well finished.

I was certainly happy with the Slugster from Ellwood Epps! Excellent service and good price from a store. I'd expect the same service for the barrel.

I am just about to head to the range to try that baby out today! Range report to follow.

Longbow

[tomme boy]

My Remington smoothbore slug barrel is also choked at 0.710" and listed at I/C so that is a moot point. It also will shoot 5" groups at 75yds with Win fosters so you just need to go shoot it and see what it does.

[W.R.Buchanan]

We ran a bore gauge down it and my Vang Comped barrel yesterday and the bore on the A5 barrel is .730 and the choke is .715

The bore on the Vang Comped Barrel was .755 and the choked end was .735. I wonder if Hans Vang got the idea form his process from these earlier barrels? but since he was converting Cylinder bores he had to back bore and leave some choke at the end.

I may just keep that barrel and use it for bird and buck and the few slugs I shoot at Front Sight. I think Federal Factory Slugs will go thru just fine. Will take one apart today and verify sizes.

I don't see it working with the Lyman Sabot Slugs as the front driving band will shear the wad petals off as they go thru the choke. I'll try some just to see,,, but that slug is why I want the rifled barrel.

Anyway, I have to go make money now so I'll get back later.

Randy

[W.R.Buchanan]

OK guys just to show you how serious I am about this project, I managed to pick up a Hastings Rifled barrel today for the A5. It looked pretty good in the photos and is definitely,,,, "Rifled!!!"

Should have it in a few days.

Randy

[W.R.Buchanan]

So this project is taking on some new twists.

First; The smoothbore barrel I got for my Birthday is a keeper. This barrel will be used for 3 gun shoots and classes where I need to shoot birdshot, slugs and buckshot.

I measured the barrels interior the other day with one of my friends bore gauges and found it to measure .730 on the nose and .715 at the muzzle. Then some chimed in that their barrels with IC chokes shot slugs pretty well, and this got me to thinking so I posted a thread at www.trapshooters.com which is the home of the Internet Shotgun Gurus.

I had a guy call me directly and he is a guy who installs chokes in shotguns as well as fixes them when they get screwed up. He had some interesting things to say. Apparently Ithaca found that it's "Deerslayer" guns performed with slugs better if there was some choke added to the barrel. Closer research indicates that many Smoothbore Slug Barrels for other MFG's including Browning, also have some choke in them, suggesting that maybe they know something we don't.

The Browning Barrel I got has angled marks in the choked area that indicate it had been fired with slugs. The idea that this is conveying, is that with "Rifled Slugs" the choke causes the "Lands"of the slug to "bite" and impart some rotation to the slug, thus improving accuracy.

Kind of a reverse of Paradox Style Rifling. I have no answers to back this theory up other than the fact that many Smoothbore Slug barrels are done this way. Looking for someone who actually has some knowledge about this.

The question is whether or not this actually happens and if so how much spin does it impart?

When I get this gun up and running (it needs a complete tear down and replace a few internal parts) I will shoot it off the bench and with a variety of Factory Slugs and see which, if any, produce good results. My suspicion is that they will all shoot acceptably out to 50 yards, but what remains to be seen is performance beyond that out to 100 yards and maybe a little beyond.

Second: The Hastings Rifled Barrel should be here next week. I got that barrel specifically to shoot the Lyman Sabot Slugs or similar Sabot Slugs. I'm not into the Full Bore idea as I see many problems keeping the barrel clean, maybe with Powder Coating it could work? But this is where the .73 Caliber Rifle part comes in, and could the gun be viable for shooting moving targets? With 5 -8 rounds on board it certainly would give you enough chances to hit said moving target.

So that's where all this is going.

Randy

[tomme boy]

Try Win 2 3/4 fosters. They have always been the most accurate of the regular foster slugs. Remington has always been the least accurate. The Federal Trueball has been very accurate also but has been too expensive for me to shoot on a regular basis.

And no the slugs will not spin from going through the choke or from flying through the air. Someone is still living in the 1800's if they believe that.

Smoothbores can be accurate if you get a good one. My 870 can hit a 12" steel plate at 200yds with win fosters if you know where to aim. And that is 3 out of 4 shots. So it is not a hail mary type of shot. The limiting factor is my eyes not being able to see the front sight.

[bikerbeans]

Randy,

I have a Hastings 12ga rifled barrel on a Berreta a303. I have shot many FB slugs through this barrel without a leading problem. The slugs have been both lubed and unlubed. Slugs weigh over 1.5 oz and velocity around 1,300 fps. I use hardball alloy and heat treat the slugs.

BB