Mystery shotgun?

[Jim]

I was out at Harold and Miss Jeanette's yesterday and saw a trade-in shotgun on the rack. It's made by H&R and it's a 1871 Auto 5, 12 gauge, 3" mag., 28 inch barrel threaded for screw in chokes and a vent rib. Black synthetic stock, brass front bead. Harold said I could have it for $175. I stuck it in the 'hold' cabinet.

I came home and started researching it and couldn't find it on the H&R site, Gunbroker or GunsAmerica. I can't find it in any of my books, either. Any o' y'all know anything about this shotgun? It looks like it just came out of the box.

[SlippShodd]

Is it this:

http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Shotguns/excell.asp

[Mk42gunner]

The gun that comes up on that link is not what I think of when I hear or read Auto 5. I think of the John Browning designed Auto 5 or the Remington Model 11; then I recall that Savage also made some shotguns on the Browning patent, I think they were the Model 720.

Robert

[Jim]

Is it this:

http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Shotguns/excell.asp

That's it! Thank you, Sir!

Based on the prices I've been seeing online, I just might adopt this thing.

[Fishman]

This may be it:

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=HR-1871-Excell-Auto-5-Shotgun-Combo&i=415763

Looks like the new design dispenses with the "humpback".

[snuffy]

Well IF it's the old blowback NON-gas operated A-5 Browning action, it will kick you into next week with 5 quick shots. The bam-slam-wack of the auto 5 makes for tired/sore shoulders real quick.

I hate pictures like that, I'd never buy any gun from just a pic like that. I'd need to spend time looking at it in person.

[fecmech]

Well IF it's the old blowback NON-gas operated A-5 Browning action, it will kick you into next week with 5 quick shots. The bam-slam-wack of the auto 5 makes for tired/sore shoulders real quick.
The A-5's weren't really blow back per se, the barrel and breech bolt were locked together until the breech bolt hit the stop. The barrel sprung back into position by the recoil spring and then the breech bolt after a slight delay followed picking up a new shell from the mag tube. They were also pretty soft shooting guns if a fellow used the friction ring setup correctly. If a person puts oil on the magazine tube and then leaves the friction rings set for light loads while shooting slugs or 3 3/4 dr. pheasant loads you betcha it kicks! I've owned an A-5 since 1966 and when I shoot sporting with target loads I set the friction rings for heavy loads and put some oil on the mag tube. This lets the action cycle reliably but much recoil energy is absorbed by the friction ring on the mag tube. With hunting loads the mag tube is almost dry and the additional recoil operates the action. A lot of people that own A-5's don't even know about the friction rings and their function. It is a very simple and reliable system!

[bear67]

Kind of strange, but I bought one of these H&Rs last week off of our local classified add paper--I have been around a lot of shotguns and had never seen this one. I did not need it but bought it on price alone.
RE the Browning A-5--which I have had a love affair since the fifties--they are a good dependable gun and you need to know about the friction rings. In my younger days we quail hunted 30+ days a year and I have a Belgium A-5 from the early sixties that has my hand print on the receiver from being carried for 30 years or more. I have another one that has 30" full choke barrel from the late thirties that has taken its share of Ducks. Yes they are not lightweight (I am still strong enough to carry one all day even if I don't) and not camo, But still makes my pulse run up when I have one in my hand. I like the John Browning Humpback and have Rem 11s and Savages in the safe just because I like them. I may not remember why we used to chase the young girls, but I still feel the draw of a fine firearm