I joined your fine forum hoping to learn about my FN A5 Superlight. Gun is a 12 gauge 2 3/4. The only info on the receiver is FN A79949. I did try to date the gun but the A is confusing me. Barrel is labeled, Fabrique National Herstal, Acier Special. It does have sling swivels. It also has a Lyman compensator installed. I pulled the butt stock and verified the stock has been lightened. This is a flat knob gun. Here are my main questions> when was it made? did FN install any Lyman compensators? is there any value to the gun? (I paid $325.00 for the gun) any concerns with shooting the gun? Thanks for any info you can provide.
Welcome to the Browning Owners Forum Slade !! I will let the experts comment on your questions... Enjoy the forum...
There's not a whole lot in the S/V book about the Superlight. They came out in 1958 with an alloy trigger plate and by 1969 the receiver was made of aluminum also. They suffered from cracking buttstocks and flaking finish but by 1972 these problems were solved. As a special gun the serial number charts don't apply. You could call Browning but as it's a World Market gun (Acier Special) they probably won't be of any help. One clue is the stock -- FN went to the flat knob in 1967. And the fix for the cracking was to use denser wood by 1972. S/V tells us that FN did install Poly Chokes and Cutts Compensators at the factory. But I'd be surprised if they did it as late as your gun probably was made. You got a fantastic deal on a rare gun. I'm guessing it would bring in the neighborhood of $2000 on GunBroker. But I'm guessing you're located in Great Britain? The shotgun market seems to be depressed over there.
