Adding speedload feature to old A5?

I just bought a pre-war FN-made A5. I really like it, but loading it quickly can be a hassle. Has anyone converted an old A5 to get the speedload feature? I figured out what parts are needed, but found little information on installing them. Is it something you can do yourself or do they need to be fitted by a gunsmith?

Not sure about your question...but I am sure some member here will chime in soon enough...

Stay Tuned...

The parts should just drop in. But the Auto-5 was made to discourage owners from servicing the guns themselves. Hollow ground screwdrivers should be used on firearms, but Browning made the screw slots so thin that special hollow ground blades are needed. These are available from Brownell's, Midwest Gun Works and others in the U.S., but in Sweden you may have to make your own. Art's Gun Shop has a series of videos on the disassembly and servicing of the shotgun and he also shows how to make the screwdrivers.

http://artsgunshop.com

I would think that only the new two-piece carrier would be required, but MGW says the carrier spring and the locking block latch and spring also need replacing. What the locking block latch has to do with anything, I don't know -- unless they meant the CARRIER latch, but even then I doubt it. As to the carrier spring, I have a 1957 Speed Load equipped 16 gauge with the old, receiver mounted spring. The new carrier springs mount to the trigger plate, so you'd have to replace that too. This confusing info is available here:

http://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/PROD/B111106CA


So the waters are pretty muddy. If I was determined to try it I'd start out with the new carrier and proceed from there. Download the Field Service Manual from MGW:

http://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/ctgy/browning-auto-5-field-service-manual

Watch Art's videos, and report back.

Good luck.

Thanks Rudolph...

You're welcome. Another source of videos, that I haven't watched is here:

Brownells and Midway USA both have good video help on numerous topics...

And of course...YouTUBE and Hickock45

Thanks for the info! Already got the tools made, had to take it apart completely first thing after I got it to clean it. It had probably never been cleaned, it was by far the most dirt I've ever seen in a gun, it was impressive that it worked at all.
I basically have come to the same conclusion as you did about the parts Rudolph, just wasn't sure if they needed any fitting.
I will definitely report back if I ever give it a try. The biggest problem is getting hold of the parts. They are basically only sold in the US and noone seems to be able to ship to Sweden (or any other country for that matter). Also, these guns are dirt cheap in Sweden even though they are not that common, so it might actually be easier for me to wait for one with the speedload feature to go on sale and simply switch guns.
Anyway, thanks again. I just got this gun but I'm already in love. Today was the first time I brought it hunting and it had the honor of bringing down the first pigeon of the season.

You are welcome, though for a simple question you got a rather complicated answer.

Most of my Auto-5s don't have speed load, and while I enjoy that feature on those that do, I can load almost as fast by dropping one through the ejection port, closing the bolt and pushing the rest into the magazine. If you are currently loading the mag and then cycling the bolt you are doing it inefficiently.

Your search for parts should include eBay, which I assume you have in Sweden. Buying another shotgun is a great idea. Nobody should have just one!

Here's my latest, a 1938 Sweet Sixteen.

Just beautiful...!!

That is one beautiful shotgun Rudolph. You should see what mine looks like... It's from 1928 (i think) and has been used heavily from the looks of it. Almost no bluing left and the wood is probably beyond repair.
I'm loading it exactly like you describe. Now that I got to try it in the field a couple of times I think maybe it's not that bad, it's just a matter of getting used to it.
Don't really know what to do with this gun right now. Maybe if I stumble across the parts I'll give it a shot, otherwise I will keep it as it is.
Thanks again for the information!

I'd like to see what yours looks like. Not all of my Auto-5s are show quality. Most are just shooters. It's nice to not worry about marking up your gun when you're trying to shoot.

Thank you and Shooter 13 for the compliments. I posted a few more pictures of that gun and its cousin in another thread.

Yes...I did notice that thread.

Very nice sir...

Ok so here's a few photos of my A5. Since I don't have a good camera I had to use my phone, so please excuse the poor quality and lighting.
Given the serial number and stamps on the barrel it was most likely built cirka 1928.







As you can see there's a lot of wear and tear. The stock forend is missing pieces of wood and I just repaired a large crack (not the first one). Almost all of the checkering is worn out. The metal has a lot of dings and scratches and almost no bluing left. The buttplate (original) is dried out and falls apart when you look at it.
Amazingly it still works perfectly. Like I said before, it was filled to the brim with old grease, pine needles and dirt when I got it. If any of my other guns were half as dirty I'm sure it wouldn't even fire... These things must be indestructable.
The only thing that has broken over the years is the action spring tube which has come off the receiver. When I removed the stock it was stuck (really stuck) in the wood and I haven't been able to get it loose. Had to pry the spring back in the tube as I put it back together to make it work at all. Luckily a new tube costs next to nothing, but I fear I might have to damage the stock to get the old one out.

I don't really know what to do with this gun. I'm definitely going to keep it and hunt with it, but I'm thinking of restoring it somehow. I have three options as far as I can see;
1. Keep it as it is. It is kind of cool somehow that it looks so worn. As long as it works right? Would be hard to keep the rust away though...
2. Try to restore it. This was my original plan, but I don't know if it's worth it. I fear the wood is almost beyond rescue and after reading what Rudolph wrote about the problems with re-blueing old A5:s in his Sweet Sixteens thread I'm not sure if the metal can be brought back to life either?
3. Go nuts. Replace the stock with synthetic, blacken the metal and make it look "modern" or something... The least appealing option right now, but at least it would be rustproof and low maintenance.

What would you do?

According to Art (of Art's Gunshop) broken Action Spring Tubes are common on older (pre-1958?) Auto-5s. The old style were threaded in, the new style silver-soldered. In one of Art's videos he says he sees lots of attempts at fixing broken tubes, but the only way to do it is to remove the broken part inside the receiver (he has a special reamer for this) and silver-solder in a new one.

I'd been lucky, but last year I bought a 1930 12 gauge and tube was broken. I took it to Art's and his son said they normally do a re blue because of the heat discoloration from soldering. I asked if they could thread the new tube because I wanted to preserve the original color. They tried but they couldn't, and went ahead and used the solder. Nick was able to do it without discoloring the receiver,

The point of this story is that you really need to get that fixed, and I hope there's a gunsmith nearby that knows how. Make sure he is able to get the old tube out, and silver-solders the new tube in.

I'm very lucky because Art's, where people from all over the country send their Brownings, is just an hour drive from my home.

Looking at your Auto-5, I don't see anything that would keep you from using it for years to come. You think it's from 1928. The trigger looks post 1922 but the large punch hole in the receiver leads me to believe that it's pre-1909. I'd like to know the serial number.

As far as restoration, it needs a new stock. And a reblue. Forget what I said about preserving the "Belgian Blue". There isn't any left. If it were mine -- I'd fix the stock as best I could (and repair the Action Spring Tube!) and use it as my shooter. The rest I'd leave "as is". A synthetic stock and a paint on finish is a good option also, and it's reversible.

And since you said these guns are dirt cheap over there, I'd look for another one. My first Auto-5 was just a shooter. Now I've got close to a dozen but I still shoot that first gun more than the rest combined.

The serial number is 111814. I got the year 1928 from this page:

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=216472

To be more specific, this part:

Serial number range 12 gauge

1924: 62601 - 69300
1925: 69301 - 79150
1926: 79151 - 88000
1927: 88001 - 106250
1928: 106251 - 127650
​

Also, the proofmarks on my barrel look like this:



The letter "g" corresponds to 1928 if you are to believe this page:

http://damascus-barrels.com/Belgian_All_Proofmarks.html

Since both these pointed to 1928 I thought it was a safe bet. But if you have some other theory I would really like to hear it!

I agree, 1928. But, I got pre-1909 from the same page. Sauerfan shows the change to the small punch port in 1909. Yours is LARGE. Do the receiver and barrel have the same number?

The serial number I mentioned is from the receiver. But I agree, looks like it has the big punch port. All other characteristics seems to fit 1928 though, like the curved trigger. Maybe someone opened the port up at some point for some reason.

Either that or they found a receiver that had been lost in the warehouse for 20 years. Seems unlikely, but there was a World War and German occupation screwing things up for 4 years.

Just a quick update, after a looong search I finally got a hold of the parts for the Speedfeed upgrade.
Turns out you do need the Locking Block Latch and a new spring for it, along with the two-piece carrier.
I tried to replace only the carrier, but the bolt would not lock open without the new Locking Block Latch.
However, you do not need a new carrier spring as many suggests if you don't have the crossbolt safety.
Though it might be useful information to share.