Am new to Browning but... Just picked up a superposed and loving it. But given my height and build and liking a lot of drop on guns, am wondering about an Auto 5. It looks like there's a lot of drop but is there? Have a utterly beautiful 16 ga SXS but weighs 5.2 lbs. and kicks like a (insert suitable reference here). So question comes down to; (am thinking Sweet Sixteen here) how much drop and how easy to shoot? Thanking you in response. Cheers B.
Bruski you won’t be disappointed with a Browning. There are bunch of regulars on here that are right into 16 gauge and will be along shortly answer all your questions. I have never even see a sweet 16 so I am not the right person to be commenting but think all stock dimensions are same as for a 12 ga but the pistol grip is thinner and LOP is touch shorter 14 1/4. Keep watching I am sure one of them will chime in and give you the info
my suggestion- buy or reload some light shells, maybe 7/8 oz. recoil should be very light. perhaps a new 16 cause they are gas operated, again easy on the shoulder. on your sxs do you have a pad? maybe get one of those slip on ones. I don't think letting that sxs sit is the answer. Now for the other stuff. You didn't state you size. I'm 6ft and about 190. my length of pull is 14 1/4. I have never measured the drop on my sweet 16 auto 5 but it shoots like a dream. The issue is it will be different depending on how you mount the gun etc..... I don't think it has to much drop, but I have an old english 1897 sxs in 16 and it has a lot of drop. I still shoot it very well. Probably your best bet is to find one and mount it and see what you think. remember a lot of the auto 5 out there have been modified. LOP is often changed with added pads, which some didn't come with pads from the factory. That is probably the biggest change I have seen to used ones, cause if there not set up correctly they kick like a mule. so instead of setting it up right, they add a pad. Some of the older ones had short LOP, so unless it has been restocked most add a pad. I grew up with an auto 5 so they are my go to for anything. In the end its like throwing darts at a board. May be hit or miss, what works for me, may not work for you. To some here, the auto 5 is it. me... I like a little spice in life, one of my best is the browning gold. don't replace the auto 5, but sure gets the job done. One can never have to many. If it were me I would find a way to shoot the sxs.
I will be reloading and plan on a 7/8 oz. sub 1200fps set-up. SxS has 1 3/8" pad as it was originally hand made in Japan for someone way shorter than me. Am probably looking for a justifiable reason for buying another gun and would be nice to have with enough drop to fit me. (Height is 6'4" and have been described as slender). Will try one and see where we go from there. Thanks for your responses. Picture of SxS.
That’s a beautiful sxs. Yea I would for sure want to shoot it. I understand the reason thing. I use to have those, now they are just because. Hang around with this bunch and you will get there pretty fast.
All the catalogs I have from 1974 to 1998 show LOP 14.25, DAC 1 -5/8, DAH 2.5. I believe all A-5's had these dimensions. I have a pre-war 16 made 1939 and a sweet 16 made 1949 that fits me the same as my 1957 light twelve. Every unmodified one I have shouldered felt the same.
According to the Auto 5 bible when introduced the drop at heel was 2 1/2” and the drop at comb was 1 3/4”. In 1923 this changed to 2 1/4 DAH and 1 3/4 DAC. Dimensions are the same for 16 and 12g but the pistol grip is smaller on the 16g. 1938 things changed, 2 1/2” DAH and 1 5/8 DAC. Looks like that’s where things stayed until Browning stopped importing from FN. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
