"New" 1981 Auto 5 owner with questions

Discussion in 'Browning Auto A-5' started by FrankBullitt, Apr 21, 2017.

  1. FrankBullitt

    FrankBullitt Copper BB

    This is my first shotgun, and I've been window shopping Auto 5s for a good year now. I figured I might as well start with a great John Browning design! I'm no kid, but every old-timer that owned one and sold it regrets it. Just shouldering it and pointing in the back yard, it feels natural like a part of my body.

    I started out looking for a Belgian, but ended up buying a "safe queen" Japanese Light 12. A buddy who has been trying to get me hunting with him suggested the Japanese for its ability to handle steel shot, and this was a beauty.

    Now that it's mine I have a couple of questions, please bear with me. I've been trying to educate myself, but please forgive any dumb questions.As I mentioned it's a Japanese Light 12, 30" w full choke.

    1) My first questions are related to feeding this gun. If I understand it, a 1 1/8 load is the minimum for reliable cycling. Since my initial targets will be inanimate objects and clay birds, is a lead size 7.5 birdshot, say 1200fps shell a good choice?

    2) With what seems to be a pretty constricted choke, am I doomed to overly tight patterns on close targets unless I pick up another barrel (or another Auto 5 :))

    3) With the full choke, are there shot sizes or loads I should avoid to prevent damage to barrel? If so, is it true for both lead and steel? What about slugs or the poor-man's slug, the cut shell?

    Any other general advice, dos/don'ts?

    Thanks!!!
  2. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    Welcome to the Browning Owners Forum !!

    As far as your questions...I will defer to the experts here.
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 21, 2017
  3. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    Hello Frank, and welcome. Sounds like a beautiful shotgun, but there's a reason it was a safe queen. The full choke is good for waterfowl, turkey, and I'm sure a few other hunting applications. Handicap Trap is the only clay game I can think of where you might want that tight of a choke.

    Shot size makes no difference to the gun or to the pattern. Spreader loads will make a difference; I load them for my full choked 16's. But those guns don't get shot much. You need another barrel, or you need to send that one out to be fitted with screw-in chokes.

    Slugs are designed to squeeze through a full choke. I have heard -- but here I'm no expert --that since steel doesn't squeeze, it may damage a fully choked barrel. As for cut shells, I don't believe that it's safe, and slugs are cheap.

    Dos and Don'ts,

    DO go to the Browning website and download the owner's manual.

    DO spend a few hours on this website reading. There is a ton of information here.

    DON'T shoot your Auto-5 until you understand how to set the friction pieces correctly.

    DO come back and tell us how you made out.

    Have fun.
    SHOOTER13 likes this.
  4. FrankBullitt

    FrankBullitt Copper BB

    Thanks for the tip about spreader loads!

    The full choke was definitely a hesitation for me- I started out looking for a Belgian 12ga with modified choke- but the chance to buy what is essentially a new Auto 5 at a price I could afford made the gun irresistible. It seems the full choke was far more common in the past (this is an'81 Japanese). I thought I'd read later Auto 5s came with choke inserts, but given the this gun's minty condition, I'd probably look at another barrel with a more open fixed choke or one with inserts. Even with a second barrel, it'd be cheaper than the cost of a new A5.

    I do have the original box and manual, and my intent is to give the moving parts forward of the receiver some clean fresh lube.

    What I find interesting is how many people warned me against the Auto 5- "It kicks too hard"- yet none of them had ever owned one. Anyone who owned one told me that with proper setup of the friction rings, the gun is quite pleasant to shoot.

    It might be a couple weekends before I get out, but I'll definitely let you know how it works out. I think it would be a good idea to try a variety of shells at a couple distances on paper targets to see which shells might best suit this configuration.

    Regarding your slug recommendation- you are saying rifled lead slugs are ok, but steel is a no-no, correct?
  5. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    Thanks Expert...
    Rudolph31 likes this.
  6. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    As I understand it, the "rifling" on slugs is there to allow it to be swaged through the tightest choke. They actually fly through the air like a shuttlecock.

    I have heard that when steel shot first came on the scene, Browning said Japanese barrels were approved for it. A few years later Miroku barrels had screw-in chokes and Browning said only these barrels were approved for steel. The important thing for you is to check the most current manual and find out what it says about steel.

    EDIT:

    I was curious, so I looked at the owner's manual Browning has available online. This is for guns with the Invector Choke System. It says not to shoot steel shot through the full choke.
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2017
  7. FrankBullitt

    FrankBullitt Copper BB

    Thanks so much for the advice and info! I've got more reading to do, but I'm going to pick up a variety of 1 1/8 7.5 lead shot shells, including Polywad and Fiocchi and see what they do with paper. I might also be looking for an Invector barrel or another Auto 5- but I'm certainly going to have some fun with this gun and let it show me what it can do.
    SHOOTER13 and Rudolph31 like this.

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