What should the length of the recoil spring be for this shotgun?In theory it should be shorter than the one for the sweet 16.(that is if you want the recoil rings to function correctly for the various heavy or lite etc.loads}
Never thought of that. The barrel on a 2 3/4" Auto-5 does sit 3/32" further forward than on your shotgun (the other 3/32" is accounted for by the movable ejector). I'd say the difference is negligible. Furthermore, the spring used should reflect the payload, and a roll crimped 2 9/16" shell can hold the same components as a fold crimped 2 3/4".
As for the length, the modern Field Service Manual (available here: http://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/ctgy/browning-auto-5-field-service-manual) says 8.6 inches.
