I've enjoyed reading all the great information you fellas provide on Mr Brownings marvelous Automatic 5 shotgun, truly a masterpiece of engineering ! I read just about all I could find on the subject of adjusting the gun for heavy or light loads but still confused. The gun I possess is a 1952 standard weight 12G 2 3/4. I took the gun to a local gunsmith who owns two A5's and he was even unsure of proper adjustment of ring and bushing ? My 12G sat in a safe, spring under tension sine the 70's, I have not fired it yet myself so looking for suggestions on proper adjustment and type of shells to purchase to get me started. I'm not a novice as I did own a American A5 in the past, never even knew about adjustment for different loads. Thanks in advance
If you are going to shoot targets, buy 1 1/8oz target loads and set the rings for light loads. In general, you want the most friction that the gun will function with. Also, go to the Browning website and download the Owners ' Manual. That will show the proper way to set the rings. And by the way, was if your serial number starts with a "G", your gun is a Light Twelve and not a standard weight.
Thanks ! It's a standard, I've got no G before the serial number. Configuring the bronze bushing and bevel washer to compensate for light or heavy loads is probably the most confusing issue with the A5. Brownings lack of providing a simple diagram showing the parts in an exploded view exaggerated the problem and led to broken guns needlessly.....just my opinion !
Page 9 in the manual: http://www.browning.com/content/dam/browning/support/owners-manuals/auto5-light-om-s.pdf The Bronze Friction Piece is a brake. The beveled end fits it on the barrel ring, and as the barrel moves back in recoil, squeezes the brake. For light loads, the Steel Friction Ring goes into its storage place next to the receiver. As Art says, you can put it in your pocket if you want to, but this'll keep you from losing it. For heavy loads, the ring goes between the spring and the B.F.P., bevel up, so that the brake then gets squeezed from both sides, doubling the friction. Check out Art Isaacson's videos on YouTube.
I see quite a few of these. They were the " gun of choice" for quail hunters (when we had quail) and I see a lot of "grandpas old guns" that has been under the bed for the last 40 years. These guns originally had a diagram affixed to the interior of the forearm to remind you how to set up the friction rings. A lot of these were removed because they interfered with the moving parts around the magazine tube. The friction ring with the concave surface goes at the rear of the spring with the concave surface to the rear when shooting target loads (1 and 1/8 oz @ 1250 min.) When shooting heavier loads this piece should be forward of the spring with the concave edge facing forward, The purpose of all this is to squeeze harder on the friction piece with heavier loads. The gaps in the friction piece and its retainer should be staggered 180 degrees much like you would with automotive piston rings to insure a good gas seal. The Armorer,s manual from Browning will tell you to try different lubricants on the magazine tube with different loads to determine which works the best. (Originally they were designed to use 30 wt motor oil.) I have found Remoil to give the most satisfactory performance here in the mid -south. The most overlooked parts on these guns is the action spring, and wear on the friction parts.
