The 6 types of Armes de luxe

I don’t know what to tell you, Biz. Nick is a hell of a gunsmith, but I don’t know how good a historian he is. Also, I might have gotten the details wrong. It’s a busy shop, and conversations get interrupted. You might call down there and ask, if they’re not too busy I’m sure they’ll be happy to help.

Rudolph I know what to tell to you and Nick, it is thank you. For 5 years now, I have been collecting Auto-5 and Remington Autoloading Shotgun and always I am confronted with the same problem. Which is, there is a lot unknowns and conflicting information concerning those Shotgun. Fortunately I have this forum, the SGW and the french forum TCAR where I can exchange views with others with similar interests.

Biz, it’s the unknowns that make this hobby interesting. I’d never have started collecting if my first Browning didn’t seem to be covered with hieroglyphics, or if explanations had been easy to find. So keep pushing, I’d like to know the answers.

It occurs to me that the answer to your specific question isn’t to be found in North America. The restorers here may know how to duplicate the look, but original methods aren’t necessarily in their toolbox. You have the great advantage of being a native French speaker, maybe there is someone left at FN who knows how it was done “back then”.

I’m going to admit that this gun doesn’t belong in this thread. But I’m posting anyway in he hope of getting the conversation started. Where are you, Biz?



This is the Browning Classic, made in Japan but engraved in Belgium.

Good evening,

I am very "Bizzy" these days with my business, but I am visiting periodically and discreetly Browning owners. Here is what I am looking for in Europe. This one will be a long shot but it is worth a try. It is the Auto-5 Special for Pigeon which I believe is rare.

That’s great, Biz. Where is this treasure?

Where you find the best wine and cheese

Trader Joe’s?

Rudolph, who is Trader Joe's?

They don’t have them in Canada? That’s too bad. Gourmet food, low prices.

https://www.traderjoes.com/our-story

So, is the pictured Auto-5 the one you’re after? And did you go to Europe just to get it? Very impressive; you’re one serious collector, Biz.

If I ever get to Quebec, I want to see your collection!

Yes that "spécial pour tir aux pigeons" is what I am after. Regarding my collection, it rather modest mainly pre WWI. I received recently from France the type 1 shown at the beginning of this thread. It has an interesting story that I am going to write about in the future. I am still gathering information. Here is a hint, on the barrel of that Auto-5 appears an interesting marking

Saint Etienne? The French government arsenal? Maybe we’ll find military Auto-5’s after all.

Hey Biz, how long must I wait?

Gentlemen. This sixteen gauge auto 5, I think, is from about 1947. All original with a solid rib barrel. The interesting thing is that when I purchased it the guy told me it was 2.5" barrel and sure enough the barrel stated that it was a 30" 2.5" barrel. But the other good thing about it was the the barrel proof marks showed 16-70 which we all know it means 2 3/4" shells proof! So took it out shooting and it dropped the third shell right off the hop, but fixed that problem right away and it has been working flawlessly with 2 3/4" shellsever since. It's a keeper. The receiver reads FN 131309 and all including barrel are matching numbers. What year do you guys think she is?

Nic,

This gun deserves its own thread. But I agree it’s a 1947 gun made for the World Market. It’s interesting because S/V tells us that 65mm chambers continued for a while in markets other than the U.S.

But now maybe Biz will finish his story!

I will start a new thread on this because it is interesting. tx

The story continues. It turn out that Manufacture Française D’armes et Cycles was a French Business like Sears Roebuck that was selling amount others, sporting goods including firearms. Like Sears they were selling via catalogue. They had their private label like shotgun Simplex and L’idéal. I believe that because they didn’t have repetition arms amount their private label, they offered renowned brand such as Winchester, Remington and Browning with Manufacture Française d’armes et cycles engraved on the barrel.

I was fortunate to find a 1912 version of their catalogue where you can see the Browning auto-5 offered, as well the Winchester model 1897 and the Remington model 10. The two latter model are famous for their use in the trenches during the first war.

They also offered some customized services such as a second barrel to your desired choke and to my surprise they would fit a rubber recoil pad which I didn’t know was available at this time.









This pic describes the rubber recoil pad

Thank you, Biz. That was worth waiting for!

Hello everyone,
Here is another nice engraved 16 gauge. Base on the trigger shape, I would say that it is an early production, post first war. What type do you think it is?

Don’t know but I want it!!!