# Browning A5 12Ga. Value?



## kenny (May 21, 2004)

I have a Browning A5 I bought new in 1979-80 for $300.
Does anyone know the current value?

thanks,

kenny


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## gundoctor (May 20, 2004)

http://www.gunsonthenet.com/

It works almost like Ebay and should have a few A5s on it for sale.


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## Hullahopper (May 24, 2004)

Kenny,


The Browning A5 Auto was originally manufactured in Belgium prior to the latter half of 1976. Since then, they have been manufactured in Japan. The Belgium models are considered collectors guns and are worth significantly more than the Japaneese counterparts. The link that Gundoctor has should give you a pretty good idea as to your shotguns value, just be sure you are comparing similar aged guns.

I have two of the Belgium 20 gauge A5's and they are truely superb shotguns!

BTW: Have the birds started working WB yet?:dance:


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## water turkey (Jan 11, 2005)

condition?

Check gunsamerica.com or gunbroker for comparisons


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## Lezz Go (Jun 27, 2006)

The Belgiums are going for $400-800. The prices are all over the place. Most of what you see on Gunbroker are "wishlist" prices. For example, I just bought a Belgium 1955 near mint (I am the second owner) A-5 standard with a Simmons rib for $550 shipped from Colorado to Houston. 

I think you cold move it pretty fast on shotgunworld.com for $400-450 (without seeing the gun). I would buy it but I just brought home a Win Model 12 Deluxe Trap amd Momma's Po'd!


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## water turkey (Jan 11, 2005)

is it a light 12 or magnum?


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## gundoctor (May 20, 2004)

Hullahopper said:


> Kenny,
> 
> The Browning A5 Auto was originally manufactured in Belgium prior to the latter half of 1976. Since then, they have been manufactured in Japan. The Belgium models are considered collectors guns and are worth significantly more than the Japaneese counterparts. The link that Gundoctor has should give you a pretty good idea as to your shotguns value, just be sure you are comparing similar aged guns.
> 
> ...


HH, you got your dates wrong, 73 was when Browning went Jap.
As far as the prices on the link I posted, watch a few of the auctions end. That will tell you what the gun was worth to somebody. Average out several auctions and you get a idea of what they are going for.

A quick note on the difference in quality of Belgium and Jap made Brownings. The Belgium made guns had a little better fit and finish of the wood, but they don't come close to the fit of the metal of the Jap guns. When I started out, Belgium made parts were all that you got from Browning, they took lots of file work to fit. When the Jap parts came along, there was no fitting needed. They were the right size to begin with.


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## standpipe (Jul 6, 2006)

*A5*

Kenny,

Buddy, In my own opinion, And we all know what opinions are like. A shotgun like an A5 can bring a large range pf prices whether it's a japanese or belgian, belgian being the higher end. If you're looking to sell it, take whatever the highest bid is after you've waited as long as you can wait. Or, put it up for sale online for your asking price and if you get it then great, if not, keep it. I have a Sweet sixteen that was my grandfathers and it has no price, so I'm not sure what the values are. I have however, Purchased and sold two other A5's in 12GA that I wish I'd kept. I gave 400 for one and 335 for the other, I got 400 for each when I sold them in 90% condition, they were both magnums. My dad always told me, when I asked the "whats it worth question". What something is worth, is whatever a willing seller is ready to accept from a willing buyer. Hope that helps you out.

Jim Landers


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## Hullahopper (May 24, 2004)

*Timeline for Browning*



gundoctor said:


> *HH, you got your dates wrong, 73 was when Browning went Jap.*
> As far as the prices on the link I posted, watch a few of the auctions end. That will tell you what the gun was worth to somebody. Average out several auctions and you get a idea of what they are going for.
> 
> A quick note on the difference in quality of Belgium and Jap made Brownings. The Belgium made guns had a little better fit and finish of the wood, but they don't come close to the fit of the metal of the Jap guns. When I started out, Belgium made parts were all that you got from Browning, they took lots of file work to fit. When the Jap parts came along, there was no fitting needed. They were the right size to begin with.


Gundoctor, here is my reference
Lezz Go you made a heck of a buy there!

http://www.browning.com/faq/detail.asp?ID=202

*1976*
Further additions: Challenger II 22 pistol, BT-99 Competition, B-78 in 45-70 and 7mm, and BLR 358, Citori became available with extra barrels, Auto-5 16 gauge discontinued, *Auto-5 production went to Japan latter part of 1976.*


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## standpipe (Jul 6, 2006)

*A-5*

Hulapopper has done his homework!-------------- But really Kenny, If it was me I'd keep it. If nothing else, they turn heads in the duck blind. I wouldn't shoot steel in it if it's a belgian though, they have a tendency to ring bulge about three inches from the muzzle. I think Hulapopper will back me up on this.

Jim


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## standpipe (Jul 6, 2006)

*A5*



standpipe said:


> Hulapopper has done his homework!-------------- But really Kenny, If it was me I'd keep it. If nothing else, they turn heads in the duck blind. I wouldn't shoot steel in it if it's a belgian though, they have a tendency to ring bulge about three inches from the muzzle. I think Hulapopper will back me up on this.
> 
> Jim


 Well, I called hullahopper, hulapopper------------man do I feel STUPID.

Jim


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## Hullahopper (May 24, 2004)

standpipe said:


> Well, I called hullahopper, hulapopper------------man do I feel STUPID.
> 
> Jim


You can call me hullapopper, you can call me hullahopper, just don't call me shirley! LOL! 

Kenny, the Browning A5 (especially the Belgiums) were designed specifically for lead shot and therefore make better upland game guns IMHO. You wouldn't want to get that beauty anywhere near the mud and muck of waterfowl hunting anyway! I agree with Jim, don't sell it, pass it along to a future young hunter of your choice some day.

And you never did tell me if the fishing is heating up in WB!


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## water turkey (Jan 11, 2005)

yep, get a Jap A-5 and make it a stalker for duck hunting. I'll post a pic of mine tomorrow. Just got it back, cost $110 to have done


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## Aggieangler (May 28, 2004)

Kenny....you should sell it to me for what you have in it and get you a good Binelli duck gone....

the force is strong with this one....


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

I have a mid 50's light 12 that I've been wanting to shoot teal with for three years now but have always used my Moss 835 because of IC tube. glad I did because first thing last Sat. I went under in a rice canal up to my shoulders and the Moss. went for a swim. ol' Mossy got my ducks and a good cleaning later that morn. still thinking about finding a Jap. barrel for drier rice fields someday tho. Kurt.


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## gundoctor (May 20, 2004)

Hullahopper said:


> Gundoctor, here is my reference
> Lezz Go you made a heck of a buy there!
> 
> http://www.browning.com/faq/detail.asp?ID=202
> ...


HH, That time line is interesting but not completely correct. When the first Jap A5s came out, I was working in a shop located at 426 S Wafer in Pasadena. We moved that shop around the corner to 609 E Jackson, in the week between Christmas 74 and New years 75. I had been seeing Jap made A5s for close to a year when we made the move.
There are a couple of other mistakes in that time line, during the same time period. 
Some of the early info there also doesn't match what is put forth in Browning's biography. For one thing, T.G. Bennett was president & CEO of Winchester in 1883, not a vice president. Browning met Bennett in New Haven Conn, after a vice president of Winchester took it upon himself to go to Utah and buy the rights to Browning's single shot rifle, then take Browning and the rifle back to New Haven to show Mr. Bennett. 
The whole thing came as a complete surprise to Bennett, since he had dispatched the VP to go buy Sharps Rifle Co instead of some unknown from the wilds of Utah. The VP got a bonus and told he'd be fired if he ever disobeyed orders like that again. This story comes from the authorized John M Browning biography that the Browning family put out some years ago.
T.G. Bennett was the son in law of Oliver Winchester's (Nov. 30, 1810-Dec. 11, 1880).


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