New Browning A5

[amszete]

Wanted to see if anyone has purchased the gun yet or knows much about it. This is a remake of the earlier A5 with many more improvements.

What I am mainly interested to know if this gun will eventually come out with a 3.5 inch barrel. I am very stoked though, both my grandfathers owned the A5 and absolutely loved this gun. So I am quite interested to say this least and to get any information on it.

Cabela's: Browning® A5 Shotgun

 

[TOX1]

Sounds like a nice piece.


"For those Browning fans who have always been torn between brand loyalty and the inertia action’s advantages of reliable, low-maintenance operation, this gun is the answer."

The Humpback Returns: Browning's New A5


Let us know if you get your hands on it...

 

[AHFox]

I've had it in my hands. I'm not the impressed plus, it sounds like Browning got some issues with cycling and I've heard a lot of them are being sent back to Browning for repair. The Maxus is still the best auto Browning has produced since the old A5.

 

[amszete]

Good to know. Maybe they will fix it like what happened with the SX3. I heard that gun had alot of issues when it first came out and fixed it within the year.

 

[amszete]

**Update**

I spent about a whole month researching the gun and I ended up buying one. Have to say that I LOVE this gun. It resembles the old A5 in looks and when you break it down to clean. But that's about it. The recoil is very nice and it is very light. You either love or hate the hump (I love it -- easier to sight up to shoot). The quick load feature is also pretty bad ass.

Use it mainly for waterfowl and deer hunting and it hasn't hung up on me yet and it has been about 3 weeks worth of shooting or ~150 shells run through.

Went with the Stalker model

 

[Team Mookie]

You should have held out another month to see what Browning comes out with at the 2013 Shotshow. I don't think you will be able to just put a 3.5 chambered barrel on the action of a current A5. It may end up like the Benelli Vinci where you will have to buy the "super" model. I also don't believe the current action is built for 3.5in.

Anyways I'm glad you like your A-5. What do you think of the new choke system. I'm looking for a back up gun to my Beretta a400 extreme. May go with the Browning Cynergy or A-5 "super" once they come out with it. Good luck and good shooting.

 

[amszete]

Honestly I was worried about the 3.5 inch barrel on it during my initial research - especially when I called Browning and they said they had no plans to make a 3.5 inch version of the A5 at that time. But once I was able to hold the gun and sight it out, etc. I decided to take it over the SX3 and Maxus. Sx3 was a little cheaper and the Maxus a little more expensive.

I grew up using the A5 so sighting via the "hump" was something standard to me. It doesn't hurt also that this gun is light as hell so helps when carrying alot of gear over vast distances. My only issue with it to date is while it disassembles much like the old A5's, it is a bit difficult to put it back together. As far as the choke, no issues. Seems to pattern out nice 35-40 yards with modified choke in. Also love the quick load feature - really helps when you have a alot of birds heading in at one time.

 

[AHFox]

You should have held out another month to see what Browning comes out with at the 2013 Shotshow. I don't think you will be able to just put a 3.5 chambered barrel on the action of a current A5. It may end up like the Benelli Vinci where you will have to buy the "super" model. I also don't believe the current action is built for 3.5in.

Anyways I'm glad you like your A-5. What do you think of the new choke system. I'm looking for a back up gun to my Beretta a400 extreme. May go with the Browning Cynergy or A-5 "super" once they come out with it. Good luck and good shooting.

Team Mookie go out and pattern a 2 3/4", 3" and 3 1/2" shells. You will find out that the 3" patterns better than the 3 1/2" and the 2 3/4" will pattern better than the 3". There really is to much magnum mentality by United States shooters. Proper mount, Proper lead will always kill birds dead. Xtra payload does nothing but creat more recoil and a flinch.

I've gotton completely away from steel shot. I load nothing but Bismuth and Hevi shot in 2 3/4 in 4 shot and 6 shot in a 1 1/8 Oz of shot and no more than a 1 1/4 Oz. FPS at 1250. I've killed geese and ducks at 40 yards all the time.

I've found by looking into cost with reloading or buying factory steel shot and keeping shot counts. I've found it was more expensive to buy steel shot then to reload hevi shot and bismuth.

 

[amszete]

Team Mookie go out and pattern a 2 3/4", 3" and 3 1/2" shells. You will find out that the 3" patterns better than the 3 1/2" and the 2 3/4" will pattern better than the 3". There really is to much magnum mentality by United States shooters. Proper mount, Proper lead will always kill birds dead. Xtra payload does nothing but creat more recoil and a flinch.

I've gotton completely away from steel shot. I load nothing but Bismuth and Hevi shot in 2 3/4 in 4 shot and 6 shot in a 1 1/8 Oz of shot and no more than a 1 1/4 Oz. FPS at 1250. I've killed geese and ducks at 40 yards all the time.

I've found by looking into cost with reloading or buying factory steel shot and keeping shot counts. I've found it was more expensive to buy steel shot then to reload hevi shot and bismuth.

That's what I was thinking as well. Which going with 3.5 inch defeats the premise of the how/why this gun was built in the first place - to limit recoil. Will look into the hevi shot / bismuth setup for sure.

 

[BF4L]

Browning makes one of the best shotguns in the world. Cant go wrong.

I still bird hunt with my Browning Sweet 16

 

[AHFox]

That's what I was thinking as well. Which going with 3.5 inch defeats the premise of the how/why this gun was built in the first place - to limit recoil. Will look into the hevi shot / bismuth setup for sure.

Amazete I load the bismuth for my older A H Fox doubles like the one in my avi. Just yesterday I took my last two roosters of the year in SD at 50 and 60 yards with an 1 1/8 of bismuth from and 97 year ord Fox! The Hevi shot is what I shoot through my modern Fabarm Classic lion double and my Beretta 686's.

 

[amszete]

Amazete I load the bismuth for my older A H Fox doubles like the one in my avi. Just yesterday I took my last two roosters of the year in SD at 50 and 60 yards with an 1 1/8 of bismuth from and 97 year ord Fox! The Hevi shot is what I shoot through my modern Fabarm Classic lion double and my Beretta 686's.

Nice I love hearing such things!

 

[Team Mookie]

Team Mookie go out and pattern a 2 3/4", 3" and 3 1/2" shells. You will find out that the 3" patterns better than the 3 1/2" and the 2 3/4" will pattern better than the 3". There really is to much magnum mentality by United States shooters. Proper mount, Proper lead will always kill birds dead. Xtra payload does nothing but creat more recoil and a flinch.

I've gotton completely away from steel shot. I load nothing but Bismuth and Hevi shot in 2 3/4 in 4 shot and 6 shot in a 1 1/8 Oz of shot and no more than a 1 1/4 Oz. FPS at 1250. I've killed geese and ducks at 40 yards all the time.

I've found by looking into cost with reloading or buying factory steel shot and keeping shot counts. I've found it was more expensive to buy steel shot then to reload hevi shot and bismuth.

I do agree that 3in shells pattern better for the most part and this was true in the early development of the 3.5 in shells, but with all the upgrades to chokes, shells, barrels and guns I would bet that the pattering density is close to the same now with really no discernible difference. If we want to just look at patterning and recoil then maybe we should all shoot 16 gauges. I also don’t know anything about the magnum mentality by American shooters unless we are talking about Dirty Hairy or Elmer Keith…lol.

It would seem that most of your argument is based on opinion from the late 90’s that 3.5 in shells have no place in the field and this is simply not true. We can see many instances where the extra payload has benefits to the waterfowler, turkey and predator hunter. One advantage that we are seeing is less crippling of birds and more efficient kills.

As far as recoil and flinching go I don’t see how this is an issue with all of the recoil reducing systems that every firearm manufacturer uses on their shotguns. Also the only time a person is going to use a 3.5 inch shell is in the field or the patterning board, not on the clays course. I also doubt the recoil is that much more noticeable than a 3 inch shell.

Fox, we should just look at the 3.5 inch shell as being another tool in our shotgunning box. Believing that it has no place in the field is being selfish. You are correct that one only needs a 3inch or even 2 3/4in shells in most situations, but think I think we can both agree that it is nice to have choices.
Good luck and good hunting.

 

[AHFox]

I do agree that 3in shells pattern better for the most part and this was true in the early development of the 3.5 in shells, but with all the upgrades to chokes, shells, barrels and guns I would bet that the pattering density is close to the same now with really no discernible difference. If we want to just look at patterning and recoil then maybe we should all shoot 16 gauges. I also don’t know anything about the magnum mentality by American shooters unless we are talking about Dirty Hairy or Elmer Keith…lol.

It would seem that most of your argument is based on opinion from the late 90’s that 3.5 in shells have no place in the field and this is simply not true. We can see many instances where the extra payload has benefits to the waterfowler, turkey and predator hunter. One advantage that we are seeing is less crippling of birds and more efficient kills.

As far as recoil and flinching go I don’t see how this is an issue with all of the recoil reducing systems that every firearm manufacturer uses on their shotguns. Also the only time a person is going to use a 3.5 inch shell is in the field or the patterning board, not on the clays course. I also doubt the recoil is that much more noticeable than a 3 inch shell.

Fox, we should just look at the 3.5 inch shell as being another tool in our shotgunning box. Believing that it has no place in the field is being selfish. You are correct that one only needs a 3inch or even 2 3/4in shells in most situations, but think I think we can both agree that it is nice to have choices.
Good luck and good hunting.

I'm talking Square loads in each guage.

12 GA 1 1/8 oz

16 GA 1 oz

20 GA 7/8 oz

28 GA 3/4 oz

What I mean by square loads the perfect load for each guage. You get better patterns and performance along with a shorter shot string. So if the lead and swing are true then the bird gets smacked with all the shot. Once you go past this and up your pay load you get a longer shot string and patterns are not as good.