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< 16ga. Guns ~ Bought an Auto 5 Sweet Sixteen, exactly what I was wanting! |
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Posted:
Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:10 pm
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Joined: 13 Oct 2015
Posts: 348
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I've been looking for a semi-auto 16ga for a couple years now, to hunt ducks with. Have been looking at Rem 1100, Rem 11-48, and Auto 5.
Just received from my FFL this Sweet Sixteen, purchased from member here win7stw:
It's a 28" barrel, serial number lookup on Browning.com says 1987 manufacture. Wikipedia page says the 16 gauge (not produced between 1976 and 1987), but this gun shows that to be incorrect as it's a 1987 "PR221" code.
http://www.browning.com/support/date-your-firearm/auto-5-semi-automatic-shotgun.html
It's just what I've been looking for: an Auto 5 so I get the tradition of the gun, but a modern one made in Japan so the beefier barrels, and with the Invector choke system so I can shoot steel shot and tweak my patterns. It's the heaviest gun I own (except tubed 682), at 7 lb 10.4 oz-- my next closest is 7.5lb Cynergy. So that's kinda heavy for me for a 16ga, but as a duck gun I figure that won't matter sitting in my layout boat, and will help with recoil. I've never owned an Auto 5 before, hopefully no issues.
Seems to fit me very well, and looks beautiful.
Taking it to the skeet range with some Herters 1oz #8 tomorrow to see how it functions. For ducks, I plan on shooting
1oz 437gr #3 steel at 1500 fps 152 pellets, 40 yds to 1.5" gel penetration
or using bismuth with this load:
9/8oz #4 bismuth , 176 pellets, 48 yards or so to 1.5" gel penetration.
Pretty excited to have my first Sweet Sixteen! |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 24, 2018 4:36 am
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9472
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Yeeeeee HAWWWWW !!
Well done,
Thank you for sharing
Mike |
_________________
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USAF RET 1971-95 |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 24, 2018 5:00 am
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Joined: 04 Jun 2009
Posts: 827
Location: N. Shore, mn
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It's purty for sure. Nice gun. |
_________________ I STAND WITH THE NRA! |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 24, 2018 7:53 am
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Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2011
Posts: 1701
Location: Minnesota
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Nice one Dave. I have the same gun but a 26in and it comes in at 7lb 6oz. No liteweight but should do great for your intended purpose. Enjoy! |
_________________ Great dog, Great friends,Great guns |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 24, 2018 8:27 am
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Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2010
Posts: 829
Location: SW Ohio
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Very nice, I find when shooting at the range the cycling action of the barrel can be a bit distracting, but when hunting I don't even realize its cycled. It's all about focus.
Mine it quite older and not nearly as pretty. I might have a hard time taking that pretty gun to the marsh!! |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 24, 2018 8:40 am
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2127
Location: Hudson,Wy
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It looks like you bought a really clean gun there. Be sure to keep it "top side" on those layout hunts, they don't swim well! I always tethered my gun (sling post on butt stock is handy for that) when I hunted from a float tube or kick boat, just in case. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 24, 2018 1:00 pm
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Joined: 13 Oct 2015
Posts: 348
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Good call on the tether, Wyo!
Well, I shot two rounds of skeet with it today, and got a 22 and a 23, which is about what I usually get. I REALLY liked the gun, it fit me perfectly-- shot exactly where I was looking, and seemed a bit more "effortless" to focus on the target than some other guns I have. I was able to swing smoothly with it, and the long recoil didn't bother me at all, I kind of liked it. I wasn't too sure how I would like that humpback, but that thing just seemed to really fit me as soon as I started shooting it.
The Herters 1oz #8 worked great, long ejections 10-12 feet. Shot a couple 1-1/8oz 1275fps reloads, also worked great.
I'm starting to think like rdja here... the gun was looking sweeter and sweeter, now I'm rethinking taking it to the marsh lol... maybe I'll start off jump shooting with it. But for sure it will see some dove action this year! |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 24, 2018 4:38 pm
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2127
Location: Hudson,Wy
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The old humpbacks always fit me better than did more modern autos. I have never owned one but have handled and shot them. The long ka-shunk! of the the action cycling is actually kind of cool. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:37 pm
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Joined: 05 Sep 2017
Posts: 11
Location: phoenix, az
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dude, I am jealous. I am an AZ guy too. I did manage to get a Sandusky Ithaca 37 in 16ga. Those two guns are my favorite modern classics so to speak. I need to find one like it. |
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Posted:
Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:12 pm
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Joined: 13 Oct 2015
Posts: 348
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Shot 2 rounds of skeet today with it, and probably 10 or more since I bought the gun. Flawless so far, and I think I may shoot it the BEST of any of my 10 or so shotguns... I am just really surprised, I wasn't super gung-ho about this purchase but had been putzing around looking at 16ga SA guns for so long I just did it. NOW I'm thinking it may become my #1 gun, I just enjoy shooting it that much.
The rings are set for "heavy load" as is, and that's throwing 1oz @ 1165 fps Herters hulls 10-12 feet! Went over it today at the range with an "A5 guy" who said he'd show me the various friction ring options. So I'm quite confident that the gun will work very well with 7/8oz reloads in the Herters hulls using the DR16 wad, which I won a free bag of this Xmas from here on that nice "closest number" thing. Haven't loaded them up yet, but just ran out of my flat of Herters so will start reloading them soon.
I will ALSO say this: It's been a lot of fun at the skeet range when guys say, "what are you shooting? Is that a Sweet Sixteen?? Wow!" Everyone loves the purple hulls |
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Posted:
Sun Apr 22, 2018 6:24 am
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Member
Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 451
Location: La-Tx
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Be careful, you'll be wanting a couple A-5's in 20 and 12 gauge. |
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Posted:
Sun Apr 22, 2018 7:59 am
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Member
Joined: 15 Mar 2007
Posts: 601
Location: Virginia
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I've not had much luck getting either of my Sweets to cycle reliably with less than 1 oz of shot. There are those who do, but the velocity has to be up there. Congrats on the new gun! |
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Posted:
Sun Apr 22, 2018 10:21 am
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Joined: 03 Jul 2007
Posts: 64
Location: Wasilla, Alaska
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Congrats on a nice gun. I've got a 1953 Sweet Sixteen. They are beautiful guns and a classic. Enjoy. |
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Posted:
Sun May 06, 2018 3:31 am
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Joined: 30 Dec 2012
Posts: 269
Location: Chocolate City, Florida
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Posted:
Sun May 06, 2018 3:37 am
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Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 830
Location: Adirondak Mtns
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[quote="WyoChukar"]The old humpbacks always fit me better than did more modern autos. I have never owned one but have handled and shot them. The long ka-shunk! of the the action cycling is actually kind of cool.[/quote]
Your right way cool. Reminiscent of the old POM POM guns. I get a kick out of shooting the A-5 and the 11-48.
joe |
_________________ Interested in older US made SxS and upland hunting. New to reloading shot shells and looking for info and advice. |
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