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| < 16ga. General Discussion ~ Dating an Auto 5/ 16 ga |
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 Posted:
Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:35 pm
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Joined: 19 Jun 2007
Posts: 3
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Hi everyone. Have been looking around with great interest.....great site with lots of info and excellent links.
Perhaps some one may be able to help me with dating an old girl(no pun intended!) that has been in my possession a long time. It's a old European auto 5 in 16 gauge...Herstal Belgium made...the barrel marking is 2 3/4 - 63.5mm.. no vent. rib, 29" barrel and has the safety behind the trigger and the serial " is X93*** on both the receiver and barrel. The Browning site leaves something to be desired when it comes to dating as no reference is given to any 'X' series guns. I suspect this gun was made for the European market.
Thanks in advance.
Mel |
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Fri Jun 22, 2007 4:19 am
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Member
Joined: 03 Dec 2006
Posts: 759
Location: Somewhere in the Socialist State of Minnesota
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Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:14 am
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Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 781
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The Browing site is horrid.
The chamber length designation is typical for European market guns. If it was made for the US it should have the Browning Arms address on the barrel.
Lots of these were sold to US servicement serving in Europe in the 50's. I have a catalog that was printed in Belgium specifically for american servicemen. It makes some interesting references to buying handguns like the 9mm Highpower for use if deployed to Korea...
That cross block safety was new to the Auto-5 as of late 1951. Being a '53 your gun was made right around the roll of another big change, the 2 piece lifter.
Is it 2 piece or 1 lifter?
Jeff |
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Fri Jun 22, 2007 2:11 pm
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Joined: 19 Jun 2007
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Thanks for the dating.
Jeff; the lifter as I can see is one piece....you do mean the piece that guides and lifts the cartridge from the magazine up into the barrel?
Mel |
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| Posted:
Fri Jun 29, 2007 2:07 pm
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Joined: 19 Jun 2007
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I brought the Auto 5 over to my gunsmith yesterday....he said the lifter is two piece......I was looking with an in-experienced eye and I could see the lifter being one piece...what I didn't realize is that the 2nd part of it is pretty well hidden in the receiver and doesn't move.....
Mel |
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Sun Jul 01, 2007 6:36 pm
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Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 781
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Mel,
The 2 piece lifter allows for "speed loading". Your gun would be one of the early ones to be equipped with it.
The easiest way to tell if it is a two piece can be done with your eyes closed. Just push on the lifter, if it wont move until you press the release button it is a 1 piece lifter (no speed load).
Jeff |
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