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Member Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 601 Location: Virginia

Has anyone successfully gotten a Sweet Sixteen to cycle reliably with 7/8 oz of shot? I keep trying different things, but it has been an exercise in frustration so far. Should I give up?

Dan

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

Charles worked up some loads for testing and sent them out to various people. If I remember correctly there were 4 different loads (3 shells each). I think there were two 3/4 oz loads and two 7/8 oz loads with velocity in the 1300 - 1400 fps range. All of them ejected from my 1950 Sweet 16. If Charles doens't pipe in here shoot him a p.m.

Matt

There is a 7/8 oz. recipe in Lyman's 5th Edition using Green Dot and the RGL hull that comes out at 1266 fps. This load cycles my Browning (not a Sweet 16) A5 everytime. i apologize for not giving you the complete recipe but the book is elsewhere as I write this.

Take a look and see if you like it. BTW, 7/8 0z of 9's out of this gun, barrel marked modified, are deadly at 16 yd. trap.

From what I've seen on many a local skeet range, the A5 tends to be one of the guns that proves the law that all guns are laws unto themselves. Of course, we can't go back to when these guns were first made and in brand new conditon. The wear and tear most have been subjected to has had its effects on many of them. However, one A5 will perk right along with light loads when its rings are properly arranged. The next one will not regardless of how the rings are stacked. Cleaning them seems to make little difference in some cases. those with slightly pitted or dark chamber walls don't like any light load. I'm certain normal spec variences and swapped out rings might be part of the problem as well. Who can say for sure what an older used gun has for rings unless he or his family has owned the gun since it was new. This all suggests it is a bit of a crap shoot.

It is also the main reason why I tend to trust pumps more when it comes to older hunting repeaters. They will shoot most any safe load without a hiccup as long as the shell is sized right.

Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 728

Make sure the steel friction ring is in the right location. The ring should be between the the bronze friction piece and the top of the spring for heavy loads and between the spring and receiver for light loads. I try to remember this by the pnemonic "H" for "H"eavy loads "H"igh on the spring and "L" for "L"ight loads "L"ow on the spring. The flat side of the friction ring should always face the spring. I've seen many malfunctioning A5's and sweet 16s function fine after the rings are arranged correctly.

Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 596 Location: 17603

DanLee,
Try the chamber polish route, and then ring adjustment. LOTS of possibilities there with removal of the beveled piece completely, allowing slightly less main recoil spring tension. I haven't had to go this far yet, but for a Rem 11 with a Cutts I came across the recommendation to remove the bronze friction piece completely. Less extreme, try removing the steel ring from the friction piece.
The bevel will still fit into the barrel lug, and mebbe use the beveled ring on the underside, under recoil both will squeeeze the bronze and should help provide some friction. Light oil on the magazine tube,,,, have a dedicated short recoil spring,,,,. Just use care and caution that you don't end up battering the back of the receiver, incrementally see what you can do, test firing each step of the way.
Cheers,
R*2

I have a standard Auto 5 and a Rem 11-48 that both cycle 7/8oz. loads as long as I keep the velocity above 1200 fps. At 1200 fps I get an occasional fail to eject, below 1200 fps neither one will cycle at all. I use Green Dot in both Rem and Win CF hulls with R16 wads and 28ga card wad spacers.

Spike's friction ring placement is dead on.

Dennis

Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 596 Location: 17603

Gents,
Been dealing with a hitherto recalcitrant 12ga SKB 900, an A5 variant, that I've been refurbishing. Stock problems primarily, the original was split at the wrist, got another only to find that the action link was just dragging at the receiver/stock junction. 12ga 7/8oz loads were not cycling completely, even when stepped up with 20gr of Red Dot. Tonights load of 22gr of Green Dot behind 1oz of shot did the trick, 100% cycling and 24/26 fooling around tonight in the snow/sleet with a wobble trap, shooting doubles. Lol, didn't do so well trying triples, but still cycled every time. I'll start working on the ring set up as per my own advice and I'm sure end up with a 7/8oz load cycling.
Sometimes I think it's simpler, as per Dennis's advice, to adjust the load.
Cheers,
R*2

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

Haven't posted to much up untill tonite. Trying to get your A-5 to cycle 7/8oz loads is iffy. The first thing you need to actuate the A-5 is pressure. Yes you may be able to get it to recycle with 7/8oz loads. If you are reloading these loads, they have to be perfect every time. Just because a load is rated at 1400 fps or whatever does not mean it has the pressure to actuate the A-5. Anyway why would you even wnt to shoot a 7/8oz load out of an A-5? Not a fan of the A-5.

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

I may be all wet here, but pressure has what to do with a recoil operated gun?? I thought recoil operated the action. I maybe mistaken, but pressure
has nothing to do with recoil. Recoil is mass and acceleration.

Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 596 Location: 17603

DanLee,
Of course the obvious solution is to buy a short chambered A5! Both of mine will cycle 7/8oz AND 3/4oz loads no problem. Very Happy

R*2

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

I love the A-5. I would like to have the A-5 Mag Stalker model for waterfowl. They are bringing premium prices right now.

Like any gun, they are not everyone's cup o' tea. But I like them. That big ol' humpback puts my eye where it needs to be. I really have never had any problems with gun cycling that was not my own reloading issue.

I got into roll crimping loads because of the A-5.

Hey, my own brother doesn't like sxs's or 16ga's. At least he owns neither but has two 20ga o/u's.

Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 728

after you are sure that gun is reasonably clean the A5 the rings should be arranged for light loads as shown on the following web link

http://www.browning.com/customerservice/qna/detail.asp?id=105

If the gun still won't cycle in the light load setting you can try removing the friction ring, this setting is not shown in the A5 instructions above but is shown on the original label of the Remington model 11 as the setting for use with a Cutts Compensator. It is possible (but not likely) that your loads do not develop enough recoil force to operate the action in the light or Cutts settings.