16ga.com ~ View topic

*Last edited by grouser47 on Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:14 pm; edited 2 times in total*

Is the "Sweet Sixteen" supposed to have a gold trigger and does the serial# have to begin with S? Does "sweet sixteen" appear as a stamp in the gun? The owner said that his Sweet weights 7.2 lbs. The FN standard 16 I tried at the range on Sunday weighted in at 7.5 lbs (And by the way works good). Does this sound right? I might buy both to have an extra barrel.
Picture of the sweet he has for sale.

The sweet sixteen has the gold trigger. My sweet sixteen and my standard A-5 sixteen weigh exactly the same. 7lb 2 oz.'s.

Thanks oldhunter,
I have been told lots of stuff regarding the weights of the two. I have not weighed the "Sweet" but at the described 7lb 3 1/2 oz my standard weight is only 4.5 oz more.
The most common difference most folks tell me is that the Sweet should weigh 10oz less. I'v posted some pictures above of the one i'm thinking of buying doesn't look too bad. How about the serial # does yours start with a S?

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

Serial # began with S in 1953-57 (and not all of those). From 58 on, there was a 1 or 2-digit date numeral, followed by S, then the serial #.

Here's what the Blue Book says:

In 1953 Browning changed the Ser. No. alphabetic
character to differentiate between Lightweight
(Sweet 16) & Standard weight guns.
Year Std.16 Sweet 16
1953 R1-R3100 S1-S3700
1954 R3100-R20800 S3701-S24850
1955 R20801-R48750 S24851-S49350
1956 R48751-R74700 S49350-S72300
1957 R74701-R99999 S72301-S99908
1957-58 Prefix "T" for Standardweight and Prefix
"A" for Sweet 16 numbers mixed, but range from
1-10900.
1958-1976 Ser. No. sequence changed to
include a one or two digit numeral followed by an
alpha character.

Thanks oldhunter,
I have been told lots of stuff regarding the weights of the two. I have not weighed the "Sweet" but at the described 7lb 3 1/2 oz my standard weight is only 4.5 oz more.
The most common difference most folks tell me is that the Sweet should weigh 10oz less. I'v posted some pictures above of the one i'm thinking of buying doesn't look too bad. How about the serial # does yours start with a S?

Sweet sixteen serial numbers start with an S. I don't know why the weight of my two are so close. One a sweet sixteen and the other a standard sixteen. Do't get me wrong, but I think Browning just started naming the sixteen(sweet sixteen) when they had been making the gun all along. I know I will get responses to this. But everything on my standard sixteen and the sweet sixteen is the same.

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

The Standard Sixteen was introduced in 1909.

The Sweet Sixteen was test marketed in 1936 and introduced in 1937.

The name was not engraved on the outside of the receiver until late 1948.

You cant tell a sweet from standard by the serial number until the S and R serila number series guns started in '53. There were no letter prefixes used until after WW2, and they all had an X prefix till '53

The Sweet is a different gun, if you can't prove it to your satisfaction with a scale you just have to look inside to see the difference. They did a tremendous amount of machining to take out weight from inside the receiver.

Two pictures of trigger groups, one Sweet one standard, The hammer drilling is obvious, but look at the top views and youll see the metal removed along the sides of the trigger plate:

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/jeffmulliken/album/576460762327104138/photo/294928803359745843/6

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/jeffmulliken/album/576460762327104138/photo/294928803359724854/0

By the way, note that the safety is also gold plated on the early Sweets.

Most A5 fans know to look for the lightening holes drilled into the barrel ring, most don't know that the ribs on the barrels were also narrower, to reduce weight.

On guns with the same barrel configuration, the weight difference averages 10 oz.

The barrel choice makes a huge difference in the finished weight of the gun. Vent rib barrels weigh 4 oz more than plain. And on plain barrels length adds an oz per inch. In addition, wood density makes a difference, the lightest guns typically have the ugliest wood. As a result the guns can get a lot closer in weight than the thoeretical 10 oz....

The pictured gun is a fine looking gun, made in the era of slow rust blue, with it's beautiful subtle blue gray color, the finish is oil modified varnish and beats the snot out of the later fullerplast plastic coated wood.

The standard is also a wonderful gun, everyone on this board should own one of each. Very Happy

Not that I have any strong opinions on the topic.....

Jeff[/img]

Thanks guys ---- youve made my decidion a lot easier. But Damm I love this site. Very Happy

Cheers, Grouser47

Most A5 fans know to look for the lightening holes drilled into the barrel ring, most don't know that the ribs on the barrels were also narrower, to reduce weight.
Jeff, thats doesn't explain why on a digital scale, my standard weighs7.13 lbs and the sweet sixteen weighs 7.2lbs. The reciever on both guns measures exactly the same. Inside and outside. Smaller then 12 gauge from same era. The guns are exactly the same except for the safeties.

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

Oldhunter, Curious...let's run down some questions...

Do both guns have the same barrel configuration?

Are the stocks both original? Pad added to either of them?

The major dimensions on the receiver should be the same, exactly the same, all parts are interchangable. So, look at the inside of the loading port, at the sides of the receiver. The sides are flat on the standard, there are oval cuts on the Sweet receiver. Are the cuts there?

Let me know!

Jeff

Jeff. Yes the cuts are there on the sweet sixteen. No recoil pads on either one. Stocks are original. Foreend on the sweet sixteen is slimmer. The barrell ring has the holes in it on the sweet sixteen. Weighed them again on a digital scale. 7.1 on the sweet sixteen. 7.13 for the standard sixteen. 8.12 for the standard 12 gauge.

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

oldhunter,

7lb 1 oz is about right for a sweet with 28" barrel with a rib. It sounds like your Standard is lighter than most, if it's the same barrel configuration as your Sweet the only explanation I can guess at is wood density.

The difference between my '51 Sweet and '23 Standard is 9 oz.

By the way, your standard 12 is light too, what kind of barrel is on it? My standard 12 is a full 8 lb 8 oz, but that includes a 30" vent rib.

Jeff

Jeff. Sweet sixteen=27" plain barrell. Standard sixteen =26" barrell with polychoke, and that includes the polychoke. Standard 12=28 1/2" ribbed barrell. Weighed them again on my meat scale. They all come within an ounce or 2 of the digital. The meat scale the O pointer is off to the plus side. I have another 12 gauge weighing in at 9 pounds.It musr be the barrell on the standard sixteen. All I know is that the standard has been a pheasant getter. Hope the sweet sixteen lives up to the standard. Hope to find out next week.

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

oldhunter,

Your a lucky man, both your standard guns are among the lightest ones I've heard of. What you been feeding them? High fiber (base) wads?

I've got a couple of guns that could loose some weight. I may send them up to you for a few months.

Jeff

Joined: 24 Jan 2005 Posts: 57 Location: Atlanta, Ga.

I hope to find out for myself soon what the difference is in weight between the two. I currently have a Japan Sweet Sixteen that is 7lbs. 8oz. on my digital scale. I really like it but mainly use it for dove/preserve hunts. Occasionally I take it rabbit hunting. I have been looking for another A5 sixteen preferably a Sweet but the prices are crazy. Several people have told me that often the standard is very close in weight. I have located a standard sixteen from 1961 that has a 26" plain barrel and I hope to weigh it soon. If it weighs around 7lbs., it will have a new home. If I want, then I can use my Japan Tubed barrel also on it. I think everyone is just so hooked on the SWEET SIXTEEN term. This standard sixteen would be used mostly for rabbit hunting over my beagles. I had a Model 11 sixteen but it was too heavy for my liking. Will let you know soon.

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

BB,

The Japanese guns are heavier. Their barrels havethicker walls and the forends are much fatter.

BUT, 7'bs 8 oz is obese....what is the barrel length/type?

We know they varied based on the wood but the Browning written specification for a Belgian made Sweet with 28" vent rib was only 7 lbs 1 oz and that was the heaviest (Sweet) version they made.

I'd like to see how may guys we can get to post weights on Sweet's from both Belgium and Japan, I'd like to get a better feel for the typical weight difference between the two.

Jeff