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Other than engraving, is there a big difference between sweet sixteens and regular 16 auto 5's? Is the extra price premium for a sweetend version worth it?

The Standard 16 has a little wider rib, less milling of the reciever, black trigger, solid barrel ring, no wood removed under the butt plate. Everything else is the same. Standard 16 Auto 5's many be the BEST deal going on Belgium Brownings.

Member Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 398 Location: S Fl

In guns with identical bbl lengths and profiles the Sweet will typically come in 8-10 oz lighter.

However with the vagaries of wood density, a 25.5" clean barrel standard could weigh the same as a 27.5" solid rib Sweet, or dern close to it.

Pete

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

I am by no means a sweet 16 expert. However, I thought there was just a few ounces difference in weight between the two. Just asking, not arguing. Wink

You raise a good question, Uncle Dan.

If you intend to take the gun into the woods and shoot heck out of it...in other words, have a little FUN with it...no need to pay a premium. They will shoot very similarly and you likely will be very happy with your purchase.

If you intend to hold the gun as a collector-type item in your safe, then by all means, pay the premium, since more premium models tend to hold values a little better.

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

Regarding the comment on engraving. There is difference inthe decorative engraving except for the Sweets that have the words Sweet Sixteen on them.

It is all about weight and balance. The balance difference can be good or not so good depending on how you like a gun to handle.

The things done to take off weight were already mentioned. The actual amount of weight difference varies a lot based on barrel type and stock density.

When I get home tonite I'll pull the weights out of some old Browning catalog as post the claimed weight difference.

Jeff

I didn't think there was a whole lot of difference between the two.

There's an early solid ribbed A-5 16 at a local shop I have my eye on. I like the solid rib. It is an approx. 26" barrel with polychoke (which I actually don't mind from a functionality standpoint) and sling, great original FN buttplate, but needs re-blue and refinish, asking $395. It also fits me and points very well, seems fairly light, and I'm sorely tempted to get it as a backup truck gun/late season phez and turkey gun.

Sounds like a fair price for what would be an excellent back up gun!

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

UDF,

Make sure you know if it is set up for short or long shells before you write a check.

Jeff

I hadn't considered that Jeff. Thanks for bringing that up. When did auto 5's commonly come with 2 3/4 inch chambers?

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

After a couple of years the X was dropped for an S or R for Sweet and regular sixteens....then there were the A prexix sixteens....etc

To simplify the search look at it this way....any 16 ga with a letter prefix in the serial number is going to have 2 3/4" chambers.

Regarding the weight difference, based on the 1955 Browning catalog the weight of the standard 16 was 7 lb 4 oz and the Sweet was 6 lb 12 oz. They did not indicate which barrel length or style they used on the guns that they used to set thier specs. I'd assume that they were shooting for an 8 oz difference.

I have a '51 Sweet with a plain 26 in barrel that came in at 6 lb 10 oz.

Based on some other data I have accumulated a rib adds 3-4oz depending on the length of the barrel. Barrel length changes the weight by 1 0z per inch of length.

Jeff

Excellent info Jeff, thank you.

I looked at the gun again, and it appears to be an early gun, without the letter prefix. Too bad. The gun appears to have been used though, and I have a hard time believing it was only used with 2.5" shells. Things that make you go hmmmm........

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

UDF,

It may have been modified to take 2 3/4" shells. A lot of them were modified and it worth knowing how to tell them apart.

There are about 12 machining steps to the conversion, it's not simple. The quickest way to spot a converted gun is to look int he ejection port and see if the extractor claw is mounted on a solid rivet or if it is set up to slide back and forth. Sliding claws are one of the modifications to take the longer shell.

Jeff