Browning Auto 5 20 Gauge Serial Numbers

Browning Semi-Automatic Five Shotgun (A-5). Production began at serial number 1 in 1902. Prior to 1924, few. 1601, Magnum 20 Gauge. 2301, Light 20.

THE AUTOMATIC FIVE (A-5) Production of the A-5 began at F.N. In 1902, with the first gun, serial number 1, shipped to the U.S. September 17, 1903.

Serial number 206 was the first gun shipped to a foreign country. Twelve gauge guns only were usually offered in the U.S. Until 1925, but production of the 16 gauge began in 1909.

In 1958, the 20 gauge was added to the line; 20 gauge magnums were added in 1967. The 'Sweet 16' was introduced in catalogs in 1937. Lightweight 12 gauges were made as early as 1946. Browning had enough confidence in his new invention to order 10,000 Auto Fives when they were first produced.

These guns were marked, 'BROWNING AUTOMATIC ARMS CO. OGDEN UTAH-U.S.A.' Very few guns marked in this way will be found. In 1931 the first real Browning catalog appeared. From 1924 to 1931 letters and folders were used to list the guns. A corporation was formed in 1927 to sell Browning guns.

Headquarters were in Ogden, Utah until 1970, when offices were moved to Mountain Green, Utah with a Morgan, Utah mailing address. Prior to 1924, few serial records remain. Download tiger woods 08 widescreen patch free downloads.

Browning and F.N. Rcords give the following dates of manufacture for the A-5. Serial numbers began near 3000 in 1924. Figures quoted here are for Browning and F.N.sales world wide and are approximate due to missing records. DATES OF MANUFACTURE A-5 Year Start End 1924 3000 0 1926 0 1927 0 1928 0 1929 0 1930 00 1931 100 1932 100 1933 100 1934 100 1935 100 1936 100 1937 100 1938 200 1939 200 1940-1946 WAR YEARS.

NO PRODUCTION FOR CIVILIANS AT F.N. FROM 1946 TO 1951 PRODUCTION WAS BY REMINGTON IN THE U.S. ACCORDING TO RECORDS FROM BROWNING AND REMINGTON, APPROXIMATELY 45,000 12 GAUGE, 25,000 16 GAUGE AND 20,000 20 GAUGE GUNS WERE PRODUCED BY REMINGTON. BY 1952, F.N.

WAS AGAIN PRODUCING THE A-5. Year Start End 1946 200 1947 200 1948 200 1949 200 1950 200 1951 300 1952 300 1953 300 BEGINNING OF NEW SERIAL NUMBER SYSTEM IN 1954 H means STANDARD WEIGHT L means LIGHT WEIGHT 1954&55 H39000 H83000 L42000 L H83000 H99000 Lightwgt Gl-G NEW DESIGNATIONS WITH 'M' FOR STANDARD WGT. 'G' FOR LIGHTWEIGHT. 1957 M22000 M85000 G23000 G G85001 G99000 8G1 8G28000 From 1958, serial numbers are preceded by the year of manufacture code. In this system, the first numeral is the date of manufacture, the next figure is the model code. An example, 8M is the standard weight made in 1958, 8G is the lightweight model.

MODEL NUMBERS A5 M--STANDARD WEIGHT G--LIGHT WEIGHT V--12 GAUGE MAGNUM S--SWEET SIXTEEN Z--LIGHT 20 GAUGE X--20 GAUGE X--20 GAUGE MAGNUM The same date code is found for 1968 as 1958, but the bottom of the grip usually has the flat knob on the 1968, the rounded knob on the 1958. From 1969, the date code has two digits, as 69M for a standard weight gun made in 1969. In 1969, the standard weight gun was dropped from production. For the product code, which was actually the model of the gun, four digits were used: MAGNUM 12 GAUGE--1501 LIGHT 12 GAUGE--2101 SWEET 16--2201 MAGNUM 20 GAUGE--1601 LIGHT 20 GAUGE --2301 After 1975, only three digits were used: MAGNUM 12 GAUGE-- 151 LIGHT 12 GAUGE -- 211 SWEET 16 -- 221 MAGNUM 20 -- 161 LIGHT 20 -- 231 For production dates after 1969, see the Date Index in the front of this book. Thus, a gun with number 1501RT1234 is an A-5, 12 gauge magnum, made in 1976 (see Date Index) and is serial number 1234. After 1975, the number would be 151RT1234, or an A5-12 Magnum, made in 1976, serial number 1234.