# Hunting with some old Shotguns my Father gave me



## radiohead (Apr 11, 2006)

Last year I was surprised when my Father stopped by one day with a couple of shotguns of his from his younger days. He said they were always going to be mine and since I had taken up hunting in recent years he wanted me to have them now since all they were doing were sitting in his gun cabinet.

They are 2 really nice Browning Semi-Automatic Shotguns. a 12-gauge and a 16-gauge. I do not know how old they are (or if the serial numbers give a clue). I know the 16-gauge my Dad had as a teenager and he is now 60. Both guns were made in Belgium.

Anyway, next year I would really like to take a deer with each of them for sentimental reasons. I know it would mean a lot to me and my Dad. I do not want to do anything like mount a scope to the guns, I want to use them as-is, they way he did. And both have smooth bore barrels.

How well do shotgun slugs shoot out of a smooth bore barrel shotgun?

Pics below of the guns in case anyone wanted to see them:


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## Cpt.Chaos (May 28, 2006)

Nice guns Brian, looks like your dad took good care of them all those years! An old family friend used to hunt with one of those 12 gauge's years ago, was a beauty of a gun too.


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## Little Roober (Jun 17, 2004)

Try out a few different size and brand rifled slugs and choose whatever groups the tightest. They should work easy out to 50 yards, if not more.


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## huntfishhurt (Jul 9, 2010)

Those are just plain awesome.

Good luck with them


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## Hawgleg (Jan 3, 2009)

I believe they call the Browning Auto 16 gauge the "Sweet 16" I used one when i was a kid, they are sweet.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Those are sweet. I love the 16, but they are so darn expensive to feed these days..

Make sure you read up on how to adjust the friction rings for various loads to assure you and the guns have a long and happy life together.


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## HoytRLWinstonGuy (Aug 28, 2005)

Both are classic upland/duck guns. The recoil operated system on the Auto-5 is adjustable for heavy or light loads. Make sure that you have them set for heavy before you shoot slugs out of them to ensure against damage on the old guns. I personally wouldn't shoot too many slugs out of them but if you want to stick with some light kickers like Winchester BRI. Good luck. Nice shotguns.


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## slabstar (Feb 25, 2009)

Nice guns! I hunted with a browning bps pump smooth bore for MANY years! I had the best luck with brenneke rotwieler rifled slugs. Pumpkin balls shot better groups but I didn't trust them for knockdown power. 
I had to aim 3" high and a little left! I never mounted a scope, just used the one bb on the end of the barrel! Top distance I KNOW I could kill was 75yrds. Farthest shot I ever took was 65yrds and dropped that buck! 
Goodluck!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## stevebrandle (Jan 23, 2000)

> I believe they call the Browning Auto 16 gauge the "Sweet 16" I used one when i was a kid, they are sweet.


If it is a swwet 16 it will have it stamped on the gun. I think they have a gold colored trigger, too. The field 16 is more common. 

Those are in nice shape. I've hunted birds with my dad's A 5 16ga. for over thirty years. The first time you shoot one it's a little surprising how the entire barrel slides back, be ready for that.


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## sasquatchpa (Jan 20, 2005)

I also have Dad's Sweet 16, but Dad used it till he passed. It is the most accurate shot gun I have ever used. Rifled slugs in a softball pattern at 75 yards. If you missed a bird, you missed, not the gun. It kicks a little, but, it's a better gun than I am a shooter.


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## Topshelf (May 24, 2005)

I shot quite a few deer with my 12 ga A5 back before the rifled slug barrel days. I think mine is a modified choke. 

Those are some very very nice examples.


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## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

How do you adjust the recoil operated system for heavy or light loads? Do you do the same for the A-5 light 20 guage?


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## michgundog (Feb 22, 2008)

I have the exact same guns but they are Remington using the Browning patent. I've shot deer with both the 12 and 16 using slugs and buckshot. However, I would recommend using buckshot out of a smooth bore, slugs are too unpredictable when shot from a smooth bore IMO.


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## X-ski (Jul 4, 2008)

Personally I wouldn't put anything down the barrol of thouse Brownings but LEAD shot. They are too sweet.


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## Encore1250 (Jul 10, 2010)

my brother in law has a old 12 his dad gave him it has a scope on it and we got it sighted in at 75 yds 3in groups with brenneke ko,s best group we could get with it.good luck,sweet guns.


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## kbb3358 (Feb 24, 2005)

I have the same pair. 12 guage was my dad's and the sweet 16 was my grandpa's gun. Got them both when they both passed on. Don't use them much but my son will get them when I pass on. Love them and they shoot great for birds.
kbb3358


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Beautiful!! Always wanted a A-5! Do not fire steel waterfoul loads in them! Stick to lead as mentioned.


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## radiohead (Apr 11, 2006)

Had a couple of appointments in Madison Heights and Troy this morning so stopped into Double Action and shot the 12 gauge for a little while.
What a great gun! Going to take it out in the woods tomorrow deer hunting.


Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Beautiful shotguns, and Belgian too!!! Please, don't ever think of selling them, pass them on to your kids.


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## radiohead (Apr 11, 2006)

No way would I ever sell them.
Some things you can't put a price on...my Father giving them to me is one of them!



petronius said:


> Beautiful shotguns, and Belgian too!!! Please, don't ever think of selling them, pass them on to your kids.


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## 8iowa (Jan 28, 2008)

I noticed the old style safety in one of your pictures. If this is the 16 gauge shotgun, there is a likelyhood that it has a 2 9/16 inch chamber, and shooting modern 2 3/4 inch shells is not a good idea. In the past, gunsmiths commonly reamed out these chambers to 2 3/4 inch. Personally, I would not alter one of these older 16 gauge shotguns as their collector's value is increasing.


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