I have a nice old Browning 16ga auto 5 from around 1940 I believe. The gun is marked 2 9/16" chamber. I know 2 9/16 shells can be had, but is it safe to shoot low pressure 2 3/4 " shells out of it, or does the chamber need to be modified?
Browning 16 ga Auto 5 question
- Thread starter Narragansett
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The constriction caused by the longer case folding into the chamber will raise the pressures a lot. Also not sure if the action would function properly in the extraction/ejection part of the cycle!
Not something I would do.
Take it to a smith and have it reamed for 23/4", it will work fine.
italiansport
Member
Check your Browning to see if it's engraved "Sweet 16" on the left side of the receiver. These bring a premium from collectors.
Jim
Jim
OP
No, it is not a sweet 16.
I will get a box of 2 9/16' shells. I do not see the point in reworking the gun and restamping it
29aholic
Member
Buy a newer 16ga barrel
Rpg
Member
2 3/4” ammo won’t hurt the gun.
If you measure the length of most brands of fired 2 3/4” and 2 9/16” 16 gauge shells, you’ll find no significant differences.
The only problem you might encounter with some 2 3/4” ammo is that the ejection port may be a bit short to reliably eject the fired shells.
If, and only if, you experience this problem a decent gunsmith can open it up for a few $. This is a job that takes just a few minutes.
If you measure the length of most brands of fired 2 3/4” and 2 9/16” 16 gauge shells, you’ll find no significant differences.
The only problem you might encounter with some 2 3/4” ammo is that the ejection port may be a bit short to reliably eject the fired shells.
If, and only if, you experience this problem a decent gunsmith can open it up for a few $. This is a job that takes just a few minutes.
nicky4968
Member
Is the ejector staked in place? (On barrel flange opposite ejection port). Or does it slide back and forth?
If it slides your barrel has been converted to the longer case.
RST has good 2 1/2” ammo.
Brennecke makes 2 1/2” slug.
If it slides your barrel has been converted to the longer case.
RST has good 2 1/2” ammo.
Brennecke makes 2 1/2” slug.
Patrick L
Member
Nowadays, with the interest in vintage doubles, etc. short shells are available. Not at Walmart, but you can find them if you look. And I was able to trim modern cases and reload them without undue trouble. Just do your homework.
That said, if I had an older 16 A5 I would have no qualms about having it converted. Back on the day it was a factory offered service, and they provided specs to gunsmiths because it was such a popular service to have done. Nowadays the problem would be finding an oldtimer who remembers how to do it.
A new barrel is NOT the solution, there are modifications that need to be done to several components of the action as well.
I love A5s, I have 2. My Sweet 16 is a 2 3/4 gun fortunately.
That said, if I had an older 16 A5 I would have no qualms about having it converted. Back on the day it was a factory offered service, and they provided specs to gunsmiths because it was such a popular service to have done. Nowadays the problem would be finding an oldtimer who remembers how to do it.
A new barrel is NOT the solution, there are modifications that need to be done to several components of the action as well.
I love A5s, I have 2. My Sweet 16 is a 2 3/4 gun fortunately.
I don't believe the engraved "Sweet 16" marking came out till 49 or 50 maybe.
DWalt
Member
It is not at all dangerous to use the longer shells in a shorter chamber. That is a myth that goes back decades, but has no foundation in fact. Just stop and think - how would it be possible to raise pressures more than very slightly by lowering the chamber diameter at the mouth by a hundredth of an inch or so?
The REAL problem is that the action's ejection port may be too short to allow a fired case to be ejected. If so, there is not much that can be done about it, other than possibly to find a brand which works better or to trim fired cases slightly shorter and reload them. At least for 20 gauge plastic cases, Winchester and Remington fired cases are usually a little shorter than Federal cases. I know that for sure. Factory Remington and Winchester 2-3/4" shells work fine in my (very) old Model 12 having a 2-1/2" chamber, but Federal 2-3/4" shells will not. To be more precise, a fired Winchester or Remington 20 gauge plastic case is about 2.6". A fired Federal case is a little more than 2.7", just a hair too long to be ejected. So I simply do not use Federal shells.
The REAL problem is that the action's ejection port may be too short to allow a fired case to be ejected. If so, there is not much that can be done about it, other than possibly to find a brand which works better or to trim fired cases slightly shorter and reload them. At least for 20 gauge plastic cases, Winchester and Remington fired cases are usually a little shorter than Federal cases. I know that for sure. Factory Remington and Winchester 2-3/4" shells work fine in my (very) old Model 12 having a 2-1/2" chamber, but Federal 2-3/4" shells will not. To be more precise, a fired Winchester or Remington 20 gauge plastic case is about 2.6". A fired Federal case is a little more than 2.7", just a hair too long to be ejected. So I simply do not use Federal shells.
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Pisgah
Member
….It is not at all dangerous to use the longer shells in a shorter chamber. That is a myth that goes back decades, but has no foundation in fact...
In fact, it can be very dangerous, and is no myth at all.
Here's how. If you shoot the longer shells in a short-chambered gun -- and I have done it, luckily stopping before things went wrong -- you will notice with almost every round that at least a small bit of the unfolded part of the shells will get ripped away on just about every shot. If it's just a small bit, no problem beyond a distorted shot pattern. BUT, depending on a host of factors such as the quality of the shell material, exact measurements of the chamber and exact length of the fired shell, as much as a third of the shell can be torn off, and a large chunk can be left in the barrel as an obstruction or cause deformation of the choke. An obstruction may or may not be catastrophic -- but who really wants to run the risk of ruining the barrel or worse?
Either the gun should be modified, or the extra effort should be made to get proper ammunition.
In fact, it can be very dangerous, and is no myth at all.
Here's how. If you shoot the longer shells in a short-chambered gun -- and I have done it, luckily stopping before things went wrong -- you will notice with almost every round that at least a small bit of the unfolded part of the shells will get ripped away on just about every shot. If it's just a small bit, no problem beyond a distorted shot pattern. BUT, depending on a host of factors such as the quality of the shell material, exact measurements of the chamber and exact length of the fired shell, as much as a third of the shell can be torn off, and a large chunk can be left in the barrel as an obstruction or cause deformation of the choke. An obstruction may or may not be catastrophic -- but who really wants to run the risk of ruining the barrel or worse?
Either the gun should be modified, or the extra effort should be made to get proper ammunition.
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fiasconva
Member
The longer 2 3/4 " shells may cause ejection problems. My grandfather's 1935 version will not eject them most of the time. There are several companies that make vintage 2 1/2" inch shells for them. Polywad and RST are two of them. Make sure that they are the ones that have enough oomph for the gun to cycle properly. If you haven't visited shotgunworld.com you should. There is a wealth of info about your Browning there and they know their stuff.
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2 9/16 A5s are FN marked on butt plate and all I've seen have old style safety in front of trigger guard. Sweet 16, Lite 12 and 20 all post war with cross bolt safety. Quite a few short chamber guns were bring homes after WW 2. My smith reamed several A5s to 23/4". I don't think he open ejection port at all. I know a guy that has one that my smith reamed and he been shooting it with hi brass since 60s. I guess it would depend on how gun was chambered some may be long enough for 23/4".
DWalt
Member
"In fact, it can be very dangerous, and is no myth at all."
It is a myth. First, can you point to a single example of damage to a gun as the result of firing a longer shell in a shorter chamber? Second, have you ever seen anything printed on a shotshell box cautioning against this practice? Third, I have spoken at length with ballisticians at both Winchester and Federal about this (at one time I was a frequent visitor to both plants). Their advice is that it does not increase the chamber pressure.
I would like to know how you came up with the comment about tearing off 1/3rd of the shell. Even if it is assumed that could happen (which I doubt), so what? It would simply have been blown out with the next shot.
It is a myth. First, can you point to a single example of damage to a gun as the result of firing a longer shell in a shorter chamber? Second, have you ever seen anything printed on a shotshell box cautioning against this practice? Third, I have spoken at length with ballisticians at both Winchester and Federal about this (at one time I was a frequent visitor to both plants). Their advice is that it does not increase the chamber pressure.
I would like to know how you came up with the comment about tearing off 1/3rd of the shell. Even if it is assumed that could happen (which I doubt), so what? It would simply have been blown out with the next shot.
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I bought a 16 ga. A5 forty years ago. It was used, and had been somebody’s bird gun, it was about the same age as the OP’s. Back then I knew nothing of the 2 9/16” shotshell, so I shot 2 3/4” shells in it. It fired them, but the hulls ( Federal) would not clear the ejection port reliably.
At some point somebody enlightened me about the shorter shotshell. So being a reloader I trimmed hulls, loaded accordingly and Viola! It functioned perfectly. I hunted birds with the gun for decades.
I have also purchased the 2 1/2” loaded shells from Ballistic Products.
At some point somebody enlightened me about the shorter shotshell. So being a reloader I trimmed hulls, loaded accordingly and Viola! It functioned perfectly. I hunted birds with the gun for decades.
I have also purchased the 2 1/2” loaded shells from Ballistic Products.
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The easy answer is RST ammo. They make a special 2 1/2” shell just for your gun. Lower pressure than commodity modern ammo, but enough to assure proper cycling of the action. Plus there is no worry about the chamber length.
I shoot their Falcon light load in my Citori Feather Field they are very effective for pheasant
I shoot their Falcon light load in my Citori Feather Field they are very effective for pheasant
Valmet
Member
A-5s of that vintage were actually mfg’d by Remington, I have a 1941 mfg’d 16 Ga that is marked the exact same way that comes with me to the dove fields on occasion.
Not a good ideia to change a gun from what it was designed to handle.
If ammo is not available, either make your own or don't shoot it(I understand you have lots of guns you don't shoot).
As for performance, if you can't hit with the original chambering, you just can't hit. Period.
Justin T
Member
RST 2 1/2” shells for the win. They fit the gun and are good in the dove fields. I shot these with a very old Winchester Model 12 once. All was very well.
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