16ga.com Forum Index
Author Message
<  16ga. Guns  ~  New A5 Sweet 16 barrel/ action overall lenght issue
studdog
PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 5:54 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 17 Aug 2010
Posts: 472
Location: drummond island MI

Just received my new A5 sweet 16 back from the stock doctor who fitted it to my specs. Beautiful job. Fits me perfectly. Could not have made it fit with Browning supplied shims etc.

I just compared the new gun to my 1951 classic sweet 16. The overall length is about the same even though the 1951 has 28 inch barrels and the 2017 has 26 inch barrels. How is that you may ask? I was shocked! The difference is the action length. 1951 action 7 inches, 2017 action 9 inches. You heard it here first. I read every article I could find on these guns. If that fact was there I missed it. Also, the forearm is much longer. I love the gun but it is much more different than the old ones than I could imagine. Anyone ordering one needs to take this into consideration when choosing barrel length. FWIW

_________________
shoot quick but take your time!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Charlie16ga
PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 7:47 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Aug 2014
Posts: 924
Location: Eastern Tennessee

To your point, I wonder if we will get a chance to buy the barrels separate soon.

_________________
16' Brown A5
15' Brown White Light Citori
13' Brown Upland Spcl BPS
02' Rem 870 Exp
53' Rem 870 Wing
53' Mar 90 DT
50' Mar 90 DT
47' Rem 31L
46' Win 12 (2)
33' Rem 31
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dannypratt
PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 8:17 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 21 Dec 2005
Posts: 722
Location: Napoleon, MI

I checked out a new SW16 last weekend....I liked the weight and balance, and it came up nice...BUT... yes, the action is Loooooooong and the forend is super long. Maybe they should have leaned toward the Benelli Ultralight style: 3 shot magazine with a shorter forend and 24" barrel option...that would be a sweet set up.

_________________
Good luck & great hunting,
-Danny Pratt
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
4setters
PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 9:19 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas

The Auto-5 16 gauge, including sweet 16s, came out decades before a 20 gauge model (1957 I believe), and the 3 inch 20 gauge didn't come out until some time later. (Which makes the American Rifleman Dope Bag recent writeup, which states something along the line that the Sweet 16 was introduced in 1937 on a 20 gauge receiver absolutely ludicrous!) Because Browning is in business to sell guns, I suspect you'll eventually see the A-5 Sweet 16 used as a basis for a 20 gauge model in the future. The receiver, bolt, and receiver opening is plenty long enough to handle a 3 inch shell (including a 3 inch 16 if it were ever produced!).

Keep in mind that the 16 gauge Browning BPS pump gun is on a 3 inch 20 gauge receiver... . . . . .

My opinion, time will tell.

_________________
16 gauges:
1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
Browning Citori Invector
Rem 870 Remchoke
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dannypratt
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:48 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 21 Dec 2005
Posts: 722
Location: Napoleon, MI

4s,
Yes indeed. And +200 on the American Rifleman review...what an unintelligible piece of drivel. Not only was that information incorrect, they also stated that it was produced in Japan (which it is not) and furthermore, that pump guns were in thier infancy.....to my basic math skills, 1885-1903 is an 18 year period, which in firearms design, is a very long time.
It would have been better if they just skipped the whole thing.

_________________
Good luck & great hunting,
-Danny Pratt
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
studdog
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 5:14 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 17 Aug 2010
Posts: 472
Location: drummond island MI

If Fourstetters is correct I'm disappointed in the new A5 sweet. His theory would explain the long receiver and long forearm. The gun would look much better on a truly scaled receiver built for 2/3/4 inch shells. It would also be lighter. Don't get me wrong it's still a nice gun and if I hadn't compared it to the old version I might have never known. I'm going to weigh mine today. Mine patterned great. dead on 55%/45%. Can't wait to shoot it. My 1951 fits me well and I shoot it great.

_________________
shoot quick but take your time!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Charlie16ga
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 6:02 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Aug 2014
Posts: 924
Location: Eastern Tennessee

I can't be too disappointed in a 5 pound 12 ounce 16 gauge semiauto gun.

_________________
16' Brown A5
15' Brown White Light Citori
13' Brown Upland Spcl BPS
02' Rem 870 Exp
53' Rem 870 Wing
53' Mar 90 DT
50' Mar 90 DT
47' Rem 31L
46' Win 12 (2)
33' Rem 31
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dannypratt
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 6:56 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 21 Dec 2005
Posts: 722
Location: Napoleon, MI

No,
The gun itself in balance and all is fantastic. And, I bet shooting one is a hoot!
I like the look in the ads, but in person I just don't care for the extra long forearm. Alot of current semi auto guns have that forearm design, and it just isn't very ergonomic to me.
I am a huge fan of my 20ga BPS, but that forend, while not overly long, is positioned quite a bit out front, farther than I think is comfortable for a middle of forearm hold. The BPS also has a longish reciever, but somehow aesthetically it doesn't stand out as much to me.

Bottom line, Browning did pretty well on the new A5 SW16, but for me a three shot model would have me writing the check as I walked in the door.

_________________
Good luck & great hunting,
-Danny Pratt
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dannypratt
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 7:19 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 21 Dec 2005
Posts: 722
Location: Napoleon, MI

Oh yeah, I will add that I do think it is UTTERLY FANTASTIC that Browning did put out a DEDICATED, SCALED FRAME, 16GA SEMI AUTOMATIC.

That in itself is a HUGE deal... Way to go Browning!

_________________
Good luck & great hunting,
-Danny Pratt
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
studdog
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 7:31 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 17 Aug 2010
Posts: 472
Location: drummond island MI

Measured the forearm and it's about the same length as the old version. It extends further do to the 2 inch longer receiver. Mine weighs 5 lbs 15 ounces. Still a nice package. Sighting plain is 34.5 inches with 26 inch barrel. Unless your tall I think the 26 inch version is great for birds or clays.

_________________
shoot quick but take your time!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
dannypratt
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 7:44 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 21 Dec 2005
Posts: 722
Location: Napoleon, MI

SD,
Very interesting on the forearm length...and I can totally understand how the 2" longer reciever would cause the forearm to appear overly long.

I wonder why the extra 2" on the reciever? There must be a design reason. Maybe the rotary bolt? I could see that requiring a longer reciever in order to allow shells to feed from the magazine.
Interesting stuff. I wonder how long the Benelli Ultralight reciever is in comparison? Same basic design....

_________________
Good luck & great hunting,
-Danny Pratt
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
grassfarmer
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 7:58 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Jul 2011
Posts: 77
Location: New Enterprise, Pa

Was in Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday in Roanoke, Va. and noticed they had one on the rack. This was the first I have actually seen one in the flesh and was a bit amazed at how long the gun appeared. In comparism with my 33 model A5 16 it looks way longer. That still will probably not prevent me from getting one though. Just waiting to accumulate enough Cabelas Bucks. Keeps the wife from complaing about how much I spent on a gun. LOL.

Lon
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
fn16ga
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 8:22 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 09 Jan 2013
Posts: 2165
Location: Florida

Believe me there is no more die hard fan of the original A5 than me . But when comparing the 2 ,new and old , the only thing they really have in common is they are both shotguns and they have the Browning name.

When I got my new 2016 A5 28" I was bit concerned about the length . But after dove hunting and Snipe hunting with it this season, that all went out the window . I hunted and carried this gun many miles this past season and in some fairly thick cover at times while Snipe hunting and never notice the "longness" of the gun.

I shoot this gun as good or better than any of my other guns , IMO the new Sweet 16 is a great field gun . So far the only real fault I have with the gun is the grip which I could live with if I had to , but I don't .


Last edited by fn16ga on Mon Feb 27, 2017 4:39 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
double vision
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 9:33 am  Reply with quote
Guest





fn16ga wrote:
but I don't .


Very Happy
Back to top
studdog
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 9:45 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 17 Aug 2010
Posts: 472
Location: drummond island MI

4setters theory of a future 3' 20 gauge could explain the long receiver? I would like the gun more if it were more compact. But, I like small guns. Mine handles and points great. I can hardly wait to shoot it.

_________________
shoot quick but take your time!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Display posts from previous:   
All times are GMT - 7 Hours

View next topic
View previous topic
Page 1 of 2
Goto page 1, 2  Next
16ga.com Forum Index  ~  16ga. Guns

Post new topic   Reply to topic


 
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum




Powered by phpBB and NoseBleed v1.09