16ga.com ~ View topic - A-5 Friction Ring?

Member Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 29 Location: Kansas

I have my A-5 working again and now I'd like to shoot it alot.

I want to be diligent about switching the friction ring from light loads to heavy and back again, but where is the line for a 16?

Is it based on FPS? 1150, 1200, 1270, 1300+...?

Or throw weight? 1 oz. 1 1/16, 1 1/8?

What is a heavy load? Thanks, --Hagrid

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

Use the heaviest setting that will still cycle your gun with the load your using. This gives you the most recoil reduction and the least impact on the gun.

When I shoot a new shell I always try it on the heavy setting, if it does not cycle all the time I move to the light setting, if that does not work I'll put in one of my older (heavily worn) springs or put a very little oil on the mag tube.

If none of the above work I use a heavier load. In my experience most commercial 1 oz loads have cycled my guns with the heavy setting. A few required the light setting but they all cycled.

On my lighter reloads I find that 7/8 oz is difficult to cycle unless you get the velocity up there over 1200. But every gun is a little different based on the wear on the bronze ring, springs etc.

Jeff

Member Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 29 Location: Kansas

As usual you are the man to ask about A-5s.

It sounds like the mag tube should be almost dry for max friction?

I also installed a Brownells rehab kit with new springs and a new friction rings set-up too. This seemed to have the gun cycling normally again. The old rings looked awfully tired and the old springs were all shorter than the new ones.

Thanks, an auto is a new world to me. --Hagrid

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

Hagris,

Yes, minimal oil. My mag tubes are wiped down with the same cloth I wipe the outsides with, leaving no obvious oil behind.

I only add oil as a lube if I'm having trouble cycling a really light load and even then my long term solution is a heavier load. I dont want to keep the tube oily as it contributes to oil saking of the wood forends and eventual crakcing.

Regards,

Jeff

My 12 ga will run all day on field loads with the light setting but after a box or two of my 1 oz reloads it stops ejecting. A light wipe with oil on the magazine will get it through another box or two.

I didn't realize the rings would wear like they do until my gunsmith made me order a new one. Then I saw the difference.

The extractors and ejectors will also need replacing every so often. It isn't a big deal but I learned to do it early before something breaks. It takes a while, but the ol' A-5 will wear down eventually.

FYI, the folks at the Browning parts warehouse told me there were plenty of 12 and 20 parts, but zero 16 parts. All gone. I'd find a parts gun or two if I owned a 16.