My younger son i herited a 1950's era Light 12. It needs some loving-----stocks are gone, springs need replacing, bluing is gone. We don't care about value. It will be transformed into a dove, quail and flooded timber shotgun. I plan on putting new furniture and a new barrel on it. Who is good at this? Browning in Arnold, MO?
Apparently Mike Orlen is the guy to go with. He can install chokes as well if you want to put chokes in your existing barrel. New barrels are expensive, and for the price of replacing stocks and barrels you can probably buy a lightly used 80s model with chokes, if you do a little looking. As to replacing the stock order straight from Browning, you will save money that way. They may even have some grade 3 wood left, as it is listed on there parts list ( but isn't cheap).
Jack, if I were you, I would hold off on buying a new barrel until it is evaluated by a gunsmith. I've heard that old shotgun barrels really can't be damaged by shooting even unless lots of unsafe loads (steel) has been ran through it. Unless there is extreme pitting where it won't look good, a rebluing and installing chokes might be the best way to go, you would have to check if it is ok to shoot steel through it after it has been opened up. There is always rio bismuth loads too though.
New barrel will be 350 to $500. I doubt a used one will be much cheaper as people know what new ones are going for and typically gouge.
Not sure if Browning does that or not, the smiths over there are very good but as was stated it will cost you a fortune.
A full restoration on the gun would be more than it's worth.
The advice already given is good, if anything have the gun re blued and the springs replaced, It would be less expensive to shoot bismuth through it than replacing the barrel.
Don't know if you meant the stocks are cracked or just badly worn, they can get expensive to replace also. You can strip them yourself and go over them with some Tru Oil, be good enough for the boy to start out with.
A new stock and forearm will run $220 for standard grade wood( per Browning's current price list ). I think you might get out for around $500 to have spring/rings replaced, choke tubes installed, new stocks and reblued. You may still have to shoot bismuth out of it for waterfowl, but bismuth is reasonably priced IMO. You would have a pretty nice set up for upland and waterfowl.
About right on the $500 price, there not hard to take part and replace but I wouldn't recommend it if you have never done it before and don't have the correct tools, especially screwdrivers ground to fit the screws on an A-5.
This place has always had decent stocks also, just to give you an idea of what your getting into http://www.gun-parts.com/browningstocks/
You can order a synthetic stock for it (less than a $100). There is a thread in the shotgun forum titled "new furniture" about the A5 synthetic stocks. It should not be that difficult to find someone in your area that can reblue it for a reasonable charge (or you can always send it out if you have to). Ask a local smith about replacing any needed parts (springs, friction rings etc..)
As mentioned already you can shoot something else other than steel if need be.
Make it a project for you and your son. Nice old guns worth saving for sure.
That is awesome Jack... I had a feeling it had some sentimental value.
You could easily make it functional by slapping on a $60 plastic stock, spraying it with a can of duracoat, and replacing the springs/rings, but this way will give him something beautiful with a storied history that will be around for another 60+ years.
If you decide agaisnt keeping the orignal barrel, Hastings makes replacements. They are $500. I think you may be able to find a new browning or a used browning for a little less on any of the various online aution sites.
Please post pics and keep us updated as it comes along. I would love to see before and afters.
I agree I'm with you on restoring something that was in your family. I didn't have to restore this one but it shows the years, this was my granddads 1920's model A-5 that he left to me, still shots like a champ going on 90 years old, wouldn't ever part with it.
Contact Art's gun shop in Hillboro, MO. He's the go to guy for Auto-5 restorations. He used to be a gunsmith for Browning and does the best work I've ever seen. There are several videos on youtube of his work.
Contact Art's gun shop in Hillboro, MO. He's the go to guy for Auto-5 restorations. He used to be a gunsmith for Browning and does the best work I've ever seen. There are several videos on youtube of his work.
Contact Art's gun shop in Hillboro, MO. He's the go to guy for Auto-5 restorations. He used to be a gunsmith for Browning and does the best work I've ever seen. There are several videos on youtube of his work.
Contact Art's gun shop in Hillboro, MO. He's the go to guy for Auto-5 restorations. He used to be a gunsmith for Browning and does the best work I've ever seen. There are several videos on youtube of his work.
Really good folks down there at Art's not to far from my house , they will do it right.
Be prepared though they get good money for the work they do but IMHO it's top notch.
Art's Gun Shop or Midwest Gun Works. Both in Missouri. Midwest probably has the stocks and forends listed on their website. Both do excellent work on Brownings.
Art's gun shop all the way, guy does UNBELIEVABLE work. I had him do my 1920's a5 and it came back in impeccible condition. He was able to find matching period forearm and buttstocks and the gun literally looks like a brand new beautiful gun and shoots like factory new. I will say that the guy has a lot going ton and will try to talk you out of getting things done to your gun if what you are paying him is approaching the value of the gun, but I didn't care about that. This was a shotgun given to me by my grandfather who has since passed away and I want to shoot and use it and pass it along to my younguns some day. It took a long time to get the gun back and many phone calls to explain what I wanted and the gun got lost at one point, but all that minor frustration and long lead time didn't take away from what I got in return. Worth every penny, guy worked magic on a 95 year old gun.
I would find a gunsmith as stated above to do the blueing and mechanical portion and then order a Forearm and Buttstock from Macon Gunstock Co in Warsaw MO and have him install them. They have some absolutely beautiful stocks for the A 5
Boyd's gun stocks has aftermarket stock, it does not look as good as Macon stocks, but should work.
Midwest gun works has recoil spring and friction rings as a kit.
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