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Questions about Browning "Sweet Sixteen".

6K views 5 replies 2 participants last post by  USA1962 
#1 · (Edited)
My uncle brought a Browning A5 "Sweet Sixteen" direct from Browning in 1965. Barrel has Made in Belgium stamped on right side and buttplate has the FN company name on it, but the serial number is A 24**.

1. Isn't this a serial number that dates the gun between 1940-1946 and was made by Remington?

2. I have read on other sites that the Browning (Remington) serial number in this time frame started with 5000 and up, yet this gun has a lower serial number than that.

3. If this gun is in fact a WW2 era Remington made gun, would it have a Belgium made barrel and buttplate on it? And why did Browning sell it in 1965 twenty plus years latter?

I have the papers on this gun when it was brought new in 1965 and thought it was odd that the serial number didn't match the time frame when the gun was bought.

Any thoughts?
 
#2 ·
Hello,

A Browning Auto-5 Sweet Sixteen manufactured in the year 1965 will have a serial number on the bottom of the receiver that starts with "5S". The serial number on the barrel could be almost anything, as during that time frame, they did not match the receiver serial number. If the serial number on the barrel is "A24xx", that is perfectly normal.

Bert H.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Hello,

A Browning Auto-5 Sweet Sixteen manufactured in the year 1965 will have a serial number on the bottom of the receiver that starts with "5S". The serial number on the barrel could be almost anything, as during that time frame, they did not match the receiver serial number. If the serial number on the barrel is "A24xx", that is perfectly normal.

Bert H.
Thanks for answering Bert.

No the serial number on the bottom of the receiver is A 24**. I haven't looked for a serial number on the barrel.

I was trying to date the gun and on Browning's web site the serial numbers that start with ABC's were the Remington made ones. As stated above, I have read on here and other sites that the serial number started with 5000 and above for these guns. I think I have read also that the barrel was not marked "Made in Belgium" if it was a Remington made gun.

Thanks again for any help you can offer.
 
#5 ·
OK, after some further research, in the latter part of 1957 through early 1958, Browning used an "A" prefix letter for a small number of the Sweet Sixteen shotguns. The serial range was 1 - 10900. Based on that piece of information, your gun is most likely a late 1957 vintage gun. I do not know if the barrel serial number should match or not.

Bert H.
 
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