I've got 2 shotguns that belonged to my father. One is a Browning A-5 Light Twelve. Another Is a Winchester Model 12 he used prior to receiving the A-5 as a wedding present from my mother in 1966. I've been wanting to track down an Old A-5 that is in nearly new condition as a collection piece and the same with a Model 12.
First about the A-5 Light Twelve. It does not have the vent rib but is the Belgium barrel. And here is where a bit of my problem lies, it has a swollen area in the barrel from expansion, not horrible but noticeable and probably no way to make it perfect. Secondly I'm not certain if it is the original as there was an older A-5 he had used for parts. I wish I could find the older one just to find out how old. But I do recall they were both the same non vent rib style but the choke may have been different. I do not have the original furniture for it also. I look at the gun for pitting and it is not real bad but that is because we went through two efforts at home to keep rust from advancing. Last effort was probably 2000. Even though we have not fired more than a box of shells through it in twenty years. I'm thinking it would need at least barrel replacement, furniture,professional reblue/refinish and someone to go over the etching on the receiver. I don't have anything in the gun financially but I'm thinking the condition I could bring it up to would be less than finding another in as good condition. I was considering having midwest gun works do the restoration since I had bought synthetic furniture during my last attempt to preserve the gun.
http://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/...-5-gunsmithing
On the Bottom of the receiver there is 5G then 842xx for serial# (1965 Light Weight Designation)
Left side of receiver reads in script "Light Twelve" and "Browning" with an etching portrait of Browning.
Barrel reads on top "Browning Arms Company St Louis MO
Right side of barrel read "Made in Belgium"
Left side of the barrel reads "*Special Steel-12GA-Shells 2 3/4" and next to that in a deeper stamp reads"0Kg904" and a few other symbols I cant make out.
The Model 12 has hardly been shot since the 60's. I had made an attempt in high school during the late 80's to refinish the furniture and reblue it and I have not touched it since. Like the Browning I have nothing financially invested in these but they are both heirlooms. I want to preserve them but is worth the money to just restore them and in the process having my collection piece. I'm not sure who I would have restore this piece. Any recommendations would be great.
Model 12 reads 1178xx for sn# and behind the trigger guard it a stamp marked "ED"
Opinions? Should it be done? How much do you think it will cost? Who to restore? etc.
Swell shows up slightly in the light my the seam of my index and middle finger.
