Rifled barrel on a Browning A-5?

Mannlicher · July 20, 2002, 07:38 PM

I was wondering if anyone had experience with using a rifled barrel on a Browning A-5 12 GA. mag. There are several brands available. I have had really good results from the Hastings WadLock II on my Browning, and would consider one of their rifled barrels.

There is the possiblilty of a hunt this fall in New York, and the person that invited me says it is Shotguns only in some of the areas we may hunt.

Jerry Stordahl · July 20, 2002, 09:09 PM

Mannlicher: I too have been considering the short slug barrel for an A-5 Stalker Mag. In my area of MN it is shotguns only for deer, but I am leaning toward the smoothbore tube so it remains usable for buckshot. I am interested in reading what actual users have to say on the rifled ones also.

Dave McC · July 21, 2002, 09:04 AM

Depending on shot distances where you hunt, slug choice, and you, your A-5 may be fine with slugs as is.

An awful lot of Eastern deer killing takes place within 50 yards. Most smoothbores can be made to shoot acceptably within that, even with a bead.

If the thing shoots close to the sights, puts all the slugs in a 4" group or so at 50 yards, you've got a deer gun right there.

However, if shot opps run much longer, then a dedicated slug bbl, possibly rifled, and better (adjustable) sights are needed.

Still,under field conditions in most of the East, 100 yards is a long shot.

In your shoes,I'd buy a messa 5 packs of various Forster and Brenekke slugs,take my anti inflammatory, don a wearable recoil pad, and grind out some slug groups, first at 25 yards, then 50.

When one slug stands out, buy lots of that, preferably from the same lot as the test slugs, and get zeroed.

FYI, one long time hunting buddy has killed a mess of Md deer with an A-5 with a Polychoke on it set on Cylinder.

HTH....

Mannlicher · July 21, 2002, 06:51 PM

All good advice Dave.

I have range tested the A-5 with Winchester, and Remington Foster slugs, and with Brenneke Rottweil slugs. 25 yard patterns were best with the Remington Foster style slug The German ones give best 50, and 75 yard patterns.
I have killed a number of deer through the years with slugs, and a few with buckshot.

My reason for asking about the rifled barrels, is that I want to use Sabot slugs, like the Federal Barnes Sabot slug. A n accurate, 325 grain projectile at 1900 fps sounds pretty good to me. I intend to use rifle sights on the barrel not optics. The area that we may hunt has the possiblity of a 75 to 125 yard shot.

Another reason for wanting the new barrel, is , well, (frankly) I just want to play with it. So there!!

Dave McC · July 22, 2002, 05:49 AM

"....I just want to play with it"....

Good enough reason(G).

There's been some interesting developments in slug technology recently and there 'll be more coming.

With more and more areas getting "Urbanized", slugs and slug guns will be made that'll leave the older stuff well behind in performance. I doubt I'll get one, my equipment works perfectly well for the mission where I hunt.

But, that doesn't apply to all Eastern deer hunters. Best to use equipment and methods suited to the area and one's own limits.

HTH...

July 20, 2002, 07:38 PM	#1
Mannlicher Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 2,933	Rifled barrel on a Browning A-5? I was wondering if anyone had experience with using a rifled barrel on a Browning A-5 12 GA. mag. There are several brands available. I have had really good results from the Hastings WadLock II on my Browning, and would consider one of their rifled barrels. There is the possiblilty of a hunt this fall in New York, and the person that invited me says it is Shotguns only in some of the areas we may hunt. __________________ Nemo Me Impune Lacesset "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan

July 21, 2002, 06:51 PM	#4
Mannlicher Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 2,933	All good advice Dave. I have range tested the A-5 with Winchester, and Remington Foster slugs, and with Brenneke Rottweil slugs. 25 yard patterns were best with the Remington Foster style slug The German ones give best 50, and 75 yard patterns. I have killed a number of deer through the years with slugs, and a few with buckshot. My reason for asking about the rifled barrels, is that I want to use Sabot slugs, like the Federal Barnes Sabot slug. A n accurate, 325 grain projectile at 1900 fps sounds pretty good to me. I intend to use rifle sights on the barrel not optics. The area that we may hunt has the possiblity of a 75 to 125 yard shot. Another reason for wanting the new barrel, is , well, (frankly) I just want to play with it. So there!! __________________ Nemo Me Impune Lacesset "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan

July 20, 2002, 09:09 PM	#2
Jerry Stordahl Member Join Date: July 10, 2000 Location: Halstad, MN USA Posts: 96	Mannlicher: I too have been considering the short slug barrel for an A-5 Stalker Mag. In my area of MN it is shotguns only for deer, but I am leaning toward the smoothbore tube so it remains usable for buckshot. I am interested in reading what actual users have to say on the rifled ones also.

July 21, 2002, 09:04 AM	#3
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 14, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,831	Depending on shot distances where you hunt, slug choice, and you, your A-5 may be fine with slugs as is. An awful lot of Eastern deer killing takes place within 50 yards. Most smoothbores can be made to shoot acceptably within that, even with a bead. If the thing shoots close to the sights, puts all the slugs in a 4" group or so at 50 yards, you've got a deer gun right there. However, if shot opps run much longer, then a dedicated slug bbl, possibly rifled, and better (adjustable) sights are needed. Still,under field conditions in most of the East, 100 yards is a long shot. In your shoes,I'd buy a messa 5 packs of various Forster and Brenekke slugs,take my anti inflammatory, don a wearable recoil pad, and grind out some slug groups, first at 25 yards, then 50. When one slug stands out, buy lots of that, preferably from the same lot as the test slugs, and get zeroed. FYI, one long time hunting buddy has killed a mess of Md deer with an A-5 with a Polychoke on it set on Cylinder. HTH....

July 22, 2002, 05:49 AM	#5
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 14, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,831	"....I just want to play with it".... Good enough reason(G). There's been some interesting developments in slug technology recently and there 'll be more coming. With more and more areas getting "Urbanized", slugs and slug guns will be made that'll leave the older stuff well behind in performance. I doubt I'll get one, my equipment works perfectly well for the mission where I hunt. But, that doesn't apply to all Eastern deer hunters. Best to use equipment and methods suited to the area and one's own limits. HTH...