Browning Sweet Sixteen help!

sbeduckman · November 24, 2007, 03:29 PM

Hello all, I have a gun I need some help with. I have recently inherited a Browning Sweet 16, and it's different than any of my other A-5s. This is Sweet Sixteen number 3, and I'm a bit confused about it. The gun is marked as made in Beligium, it has NO rib, no gold trigger, it is however nicely engraved and does say "sweet sixteen" on the receiver. My others have the gold triggers and VR.

Serial number is x77172. Any idea on when this gun was produced? Any details you guys could give me would be great! Thanks in advance.

BILLDAVE · November 24, 2007, 05:27 PM

I saw your post and have poured through a few of my Browning books. I've got nothing. It did say Remington made A-5 also. Mabey some parts were exchanged. I'm surprised no others have chimed in. At least this will bump it back to the top. Sorry I was no help. Good Luck.

johnbt · November 24, 2007, 07:43 PM

Sweet 16 - "Made 1937-1976 by FN" "...has goldplated trigger."
"Guns without rib have striped matting on top of bbl."

With plain bbl. - $450
With raised matted or vent rib - $495
[obviously old prices]
From the 21st Ed. Gun Traders Guide (1998)

The list in the Blue Book says the serial number is from 1952.

Maybe the trigger has been replaced.

John

tbotts · November 25, 2007, 11:20 AM

Your A5 was made in 1952. Sweet Sixteens were shipped from the factory with either a plain non-ribbed barrel, a vent ribbed barrel, or a barrel with a solid rib which is hollow.
You can check and see if the barrel is serial numbered to the gun. Browning stopped this in 1953 so your A5 should have the barrel numbered to the receiver. Look on the barrel ring, or on the extension, for either the whole serial number or the last 3 or 4 numbers. other parts which should be numbered: butt stock and forearm.
the reason for the trigger: it may have been swapped out, or the gold plating may also have worn off from use.
Check with Midwest Gun, I believe they will re-plate the trigger for you.

Jeff Mulliken · November 25, 2007, 03:04 PM

Your gun was made in late 1952. The last 16 made that year was about 500 guns later at X77,700.

The gold plating used in those years was a very soft bronze color. I've seen several that I had to convince the owners were gold by pulling out the trigger to display the unworn portion of the trigger. In addition I've seen a number that were reblued and the triggers were stripped and blued along with the rest of the parts.

Sweet Sixteens did not come standard with a ribbed barrel, it was an option available at extra cost. Your barrel should be numbered to the reciever, check on the barrel ring for the number. While your at it check to see if the barrel reing has the lightening holes drilled in it. If there are no holes then it was not a Sweet Sixteen barrel.

For details/specifics on Browning A5's try the shotgunworld "Browning" forum.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...7b6dd03c8545a1

Jeff

sbeduckman · November 25, 2007, 08:21 PM

Thanks for the help folks...much appreciated.

November 24, 2007, 03:29 PM	#1
sbeduckman Junior Member Join Date: November 24, 2007 Posts: 2	Browning Sweet Sixteen help! Hello all, I have a gun I need some help with. I have recently inherited a Browning Sweet 16, and it's different than any of my other A-5s. This is Sweet Sixteen number 3, and I'm a bit confused about it. The gun is marked as made in Beligium, it has NO rib, no gold trigger, it is however nicely engraved and does say "sweet sixteen" on the receiver. My others have the gold triggers and VR. Serial number is x77172. Any idea on when this gun was produced? Any details you guys could give me would be great! Thanks in advance.

November 25, 2007, 08:21 PM	#6
sbeduckman Junior Member Join Date: November 24, 2007 Posts: 2	Thanks Thanks for the help folks...much appreciated.

November 24, 2007, 05:27 PM	#2
BILLDAVE Junior member Join Date: September 17, 2006 Location: In the Mid-West Posts: 321	I saw your post and have poured through a few of my Browning books. I've got nothing. It did say Remington made A-5 also. Mabey some parts were exchanged. I'm surprised no others have chimed in. At least this will bump it back to the top. Sorry I was no help. Good Luck.

November 24, 2007, 07:43 PM	#3
johnbt Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Posts: 6,004	Sweet 16 - "Made 1937-1976 by FN" "...has goldplated trigger." "Guns without rib have striped matting on top of bbl." With plain bbl. - $450 With raised matted or vent rib - $495 [obviously old prices] From the 21st Ed. Gun Traders Guide (1998) The list in the Blue Book says the serial number is from 1952. Maybe the trigger has been replaced. John

November 25, 2007, 11:20 AM	#4
tbotts Member Join Date: May 20, 2004 Posts: 18	Your A5 was made in 1952. Sweet Sixteens were shipped from the factory with either a plain non-ribbed barrel, a vent ribbed barrel, or a barrel with a solid rib which is hollow. You can check and see if the barrel is serial numbered to the gun. Browning stopped this in 1953 so your A5 should have the barrel numbered to the receiver. Look on the barrel ring, or on the extension, for either the whole serial number or the last 3 or 4 numbers. other parts which should be numbered: butt stock and forearm. the reason for the trigger: it may have been swapped out, or the gold plating may also have worn off from use. Check with Midwest Gun, I believe they will re-plate the trigger for you.

November 25, 2007, 03:04 PM	#5
Jeff Mulliken Senior Member Join Date: July 13, 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 250	Your gun was made in late 1952. The last 16 made that year was about 500 guns later at X77,700. The gold plating used in those years was a very soft bronze color. I've seen several that I had to convince the owners were gold by pulling out the trigger to display the unworn portion of the trigger. In addition I've seen a number that were reblued and the triggers were stripped and blued along with the rest of the parts. Sweet Sixteens did not come standard with a ribbed barrel, it was an option available at extra cost. Your barrel should be numbered to the reciever, check on the barrel ring for the number. While your at it check to see if the barrel reing has the lightening holes drilled in it. If there are no holes then it was not a Sweet Sixteen barrel. For details/specifics on Browning A5's try the shotgunworld "Browning" forum. http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...7b6dd03c8545a1 Jeff