Browning A-5 shell lifter

GASCHECK · April 2, 2008, 01:46 AM

Smiths:

I have an old A-5, so old it has the safety in the trigger guard.
When I load shells, I have to hold the bolt release button in so the lifter will push up. I THINK this is normal for the old ones. I also THINK the newer ones have the lifter hinged or something so the button need not be held in. If so, can I get a new type lifter and just swap it in without any serious work?
Thanks!
Gascheck

Alleykat · April 2, 2008, 04:53 PM

My A-5 is 45-yrs-old. Is yours older than that? Mine doesn't require the button to be pushed when loading from the magazine, if that's what you're talking about. As a matter of fact, with the bolt locked back, it'll automatically feed a shell in the chamber, when you put the first shell in the magazine.

GASCHECK · April 2, 2008, 07:47 PM

Alley:
Mine is an old Belgian Browning and I have had it 45 years!

I used to load the magazine then turn on the magazine cut off. Pull the bolt back and lock it. Then flip the cut off open and the shell would zip out and be chambered. Just something neat to watch!
Yes, the button has to be pushed in for the lifter to be depressed for loading the mag. As I said, my gun is so old it has the safety in the front of the trigger guard, like an M1. Someone called it a "Suicide safety". I think it was discontinued because of all the expensive machine work involved in the design. It's a lot faster than the button safety.
Gascheck

ZeroJunk · April 2, 2008, 08:20 PM

I suspect your carrier assembly is one piece like a Remington Model 11 and will not interchange with post WW11 A5's.

GASCHECK · April 2, 2008, 08:44 PM

Thanks Zero!
Too bad too, but I have put up with it for 45 years!

I wonder if it is not PRE-WWII. When did the trigger guard safety disappear?
Is there a year-serial number reference somewhere to be found?
Gascheck

Scorch · April 2, 2008, 08:58 PM

I had a 1932 A5 with the trigger guard safety (16 ga) and a 1939 with the pushbutton safety (12 ga). Don't know exactly when they quit, but it was sometime in the 1930s.

GASCHECK · April 2, 2008, 11:26 PM

I wonder if Browning would tell me if the newer lifter would fit. Probably their lawyers won't allow it!
Would you believe Ruger would not send me grip frame screws for my old model Super Blackhawk unless I returned it to the factory to be fitted with their transfer bar safety?:barf: So I reordered the same screws for their Old Army which are interchangable. They sent 'em.

Gascheck

Alleykat · April 3, 2008, 09:31 AM

Your A-5 is apparently much older than mine. I got mine, new, 45 years ago. It's unique, in that it has a non-ventilated rib, skeet bore barrel. Gun was shipped to my father's FFL directly from Belgium, packed in cosmoline. It NEVER fails. It went 35 years-or-so with the action never having been disassembled and cleaned. I also have an Invector choke 22" barrel on it that I use for day-to-day hunting duties.

April 2, 2008, 01:46 AM	#1
GASCHECK Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Posts: 218	Browning A-5 shell lifter Smiths: I have an old A-5, so old it has the safety in the trigger guard. When I load shells, I have to hold the bolt release button in so the lifter will push up. I THINK this is normal for the old ones. I also THINK the newer ones have the lifter hinged or something so the button need not be held in. If so, can I get a new type lifter and just swap it in without any serious work? Thanks! Gascheck

April 2, 2008, 08:58 PM	#6
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	I had a 1932 A5 with the trigger guard safety (16 ga) and a 1939 with the pushbutton safety (12 ga). Don't know exactly when they quit, but it was sometime in the 1930s. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

April 2, 2008, 04:53 PM	#2
Alleykat Junior member Join Date: July 26, 2007 Posts: 3,668	My A-5 is 45-yrs-old. Is yours older than that? Mine doesn't require the button to be pushed when loading from the magazine, if that's what you're talking about. As a matter of fact, with the bolt locked back, it'll automatically feed a shell in the chamber, when you put the first shell in the magazine.

April 2, 2008, 07:47 PM	#3
GASCHECK Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Posts: 218	Alley: Mine is an old Belgian Browning and I have had it 45 years! I used to load the magazine then turn on the magazine cut off. Pull the bolt back and lock it. Then flip the cut off open and the shell would zip out and be chambered. Just something neat to watch! Yes, the button has to be pushed in for the lifter to be depressed for loading the mag. As I said, my gun is so old it has the safety in the front of the trigger guard, like an M1. Someone called it a "Suicide safety". I think it was discontinued because of all the expensive machine work involved in the design. It's a lot faster than the button safety. Gascheck

April 2, 2008, 08:20 PM	#4
ZeroJunk Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 2006 Location: Browns Summit NC Posts: 2,589	I suspect your carrier assembly is one piece like a Remington Model 11 and will not interchange with post WW11 A5's.

April 2, 2008, 08:44 PM	#5
GASCHECK Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Posts: 218	Thanks Zero! Too bad too, but I have put up with it for 45 years! I wonder if it is not PRE-WWII. When did the trigger guard safety disappear? Is there a year-serial number reference somewhere to be found? Gascheck

April 2, 2008, 11:26 PM	#7
GASCHECK Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Posts: 218	I wonder if Browning would tell me if the newer lifter would fit. Probably their lawyers won't allow it! Would you believe Ruger would not send me grip frame screws for my old model Super Blackhawk unless I returned it to the factory to be fitted with their transfer bar safety?:barf: So I reordered the same screws for their Old Army which are interchangable. They sent 'em. Gascheck

April 3, 2008, 09:31 AM	#8
Alleykat Junior member Join Date: July 26, 2007 Posts: 3,668	Your A-5 is apparently much older than mine. I got mine, new, 45 years ago. It's unique, in that it has a non-ventilated rib, skeet bore barrel. Gun was shipped to my father's FFL directly from Belgium, packed in cosmoline. It NEVER fails. It went 35 years-or-so with the action never having been disassembled and cleaned. I also have an Invector choke 22" barrel on it that I use for day-to-day hunting duties.