Browning Auto 5 question

jmoo1201 · October 31, 2010, 12:36 AM

I need some assistance. I was given a Auto 5 about 20 years ago and I would like to know what year the gun was made. I have listed below the information from the gun.

Stamped on the vented rib barrel
Browning Arms & Company St. Louis MO & Montreal PQ
Special Steel 12 ga shell 2 3/4 E74742

In front of the trigger guard is
OM
6781

If anyone has information on this please let me know. I have looked on the Browning site and it leads me to believe made until 1939 based on the S/N #.

Thanks in advance for any help that you can offer. Please either post a reply of send me a PM.

J Moo

zippy13 · October 31, 2010, 01:33 AM

Greetings jmoo1201, and welcome aboard

The Browning date codes can be confusing. Remember, the marking on the barrel refer to the barrel. The gun's date code is based on what's on the receiver. Your 0M67xx fits in with the 1958-67 date scheme. 0M is a 1960 standard weight A-5. Does you Auto-5 seem about 50-years old?

jmoo1201 · October 31, 2010, 10:03 PM

It does appear to be that old. If anyone else has further on this I would like to know as I am looking to insure this gun so an estimated price range would be great. I am thinking it is about 80 % as the engraving on the receiver is still very good and crisp.

Thanks again as this is helping answer some questions.

Stiofan · November 1, 2010, 12:58 AM

It's a standard 1960 model. Zippy is correct.

zippy13 · November 1, 2010, 03:35 AM

It's hard to estimate a gun's value without some pics. You can check out local gun shops and/or do a web search to see how other similar A-5s are priced.

DG45 · November 3, 2010, 12:54 AM

I was under the impression that Remington manufactured "The American Browning" (aka the A-5) in St. Louis during WWII, and for a year or two after WWII. I thought Fabrique Nationale manufactured them in Leige, Belgium before and after WWII. Am I wrong? Did Browning buy the St. Louis plant and continue to manufacture these guns in St. Louis under the Browning name after WWII?

Scorch · November 3, 2010, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Did Browning buy the St. Louis plant and continue to manufacture these guns in St. Louis under the Browning name after WWII?

No, their offices were in St Louis, MO until the 1980s, then they moved to Ogden UT. Browning is an import/export company, they do not manufacture arms.

LanceOregon · November 3, 2010, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Browning is an import/export company, they do not manufacture arms.

That is a completely false statement.

.

zippy13 · November 6, 2010, 12:29 PM

DG45,
It's not uncommon for guns to bear the name and city of the importer. Brownings may bear "Ogden" on the barrel, but are obviously Japanese or FN made. I've seen Perazzis with New York and California addresses on their barrels; but, they were all made in Italy.

I suspect the recent contradictory info from Scorch and Lance may be a matter of semantic interpretation. How about info on where and when Browning owned and operated a domestic gun works.

Scorch · November 8, 2010, 01:38 PM

Quote:

That is a completely false statement.

OK, lance. Tell me what firearms Browning maufactures.

October 31, 2010, 12:36 AM	#1
jmoo1201 Junior Member Join Date: October 31, 2010 Posts: 2	Browning Auto 5 question I need some assistance. I was given a Auto 5 about 20 years ago and I would like to know what year the gun was made. I have listed below the information from the gun. Stamped on the vented rib barrel Browning Arms & Company St. Louis MO & Montreal PQ Special Steel 12 ga shell 2 3/4 E74742 In front of the trigger guard is OM 6781 If anyone has information on this please let me know. I have looked on the Browning site and it leads me to believe made until 1939 based on the S/N #. Thanks in advance for any help that you can offer. Please either post a reply of send me a PM. J Moo

October 31, 2010, 01:33 AM	#2
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	Greetings jmoo1201, and welcome aboard The Browning date codes can be confusing. Remember, the marking on the barrel refer to the barrel. The gun's date code is based on what's on the receiver. Your 0M67xx fits in with the 1958-67 date scheme. 0M is a 1960 standard weight A-5. Does you Auto-5 seem about 50-years old?

October 31, 2010, 10:03 PM	#3
jmoo1201 Junior Member Join Date: October 31, 2010 Posts: 2	It does appear to be that old. If anyone else has further on this I would like to know as I am looking to insure this gun so an estimated price range would be great. I am thinking it is about 80 % as the engraving on the receiver is still very good and crisp. Thanks again as this is helping answer some questions.

November 1, 2010, 12:58 AM	#4
Stiofan Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2006 Location: Panhandle, Idaho Posts: 714	It's a standard 1960 model. Zippy is correct.

November 1, 2010, 03:35 AM	#5
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	It's hard to estimate a gun's value without some pics. You can check out local gun shops and/or do a web search to see how other similar A-5s are priced.

November 3, 2010, 12:54 AM	#6
DG45 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Posts: 904	I was under the impression that Remington manufactured "The American Browning" (aka the A-5) in St. Louis during WWII, and for a year or two after WWII. I thought Fabrique Nationale manufactured them in Leige, Belgium before and after WWII. Am I wrong? Did Browning buy the St. Louis plant and continue to manufacture these guns in St. Louis under the Browning name after WWII?

November 6, 2010, 12:29 PM	#9
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	DG45, It's not uncommon for guns to bear the name and city of the importer. Brownings may bear "Ogden" on the barrel, but are obviously Japanese or FN made. I've seen Perazzis with New York and California addresses on their barrels; but, they were all made in Italy. I suspect the recent contradictory info from Scorch and Lance may be a matter of semantic interpretation. How about info on where and when Browning owned and operated a domestic gun works.