Just picked up a 1969 sweet sixteen. Serial number 69s xxxxx. Will post pictures soon. It sat in a safe for 40 years, so it’s getting new springs and a good cleaning. Was looking at barrel markings and looks like it has the letter i on the barrel which I believe is 1970. Person that I got it from said it was original, his dad had bought it new in 1974. Is it possible that it was made in the latter part of 69 and a70’s barrel was put on it or not original barrel. No serial number on the barrel.
Interesting. Usually it’s the barrel that’s older, as they made them in batches and they sat around waiting for a receiver. But it’s certainly possible that the reverse happened, especially that late in production. They stopped putting the serial number on barrels in 1953, so there’s no way of telling if you’ve got the original. But I’d be inclined to believe the seller.
Thanks Rudolph31 for the quick reply. I thought so also. Got some weird info on the 1909. Got a forearm from art and it works with original barrel. The replacement barrel does not work with the forearm. Tried this sweet 16 barrel on it with sweet16 forearm and what do you know. It fits. Won’t work as it’s 2 3/4 but sure wish I knew what this barrel fits. I was told by an old timer that they made a 16 gauge skeet forearm. Every heard of that?
Sounds like your replacement barrel isn’t for a Browning. Remington and Savage also made versions of this gun.
Has the browning address and says made in Belgium. Not sure what’s going on. Looking for another one. Know what to look for now.
I sent art pictures and he could not explain either. I was running out of time to send it back, so it went back yesterday for a refund. I found another, so we will see what happens on this one. If it don’t fit then it will become art’s problem. The things we go through for our beloved A5’s. Either way I’m not gonna give up on this one. Doubt I will ever see another, much less shoot it or better yet own it.
Update on the sweet 16. Still cleaning. 3 evenings now. Guy said it was in a safe and had not been shot for 40 years. By the looks of it. I would say it had not been cleaned ever. Thought I would never get the firing pin out. All the pins were gummed up and rusted. Terrible that people don’t take better care of these things. The amazing part is that it cycled just fine like that.
Rudolph 31 got another question for you concerning the magazine spring retainer. When did they start using plastic? MGW shows the original one that I’m use to but there are options for the plastic ones too. This one was jammed about half way down the magazine tube with the 3 shot plug on top of it and then the magazine cap screwed on. I bet it was fired like that. Some of the things I have seen on these guns are amazing.
https://imgur.com/a/QtXGmge https://imgur.com/a/tjfPGYo https://imgur.com/a/ISAeHFj Few pics of the sweet 16. She is cleaned,lubed, springs replaced and ready to go. I think I’m really gonna lime this one. Can’t wait to shoot it
I’m don’t know; until now I thought the early ‘70’s. That’s when they switched the magazine caps from 2 to 3 knurled rings. But yours is a ‘69 with the plastic retainer, so that is proven wrong. I’ve a friend with a Light Twenty and the plastic retainer was stuck halfway down the mag also. I kept shoving shells into it until the retainer and the plug popped out the front. I’m surprised that it happened to you, I thought it was very strange. By the way, you probably know that the plug goes in after the retainer on these, right?
Yes I knew about the 3 shot plug, never seen one of these plastic magazine retainers. I put a metal one in it when I went back together. I don’t like the plastic. The action spring plug is also the plastic one. It was broken in 3 pieces. I put a new plastic one in there for now. I have some of the wooden ones being made by a friend of mine, so once I get them, it will be back to the wooden ones. I think the wooden ones are much better. Or at least until they get oil soaked.
In his videos, Art says the new Action Spring Plugs are better. But I’ve only replaced one wood for plastic.
