I have a Browning 16 gauge A5 3shot, serial A15402. Looking for information on year manufactured and approximate value. I understand it may have been made around 1946. The gun is in excellent condition. Thanks,
Chuck, I have a suspicion that your serial number appears on the side of the receiver. Is that correct?
Browning had two runs of 16 gauge Auto-5's with an A prefix, and it's difficult to sort them out. But Remington made guns for Browning during WWII when Belgium was occupied. These "American Brownings" were actually Remington Model 11's with a magazine cutoff and Browning engraving added. The serial number appeared on the side instead of the bottom and the 16 gauge had an A prefix. To date your gun, you may be able to find a code on the barrel and look it up on the Remington website or on this link: http://www.nramuseum.org/media/940941/serialization-date of manufacture.pdf
Looked up the link and no luck. My barrel # matched the gun but the barrel has XxRR stamped, no numbers. There is also a II inside a square border and a BR inside a oval. Could these be makers marks?
RR could stand for November, 1924 -- which makes no sense, or some unknown month of 1946 -- which does. "X" is the code for December, but there should only be one of them, I think. Please post some pictures, it would be interesting to see the differences on your American Browning.
I've probably posted a hundred photos on this site, maybe I've hit my limit... Anyway, your 16 is easily differentiated from a Belgian by the shape of the receiver -- Remington's are flat across the bottom and beginning in 1904 FN added a reinforcing bump. Remington scaled down the 12 gauge to make the 16, but JMB shortened the receiver of his design so that part of the barrel extension stuck out. The Remington's receiver is "textured" on the top. And there are obvious differences in the engraving.
RR is the code for 1946, which I think is the last year Remington made the guns for Browning. FN resumed production that year.
It works from the mainframe! I just "upgraded" to iOS 10.11, maybe that's the problem. Another point to mention, FN used a Garand style safety until 1951. The Remington used a cross bolt design since 1928.