Advice on my first Sweet Sixteen

Discussion in 'Browning Auto A-5' started by ak103u, Mar 2, 2021.

  1. ak103u

    ak103u Copper BB

    A gentleman in my area has an unfired Sweet sixteen for sale, with a serial number that denotes a 1987 manufacture. I've looked at it, and it does appear brand new. It has the owners manual, chokes tubes and wrench. However, the box is not the original one. He want's $1500 for it. Is this a fair price?
  2. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    Yes. You might offer him a bit less, but don’t let it get away.
    ak103u likes this.
  3. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    well..... normally the Belgium older ones demand a higher price, the box and paperwork mean nothing to me. If your thinking to make money off it, probably move on as there is not much meat left on that bone. If you plan to just shoot it then maybe, remember 16 gauge shells are expensive, if you want to reload you can save money, but you better have all the components by now, if not your gonna pay a fortune. The prices I have seen lately for the older more diserable ones go from 1000- 1400 on the high end.
    ak103u likes this.
  4. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    As a collector piece, the Belgians win. But as a shooter, the Japanese guns are steel-safe and have interchangeable chokes. If that gun was made today it’d sell for over $2000.
    ak103u likes this.
  5. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    and if you wanna spend that kind of money you can get a brand new one that is lighter and much easier on the shoulder. you can't compare apples to oranges.
  6. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    No you can’t. You can get an A5. Not even close.
  7. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    I know that gun is worth all of $1500 but I had one and I didn’t like it. Yes it’s a great gun but I agree with Ranger and Rudolph the Belgium wins.
    ak103u likes this.
  8. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    Here’s my pitch for the new A5. When they first come out I handled one and hated it, said I would never have one. About a month ago one of my fellow shooters wanted to shoot some skeet during lunch, didn’t have time to run home and then go shoot, he gladly offered to just share what he had in his truck as he was on the way to the range. Well when I got there he pulled out a new wicked wing in 12. Thought I would hate it, but after about station 4 I thought not to bad. By the time we had finished I could have taken it with me. So if you have never owned the auto 5, you would be ok with the A5. It’s lighter, easier on the shoulder. No springs to replace like auto 5. So in no way will it suffice for us auto 5 nuts. It would be a good shooter.
  9. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    I’m sure it’s a fine shotgun; there are a lot of those. My interest, and the title of this forum, is the Auto-5. The new A5 may be styled to look like it, but it ain’t John Browning’s masterpiece. Also, if you don’t like Japanese guns, where do you think the new ones are made?
    ak103u likes this.
  10. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    Rudolph31 think your misunderstanding what I was trying to give advice on. He ask for opinions if the gun was worth 1500.00. Not that I don’t like Japanese guns. I see nothing wrong with them. Personally I don’t think it’s worth 1500. Now a Belgium made one for sure. The sixteen is the most expensive auto 5 to shoot. Not everyone can or wants to shoot an auto 5. Just trying to give him some more to think about. The new a5 isn’t made in Japan. Portugal would be the place.
    ak103u likes this.

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