Converted 2 9/16" barrel on a 2 3/4" gun.

Discussion in 'Browning Auto A-5' started by YellowJacket, Mar 8, 2021.

  1. YellowJacket

    YellowJacket .22LR

    Awhile back I bought an early 50's Sweet 16 along with an extra barrel... a 26" MOD choke converted barrel. I already had my shooter Sweet 16 so I sold the other gun and kept the barrel.

    Anyways, I recently got my Dad's Sweet 16 (1957 gun) that has a cut down FULL choked barrel. Cut down to 24" and CYL, of course. It's a deadly quail gun but I thought I'd be nice to use that 26" MOD on this thing in the dove field. This gun will eventually go to my nephew.

    The barrel has been converted and the ejector slides. It fits on the newer gun fine except there is a gap between the forearm and the receiver because of the barrel extension difference. Should I try to hand fit the forearm down over the little flange at the bottom of the chamber?

    [​IMG]

    This is the part I'm wondering about hand-filing out to allow the forearm to go farther rearward.
    [​IMG]

    And of course, the difference between the barrels. 2 9/16 in front.
    [​IMG]

    And just some Belgian A5 porn for fun. Top to bottom is '66 Light Twelve, '57 Sweet 16, '67 Sweet 16, '65 Light Twenty.
    [​IMG]
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2021
    win7stw likes this.
  2. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    That’s interesting. It does look like you might have to remove some material
  3. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    Just tried a converted barrel on a 2-3/4 gun and had the same issue as you. You can get a good idea of where it’s hitting with the just the forearm on the barrel
  4. YellowJacket

    YellowJacket .22LR

    Yeah it will be harder but I'd rather take some metal off the barrel than wood off the forearm.
  5. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    Not sure I’d go that route. I try to find a sacrificial forearm
    Rudolph31 likes this.
  6. YellowJacket

    YellowJacket .22LR

    I'll probably buy a Jap invector barrel for it before I get around to modifying this forearm or barrel.

    Fortunately I have no money in this old barrel and can sell it for pure profit to anyone with a converted gun.
  7. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    you will spend more on an invector barrel, then that barrel will bring. I tend to stay away from partially converted or attempted converted.
    Rudolph31 likes this.
  8. YellowJacket

    YellowJacket .22LR

    Oh I know that. But I don't want to change anything on this gun (the original barrel, receiver, forearm.) The only thing foreign to this is the extra barrel. If I got $20 for it, it's still a free $20.

    The gun is an heirloom for my nephew and it might end up being his only shotgun when he gets older. Who knows? His dad is not a collector like me and probably won't be. To make this gun the most functional and versatile for him would be to get an invector barrel for it.
  9. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    I’ll give you $25 for the converted barrel.
  10. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    When I first saw this post, I meant to check out the OP’s findings on my own guns. So (three weeks later!) I put my unmodified 1938 Sweet Sixteen barrel on my 1948 Sweet, and it fit.
    [​IMG]

    You can see that no wood needs to be removed from the forearm. In fact, wood is already removed to accommodate the extra protrusion of 70mm barrel’s extension.
    I cycled a dummy round through it and it worked.

    If the OP would retract his bolt first, I’m sure his barrel will seat. That’s not to say the gun will operate properly. I noticed for the first time the difference in the rails on the bottom of the extensions. The older one is 4mm longer. I also noticed the slot for the extractor is 2mm longer on the new barrel.

    I like Ranger’s statement to stay away from converted, or attempted converted, barrels.
    Ranger6 likes this.
  11. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    One other thing, I wasn’t sure that the action was locked. So, holding the gun by the barrel, I tried to push the bolt back with a long dowel inserted into the muzzle. I couldn’t move it, either because it was locked, or because I couldn’t generate the required force holding it in such an awkward way. Anyway, I’m not going to risk shooting it that way.
  12. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    Interesting find. I tried a converted short barrel on a 2-3/4” gun and had the same issue as op
  13. YellowJacket

    YellowJacket .22LR

    Yeah mine will seat as well and look just like that. But flip it over and you'll see the barrel is too far rearward in the ejection port.
  14. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    Yes, that’s why I tried to see if it was locking. It seemed like it was, but I couldn’t be sure.

    Also, as I said, this is the first I’ve noticed the rails on he barrel extensions differing. Prior to this I thought the only difference was the movable ejector. But if it were mine, I’d save that barrel for pre WWII guns.

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