First Year Production Auto 5

Good afternoon members, I recently acquired a first year Production 1904-A model and it has a massive 5 round mag-tube extension that looks as old as the gun itself. I am itching to know more about the extension and if anybody has information or sources I would be very grateful. Thank you.


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I have NEVER seen a magazine extension that long on an A5!!!! (That would be potentially a lot of weight on the threads on that tube once a guy stuffed it full of rounds, that's for sure.)

And it looks like the barrel has a solid rib, which I think was not offered until the mid 1920s. But far be it from me to knock anything about a first year A5!! Are there any markings at all on the magazine tube?

No markings on the mag-tube. And yes, the gun is 9 pounds unloaded...

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Neat gun. I want a first year in the worst way. Rudolph is going to be jealous of that mag tube

Hello and welcome.

Very nice first year Auto-5, and it has the original forearm— that’s pretty rare. But I’m wondering if it has the original magazine. The threads for the mag cap that first year were pretty fine and they take forever to unscrew. FN changed to coarse threads fairly early, and anyone who lost the original cap had to replace the whole magazine.

Which brings us to the extension. I would be amazed to find out they made them so early that they fit the guns made before 1906.

I forget the name of the company that offered them years ago. Only that they were no longer available when I wanted one. I got mine from Nordic Components. They had larger ones but I opted for a 3 round extension since it can’t be clamped to the reciprocating barrel. The manufacturer suggested 4 as the max, but I’ve never needed more than 6 shots to knock 5 bowling pins off the table. So 8 is perfect.

Does your extension have the manufacturer’s name on it, or any other markings?

Here’s a look at those threads on the early mags:

Thanks for the response Rudolph. I am sorry to report that the forearm is not original. When I first got the gun, it had a bulky fore end that had finger grooves and a duck inlayed into it so I took it to my gunsmith friend and had it cut to what it's supposed to look like. The extension has no markings, and if it did they are not there from wear or polishing. The threads are very fine so it's probably the original magazine.

That’s truly amazing. I looked it up in Sauerfan’s posts, 1906 was the year they switched to coarse threads. Since Browning stopped importing from Belgium at the end of 1903, your gun was sold overseas and the extension was probably made “over there”.

The next time you take it apart, I’d appreciate it if you would take a picture of the threads.

Congratulations on a unique Auto-5.

I will definitely send more pictures. The gun was sold in the European market because it has the markings for it. Thanks for the collaboration.

Congratulations Andrew for your very early auto-5. There are very rare. I will be curious to know if the serial number of the buttstock match the receiver and what is the s.n.. I have a 1904, serial 12000, that has the coarse threads. Unlike the U.S., the auto-5 was still available in Canada after 1903. Your shotgun may have come from Canada or, as mentioned by Rudolph, from Europe. I would suggest that the extension was home made or made by a gunsmith in the U.S.. From your picture we can’t see, but is it possible that the extension was somehow fitted on the original magazine cap?

Thank you biz. I think the extension was threaded for the current magazine and the cap that came from the factory was lost or discarded somewhere along the way.

Also the buttstock did not have a serial number and I had the wood reworked as well just to restore it to it's former glory. I was bummed that it didn't have original wood but it was worth once the project was completed. In my opinion it's the metal that really counts.

I forgot about the Canada connection. It could easily have come from there. Also, if Sauerfan’s post is to be believed, your 1904 gun should have fine threads if the magazine is original.

I’m guessing you mean that it says ACIER SPECIAL. Plenty of folks in Canada are native French speakers, like our friend Biz. His wife translates his posts to English for him.

N’est Pas, Biz?

Yes it does say acier special

Interesting, then I’m going to guess that your serial number is above 10,000? As far as I know there’s no reference, but it’s kind of assumed that the first 10,000 Auto-5’s said COCKERILL STEEL, and had Browning’s Ogden address on the barrel.

We’re going to need a lot more pictures...

It is possible that the magazine was changed, but the thing is, I have serial 12805, 14505 and 14945 and they all have coarse threads.
And yes, I am fortunate to have a lovely wife that puts up with my crazy hobby and she often help me with my English. Unfortunately, I put her to sleep with my request to find the proper word.

I do have four examples in the 8000 serial number that have the Fabrique Nationale address on the barrel and acier spécial as well. And, I have a 7000 serial that has the Browning Automatic Arms address and of course the cockerill steel is stamped on the side of the barrel. I believe the 7000 s.n. was a Trap model. The more we dig into the history of the early Auto-5, the more it becomes confusing. Are we not having fun!

Mine is number 6855

The barrel might have been made in the 20s or 30s. I'm not sure when they started making solid rib barrels. The barrel is 32.5 inches and I haven't looked at the serial number yet

My wife is from Italy, and when we go there she shows extreme patience translating every stupid thing it occurs to me to say.