Pre/Post 1958

Discussion in 'Browning Auto A-5' started by Rudolph31, Oct 4, 2020.

  1. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    If you can refinish one of those stocks, you can do speed load.
  2. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    Maybe all the parts just drop in. It seems like they should. But it’s been a can of worms for everyone who’s posted about it. Maybe when it’s easy, it’s not worth mentioning.

    Let us know how it goes. I love Speed Load, but I prefer my guns original. Sometimes I’ll close the bolt, load the mag, engage the cutoff, and reopen the bolt. Then, when it’s my turn, I flip the switch and a shell chambers. You don’t need Speed Load for that.
  3. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    This might be the last one: the Action Spring Tube.

    Prior to 1958 action spring tubes were threaded into the receiver and had a tendency to break. So Browning changed to unthreaded tubes that are silver soldered in place.

    This is a 1930 Auto-5 that had a broken action spring tube:

    [​IMG] Q

    I took it Art’s and Nick told me it would need rebluing because the heat destroys the finish. I wanted to preserve the original Belgian Blue so I asked if they could thread a new tube instead. Turns out they couldn’t, but Nick was able to solder the new part without marring the appearance. Since then, they’ve acquired a supply of the original, threaded action tubes.

    [​IMG]
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2021
  4. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    SUMMARY

    New Parts

    Action Spring Tube

    Breech Block

    Carrier Spring

    Extractor, LH

    Hammer — removed the roller where it contacts the Mainspring, causing galling and FTF’s.

    Locking Block

    Receiver — removal of pins for the Carrier Spring, through-holes for Roll Pins, rounded corners, thick tang

    Roll Pins (instead of screws)

    Trigger Plate — housing for the new Carrier Spring

    What have I missed?
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2020
    win7stw likes this.
  5. Bill Idaho

    Bill Idaho .270 WIN

    Just guessing--------the small roller on the hammer?
    Rudolph31 likes this.
  6. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    Damn! That was certainly a change, and not for the better. I’m not certain it was 1958, mostly they made improvements that year. But I’ll add it to the summary.
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2020
  7. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    Looking at the list, I’ve had most of the problems listed:

    Action Spring Tube on my 1930 12 gauge.

    Carrier Spring on my 1957 16.

    LH Extractor on my 1947 12

    Locking Block on the ‘47. When it went, it also broke the Firing Pin.

    In addition, my 1965 Light Twelve’s hammer broke at one of the lightening holes. The new hammer was lightened differently — no holes, just thinner in the middle. The better hammers obviously came out after 1958, sometime after 1965.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2020

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