Sweet Sixteen - serial number A85 - Questions

I ran across a listing for this shotgun on the big auction site (861995693) and was intrigued. The seller says its a transitional serial number but can't pin the date down. His description matches what I read in one of the stickied threads here. The gun has definitely seen better days. So my questions:
- Is this something uber rare, or just a curiosity?
- What would it take to get it refurbished and into shooting condition (I don't need it if I can't shoot it)?

Thanks for your help!

I'll go ahead and post the link:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/861995693

I think it’s worth about $250, and it will take about $1000 for Art’s to restore it for you.

If you just want to shoot it, you can probably salvage the forearm and replace the springs. But it’s got a full choke, does that work for you?

The only way to date this gun is to check the date code on the barrel. I’m guessing 1953 since the ejection port corners aren’t radiused.

I bet it will go for around $600

Could you guys explain to me what is the buzz around the sweet sixteen. Is it that name or because it is a16 gauge. As a collector, should a go banana over it?

Biz, I’m sure you know that the Sweet Sixteen is the lightened version of the standard 16 gauge gun. Most collector interest seems to center on the unmarked variety. Until 1948, the guns were identified by their gold triggers and safeties. In 1948 they started inscribing the name on the receiver. And in 1951 they lost the golden front safety when the cross bolt variety appeared.

Personally, I don’t care about the small amount of weight saved, I like the way they look. Anything prior to 1951 looks good to me.

Mea Culpa Rudolph,
I don’t know anything about the 16 gauge. My focus was always the 12 gauge, which is the proper médecine for hunting black duck on the St-Laurent River or the Canada geese on the agricultural landscape. Unfortunately most of the nice engraved auto-5 are in 16 gauge. As you once mentioned "the 16 gauge is for the gentleman"

Great explanation. I like the pre cross bolt safety guns because I shoot left handed. From what I’ve seen the fit and finish isn’t quite as good after 51 either.

The thing I like about the sweet sixteens is they are a dream to carry while upland hunting. “Carries like a 20, hits like a 12”. The few ounces saved on the standards isn’t really noticeable to me. The bonus to the standards is they usually are priced better.

Thank you for the education, that is very interesting. Why are the unmarked varieties the most interesting. What will be the most desirable one to have in a collection? In retrospect, it is true that a lighter shotgun when upland hunting makes a difference.

To me the most desirable guns are the post war X prefix guns because they are 2-3/4”. The other one would probably be a 1937 because I think that’s the first year the sweets were made.

Another thing is a lot of people don’t know they exist unmarked. so you can score a Sweet for the price of a standard if you know what to look for. I can do a comparison tonight

The lightened guns sold for a premium. But from 1936-1948 (6 years of production curtesy of le bosch) the name wasn’t inscribed. With the confusion surrounding these guns many sellers didn’t know what they had, and you could often pick one up without paying the premium. But I suppose the main reason is that they’re relatively rare.

As I said earlier, I like the look of the gold trigger and safety. In fact, I just realized that I need one that is marked, but has these features. Because in 1951 the look was spoiled.

Most of what I know about these guns I put in a thread a few years ago.

http://www.browningowners.com/forum/index.php?threads/sweet-sixteens.4632/

I didn’t take time to look at that sticky. It is very informative, it change my vue point. Thank you

I passed on a 1950 X prefix that was marked. The guy was asking $1300. It was in great shape but it was a full choke.

When I get time I will post the two X prefix guns I have side by side. Another give away that it is a sweet is the Browning Arms Company being engraved on the left side of the receiver. The standard weights have the zig zag border instead.

I think you may be mistaken. My understanding is that the receiver address went away in 1948, to be replaced by the scroll marking on standard models, and SWEET SIXTEEN or LIGHT TWELVE on those models. Prior to that, all models had the St. Louis address since the early 1930’s.

I should have specified that this applies to the X Prefix guns built in 1947-1949.

I’d have to see a 1947 example to be convinced. Some guns built in 1948, mine included, will have the St. Louis address. So it’s possible that you may run across a standard model with the scroll, and a S16 with the address. I would guess that by 1949 none would have the address, replaced by the scroll or the Sweet Sixteen stamp.

But I’ve been wrong before.

If you look up stealth sweet sixteen there are a lot of posts about it. When I get home i will post some pictures and try to find the links

I just checked S/V. The elimination of the receiver address began in 1948 and continued into early 1949.

The dog (that this thread is about) went for $320, +$50 shipping. I guess guys like projects, because this one needs a lot of work.

I have a few of those "like projects". My lovely wife told me that they were a nice English expression for my project gun "pipe dream".