new a5 browning any good?

[the Ward]

Was at a local sporting goods store yesterday and was checking out some new shotguns. Picked up a a5 and wow, it felt perfect!  12 gauge 3" chamber 26" barrel camo synthetic model is the one I really liked, followed by the sweet 16 version. Anyone have one of these long term and how has it held up? Did a google search for reviews and saw some people were having some feed/eject problems. Going to use it as an all around gun, waterfowl, informal clays, and some turkey. I am leaning toward the camo version, but I have heard bad things about the dura touch. May go the 16 gauge route with the 26 barrel, it was really nice, would be a fun gun to use! Thanks for any info!

[TheSportsman]

If you want a inertia gun, better go benelli. Gas gun Beretta or Winchester sx3. I work with a gunsmith... I hear the stories

[Boilermaker]

I've had my eye on a sweet 16 for a while.  I think it would be a fun gun to have around.  I'd also entertain setting it up to hunt turkeys just to try something new.  Most of my birds have been killed within 25 yards, so a choke and load combo could be found that can handle this range.

[SumToy]

It is a good gun.  I dont like it.  They kick like a mule and look like stamp steel.  Now I had Gold Hunter so it hard for me to look at another browning. lol


Now the duck hunters have had them a few years so looks like it gets a passing grade. It will like about the same thing the SX3 or Maxis likes. 

[the Ward]

I have a benelli and love it's light weight and inertia action. That is what intrigued me about the a5. Very light and balanced, and felt great in the hand. I can see where the light weight would increase recoil drastically. The vinci is light, but recoil isn't bad to me, the comfortec stock seems to work pretty well. The sweet 16 gauge really has my attention. I had a 16 gauge when I was a kid and liked hunting with it. Nice weight and balance, and performed more like a 12 at 20 gauge weight. I haven't had any problems with any brownings I have had over the years, but it seems a lot of the newer autoloaders that have been introduced have had some issues with reliability. I guess all new designs have some teething problems when they actually get out in the world and get used in all types of conditions. Thanks for the info everyone, much appreciated!

[coonhunter]

I really like the old A5. Not a big fan of the new ones. If I was going for semi auto browning I would get the maxis. Awesome gun for a high price though.

[JHoyle]

I have had one for 4yrs. I love it. It is primarily my duck/dove gun and has functioned flawless. Don't buy a benelli unless u want to spend a bunch of money correcting poa/poi issues.


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[the Ward]

Jhoyle, is your a5 a 3 or 3.5 chamber? Camo or wood? Does it shoot poi poa? I found my benelli would shoot close to dead on with some chokes and loads, and others would shoot high left. Fast fire 3 fixes that lol!  I was actually thinking of buying another vinci with a 24/26 barrel to set up exclusively as a turkey gun as I have a lot of chokes and steadygrip already and keep my 28 barrel vinci setup for waterfowl/wingshooting. But after I handled the a5, I really liked it so I figured I'd find out about it and maybe get one this fall as an all around gun and keep using the vinci for turkey. Coonhunter, I tried a maxus before I bought my benelli. They are nice guns, but it just didn't fit me as well as the benelli. Older a5's are nice, but heavy and you have to disassemble the gun to switch friction rings from light to heavy loads. I have several shotguns and really don't need another, it's more of a want thing! I recently sold off a few little used guns and figured it would be nice to have a light all around autoload shotgun. Thanks for the replies!

[JHoyle]

Mine is a 3" camo. 26" barrel. It shoots dead nuts. It shoulders the vest out of all my shotguns. I like the high back guns and shoot them well. I also have a browning silver that I shoot well. It's got a high back but not as high as the a5.


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[the Ward]

Mine is a 3" camo. 26" barrel. It shoots dead nuts. It shoulders the vest out of all my shotguns. I like the high back guns and shoot them well. I also have a browning silver that I shoot well. It's got a high back but not as high as the a5.


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That is the one I was looking at, the camo 3" 26 barrel. Your right, it shoulders and balances very nicely. I really love how my vinci handles, but even though they are vastly different guns, the a5 feels just as good, maybe even a little better. Feels a tiny bit lighter too. I am talking myself right into getting one it seems!

[Swampchickin234]

My brother has a 3.5" one that I have shared many hours with.  So far, it eats everything you put in it and patterns dang fine with turkey loads.   It is his main duck gun. He loves it. I hate it.  But then again, I shoot a 20 and 28 at ducks for the past 2 years and just can't stand to get hammered by a big long 12 when my 28 will do the same thing at 25 yards.  To each his own.   We're brothers and very much alike.  I guess he likes recoil and I don't.  The gun is sweet though.  I just don't like to shoot long barreled hard kicking guns


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