Browning A5 (Belgium ) 3" Magnum

[bushytail man]

I have a 3" magnum A5 ( Belgium) I purchased new years ago. I have decided to use it this year for turkeys. It seems a shame to leave it in the safe forever. It has a 30" full fixed choke.
If anyone uses or has used this model and can relate to me the best choice of shells, I would appreciate all advice.
Wish I could find a modern barrel to accept screw in chokes.

[10gaugemag]

Federal FC #5 or Longbeard #5. With either of those loads that fixed full will shoot with most any screw in extra full. Trying to prove to my old man that he will have a hard time outshooting his 1100 3" fixed full 30" pipe unless he gets a really good turkey tube for his 11-87.

[allaboutshooting]

I have a 3" magnum A5 ( Belgium) I purchased new years ago. I have decided to use it this year for turkeys. It seems a shame to leave it in the safe forever. It has a 30" full fixed choke.
If anyone uses or has used this model and can relate to me the best choice of shells, I would appreciate all advice.
Wish I could find a modern barrel to accept screw in chokes.

I see it's your first post. Welcome to OG. We look forward to hearing more from you.

First of all, that's a fine shotgun and a real classic. Barrels for that gun are sometimes hard to find and pretty expensive when you find one. Folks who collect those guns pay a premium for new or like new ones, especially if you have the box and all of the original equipment. I know that's not what you asked but if that were my gun, I'd consider all of that before taking it turkey hunting.

To answer your question directly, I'd go with a 3" lead shell with #6 shot and probably some of the Winchester XX shells, what used to be the HV shells, with 1.75 oz. of #6 shot.

I would also consider some the Federal shells with the Flitecontrol Wad and #6 shot, 1.75 oz. if you can find them.

I'd make sure the bore was very clean and take it to the range to see just how it patterned at 30 and 40 yards with either of those loads.

I hope that helps some.

Thanks,
Clark

[bushytail man]

Thanks for the advice. I happened to purchase some Longbeards in no. 6 today. May get some no. 5s tomorrow.

Yes, it is a like new gun. Only used 30 years ago for geese with lead shells. When steel became the only legal shell, gun was put in safe...until now.
It is 99 percent with the old Browning lush bluing. I will cover it with camo tape before taking it to the woods.

[10gaugemag]

Thanks for the advice. I happened to purchase some Longbeards in no. 6 today. May get some no. 5s tomorrow.

Yes, it is a like new gun. Only used 30 years ago for geese with lead shells. When steel became the only legal shell, gun was put in safe...until now.
It is 99 percent with the old Browning lush bluing. I will cover it with camo tape before taking it to the woods.

A guy my dad started turkey hunting with in the late 70's has one of these guns. Tapes it up and still hunts with it every year.  It has had nothing but 3" Remington #4 Nitro Mags since I have hunted with them starting in the mid 80's, flat smashes Ol' Tom and rarely misses.

[Snoodsniper]

If you would like to save your stock and forend from getting beat up you can get the ram line synthetic set pretty cheap. I put a set on my a5 a couple years ago and they fit pretty good. Then I put the mossy oak  gun wrap on it. Looks good and the wrap won't leave adhesive behind like tape.

[bushytail man]

Thanks all,
will try the Rem nitros. Wish I had heard about the Ram Line stocks sooner. Just covered the stock and gun with camo tape. I am sure this will require consideral clean up of tape residue.
Anyone know of a good product to remove the residue?

[10gaugemag]

Should've sprayed complete gun with WD-40 and then wiped off before applying tape then minimal reside after you peel it off. Just wait til you uncover the gun and spray with the WD-40, should come right off. That's how we used to do it, instructions on the old tape had that tip.

[allaboutshooting]

Should've sprayed complete gun with WD-40 and then wiped off before applying tape then minimal reside after you peel it off. Just wait til you uncover the gun and spray with the WD-40, should come right off. That's how we used to do it, instructions on the old tape had that tip.

That works! Amazing stuff.

Thanks,
Clark

[decoykrvr]

I started turkey hunting w/ a 3",32" full Browning Auto V and had great success w/ the old Federal 3", 2 oz. 5's.  40 years ago, we evaluated turkey patterns much differently than we do today, and I averaged 16 pellets in the head/neck kill zone w/ the 5's at 40 yards.  The 3",2 1/4 oz. Activ shells performed well in some fixed full choke guns.

[Dr Juice]

I would initially pattern Federal Flite Control #6s.

[Dr Juice]

 

[turkey buster]

I started turkey hunting w/ a 3",32" full Browning Auto V and had great success w/ the old Federal 3", 2 oz. 5's.  40 years ago, we evaluated turkey patterns much differently than we do today, and I averaged 16 pellets in the head/neck kill zone w/ the 5's at 40 yards.  The 3",2 1/4 oz. Activ shells performed well in some fixed full choke guns.

Yea for all the holes in paper it's the ones in the turkey that matter.  I pattern mine on paper because I want a good setup, and owe it to the game I hunt. But 100-200 holes really is irrelevant as long as that pattern hunts

[surehuntsalot]

I have a Remington 1100 3" Magnum with a 30" fixed full, this old girl loves Federal flight control shells and the Win. 2oz XX loads

will post some pattern pic's as soon as I can

[zeke632]

I had a 3" A-5 with a 30" full choke barrel long ago before all of  the improvements in shot shells that we have these days.  I shot Win XX #6's    They were 3" but I cant honestly tell you how many ounces of shot they were.  I'd hang a pop can on a little tree limb at 30 steps and blister it for my pattern tests.  It would smoke turkeys too! 
Just for keeps sake, I wish I'd kept it.