How much would a browning fn a5 belgium full 12 special steel fetch it has a 29.5 barrel solid rib and is in overall good condition the serial number from the bottom of the receiver is 12192?

Answer 1

I'm going to give a more detailed answer to this question for the benefit of many that may read this. I hope it will give insight to appraising these old shotguns for all those that own one. Serial number 12192, made in 1928. The older (Pre-War) A5's are becoming more of an antique or collectable these days. Used to be, that most older A5's had been used so much that original finish was too low to be of interest to serious collectors, so most of these guns were only valued as shooters. I think the trend has started to turn on these Ogden Guns (1920's). They aren't as often being purchased as shooters anymore. You can't shoot steel, and the guns have the old front trigger safety that most people today don't like. The Ogden Guns were heavier than their light weight versions yet to come. To purchase as a hunting gun, they are overlooked more and more for "more modern" used shotguns; Thus I believe the guns are getting more interest as a collectable or curio rather than a shooter. This brings condition into the picture in order to really valuate what such a gun will bring in the market. As a serious Auto-5 collector, I am much more a purest, than most collectors or investors, but I would like to explain how I evaluate an old Auto-5. I have inspected many thousands of these guns, and the first thing I look for is originality. "Is the gun original?" If not, then I usually consider the gun as a shooter vs. collectable. The obvious changes are recoil pads and a poly chokes. These two items are very common on old A5's. Most cutts compensators are non original as well. To me, this really kills the value of the gun and is undesirable as a collectable gun. I will give a gun more credit with a recoil pad if the gun is a higher grade 2, 3 or 4. The next thing to look at for originality is the Barrel address and matching numbers. Browning matched serial numbered barrels to the receiver up through the early 1950's. The barrel serial should match the other numbers on the guns, if it does, then does the Barrel address match the time period it was made? The 1920 guns such as the one in this question should say: BROWNING ARMS Co. OGDEN Utah. Are the screws original? Have they been changed or damaged? Does the inside of the forearm have the matching serial number stamped into the wood? Is the Stock and Forearm original wood? Does it have the correct butt plate? Has the stock been cut and does it have the correct length of pull? Anything that is replacement on a gun will usually put it into the shooter catagory, but not all collectors will be as picky. Now we get to original finish, rust and pitting will usually show neglect, but a certain amount of wear will and should be expected. Anything 90% or more is good for Ogden Guns. Usually we see them at 80% or less. Even guns that were used little and stored properly will have issues with the blueing more than the wood finish. Wear on the underside of the barrel is to be expected. Cracked forearms are sometimes ok to me as long as the wood has not been chipped, splintered, marred up and still looks good. I also check the barrel spring to determine how much a gun has been shot: Placing the gun on the floor, butt end down, I push the barrel down into the receiver to feel the tension of the spring as the barrel comes back up. If it goes down easy, then the spring has given up a lot of strength due to shooting. This is common on guns with a lot of outside wear. I also look at the finish overall: Does the gun look good? Even with 10-20% blueing loss, is the loss even, or does the barrel have a lot less finish than the receiver? I want even wear as much as possible. I want a gun that looks good even at 80% finish. Of course I am always seeking the mint gun, but they are very scarce. Ok, so now lets value on percentage of condition for these guns as explained. Ogden Guns= 1924-1930 / Grade I Auto-5's, 16 or 12Ga. Non Original 80% or less = $200-$350 / 80-95% $300-$450 95%+ $400-$600 All Original and correct = 80% or less $300-$400 / 80-95% $350-$500 All Original and correct = 95-98% $450-$800 / 98%- Mint = $1000+ Vented rib barrels are rare on these guns and will increase the value, especially on Original Guns with a high percentage of finish. Raise hollow matted ribs will help the value as well, but they are more common. Remember this is a general guide intended to help the Owners of older Auto-5's as well as the less experienced collector. I hope this will answer the question concerning a 1928 Browning Automatic.