What is the age of a Browning Sweet Sixteen serial 92423?

Answer 1

Unless a person has the list of guns made and ser.# for each year made called a blue book you cannot tell the exact year. However these were made 1937 to 1976 and then discontinued. they are valued at in good condition at $650 plain barrel, $700 with raised rib, and $800 ventilated rib. They were Reintroduced in 1987 as the new model and are valued at $475-$500 in real good condition. The 'Sweet Sixteen' was introduced into the Browning catalogs in 1936, but your gun was made about five years earlier. It is a standard-weight 16ga Browning Auto-5. It should be either a plain barrel gun or a solid-rib gun. They are not as desireable as the later guns because they have the 2 9/16" chamber which is not compatible with modern ammunition. Still, they can reach $500-$600 in excellent condition. Original, actual 'Sweet Sixteen' guns in excellent condition are routinely bringing $1500 at auction, and even Miroku-made Japanese Sweet Sixteens can be counted on for $900-$1000. However, yours is a pre-war standard Auto-5 and not a Sweet Sixteen.