POTD: The Auto-5 Sisters, One Father, Three Mothers
John Browning designed the Browning Auto-5 shotgun in the late 1800s and patented it in 1900. It featured a unique long recoil action never seen before where the barrel is free to recoil rearwards inside the action. I always enjoy watching a Auto-5 being fired and seeing the barrel recoil back.
The Auto-5 was first manufactured by FN Herstal Belgium in 1902. The design was licensed to Remington in 1905 who manufactured it as the Remington Model 11. Savage Arms licensed the design in 1930 and called it the Model 720 and later the Model 745.
This is the first time I have seen all three licensed versions of the shotgun in one photo.
Aside from the licensed copies, the design was adapted by a number of companies after the patents expired. One such example was the Franchi AL-48.
Many thanks to Mike for sharing this unique photo.
I founded TFB in 2007 and over 10 years worked tirelessly, with the help of my team, to build it up into the largest gun blog online. I retired as Editor in Chief in 2017. During my decade at TFB I was fortunate to work with the most amazing talented writers and genuinely good people!
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In the long Michigan winters it pays to have a hobby . I pick up an old shotgun like last years project a 1927 Winchester model 12 or this winters a 1938 Remington Sportsman after rebuilding, repairing, and refinishing it will be my idea of a fun gun. it will have been shortened to 20 inches be changed from a 3 shot to a 5 shot magazine have a flat olive drab finish and a set of Boyds nutmeg stocks. Thanks
The brother-in-laws first wife inherited an Auto five from her father, they needed money I had money so I bought that A-5 for $175.00 back in 1978.
It's a Browning Light Twelve, made in Belgium during 1955 a hunting shotgun 28 inch barrel with no vent rib.
It is what I call my best and favorite firearm.
It gives the shooter a satisfying thump on the shoulder with every shot and can roll a bunny, drop a squirrel and down a quail with ease, it shoots slugs like a rifle out to 75 yards and patterns buckshot like a pro.
If I could only have one firearm I would pick it.