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Auto 5 friction ring/s settings & additional info

127K views 79 replies 38 participants last post by  GenePA 
#1 ·
#6 ·
I have a "new to me" Browning magnum A5. Made in 1996, Invector Plus and therefore safe with steel. I've gotten the manual electronically with the correct friction ring settings for magnum vs high velocity (and all steel shot) loads.
I will be using 3" 1 1/4 oz Remington Wingmaster HD and 1 3/8 oz Hevi-shot (both are nominally 1450 fps) when the resident goose season opens in a couple weeks. Any advice on whether to go with the magnum setting or the high velocity? The local skeet range would not be appreciative of firing 3" shells to find out.
Thanks for any input.
 
#7 ·
A good rule of thumb is:

Try it on the heavy setting first, if it cycles, leave it.

Most 3" steel loads will use the light setting, I have yet to fin a steel load that will cycle my mag 12 on the heavy setting.

I did pattern the 1 1/2oz HD in #4's and the 1 3/8oz in #6's and they both cycled in the heavy setting.
 
#9 ·
The Hevi shot load should cycle fine in the heavy setting - the lighter load is a crap shoot on heavy setting - mine will not cycle similar loads. Make sure the tube and spring are clean - clean of grease and sludge. I apply a "fine" application of Break Free to the tube.
 
#10 ·
Here's a tip I recieved from Browning customer service....use a few drops 5w30 engine oil on the magazine tube to lube the friction rings. I have a 1940 A5, works great, guy at Browning said the engine oil is a little more viscous and stays put, I bought a little plastic bottle at a drug store and keep it with my gun cleaning supplies....

I pick up once fired Federal Promo hulls at my club, load 18.2 grns of Red Dot and my A5 will shoot this one ounce load all day...brass friction ring on top, the other one below the spring, bevel down.
 
#14 ·
I have a "light twelve" that I've been using to hunt with but recently used heavy pheasant loads which resulted in the but plate cracking in half. I'm not sure how this happened as I have checked, and rechecked the friction ring multiple times to make sure it is set for heavy loads.

Should I not use heavy, high velocity pheasant loads with this shotgun?
 
#16 ·
trouthunters said:
Grandpa gave my son his A-5 Magnum. I nice gun and great legacy piece but it doesn't seem to like target loads for skeet/clays. Is this model designed to shoot only heavy loads? If so, can the gun be modified in some way to shoot the light rounds.

Best.
Get the friction rings and spring from a regular or light auto five and put it in the magnum. Configure the rings for light loads and apply CLP to the mag tube like you would for any gas auto. Hope this helps!
 
#18 ·
What is the difference between the Friction Ring:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/319065 ... 5-12-gauge

and the Friction Spring?
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/789022 ... 5-12-gauge

There is also the Friction Piece and the Spring itself, but I'm pretty clear on those:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/554390 ... OBv1789022

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/830393 ... OBv1554390

This is NOT meant to be an advertisement for Midway so apologies if it comes off that way. I just don't understand if I need both the Spring and the Ring. I think I just need the ring based on the pictures I see on the forearm of the gun. I don't see a need or a use for the Friction Spring.
 
#19 ·
The spring fits over the friction piece...it's split so can be slid over the top
The ring fits between the now 2-part friction assembly & the recoil spring.
FOR HEAVY LOADS AT LEAST

Check out the A5 disassembly guide sticky at the top of the main Browning page on here...you can see what part goes where
 
#20 ·
Hi all,
and I recently inherited an A5 and would like to shoot real light loads for skeet...as in 3/4 oz...and I am wondering if anyone ever changed the spring inside for super light loads to get the gun to cycle the empties....I understand the placement of the friction rings for light loads, but I am shooting around 15 grains of 700x with the 3/4 oz. load using the claybuster wad.
thanks,
Terry
 
#21 ·
Hi all,
and I recently inherited an A5 and would like to shoot real light loads for skeet...as in 3/4 oz...and I am wondering if anyone ever changed the spring inside for super light loads to get the gun to cycle the empties....I understand the placement of the friction rings for light loads, but I am shooting around 15 grains of 700x with the 3/4 oz. load using the claybuster wad.
thanks,
Terry
 
#22 ·
Hi Terry,

It seems everybody wants to shoot light loads out of their Auto-5. I'll give you a tip you won't find anywhere else: Take the plug out of your magazine and put a couple of snap caps in there. Magazine spring force will help get the bolt moving.

Let us know how you make out....
 
#23 ·
Rudolph31 said:
Hi Terry,

It seems everybody wants to shoot light loads out of their Auto-5. I'll give you a tip you won't find anywhere else: Take the plug out of your magazine and put a couple of snap caps in there. Magazine spring force will help get the bolt moving.

Let us know how you make out....
how?

Sent from my iPhone 5c using Ohub Campfire mobile app
 
#25 ·
Ok, so to make sure I understand...if dummy rounds take up the space in the magazine tube instead of a plug, somehow the light loads will cycle?
I will try it, but I'm not getting it....I thought the factors that would be involved would be the tension of the barrel spring, and the proper placement of the rings...
thanks again for any input...
Terry
 
#26 ·
The plug doesn't COMPRESS the spring. All that other stuff is important, but you are attempting to make the gun cycle loads it wasn't designed to handle. Your A5 is going to need all the help it can get.

The rounds in the magazine rest against the locking block latch, which is pinned to the bolt. Magazine spring force will help start the bolt/barrel rearward when the gun is fired.

The OP in the cited thread had an A5 that worked fine until the last round. That one stayed in the mag.
 
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