My opions are worth about what you pay for them but here goes....
1) The 28" barrel handles much better than the 26" and only adds 2 oz of weight but it's right where it counts, at the end of the barrel where it smooths out the swing a a very fast handling gun.
2) A vent rib on an A5 adds 4 oz on a 26" barrel (all along the length) The weight does not smooth the swing much because lots of it is behind the lead hand. On tight flushing game thatyou may snap shoot like wild quail the short barrel is fine, but to swing smoothly on a bird like a pheasant get the longer barrel.
3) A vent rib is invisible on a humpback......you cannot tell the difference between a ribbed barrel and a plain one because the silouette of the rib is the same as the block and bead on a plain barrel.
4) IMO the best years for a shooter are from '52 to '63. This gets you the round knob stock, slow rust blue, varnish not "fullerplast" on the wood and a cross block safety. '46 to '51 are nice too but the safety (in front of the trigger) is not for everyone.
Price......be happy with one for around $700 in 80% condition with no faults like a pad or Polychoke. It's easy to pay more....a lot more.
Final note, the Japanese guns are nice don't pass up a nice one just to get one with the word Belgium on it.
Jeff
1) The 28" barrel handles much better than the 26" and only adds 2 oz of weight but it's right where it counts, at the end of the barrel where it smooths out the swing a a very fast handling gun.
2) A vent rib on an A5 adds 4 oz on a 26" barrel (all along the length) The weight does not smooth the swing much because lots of it is behind the lead hand. On tight flushing game thatyou may snap shoot like wild quail the short barrel is fine, but to swing smoothly on a bird like a pheasant get the longer barrel.
3) A vent rib is invisible on a humpback......you cannot tell the difference between a ribbed barrel and a plain one because the silouette of the rib is the same as the block and bead on a plain barrel.
4) IMO the best years for a shooter are from '52 to '63. This gets you the round knob stock, slow rust blue, varnish not "fullerplast" on the wood and a cross block safety. '46 to '51 are nice too but the safety (in front of the trigger) is not for everyone.
Price......be happy with one for around $700 in 80% condition with no faults like a pad or Polychoke. It's easy to pay more....a lot more.
Final note, the Japanese guns are nice don't pass up a nice one just to get one with the word Belgium on it.
Jeff
