Experts will chime in soon.
You have issues because that is a Remington made Browning during WW2.
I love my 16 gauge.
My best guess is early 40's.


Jim

 

According to Matt Eastman's Browning book, your serial number dates to 1951.

 

As is often the case with some of these things; confusion reigns supreme........since Remington allegedly only made Auto 5's for Browning between 1940 and 1946 and the gun pictured is definitely an "American Browning" made by Remington.

 

I think there’s a Remington date code on the barrel that may help.

 

I see BP stamped on the barrel, I might have this backwards but B=1955 and P=June

 

1) As noted by others: That is an "American Browning" made by Remington during the WW2 1940 - 1946.
2) Allegedly the serial numbers for the 12 gauge (B prefix) ended with #43129. IF that is correct the gun you picture was likely built ~1945. A lot of this stuff with serial numbers is difficult to pin down with any precision.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Should be a two letter date code on the barrel!

 

It’s the other way around, B for January and P for…1967? That makes no sense, but if there was a double P, it would be 1945, which does.

https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads/remingtons-manufacturing-date-codes.241130/?post_id=2021337#post-2021337

 

When I blow the picture up it definitely shows a BP marked in an oval. Apparently that mark is on every Remington-built A5 from the WW2 era as I've seen and read about it several times over the years. Maybe one of the resident Browning experts will appear and enlighten us as to what it signifies. What it is NOT; is a Remington date code.

Edit: I'm guessing that mark is some sort of proofing mark similar to the REP in an oval that Remington stamped on the opposite side of the barrel in the same position just ahead of the barrel extension on my Model 11 16 gauge from 1947 (Barrel Code SS).

Remington barrel codes for the period this gun seems to be from (1944-1946) were NN-1944, PP-1945, RR-1946 - at least according to Remington's reference. I qualify it because they could be a bit lax in coding barrels......my 16 wears the SS code on it's original IC barrel but I also have a MOD barrel which has no date code at all.......go figure.

 

When it comes to American Browning’s, I’m just guessing. Thank you.

 

I'm right there with you on this particular bit.......wish someone who actually knows would enlighten us.