FN BELGIUN BROWNING Auto-5 value

[4 lb kate]

I didn't know where to place this.

A single lady friend of the wife has a FN BELGIUN BROWNING Auto-5 (her dad's), Grade 1, 12GA SEMI AUTOMATIC SHOTGUN, 1948 MFG DATE, SCTOLL ENGRAVED, 30" BBL, 2 3/4", CHOKED full, RIB, MEDIUM DARK FIGURED WALNUT, PISTOL GRIP, FINGER GROOVE FOREND, with Packmayr Recoil Pad sold at Mages Sport Store, Chicago, Ill. Nov 1, 1948. It comes with a letter. It has been used over the years but is a good 85-90. Front bead is gone but center ivory bead is there. She asked me what price to charge when she sold. I told her I don't do shotguns but A5's cost so she might get $2500-$2600 from it. Is there anyone that could give her a better idea what it is worth. She is in need of the money but wants to make sure it is priced right.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

I dunno... A-5s are all over the place price wise. My guess is she oughta be able to sell it reasonably quickly at about $1500, and might be able to squeeze $1800-$2000. Another $500 after that might take some waiting. It sounds really nice, and is probably worth top dollar to the right buyer, but while an old humpback usually still shoots as well as it did 50-70 years ago, there are fewer and fewer old humpback fans to shoot 'em each year...

Rick C

 

[pete44ru]

.

With all due respect...… The current Blue Book of Gun Values lists the following "values" for a 12ga Browning A-5 Standardweight (Grade 1) made from 1946-70, expressed in the remaining amount (%) of original factory condition.

60% = $600
70% = $700
80% = $800
90% - $900
95% = $1,000
98% = $1,175
100% = $1,350 (with original box/papers)

Any alterations, like a recoil pad, are cause for a reduction in value, usually around 25%, if the stock was shortened to accommodate the recoil pad.

Ditto, for a crack in the forend wood (common).

Truth be said, the older long-recoil A-5 is not as much in demand (popular) as it once was, and the current actually selling prices are much lower than most owners realize.



The best method for an unknowledgeable heir to sell a firearm would be to determine it's true value TODAY (not whenever).

The current true value is the dollar amount that someone will actually pay for whatever, today/recently.


To determine that value, the seller (or an assistant) should surf many online guns-only auction websites (gunbroker, gunauction, gunsamerica, etc, etc), looking for the same firearm in comparable condition.


The seller should consider ONLY sold/closed gun auctions, since the indicated dollars for unsold guns (asking price, buy-it-now price, reserve price, etc) are not a value - they are simply what some owner would like to realize from the sale.


Once a realistic value is determined, the venue in which it's to be sold should be considered.

Generally, the lowest returns are usually (folks unaware of the current market also buy guns) from face-to-face local sales.

The next lowest returns are arrived at via placing the firearm(s) on a consignment sale with a gun shop, where the shop owner will get a commission (% of the sale, or a flat amount).

Better return can be made via walking the firearm around a well-attended gun show, displaying a "for sale" sign on it.

IME, the best results come from exposing the firearm to the widest possible viewing audience to find a willing buyer - placing the gun in one of the online guns-only (world-wide) web sites, with a detailed description and good pictures (a picture is worth a thousand words).



.

 

[DeletedMember275]

.

With all due respect...… The current Blue Book of Gun Values lists the following "values" for a 12ga Browning A-5 Standardweight (Grade 1) made from 1946-70, expressed in the remaining amount (%) of original factory condition.

60% = $600
70% = $700
80% = $800
90% - $900
95% = $1,000
98% = $1,175
100% = $1,350 (with original box/papers)

Any alterations, like a recoil pad, are cause for a reduction in value, usually around 25%, if the stock was shortened to accommodate the recoil pad.

Ditto, for a crack in the forend wood (common).

Truth be said, the older long-recoil A-5 is not as much in demand (popular) as it once was, and the current actually selling prices are much lower than most owners realize.



The best method for an unknowledgeable heir to sell a firearm would be to determine it's true value TODAY (not whenever).

The current true value is the dollar amount that someone will actually pay for whatever, today/recently.


To determine that value, the seller (or an assistant) should surf many online guns-only auction websites (gunbroker, gunauction, gunsamerica, etc, etc), looking for the same firearm in comparable condition.


The seller should consider ONLY sold/closed gun auctions, since the indicated dollars for unsold guns (asking price, buy-it-now price, reserve price, etc) are not a value - they are simply what some owner would like to realize from the sale.


Once a realistic value is determined, the venue in which it's to be sold should be considered.

Generally, the lowest returns are usually (folks unaware of the current market also buy guns) from face-to-face local sales.

The next lowest returns are arrived at via placing the firearm(s) on a consignment sale with a gun shop, where the shop owner will get a commission (% of the sale, or a flat amount).

Better return can be made via walking the firearm around a well-attended gun show, displaying a "for sale" sign on it.

IME, the best results come from exposing the firearm to the widest possible viewing audience to find a willing buyer - placing the gun in one of the online guns-only (world-wide) web sites, with a detailed description and good pictures (a picture is worth a thousand words).
.

^^^THIS^^^

 

[arfmel]

I just checked Gunbroker’s recently completed online auctions for Belgian Auto Five shotguns that sold. They are apparently not currently in high demand. Many sold for less than $600 with several having had only one bid. Scarcer models brought a couple hundred more. Few sold for over $1000. I’m afraid you may have overestimated the value of your friend’s nice old shotgun.

 

[rugerguy]

I agree with the above, good luck it has to be complete, original to get better prices, we recently sold a MINT 1968 A-5 20 ga, with a spare deer slug barrel and it went for $1250.....recoil pad, missing bead, etc all hurt the value as well as that low of a "condition"...good luck, we hate to see folks get someones hopes all up with inflated prices,,,much like the price guides, (RENE ) Blue book, I would LOVE to get those prices of ANY of the guns we sold over the years,,,,never did ,nor ever will... 8) :roll: :wink:

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I'd say realistically she's got a $400-$500 gun. Now an all original Belgian-made light 12 with vent rib in excellent condition may bring $1500, especially with box. Sweet Sixteens seem to bring the most $$. I saw two very decent Belgian made 3" 12s at a gun show last weekend for $800 and $900. One was a Buck Special, the other 30" FC/VR. Not sure about the Buck Special, I think they came with swivel studs; this one didn't have any so it might have just been a Buck Special barrel on a gun that wasn't originally a Buck Special.

 

[Acorn]

I had a Japanese A5 Light 12 that only had 1 shell fired through it. No wear or dings. Sold it for $550.

 

[kmoore]

I really like some of the older Brownings. I could never afford them as a young man.
Fast forward, here's 2 examples of their firearms that were once much more valuable.
Superposed 12ga made 1968, neighbor offered it for sale for 600. 2012.
After 2 years I got 725 for it. Partly do to lead shot or bismuth only allowed through barrel.
BAR grade 2, 7mm rem mag. Also made in the late 60s. Paid 600 in 2008, replaced the wore recoil spring due to the owner leaving the action locked open for years. That was 125 bucks. Sold for 425 in 2011. Both those guns were is great condition and rarely used. Would have sold for over 1,000 not too many years ago, not so now.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

What is old-timers think of as the classics are of waning interest to younger shooters.

 

[Rick Courtright]

What is old-timers think of as the classics are of waning interest to younger shooters.

Hi,

In looking at older Browning values, as well as some other makes, there's another problem that may affect value: legislation.

Many old classic duck guns, including Browning's A-5s and Superposed O/Us, became wall hangers when we had to start using steel or other non-toxic shot for migratory waterfowl. The stuff would damage some of the older barrels, and while adding screw in chokes would keep some of the guns serviceable, doing so just trashes any potential collector value.

And now, States are jumping on the "lead is bad" bandwagon, and we've been transitioning to these same non-toxic loads for a couple of years in some areas.Jump forward a few days and, as of July 1, here in CA ANY wildlife killed with a firearm must be shot with non-toxic ammo. This includes even vermin and pests. Air rifles are exempt, as they're not considered firearms. For now, at least.

Even the exemption for doves and quail we had the last couple of years, except on State wildlife areas, is gone. So for CA use, my almost 90 year old L.C. Smith SxS, my favorite dove gun, will be retired in a week or so. As will an older Ithaca 37. Both 20 ga. guns--almost all the non-toxic ammo in that gauge is steel, which will cause damage to the barrels. My older Mossberg 500 and a couple of "real" Rem 870 Wingmasters could have new barrels purchased, with "steel approved" screw in chokes, and the mfrs had varying comments on using fixed chokes with steel. Ithaca and Mossberg said "No" flat out with fixed chokes, Rem said ok with nothing tighter than modified. My Brownings are target guns, so I didn't ask them--lead for target use is still ok--but in the past I believe they've said "No" as well.

What this means for practical purposes is I can still shoot birds, but not with my pick of the guns that live here. Well, not unless I want to pay exorbitant prices, up to $3 or $4 per round, for some of the "special" classic gun loads! Maybe for a special pheasant hunt now and then, but for doves, where the ammo industry estimates 10 rounds are fired for each bird killed, that kind of ammo's not an option. And if I wanted to sell those others, who would want to pay top dollar for something they either can't use, or have to spend more money on before they can, for hunting, at least? Browning seems to be hit badly with that little conundrum, because they built so many of several popular guns. And I'm not real sure that even installing screw-in chokes is adequate to protect barrels designed for lead from steel caused damage.

End result: a lot of older guns will only retain their value to collectors, and, as we know, collectibles don't have much value once the process of morphing into Frankenguns has begun.

Rick C

 

[kmoore]

Rick your right about all you said. I figured I would shoot a few bismuth rounds in the Browning Superposed. No one stocks them around here, I needed to order a case. Even my club has non toxic shot only after fighting with DEQ over the lead in the soil. I finally found a gun I loved and could not use it. I could not keep it as a safe queen. It was too beautiful to be hidden away.