Why You Should Hunt With An Old Auto 5 

I have a ‘53 as well. Fantastic guns. Enjoy!

Just bought a 1938 anda 1951. Love them

Cow6oysfan21 amen!

1970FordOverdrive absolutely. Most all steel wads used currently are full length and fairly thick, so there is a reduced chance shot will touch the bore at all. Tight chokes are still a problem with pellets larger than number 4’s or 3’s, as bridging can occur and force shot through the wad pedals, but if using a mod or light mod choked gun it is usually safe with 2’s and 1’s. One of the best factory shells that has a very thick wad is Federal’s BlackCloud using their flightcontrol wad. I have never seen shot passthrough on that wad when recovered. I have actually transition away from steel completely and now shoot Boss Copper Plated Bismuth in all my old and new guns. Better patterns, cleaner kills, great customer service, no chance at all of ever hurting old gun’s bores, high value.

American Arms Channel Their pricing isn’t too bad. I’ll have to keep my eye on them when they offer a larger selection for 2-3/4” shells. Typically I shoot #3 in a Mod choke. I have a poly-choke on my Auto-5. So it gives some flexibility based on what I can or can’t find and how the ducks are flying.

1970FordOverdrive during the late spring and mid summer is the best time to find the largest number of 2-3/4” shot size offerings from Boss. They offer 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 shot sizes, and make shells in all gauges plus .410 bore. I can tell you that #4’s and #5’s are more than ample shot sizes in copper plated bismuth to take down ducks out to 50 and geese at 40 and in. I like the 4’s, but a huge number of guys swear by the 5’s. For geese, I like the #3 pellet out of my 12’s, and the #2 out of my 10ga. If you are shooting #3 steel, go to a #5 boss bismuth. Patterns will be denser and will pattern very similar to plated #6 lead or non-plated #5 lead. The 2-3/4” 1-1/4oz #3 has been a hit for guys running short chambered 12’s and will pound geese out to 50 yards or so. My Remington Model 11 and Winchester Model 1897 are both full choked, and the 2-3/4” 1-1/4oz #4 pattern so tight, I can’t shoot ducks closer than 35 yards or geese closer than 30. This stuff is fantastic and I tell everyone to buy a box or two, but be prepared to order a case, as you’re going to really like the patterns and love how it crushes birds.

American Arms Channel I’ll definitely keep that in mind. I find myself is many different hunting scenes during the season. Everything from Swamps, to rivers and even open bays. I’ll definitely have to pickup the Boss 2-3/4” in #5 and give them a test. I know one of the “issues” with the older guns is that steel shot typically doesn’t perform as well as with newer guns, due to the difference in choke design. So shot that performs more like lead will give better patterns from older guns. My Auto-5 is a 1953 Light Twelve.

The A5 mag in this video did have a double spring set on it. Most fresh spring kits for the magnums will be a single spring. I also have an all original 1958 Belgian A5 Mag 12 with a 30" barrel and it has a single recoil spring, so at some point in the production life of the A5's they played with a dual nested spring set. I have no clue why, but functionally I have not noted a difference between the two styles. I cannot comment on whether or not the shotgun barrel is ok after firing BB steel through it, as it is extremely dependent on the variable of wad thickness, choke constriction, and luck. Generally I do not recommend larger than No. 3 steel shot, but lesser chokes can handle up to No. 1 steel shot without worry. I would not make a habit out of utilizing No BB Steel shot in a fixed choke A5. If your barrel has suffered some scoring/scrubbing in the bore you can hone this damage out yourself or by sending it to professionals like those at Briley Manufacturing. Briley also has the ability to cut, ream, and thread the barrel for their thin-wall choke system rated for all shot types. The service provides three chokes of your choice of constriction as well. A great option for those who want to breathe new life into an older nitro proofed fixed choke shotgun. I can not say why there was wear/damage on the A5 Mag Stalker without seeing it. if it did not structurally damage the gun and was polished out, I will assume that the damage is superficial and not to be worried over. The "Special Steel" or similar labeling is deceiving, as some think this means it is hard shot proofed, when really it just identifying the Browning Belgium manufacturing process and that it is nitro proofed, a hold over from the black powder to smokeless (nitro) powder transitional era. The star designations are indeed for the choke rating, but actual constrictions of the parallel sections can vary. * = Full , ** = Improved Mod. , * * * = Modified , etc. There are few IC and Cylinder bored magnums, unless special ordered as such. Most will be * (Full) marked and have a 30" or 32" barrel constricted to about .680" to .690". I hope all this information helps you out.

My recommendation on 12ga Bismuth factory loads is typically Boss Shotshells 2-3/4" 1-1/4oz #4 for ducks and geese, and 3" 1-1/2oz #2 or #3 for Geese and late season shooting on big ducks. For hand loads, I highly recommend using 1-1/4oz of #3's or #4's with a cushioned wad and buffering propelled at 1,280 to 1,400 FPS. This will provide excellent patterns and great terminal performance. Effectively the best thing to do is try and replicate the best duck load of yesteryear, the Winchester Super-X Buffered Copper Plated Lead load that at its final iteration used a full length wad, Grex buffer, Luballoy (copper) plated high antimony pellets, and a hot primer. A high quality bismuth load in #3 or #4 shot will perform comparably to that load. Longshot is a great powder for this application. Be sure to set your friction rings appropriately. You will want to set the rings for 3" for loads over 1-3/8oz, including the Boss 3" loads.

@@AmericanArmsChannel by setting the rings for 3" do you mean setting them up to shoot 3 inch loads. I know mine is set for those because it won't cycle out 2/ 3 4 shells

@@sinatralerby7545 correct. With the Auto-5 Magnums your 3" shell setting (effectively every load over 1-3/8oz payload at 3-1/4 dram or more eqv.) will be all friction rings and pieces in place. The 2-3/4" setting reduces the ring set to one ring and one friction piece. Remember to keep a light film of oil on the magazine tube to ensure proper function. Too much oil will cause the friction rings to not work correctly and the gun will recoil more harshly.

@@AmericanArmsChannel sorry for the amount of questions but would 3 inch 1/7 8 oz shot do fine with the stock 3 inch magnum heavy friction ring setting?

Correct, it will be fine. The friction rings on an Auto-5 function progressively. The greater amount of force you apply to them the harder they squeeze down to retard the velocity of the barrel and action rearward. 1-3/8 to 1-7/8oz use the 3” ring setting.