It’s been forever since the original long-recoil action “Humpback” Auto 5 was conceived by the god of guns, John M. Browning, in 1898, but can you believe how long it’s been since Browning Arms released its “new” A5 after discontinuing the original after a 100-year run?
It’s already been 15 years.
Although I still think of the inertia-operated, updated model as new, it hardly is. By all measures including sales, it’s been a hit among sportsmen, not only because of the familiar look down its sighting plane that plenty of shooters believe helps them shoot better, but because the gun is undoubtedly superior in terms of reliability among a wider range of loads, as well as its modern features such as its aluminum receiver, magazine release switch, weatherproof finish options, Invector-DS choke tubes and a customizable fit.
Soon after the 12-gauge A5 was released in 2012, sportsmen began asking when the 20-gauge version would come out. So, I’m pleased to report that after prematurely announcing it at the 2024 SHOT Show, 20-gauge A5s are finally being shipped to dealers across the country as of the time of this writing. I’m even more pleased to report that in my opinion it’s just as good as the 12-gauge, or even better if you’re partial to a lythe 20.
If you’re familiar with the 12, you’re not going to learn a lot from me here, except perhaps to know that the 20 is not just smaller in bore size but that it’s been made from scratch on a smaller, lighter frame and action so that the gun’s balance stays between the hands. This was another advantage of going to an inertia system over the original’s long recoil; it moved the recoil return spring and buffer tube to the buttstock, which in turn moved the gun’s balance point back toward the gun’s middle. Instinctive-style, upland bird hunters tend to prefer this “between the hands” balance over weight-forward guns more preferred by sustained lead shooters. While this 20 with a 26-inch barrel would still be at home in any duck blind thanks to its 3-inch chamber and vastly improved nontoxic shell options, it’s perfectly suited to upland fields where long walks are the norm because it weighs just 5 pounds, 9 ounces, making it one of the lightest 20-gauge autos available, comparable to Benelli’s excellent Montefeltro.
Although company marketers call this A5’s action the “Kinematic” system (Benelli branded it Inertia Driven) it lends several more advantages over gas and long-recoil actions: It’s cleaner and therefore more reliable, it cycles faster in most cases, and it’s not as picky with loads and shell sizes because it self-regulates based on the amount of recoil the shell produces. The only disadvantage is that it doesn’t have quite the recoil-mitigating properties as some gas systems. But I assure you, this 20-gauge, even at its scant weight, is a cream puff. With a great fitting stock and top-quality Inflex II recoil pad, it was even lighter than I’d imagined.
The gun’s magazine release switch, or what Browning calls its Speed Load Plus system, is a sliding button that sits just forward of the trigger guard that allows the manual unloading of shells in the magazine so they can be replaced with other loads without unloading the chamber. It also functions by allowing the chamber to be unloaded without emptying the magazine. This is a handy feature for temporarily making the gun safe, even when you do not wish to dump the entire magazine.
If this review sounds gushing, it’s because it is: During testing I could find no flaws. Thanks to its proven action and a slick nickel Teflon finish of its internal parts, it cycled every shell I fed it, including the lightest ⅞-ounce loads on up to 3-inch turkey magnums. Its patterns printed to my point of aim and were rich and uniform among all three chokes that the gun came with. After installing a provided stock shim to better suit my preference for drop at comb, the gun mounted and pointed so naturally that I never even thought about aiming at flying targets, but rather just pointed at them and dropped most of them. (And this is from a guy who admittedly did not grow up shooting the original Auto 5.)
Perhaps the only feature of the new A5 20 that I did not love is the shiny “high gloss” black anodized metal finish of its receiver. I realize Browning’s modern finish is much more rust- and scratch-resistant than the bluing of old, but on this initial walnut-stocked offering, classic bluing and perhaps even a little scroll-engraving sure would have been a nice touch underneath that Lincoln Town Car of a sighting plane. (But that’s just me because I’m on a bit of a retro kick, and I feel surely cost had something to do with the company’s decision.) At any rate, I’d bet that in the future a synthetic-stocked version will be made available for the hardcore 20-gauge hunters among us.
In sum, Browning’s new “new” 20-gauge A5 is just nice, what with its quality build, outstanding wood, a stock fit kit, molded case and all the features befitting a top-end, state-of-the-art bird gun. If you’ve been waiting for the 20—and I know plenty of hunting buddies who have—you’re in luck, and I don’t believe you’ll be disappointed.
Browning A5 Hunter
- browning.com
- Type: inertia operated, semi-automatic shotgun
- Gauge/Chamber: 20/3"
- Capacity: 4
- Barrel: 26" (tested), 28"; vent rib; threaded for Invector-DS choke system
- Trigger: single; 6.1 lbs. pull weight
- Sights: white mid bead, fiber-optic front pipe
- Safety: cross-bolt
- Stock: grade 1 walnut; gloss finish; 14¼" LOP; 2" drop at heel; 1¾" drop at comb; Inflex 2 recoil pad
- Metal Finish: high gloss blue
- Overall Length: 47¼"
- Weight: 5 lbs., 9 ozs.
- Accessories: Browning Invector-DS Flush choke tubes (IC, M, F); choke tube wrench; two stock spacers with extended screws; stock shims for adjusting drop at comb, drop at heel and cast; plastic case
- MSRP: $1,979.99
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