Browning Introduces A5 3-1/2-inch Semi-auto
Patrick Durkin 01.25.13
Browning’s new A5 3-½ recoil-operated 12-gauge shotgun features a kinematic drive system instead of a gas-operated system. The original A5 was introduced in 2012 in a 3-inch chambering, but now Browning is offering the 3½-inch model so turkey hunters and waterfowlers can get the most from the 12-gauge.
The A5 plays off of some old Automatic 5 features, such as the distinctive humpback look John Browning designed into his gun. The receivers in the all-new A5 are made from an aluminum alloy that makes the gun lighter than its predecessors, and it has an all-new Invector DS choke system, the longest such system in Browning’s lineup.
The Invector DS threads at the muzzle instead of at the bottom where the tube fits to the barrel. And that junction, Browning uses a brass seal to keep things clean between the choke tube and the barrel. In addition, this longer choke tubes give shooters better patterns and more consistent performance.
The A5 also has a soft recoil pad called the Inflex II, which most shooters will appreciate when firing 3½-inch loads from this relatively lightweight shotgun. The A5 is offered in a wood stock with a gloss finish, and a blued receiver and barrel. It’s also available in a Stalker version, which is a black synthetic composite stock with a matte black receiver and barrel. The A5 will also be available in the new Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades camo, and the new Realtree Max 4 camo. MSRP $1,559.
