What is my Browning Auto-5 worth?
The humpback semi-automatic shotgun, made for most of a century in more than one country — and the country is what decides the number, not the model name.
Made 1902–1998.
No page can price your gun, and one that offers to is guessing. What this does is show you which one you have — because that is where the money is.
How to tell which one you have
- Find the country of manufacture, stamped on the barrel or receiver. Made in Belgium and Made in Japan are different markets.
- Check the gauge, and specifically whether it is a Sweet Sixteen, which is marked as such.
- Confirm the barrel matches the receiver. Auto-5 barrels move between guns and mismatched sets are common.
- Look for grade markings and engraving, which separate several price levels.
The versions that change the number
| Version | What it means for value |
|---|---|
| Belgian production | Built by FN. The examples collectors pursue, and earlier Belgian guns most of all. |
| Japanese production | Built by Miroku after production moved. Very well made shotguns, priced below the Belgian guns by the market rather than by quality. |
| Sweet Sixteen | The 16-gauge version, with a devoted following and frequently underestimated in an estate. |
| Higher grades | Engraved and upgraded guns that sit well above standard field configurations. |
What actually drives the price
- Country of manufacture, before anything else.
- Whether it is a Sweet Sixteen.
- Original finish on both metal and wood, and whether the wood has been refinished.
- Matching barrel, and any extra barrels that came with it.
And the two that apply to every gun on this site: do not clean it, and keep the box and papers. Removing original finish is permanent, and on the right gun the packaging is a real part of the total.
"It says Browning, so it is a Belgian gun"
Browning has had guns built in several countries for over fifty years, and the difference in value is substantial. This is not a criticism of the Japanese guns, which are excellent. It is that the market prices them differently, and selling a Belgian gun as though it were a later one leaves a great deal behind.
Where does it say what country it was made in?
Usually on the barrel in small letters near the chamber, sometimes on the receiver. Look for Made in Belgium or Made in Japan. If you cannot find it, photograph the markings you can see and somebody who handles these will place it quickly.
Getting a number for yours
Send photographs and we will tell you what we will pay for it. We buy nationwide — a single firearm ships to us prepaid and insured, and for a collection we come to you. More on what separates one Browning from another.