This guide is for the Browning A5 16 gauge only. Browning 12ga numbers began with number 1 in 1903. The 16ga number 1 began in 1909. The two sets of numbers are different. A common mistake I have seen in many, many, gun shops and online sites is to assign the 12ga serial number date to a 16ga.
I compiled this quick reference serial number guide for dating 16ga Browning A5s and the Auto 5-3 Shot, by serial number. I decided to share it here since this is where much of my limited knowledge came from.
The serial number and dates are approximations only. These dates were gleaned primarily from Sauerfan's timeline and the Shirley/Vanderlinden book. Details about dates, transitions, exceptions, and other nuances can be found in the Shirley/Vanderlinden book, Browning Auto 5 Shotguns.
I took the liberty to use the Calandar Year Jan. 1 - Dec. 31 for the X series. FN used the Fiscal Year July-June. Other factors need to be taken into consideration to properly date your gun. I found what I thought was a very early 1948 Sweet Sixteen based on the serial number. Browning informed me the gun left the factory in 1955.
1909 1 - 3200
1910 to 1914 There is only vague info about 16 ga SNs in SV (page 74) for the time 1910 to 1914. SNs 3201 – 15000 were invoiced between 1st Jan. 1910 and 30th June 1913. Last shipped before the outbreak of WWI was SN 19642.
1915 to 1918 No production due to German occupation of Belgium during WWI.
1919: 19671- 20500
1920: 20501 - 22237
1921: 22238 - 24050
1922: 24051 – 26000
1923 Barrel Address (US market) BROWNING ARMS COMPANY OGDEN UTAH BROWNING’S PATENT
26001 – 28400
1924: 28401 - 35650
1925: 35651 – 40010 (app.)
1926: 40011 (app.) - 51600
1927: 51601 - 57900
1928: 57901 – 65100
1929 Ventilated barrel rib (as an option) and barrel address change to 'Ogden Utah and St Louis Mo. '
65101 – 82750
1930 Barrel Address (US market) BROWNING ARMS COMPANY ST LOUIS MO. New choke codes replaced the choke words stamped on the barrels.
82751 – 90500
193190501 – 94000
1932 Introduction of the three shot Auto 3 with shorter magazine tube and shorter forearm marked “Browning 3 Shot”
94001 – 96072
193396073 – 96143
1934 Receiver legend Now with BROWNING and John M. Browning’s bust between “TRADE” and “MARK”
96144 – 99500
193599501 - 103500
1936 The 'Sweet Sixteen' was released but limited to a test market.
103501 – 105850
*1937* Introduction of the “Sweet Sixteen” sale to the public. Barrel Rib four possibilities in 1937: none, solid (hollow) rib, ventilated rib with X posts or matted finish for Sweet Sixteen (SV page 98) Barrel Ring as before or drilled with three holes on the barrels of Sweet Sixteen Safety Gold plated (Sweet Sixteen only) Trigger Gold plated (Sweet Sixteen only) Misc. “Sweet Sixteen” not separated by SN. No serial number distinction between the Sweet 16 and the Standard 16 gauge A5s.
105850 – 111000
1938: 111001 – 118200
1939: 118201 – 126123
1940: 126124 – 126175
****1940 – 1953**** 'A' Prefix serial number on the side of the receiver, American made Browning by “Remington Arms.”
1944-1948 Post war Liberation guns, Serial number 128117-128646
'are so out of sequence there is no way to establish accurate production dates' S/V p76
[b] 1944: 126201
1948: 131738
1947 Post war Belgium made “X Prefix Series.” No serial number distinction between the Sweet 16 and the Standard 16 gauge A5. This is the “unmarked” Browning, era of the Sweet Sixteen.
These are among the rarest of the A5 Sweet Sixteen but are priced as standard 16 gauge A5s in value guides. This is the first year of standard production of the 2 ¾ inch chambered 16 gauge. It is also the last year of the non-engraved sweet sixteen. The popularity and success of the Sweet Sixteen from 1937 through 1947 earned it a permanent place in Browning marketing as the 1948 engraved “Sweet Sixteen.” 1947 is also the only year the 3 shot 2 ¾ 16ga was marketed in the USA. Getting one of these extremely rare original factory issued guns at a standard gun price is a trophy in itself.
1947 – 1953 “X Prefix Series”
1947: X1001 - X13666
1948: X13667 - X23501
1949: X23502 – X34600
1950: X34601 – X43700
1951: X43701 – X59400
1952: X59401 - X77700
1953: X77701 – X99999
1948Introduction of the “Sweet Sixteen” in script engraved on the receiver. Prior to 1948 no sweet 16 was factory engraved “Sweet Sixteen.” Glen Jensen, Browning Historian took the position with me that the true “Sweet Sixteen” was born when the receiver was engraved “Sweet Sixteen” in 1948. He acknowledged the lightweight A5 16 gauge guns produced between 1936 and 1947 are in fact Sweet Sixteen and identified as such in the factory issued catalogues. If the serial number records archived at Browning indicate the non-engraved guns are a Sweet Sixteen, Glen Jensen would issue a letter on Browning letterhead with an official seal for a fee authenticating the gun as a “Sweet Sixteen.” Since Glen Jensen's retirement in 2014, the Browning Customer Service department continues to provide research on individual guns and if records exist will issue a letter documenting requested information.
1953 – 1954 A - Series 'A' in front of or above the serial number. These guns were a transitional series between the X and the below R/S marked guns.
A1-A958
1953 - 1957 R = Standard Weight, S = Sweet Sixteen
1953:
S 01 – S 3700
R 01 - R 3100
1954:
S 3701 – S 24850
R 3101 - R 20800
1955:
S 24851 – S 49350
R 20801 - R 48750
1956:
S 49351 – S 72300
R 48751 - R 74700
1957:
S 72301 – S 99908
R 74701 – R 99999
1957 – 1958 Second series of 'A' prefix
A Serial Number 01 November 14, 1957 and T Serial Number T229 November 24, 1957
1957-1958 A or T #01 – 10900 A Indicated Sweet Sixteen and T indicated standard 16
1958 – 1967 The single digit precedes the S and R. 8S,8R = 1958, 9S, = 1959, 0S = 1960, 7S =1967
***1958-1977*** FN High Grade Lightweight Series May include the letters following the serial number 'SAC,B,F,N,Z' S/V p81
***1958 #001-17595 These will have a small two digit (year 59 = 1959) number following the serial number. Some have shown up with the entire year stamped instead of the two digit year code.
***1966 - 1977
***17595 - 26022
1964 was the last year of the “R” (4R) Standard Weight A5 16ga.
1968 – 1976 The two digit year precedes the S. 68S = 1968, 76S = 1976
1976 Japanese Production Began, however, FN still produced Browning “Made in Belgium” shotguns into 1984, SV p65. The serial number coding system changed to the serial number preceding the date code. Serial began with 1000 – 99999 followed by the model code 221 Sweet Sixteen and 171 Superlight 16 and two letter year( T=6, R=7, P=8). see Browning Website
19761000 221 RT – Sweet Sixteen
1000 171 RT – Superlight Sixteen
19781000 221 RP – Sweet Sixteen
19871000 221 PR – Sweet Sixteen
