Can my gun shoot steel?

[Ellensburg]

Well I inherited some browning semi-autos.


The 20 gauge says " special steel-20 guage - shells 2 3/4""

Im guessing that this means that they can shoot steel shells? I just question it because these guns are quite old. Probably the 60's.

My girlfriend wants to kill a duck, so I am hoping that this is the shotgun for her to use.

Good to go on steel?

[AWS]

I would call Browning and ask them.  If the shotgun has a fixed choke not tubes more than likely it predates Steel Shot that's a giving if it's a full choke.  You can also check with Colonial or Briley and see if they can install Steel Safe choke tubes, it's cheaper than a new gun.  Being as it is only a 2 3/4 chamber it realy limits you on steel shot selection. 

If you don't expect to do a lot of shooting with it RST, Bismuth, Kent and Hevi(classic doubles) make non-toxic ammo for the old shotgun.  It is expensive at $2-$3 per round but kills ducks very well.  I have an old Browning Superposed that I like to hunt with on specia occasions and use the above shells.

AWS

[Cascade_fisher]

Special steel refers to the barrel material not the shot.  If it says Invector chokes you are probably fine but I would call browning and ask about your specific s/n.
Remember steel chokes down one more than normal but my citori chokes show both a steel rating and a lead rating.
Enjoy the gun and good luck with the ducks.

[Buckmark]

This goes back to the beginning of the auto 5 production in 1903. John Cockerill was a British Industrialist whose company supplied high quality steel to Fabrique Nationale (FN) which was the maker of the A-5.

The Cockerill name was first used on Browning barrels stamped "cockerill steel". The steel was a very strong quality that met the proofing requirements of guns that were shooting smokeless powder. Eventually the Cockerill name was dropped from the barrels and "special steel" was used instead.

The FN guns that were not sold to Browning in the US, uses the barrel stamp of "acier special" which means special steel in the French language.

[CP]

I’m assuming that you have a fixed choke A5, if so Browning will tell you no, it can’t be used for steel.  That is a safe answer for them as it can not lead to a lawsuit but reality is yes, if it is choked properly. 

If you have a full choke it will not pattern steel very well and the barrel will most likely develop a bulge just before the choke.  If you have a Mod or looser you should not have a problem shooting steel.  I have 2 A5s that have put 100s of rounds of steel through and there are no ill effects at all, but I’ve had the chokes on them opened up.

[brokenvet]

Short answer is NO.

But that depends on who made the barrel.  Belgian or Japanese.  If Japanese it most likely will have a screw in choke, if so then your good to go to shoot steel.  Just make sure that it is mod or imp cyl choke. 

You can shot steel out the Belgian barrels if it is mod or imp cyl or cyl bore, you just risk gouging the bore and A5 barrels are about $450.   

Take the serial number and got to this site and search which A5's you have.
http://www.browning.com/customerservice/dategun/detail.asp?id=13

I had my Belgian barrel re choke by Carlson's choke.  I think I paid $175.  they cut about 1.5" off the barrel and threaded it to fit a screw in choke and they gave me 3 chokes of my choice.

[mebco09]

Hold on.  Just because you can do something, doesn't mean that you should. 

If the guns are really from the 60's, I would not shoot steel out of them unless they are in 70-80% condition already.  Browning did not make very many 20 gauge A-5s before they got into bed with the Japanese at Miroku in the mid 70s. 

A perfect A5 in 20ga from the 60's is worth over $1,000 wholesale, (around $1,500 retail-at places like Cabelas)  That same gun in 70-80% is worth around $400, so shoot away. 

More information is needed, like serial #range, condition, choke etc.  before you shoot any "old gun".  Im all for using classic guns in the field, just know what you have before you beat up or misuse a collectible gun.