Lucky Brother

gunjunkie

The other day, my little brother was doing a little side job for a lady he used to work for.
She just wanted her patio furniture put up for Winter. It only took an hour and a half of easy work, and she gave him a fifty dollar bill.
He got in his truck and was pulling out, when she came out and stopped him, then asked if he was into guns. She's a widow, and told him she tried to give her husband's guns to her two sons in law, but they were liberals(not from around here), and didn't want them. So she gave them to my brother, and wouldn't take anything for them.
He didn't even open the cases till he got home.
They ended up being two identical Winchester model 96 20 ga over/unders, and a Browning (FN) Auto 5, that dates to 1932, all in great condition.
He gave me one of the 96s for $200 that he had owed me for awhile, so I did pretty good too.
Now I'm workin on scorin that hump back.

Terry_P

That 96 is a fine looking O/U. Were they consecutive serial #'s?

north country gal

Once in a lifetime deal. The Auto 5 is the more valuable and collectible gun and if in good condition, probably worth more than both 96s. The 96s were good shooters, though, basically a more affordable 101, so get out and shoot them. Congrats.

gunjunkie

No, that's the first thing I checked. I hoped they were, but I would've had to let him sell them if they were. Wouldn't want to break up a set, and sure don't need 2.
Yeah, the 96 was a workin man's 101, and it'll be gettin used quite a bit, between dove and clay pigeons.
The Auto 5 isn't worth what it could be, which is in my favor if I buy it. The bluing looks original with light use, but the wood has been replaced with late model high gloss furniture, typical of the 80s & 90s, with a plastic butt plate that says Browning instead of FN. It's fairly common for the foregrip to get cracked on these. Maybe someone replaced them as a set. It sure is pretty though, and I'd never sell it anyway.

north country gal

Yup, collector value has left the building, then, on the A5, but still love the way they shoot. Way back in the day, carried a 30s vintage A5 for pheasants and, other than the weight, thought I had died and gone to heaven. Bought it cheap from an old farmer I knew who kept it by the back door to ground shoot pheasants when they came into the yard. The forearm on that one was not cracked because I doubt that old guy even knew how to take off the barrel and I suspect he never cleaned it, either. Still in great shape, though, because he seldom walked outdoors with it.

Years, later, carried a Japanese Light Twenty which I also very much enjoyed. All in all, I can't think of any other pump or auto so solidly made as an A5. No cheap or flimsy anything on them, no aluminum, plastic, no alloy anything. Pure wood and steel. They absolutely don't make them like that, anymore

Dennis H

You lucky dog!