I have a Belgian Browning 16 gauge auto that I inherited from my parents. The Serial number is 1048 59 with the 59 stamped in smaller numbers that the 1048. Barrel length is 29' and it is a full choke.

I'll break it down for you Aaron: 6V - 6 meaning 1966, the year your gun was made. 'V' is the product ID code, in your case, 12ga Mag The number following it is the actual serial number of the gun. The ball or round knob grip is just the style of the day. Browning serial #s (on A5s amoung others) are confusing and were oft changed due to several global and corporate influences. The whole thing goes a little something like this: The first A5s became availble to the US sportsman around 1920 or so. They were available in 12ga only until 1925 when the 16ga came out. In 1937, the Sweet 16 hit the shelves.

Round about WWII, Remington started making model 11s as Belgium was under German occupation. Model 11s are worth about half what A5s are (at best) and the parts are not interchangeable. Back to A5s.in about 1953, Browning brought about 'product ID codes' that consisted basically of a letter before a #. Such as G38000, meaning standard (might be light) 12ga and then the #.

Things got a little more streamline in '58 when they went to the #letter# system. Of course, nobody thought what would happen when they got to 1968 (sort of like the Y2K scare). So from 1958-67, you will see a # that stands for the last digit of the year (in your case 6 meaning 1966), then a letter that IDs what gauge and model the gun is (G for light 12, V for Mag 12, S for Sweet 16 etc etc) and then the actual serial #. In 1968, a few things happened. First, the # before the letter became a two digit #, for example 68V 38000, and for the most part, round knobs went away for one reason or another. This system stayed in use until about 1974 when Browning moved its production to Japan and streamlined the serial system to the one that remains in place today.

Currently (this goes for any browning now made) you can figure out its story by using this little code. You will see a three digit ID code, followed by two letters and then the serial #.

On some models however, you will see the serial # first, then two letters followed by the three dig ID code. I cannot remember which but the code before the letters means it was made in I think Japan and the code after the letters means it was made at the other factory which I think is in Belgium still.might be US I can't remember. Anyway, you can check it all out on Brownings' website just incase you aren't completely confused by now. Thanks guys for the input. That helped a lot. I was confused by Brownings list because they make no mention of the letter designation for Mag. Apparently it's 'V'.

I don't understand why Browning's website doesn't break down the serial numbers better/further. Maybe even they can't keep their serial number history straight. Andy, you also answered two other questions for me; when they switched over to Japan manufacture and when the round knob ceased. I was kinda curious about that. Another question I have is about something I read over on gunsandammomag.com. In May of this year a reader wrote in asking the value for his A5. From his description it appears to be one of the first 10,000 produced.

They only valued it at $525-700. It seems to me that the first 10,000 units would be the holy grail of A5's.

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