Ups & Downs

[Displaced_Vol]

Been an interesting day. Went to a semi local gun shop and got a new A5 Sweet 16. Been back and forth about a couple other new bird guns but finally found one of these in a store and decided I was going to go with it. Got a case of dove/target loads and some pheasant shells at a pretty good price to go with it too.
Got it home and finally set to getting it cleaned up this afternoon. Got all the packing geese cleaned out and put it back together. Cycled the gun a couple times and I heard an odd metallic noise. Point the barre at the ground and a small black piece of metal slides out the barrel.
The damn extractor broke off the front of the bolt assembly. Literally broke in half.
Called Browning. On hold for a little bit. Not terrible. Got bounced around a couple times before I got to who I needed. Gentleman said they were mailing me a new bolt assembly on Monday. (just the front part not the entire bolt carrier I don't believe/ forgive me if my terms aren't right).
Hope it gets here before next Friday.
I was pretty jacked about this thing. From a little bit of internet research it looks like some of these new renditions of A5s have issues with the bolt and extractor. We'll see how it goes.

 

[DaveTN]

At least they are sending you the part, many won't do that, they make you send it in. Hope that fixes the problem. Having a new gun not function properly really sucks.

 

[Coltens]

Hopefully that fixes it and you're good to go for dove opener

 

[vonb]

Hate hearing a new item is broken from the get go. It seems like the older stuff was just made with more and better steel. Dad's old A5 Light Twelve sounds like a bank vault with the bolt slams home.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

It's a great looking and handling gun. I really almost went with a new benelli but when I got to the store, the one I wanted had some rust marks on the barrel. So I punted on that idea and went to the sweet 16.
I love the idea of the 16 gauge. A perfect in between gauge, they're not as popular anymore but that's part of the appeal to me. Plus my grandfather shot one and one day I'll hopefully end up with his 1100 16 gauge. So that will help justify the added cost of shells too.

Part of life I reckon and this is a text book example of a first world problem I realize-

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

When u hunt with a 28 Gauge you will never want to hunt with anything else again.

The 16 Gauge is a Gateway. Never understood why it never took. Great round.

Congrats

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Well I got the replacement bolt assembly. It arrived Wednesday. Had to order a set of roll pin punches because the bolt on the sweet 16 is different than the 12 and requires a roll pin punch to knock out the firing pin retaining pin… called Browning again before I took this job on and they walked me through it. Was fairly straight forward and 15 minutes later I had a brand new bolt with the new assembly & extractor on the front. Put the gun back together and cycled it easy a couple times. Then I hit the bolt latch to hold it open, pressed the bolt release button and sheared off the brand new extractor just like the original. I don't know what, but something ain't right.

 

[DaveTN]

pressed the bolt release button and sheared off the brand new extractor just like the original.

That sucks. Looks like a trip back to the factory.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

That sucks. Looks like a trip back to the factory.

That's what I am thinking too-
I had hoped to call them Friday but I got too busy so I'll give them a call tomorrow morning. My hope now is that they can get it fixed and back to me before I head to Kansas in November. I feel pretty confident they'll make it right but it's just a little frustrating

 

[EastTNHunter]

Man, I really hate that for you. It has to be frustrating

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Dropped the gun off today for a ride to Missouri.
I'll say this- as frustrating as the issue has been, Browning Customer Service has been nothing but good up to this point. I'm never on hold long, I appreciate speaking to folks from the US that know what they're talking about and they've given me 0 hassle about trying to fix my issue. I actually got my rebate check in the mail today and I just bought the gun on 8/25, I thought that was pretty dang quick.
We'll see what happens when they get ahold of it. Hopefully turn around times not too terribly long on that front.

 

[infoman jr.]

Your extractor obviously shouldn't have broken, but I never drop a semi-auto bolt on an empty chamber.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Your extractor obviously shouldn't have broken, but I never drop a semi-auto bolt on an empty chamber.

I've never known that to be an issue, but maybe that's a thing and I've just never heard it?

I've got 2 franchi semi autos, one old one new and I don't do it a ton but it's never been a problem with them. I've had the affinity for 10 years or so now and the old Al 48 is probably 40 years old. In my hunting group we've got another new A5 (12 gauge), couple benellis, browning maxus and a weatherby and I know they've all done it some too.
I was afraid I hadn't put it together correctly and it was slamming into a part of the barrel or something. But, the second time I was extra careful to read through and get it back together just as the manual said.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Well…still no A5. Waiting on a back ordered barrel apparently. A month ago that shipment was supposed to arrive anyday. Two weeks ago it was supposed to arrive in a week and I may have the gun back a week after that. That should have been this week.
Headed to Kansas tomorrow. Maybe I'll have it back before the 2024 dove opener-

 

[Displaced_Vol]

According to Browning it's on its way home. Should be at the house on Monday and it requires a signature. 1- I am surprised and glad they can send it straight to me. 2. I am very hopeful the tracking is correct because I can work from home mondays. Fingers crossed fellas

 

[Displaced_Vol]

It's back home and all seems to be good. Browning had it just a little over 3 months.
Shot 3 boxes of shells yesterday after work and it worked fine. Well, it had a couple FTFs but I was shooting cheap target loads and this is the first time it's been shot so I'm not sweating that too much. It's a very light gun so it had a little kick to it but not too bad. Hopefully get it out on a couple bird hunts this year. Maybe a good weather duck hunt if I can find some bismuth or steel shot.