A5 Sweet Sixteen

Reviving the legendary 'Gentleman's Gauge' on a dedicated, scaled-down receiver, this modern inertia-driven autoloader delivers on the old promise of carrying like a twenty and hitting like a twelve. Browning built this on an aluminum alloy receiver proportioned specifically for the 16-gauge shell rather than adapting it to an existing 12-gauge frame. Paired with a lightweight profile barrel, the result is an upland gun that hovers around five and three-quarter pounds, making it one of the most effortless field guns to haul through switchgrass and CRP all day.

Inside, the traditional long-recoil mechanism of the original Auto-5 is replaced by Browning's Kinematic Drive inertia system. It cycles clean and fast across a wide range of standard field loads without dumping carbon into the action, though shooting light target loads may occasionally require careful shell selection during break-in. The iconic humpback receiver provides a flat, natural sighting plane that acquires flushing roosters instantly. Recoil is snappier than what you would feel on a heavier gas-operated gun, but the proprietary Inflex II recoil pad does honest work softening high-brass pheasant ammunition.

The real constraint is the gauge itself. Finding quality 16-gauge ammunition at standard retail shops remains a challenge, and shell prices consistently outpace standard 12- and 20-gauge options. Still, for hunters who walk long miles behind pointing dogs and want dense, square shot patterns without the shoulder fatigue of carrying a heavier gun, it fills an upland niche that few competitors even attempt to contest.