Speed Shotgun article from..2001!

[Spartan1980]

You did really well for $300. I paid almost double for my 1954 gun with the NXT nut and extension. I then replaced the factory wood with the Stalker furniture, drilled and tapped the barrel for the front sight bead, and replaced the recoil spring and friction pieces. I am into my gun for almost $800. That being said, I like it better than the Benelli guns I have tried. That may be due to the fact that I have shot Auto 5 guns since I was a college student.

Mine would have been collectible as it is one of the first Light Twelve guns with the Speed Feed, but the cut barrel made that moot.

It took me YEARS to find one I didn't feel bad about cutting on. One side of the stock was scratched up pretty bad, as mentioned the forearm was split, and the barrel had some major blueing issues which were mostly on the front 6-9" inches. I cut most of that off. No actual pits or heavy corrosion but it's got a lot of "character". Seems kind of fitting for my intended role actually.

For the forearm I soaked it in acetone overnight, let dry thoroughly, made some adhesion cuts and relieved the crack a bit. Then used acraglass with a single layer of fibreglass cloth. Smoothed it up a little and put about 6 or 8 coats coats of pure tung oil. If it breaks again I'll go to a synthetic. It's really a shame this gun was treated so bad, it had very nice American looking dark walnut, not the normal lighter European walnut.

I snapped these as I started dremeling on the inside.




@P.E. Kelly, that article is what got me looking for one of these in the first place.

[P.E. Kelley]

Kind of a bummer that the Auto 5 has gained unearned collector status, they made millions of them!

I used to buy every one I saw that could be had for 200 bucks, now everyone thinks "ooooo collector's item"
why? cause it is old?...well hell some of us posting must be collector items too!

[farscott]

Kind of a bummer that the Auto 5 has gained unearned collector status, they made millions of them!

I used to buy every one I saw that could be had for 200 bucks, now everyone thinks "ooooo collector's item"
why? cause it is old?...well hell some of us posting must be collector items too!

Auto-5 guns in my area are seldom offered for sale. Those who have them keep them and pass them down to other family members. I still see them in the fields during dove season and at the gunsmith for detail cleaning/maintenance. Saw a Belgium gun that was well worn and/or abused this weekend at the LGS for repair.

[TR675]

I keep seeing them at a local pawn shop’s website for $3-400, but they disappear in a day or two.


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[BN]

Cool article. I saw the ad for Gun Games magazine. I miss that magazine.

I'm still running my old 1100. I guess I'm not fast enough to out run it.

I drag it out once or twice a year for a side match.

[Spartan1980]

Kind of a bummer that the Auto 5 has gained unearned collector status, they made millions of them!

I used to buy every one I saw that could be had for 200 bucks, now everyone thinks "ooooo collector's item"
why? cause it is old?...well hell some of us posting must be collector items too!

I hear what you are saying, but in my area it's the fact that they are old and not made any more. Lots of folks consider them collectible.

Of course you are correct in your point, you can even still find Belgian guns on gunbroker in unfired condition and in factory packaging pretty easily. For me not want to cut one up it was mostly the craftsmanship and build quality of them. Being an "ex-machinist" myself I would sort of feel like I was insulting someone's efforts. I want to say you can't get that in new guns today but in reality build quality today is a lot better, it's just "different". My Benelli Vincy doesn't give the same vibe that the Auto-5 does and it's an even better build. My 590A1 has a trigger that may well be better than all of my rifles.

I also have my grandfather's Sweet 16 and it's in pristine condition. Seriously, it's basically blemish free. He was too proud of it and afraid of messing it up, so he didn't shoot it much. Note that the only shooting he did was hunting. I don't hunt with it in the brush. Sitting on a dove field? You betcha, just like he did. Shoot some sporting clays? Absolutely, lots planned. I just bought several cases of 16ga ammo at a deal I couldn't pass up. I plan on shooting them all.

[P.E. Kelley]

Please gentlemen, my comment about old Auto5's was not meant as a personal affront!

You treat your guns your way and I'll do with mine as I please as well.

To me they are just tools to be enjoyed. Who gets them when I am done and what value they have
will be decided when that time comes.

[RevolverRob]

To me they are just tools to be enjoyed. Who gets them when I am done and what value they have
will be decided when that time comes.

Well, when you get to that time, I'm happy to give the Auto-5 you posted above (and any others like it) a home in my safe.

[Balisong]

Very cool article Mr. Kelley!
I know very little about this aspect of shotguns so that was enlightening.

If I may ask: in the article you mentioned that the 1100 cycle rate is 14 hundredths, and the M1 is 13 hundredths. Did you ever find out what it was for the auto 5 or X2? I apologize if I missed that, I was reading on my phone so it's possible I missed it while scrolling left and right and up and down.

Also, since some time has passed, have you done any of those tests on newer generation shotguns? I'm particularly interested in the Benelli M4 as I'm considering getting one of those for HD, but I'd be interested to hear about the 1301 as well.
Thank you!