For those Browning fans who have always been torn between brand loyalty and the inertia action’s advantages of reliable, low-maintenance operation, this gun is the answer.

That’s my opinion, but what would John Browning himself thought of the gun named after his most famous shotgun? Browning would have been aware of inertia guns, as the Danish-made Sjorgren Normal used an ungainly version of the system back in 1909. Without doubt the great gun designer would have appreciated the elegant simplicity of the A5’s mechanism. He also would have noticed that the inertia system also allows a gun to be light and trim, especially in the forearm that has only to fit over the magazine tube and can thus be slimmer than a gas gun’s forearm and as slim as an over-under’s. The result is a gun that sits low in your front hand and points naturally. It’s the A5’s light weight, balance and pointability that makes me think John M. would have approved.

Manufacturer: Browning Viana, Portugal
Importer: Browning; (801) 876-2711; www.browning.com
Mechanism Type: inertia-operated, semi-automatic shotgun
Gauge: 12, 3"
Receiver: black anodized aluminum alloy
Overall Length: 495⁄8" (28" barrel)
Barrel Length: 26" (tested), 28", 30"
Weight: 6 lbs., 14 ozs.
Magazine Capacity: TurnKey plug, four
Trigger Pull: single-stage, 
5 lbs., 13 ozs.
Stock: high-gloss walnut: length of pull, 141⁄4"; drop at comb, 13⁄4";drop at heel, 2"
Chokes: interchangeable Invector DS choke: improved cylinder, modified and full
Sights: white mid-rib bead, brass front bead
Accessories: three choke tubes, choke tube wrench, two spacers, extended stock screws, cable lock, instruction manual, ABS plastic case.
Suggested Retail Price: $1,559 (Hunter); $1,399 (Dura-Touch Stalker); $1,559 (Dura-Touch Mossy Oak Duck Blind or Break-Up Infinity)