1954 BELGIAN BROWNING AUTO 5 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN

SERIAL NUMBER: H2502. BARREL: 23 1/2". GAUGE: 2 GA. CHOKE: CYL. CHAMBER: 2 3/4". LOP: 14 3/4". MANUFACTURED: 1954. The 1954 Belgian Browning Auto-5 Standard Weight 12-gauge is a legendary, long-recoil semi-automatic shotgun manufactured by Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Herstal, Belgium. Renowned for its world-class craftsmanship, this era of production features a deeply blued, hand-milled steel receiver accented with light factory scroll engraving and premium European walnut furniture. The firearm is equipped with a distinct round-knob pistol grip stock, a cross-bolt safety behind the trigger, and a mechanical magazine cut-off lever on the left side of the receiver. The defining physical characteristic of the Auto-5 is its high, squared-off receiver profile, famously nicknamed "The Humpback." This unique silhouette serves a functional purpose by extending the shooter's sightline flat across the top of the frame directly down the barrel. Internally, the shotgun relies on John Browning's innovative long-recoil system, where the entire barrel and bolt move backward together upon firing to cycle the action, regulated safely by a customizable brass friction ring assembly hidden beneath the wooden forend. Because the specific serial number (H2502) sits at the very beginning of the 1954 standard-weight production run, it represents the debut year of FN's revamped letter-code indexing system. Combined with a rare original factory manual, this shotgun is a highly collectible piece of firearms history that embodies the peak of mid-century Belgian manufacturing. While its 23 ?" barrel measurement deviates from standard American export lengths, it remains a fascinating testament to either custom period tailoring or a unique European-market specification. CONDITION: Good. The metal has a very nice patina. The wood stocks appear to have been refinished at some point. The forend has two small cracks at the receiver end. The bore is bright and smooth. Operates normally. C&R 26-710