safe or not safe to shoot?
 

Most likely I won't be shooting this gun but I was curious on what kind of feedback I would end up getting on this matter. My dad has a old shotgun that is about 30-33 years old (its older then I am anyway). It is a Browning Semi and its in fairly good condition(kept clean and well taken care of)but would it be safe to shoot still or no?

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

Can't say without visually looking it over. If ya gotta ask though, bring it to a gunsmith to examine.

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

By all meanstake it to a qualified gunsmith and let him check it out. Pays to be safe!

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

im not sure because i cant see it but you can take it to a certified gunsmith

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

Thanks for the feedback. I definetly don't plan to shoot with it until I do have it checked out but as i said, just wanted to get some feedback here first :)

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

30 years old is nothing for a semi browning auto-5. As long as nothing is broke, or cracked, why not?

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

as long as it aint broke it should work. i regularly hunt with a winchest model 50. made sometime in the 50's or early 60's...has a plain barrel and mod choked barrel..i love that gun and shoot it amazingly well. dove, grouse, squirrels, bunnys pheasants, woodcock and even a fall turkey died death due to me and that gun. the fall turkey was at an amazing distance. i had no idea it was as far as it was but it was well over 30yds. 1 shot rolled it too. ive fired 100s of rounds from it in the dove field..funtions great..i love it.

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

I must be old or something :). Most of my guns are 30+ years old.

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

Sheesh, every thing I have was made in the 50s n 60s....I wouldn't
part with them!
Dan

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

I have a 1970 model Browning A-5 that I would not hesitate to use as my primary shotgun. Yes, it has been used and shows some wear, but it is as mechanically sound as my "newer" Benellis.

In my opinion, the age of a gun is meaningless. The condition should be your only concern.

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

You can't argue with safety, but being realistic 30yrs isn't old for a gun thats been well cared for.
I have a 22 thats stamped 1933, and plenty of 303 brits show up at our deer camp, I think your big fear is steel shot thru a soft barrel.
I'd bet its fine for upland birds with lead shot, just check before firing steel shot at waterfowl.

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

I wouldn't have any problem using, as long as it looked in good shape.
I have a 12 gauge double that my dad gave me when I was 12 (1967) and a Remington 552 Speedmaster that I bought myself when I was 16 (1971).

Growing up in the country, where I could walk out the back door and go hunting, these were my "go to" guns until I was 25 or so. I bet they were used more in the first 10 years that I had them then most guns get used in a lifetime...In fact, I wore the sear and trigger out on the 552, shooting so much...Both of these guns get used each year, no problems.

Dang, I'm getting old too, I just remembered my Remington 1100...Bought it while in college, I graduated in 1977...So its better than 30 years old as well...Still in great shape.:D

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

At 33 yrs. old, the way I do math would put it about 1974. I wouldn't have much thoughts about shooting that gun. Like has been stated here, if it seems to function and cycle O.K., I'd have at it. It's still a 'youngun'.

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

If it has been well cared for and has not been damaged or altered in any way, it certainly IS safe to shoot. It's really NOT very old - I regularly shoot rifles with heavy loads that are at least three times older than that, with no problems at all.......

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

A friend of mine brought back a old matchlock rifle from Yemen and we shoot it. We arwe even planning on taking it out to shoot a doe with it next year just to be able to say we shot something with a gun that old. Most of my guns are at least 20 years old and they are as good if not better than the new ones. 30 years old is not old for a gun at all.

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

I've got shoes older than that!

RE: safe or not safe to shoot?
 

RH, when I was engaged to my wife back in 1967, she bought me a BRN A-5 at Sears for that X-Mas. It came with 28" ribbed barrel. Over the years I have bought a Plain 30" barrel and a Hastings Fully Rifled barrel, which is the barrel in the picture.

I have shot 100's of Quail, Doves, Ducks with it. I have also taken many Turkeys, Hogs and Deer with it. It still has all the original parts on it, including bushings.

I always cleaned it and lubed it after a day in the fieldshooting it. Hey, it's 40yrs old and it still shoots like the first day!:)