I just got my dad's shotgun that my brother had. It's a Springfield automatic that looks like a Browning. I can't find a model number on it anywhere. Ideas???

You have a Model 720. It was made on the browning Auto 5 Patent under license from Browning. Remington also made a model 11 which was the same gun. either savage or stevens made one model with an aluminum receiver. I have repaired one using parts from a Browning, only requiring some minor hand fitting. Also had one in the shop marked Charles Daley. Had to fit a new barrel, and just used a Browning Auto 5 barrel, I think it was made in the Browning plant in Belgium, as it didn't have any fitting required. www.gunparts.com has a diagram of your Savage in case you need one. Keep it clean and enjoy it. They are well made, and should last your lifetime as well as your Grandkids.

Lee L.

I just got my dad's shotgun that my brother had. It's a Springfield automatic that looks like a Browning. I can't find a model number on it anywhere. Ideas???
Thanks so much! I hope to shoot my first pheasant of the year with that gun. I haven't seen it in 33 years.

You have a Model 720. It was made on the browning Auto 5 Patent under license from Browning. Remington also made a model 11 which was the same gun. either savage or stevens made one model with an aluminum receiver. I have repaired one using parts from a Browning, only requiring some minor hand fitting. Also had one in the shop marked Charles Daley. Had to fit a new barrel, and just used a Browning Auto 5 barrel, I think it was made in the Browning plant in Belgium, as it didn't have any fitting required. www.gunparts.com has a diagram of your Savage in case you need one. Keep it clean and enjoy it. They are well made, and should last your lifetime as well as your Grandkids.

Lee L.
Thanks,
Haven't seen the gun since 1971 when my mom gave it to my brother. He died in January and my sister-in-law had people that wanted to buy his guns. Fortunately she let me know so I could get my late dad's guns. The only times Dad hunted with me he carried that gun. Hope to get my first pheasant this year with it.
Mike

Mike: All the best, I think you will find out that the recoil isn't felt near as much with your Springfield as it would be with a Remington 1100 or the Winchester 1400. Enjoy your hunt, and let us know how the hunt goes.

Lee L.

Mike: All the best, I think you will find out that the recoil isn't felt near as much with your Springfield as it would be with a Remington 1100 or the Winchester 1400. Enjoy your hunt, and let us know how the hunt goes.

Lee L.
Lee,
Ran into problems with the safety and wasn't able to use it for the hunt. Did shoot it for the very first time Friday afternoon. Until the safety problem arose I was shooting better with the 720 than I was with my 870. I'm going back to Nebraska for Thanksgiving and a little bird hunting.
Happy Holidays!
Mike

Mike:
Any gunsmith that is familiar with the Browning Auto 5 can work on the safety. You didn't say what type of problem you were having, so I can't help over the internet. Most of the time the Browning safety can be fixed with a good flushing out of the safety with a good quality cleaner, a lot of times the problem is dried lube stopping the detent ball from moving freely. As you said you had not seen the gun since 1971, and it probably had not been cleaned for at least that long. Like I said before, enjoy that gun, and remember your dad with fond memories every time you take it out.

Lee L.

Mike:
Any gunsmith that is familiar with the Browning Auto 5 can work on the safety. You didn't say what type of problem you were having, so I can't help over the internet. Most of the time the Browning safety can be fixed with a good flushing out of the safety with a good quality cleaner, a lot of times the problem is dried lube stopping the detent ball from moving freely. As you said you had not seen the gun since 1971, and it probably had not been cleaned for at least that long. Like I said before, enjoy that gun, and remember your dad with fond memories every time you take it out.

Lee L.
My brother-in-law is a gunsmith and he took it apart and cleaned it. There was a problem with the detent ball. First it mis-fired when I took the safety off while shooting blue rock. There it wouldn't fire at all. I'm heading back north before Christmas and coming back just before New Years. Should get some more bird hunting in then.

Sounds like everything is comming together, I wish you well, and have a Merry Christmass.

Lee L.