Browning A5 vs. Maxus

Yingpin · Sep 25, 2017

I have read all of the threads on this and I am still torn between these two. Pricing locally is similar enough and I have found one store that has them both. They both fit well and feel great.

Have not met anyone who shoots the Maxus for waterfowl hunting but I have met quite a few who shoot the A5. Maybe that is the answer?

Anyway, I have purchased a lot of firearms online but always C&R vendors. Never purchased a new firearm from Gunbroker. I can find the A5 from dealers new in box for about $300 less with free shipping. Is there any risk to doing it this way?

Although I have not checked with our vendors on here, the local shops and chains have the A5 but not the Maxus and they are listed much higher.

Racer Doug14 · Sep 26, 2017

I have the Maxus. I love it. 26" bbl in Duckblind. Never a problem with it. The only problem would be magazine will only hold 3 when unplugged. Only an issue if hunting snows. A friend that has the new A5. Very nice gun, but I don't like the high hump receiver. Ive used 11-87 and SBE2 before. I liked the maxus right away. Shoots 3.5s soft. The Maxus shares the same action as the Silver and Winchester SX3&SX4. The SX3 is a nice option too. Basically a maxus with a normal mag tube. Might be cheaper. Clyde's in Arbutus has them, they are not great on price. Cabelas is an option in DE,no sales tax.
The A5 will cost more than any other Browning.
Gunbroker should be easy. Just shop your LGS for transfer fees. $40-50 seems normal. You'll have to ask them their policies before buying. You'll need the FFL#.

Racer Doug14 · Sep 26, 2017

I think Browning is offering a $100 rebate right now.

Augie · Sep 27, 2017

Before I purchased either of those shotguns I would take a look at the Fabarm Waterfowler.

https://fabarmusa.com/xlr5-waterfowler/

pbharvey · Sep 27, 2017

I shoot waterfowl with a maxus. It's a great gun. You're welcome to shoot it at PG Trap and skeet. I'll be there every Tuesday evening for the next 9 weeks.

Racer Doug14 · Sep 27, 2017

Augie said:
Before I purchased either of those shotguns I would take a look at the Fabarm Waterfowler.

https://fabarmusa.com/xlr5-waterfowler/

Why? Browning is a proven waterfowl shotty. 4 of my 6 friends have Brownings. Not one problem. Based on msrp, they're probably close in price.

Yingpin · Sep 27, 2017

I think the guns by fabarms look pretty nice but they have the same suggested MSRP as the Browning line. I have always been partial to browning and narrowed it down to the A5 and Maxus from Benelli and Beretta.

I have been going back and forth on the two and if I was looking for an upland or trap/skeet/sporting clays gun I love the look of the Browning Maxus. I was able to shoulder both and based on some research I have decided on the A5 for this go around. pbharvey, thank you for the offer, I have not been to PG for some time but used to shoot sporting clays there when I was in high school! Maybe we can shoot up there when the gun comes in?

I am trying to take advantage of the extra $100 rebate that ends on 9/30. I found the A5 Max 5 NIB for $1249, free shipping and no sales tax. Plus the $100 rebate It was the best deal I could find. I have to pay a $30 transfer fee but still great price. Cydes had them for $1549 and Dicks for $1449

metalman3006 · Sep 27, 2017

I got the A-5 and I love it. I grew up shooting an old a-5 and even though it is not the same functionally it feels and points the same to me. I am really ruff on my stuff and it has held up well and I have not had any issues except I have bent my vent rib on my barrel a few times. The spacing between supports is to wide and it bends easily, I worry it may break at some point. A lot of my friends have the Maxus one needs to send his back because the barrel wont come out anymore. One other had an issue but I cant remember and I believe it was minor. My friends that have the new A-5 have had no issues.

Racer Doug14 · Sep 27, 2017

I dont know how Clyde's stays in business with the prices they charge. I remember going there and asking if they matched another LGS? Response was.." Maybe you should buy it there." I did. They must make ends selling lures and trot lines.

MM3006, your friend need to clean their guns! JK, sound like they use the snot out of them.

metalman3006 · Sep 27, 2017

Racer Doug14 said:
I dont know how Clyde's stays in business with the prices they charge. I remember going there and asking if they matched another LGS? Response was.." Maybe you should buy it there." I did. They must make ends selling lures and trot lines.

MM3006, your friend need to clean their guns! JK, sound like they use the snot out of them.

I asked a local guy to meet knock off $150 from their already ridiculously high price tag and they told be to get lost, I got it off gunbrokers for $450 less then they were asking including transfer fee.

PapiBarcelona · Sep 27, 2017

I had a Maxus for triple shoots, but I sold it. Wasn't doing enough triple shoots to really want to keep it. No hunting experience.

It's basically the same gun as the Winchester SX3 and the FN SLP

Jollyllama · Sep 27, 2017

I have had an A5 in 3" for a couple years now and love it. Felt like it pointed better for me than the maxus. It has been trouble free with minimal maintenance. After a couple hundred heavier shells it cycles even cheap light target loads.

Doco Overboard · Sep 27, 2017

Did a temporary fix on a Maxus by throwing it in the mud and running the quad over it the opposite way. A guy fell on it getting into the pit. Right at the wrist and body. It was the second goose hunt it was on, brand new. Later on I cold hammered out and peened out the recoil spring tube with a mandrel to get it to repeat. The guys still shooting it with a little cast off. That was about two or three years ago. Guys down below are hard on their stuff, prolly never been cleaned yet either.
Somebody told me it was an expensive shotgun, I don't know, the back up Stoeger seemed like close to the same thing. I was surprised at how easy it was to get running again.

Doco Overboard · Sep 27, 2017

Did a temporary fix on a Maxus by throwing it in the mud and running the quad over it the opposite way. A guy fell on it getting into the pit. Right at the wrist and body. It was the second goose hunt it was on, brand new. Later on I cold hammered out and peened out the recoil spring tube with a mandrel to get it to repeat. The guys still shooting it with a little cast off. That was about two or three years ago. Guys down below are hard on their stuff, prolly never been cleaned yet either.
Somebody told me it was an expensive shotgun, I don't know, the back up Stoeger seemed like close to the same thing. I was surprised at how easy it was to get running again.

Yingpin · Sep 27, 2017

Racer Doug14 said:
I dont know how Clyde's stays in business with the prices they charge. I remember going there and asking if they matched another LGS? Response was.." Maybe you should buy it there." I did. They must make ends selling lures and trot lines.

MM3006, your friend need to clean their guns! JK, sound like they use the snot out of them.

Agreed, they are high. I had asked if he would take less if I paid cash and he declined stating they are as low as they can go.

I am not surprised, they have a Winchester M1 Garand for sale that has a USGI stock (cant remember the cartouche), Win Trigger group, and barrel pretty nice with a lot of Winchester parts but they wanted $2K. Also had a Saginaw Carbine with similar parts and again$2K

Racer Doug14 · Sep 28, 2017

Cabelas. This version has some nice upgrades. Choketubes,bolt handle and bolt release. Cerakote.

metalman3006 · Sep 28, 2017

$1250 free shipping

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/702219699

Racer Doug14 · Sep 28, 2017

Fun spending other people's money!��
That's a good price.
I'd go 28".

Yingpin · Sep 28, 2017

Racer Doug14 said:
Fun spending other people's money!��
That's a good price.
I'd go 28".

Thats where I got it. It should be here tomorrow. I went with the 28" 3.5 Max 5. Lowest price by far even before the rebate. Northern Firearms sent updates every step of the way which was great since this was my first Gunbroker purchase. Thats what I was originally worried about in my first post.

Looking forward to getting to the range. Does Baltimore County Game and Fish have public trap night?

Jollyllama · Oct 2, 2017

Not sure. But loch raven has a great skeet and trap facility. Can even bring your own ammo.

Browning A5 vs. Maxus

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