The legendary magazine Sporting Classics needs little introduction. (Any magazine the regularly reprints classic outdoor tales by authors like Ernest Hemmingway is by definition top drawer.)

In their March /April 2017 issue the SC editors named the Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen as their Shotgun of the Year. Here’s what they had to say about this classic smoothbore from the land of the Buckmark.

L to R: Doug Painter, Rafe Nielsen and Megan Walsh.

“Very seldom does the sequel exceed the stature of the original,” notes senior editor Robert Matthews. “Almost never, in fact. On the other hand, Browning’s reiteration of their old sweet 16 gauge does exactly that.”

“This time it’s an entirely new gun that’s feather-light, smooth handling, and built like you would expect a Browning to be built,” Matthews continues. “Every once in a great while, somebody gets it just right, and that’s what Browning has done with the new ‘Sweet Sixteen.”

“Their new fowling piece is all gun with no fluff,” concluded Matthews. “And (it’s) destined to be an instant classic.”

But don’t just take our word (or Sporting Classics) for it. Stop by your local Browning retailer and handle the A5 Sweet Sixteen for yourself. Feel the gun’s natural balance between your hands. Draw it to your shoulder and give it a few swings. You’ll instantly see that Browning did indeed “…get it just right.”