Friend of mine has a pretty old Browning auto loader 12 guage.  Maybe you guys can help me identify it and find out what it's worth.

Without measuring, the barrel seems to be about 25 inches.  The sides have some nice engraved decoration.  The left side says "Light Twelve."

Just below that the Registered trademark R, and below that says BROWNING and has a tiny picture of who I guess is John Browning.  The only other distinguishing features are on the end of the stock.  It has the letters FN in the middle, and words wrapped around that say BROWNING AUTOMATIC.  

I can provide some more specific details if they'll help, just ask.  Thanks!

I have a Browning autoloading 12, made in about 1930. Same stock markings as yours, but not the engraving on the side. I think the "light 12" might be a slightly different model. When doing some research on mine. I did a web search for "Browning Automatic Shotgun", Browning A5, etc and found the Browning site and various guns for sale listings.

If it is an A5, and this is indeed the serial #, according to Browning's website it was made in 1950.

Here's the Browning site, good place to start:
[url] www.browning.com/homepage/homepage.htm [/url]

Well, according to the serial # it's 1950, but the site also says that FN (who is that, anyway?) took over production in 1952.

Fabrique Nationale of Belgium

FN (Fabrique National de Armes de Guerre of Belguim)is one of the most famous gun companies the world has ever known!

FN did the initial production on these from 1903-1939, stopped when Belguim had a bit of a problem with the Nazi's, and resumed sometime after the war. I read somewhere that John Browning was designing guns for Winchester, but they didn't like his autoloading shotgun idea. So he packed his bags and his shotgun and hopped on a boat to Belguim. They liked it, and the rest is history. The design was made by various manufacturers from 1903-1998.

Learn something new every day.  Thanks.