I’ve hunted long enough to know that choosing between two great shotguns can feel like trying to pick a favorite dog. You might lean one way for a particular season, but deep down you know there’s no wrong answer. That’s exactly how I feel about the Browning A5 and the Browning Maxus II.

I’ve spent plenty of time behind both, and while they share some family traits, they have very different personalities. The A5 is instinctive and almost telepathic when it comes to pointing. The Maxus II is smooth, soft-shooting, and built for long days of heavy shells. Each one does its job so well that it makes it tough to leave the other behind.

The name “A5” has roots that go back over a century, but this is not your grandfather’s Auto-5. Browning kept the familiar humpback profile and that instantly recognizable sight plane, but everything inside has been modernized.

The A5 runs on Browning’s Kinematic Drive System, a recoil-operated mechanism that cycles cleanly and consistently across a wide range of loads. It’s fast, simple, and famously reliable — so much so that Browning backs it with a 100,000-round or five-year guarantee.

When I shoulder an A5, I don’t have to think about aiming. That humpback design naturally draws my eye down the rib and onto the bird. For quick, erratic targets there’s nothing quite like it.

Part of what makes the A5 so confidence-inspiring is how balanced it feels. The gun comes alive in your hands. Its long sight plane makes it easier to swing through a target, and the stock geometry gives it an almost intuitive point of aim. It also benefits from a few subtle modern touches that add up in the field: Speed Load Plus lets you thumb the first shell straight into the magazine and chambers it without breaking rhythm, while the Inflex II Recoil Pad soaks up the bite of heavy loads.

The back-bored barrel and Invector-DS choke system produce the kind of patterns you expect from a Browning — uniform and dense — whether you’re shooting steel, bismuth, or lead. Even after hundreds of rounds, the action stays clean and consistent. There’s a reason waterfowl guides and diehard dove hunters alike still swear by it.

The A5’s personality is fast and reactive. It’s a gun that rewards muscle memory and instinct more than adjustment or thought. When I grab it, I know I’m chasing birds that move unpredictably — teal, dove, or maybe a few late-season goldeneyes that dart in and out of the decoys before you can blink. It’s also a great crossover shotgun for upland hunters who prefer a well-balanced field gun. The humpback looks old-school, but it’s not just nostalgia, it works. There’s real function in that form.

The Maxus II is pure, modern refinement. This is Browning’s most advanced gas-operated shotgun, and the way it handles recoil is what separates it from the rest of the lineup. The heart of the gun is the Power Drive Gas System, which vents gases efficiently to reduce felt recoil and cycle a wide range of loads with ease. I love the A5, but when I’m running heavy 3½-inch shells — the kind that can turn a shoulder into hamburger by lunch — I reach for the Maxus II. It’s softer-shooting, and that makes a significant difference on those long, cold mornings in a layout blind when every shot counts.

Browning didn’t just make it comfortable; they made it customizable. Stock spacers and shims are included to adjust the length of pull, cast, and drop. The Maxus II’s stock is also trim-to-fit so that you can dial in an even shorter length of pull. Composite models also come with a SoftFlex cheek pad, Inflex II recoil pad, and over molded rubber grip panels that make it secure even when your gloves are soaked, and your fingers are frozen.

The controls — the bolt handle, bolt release, and trigger guard — are oversized for practicality in real hunting conditions. The Lightning Trigger has a crisp break and fast lock time, helping you stay on target when the shooting gets fast. Inside, key parts have a nickel Teflon™ coating for smooth operation and corrosion resistance. The chamber and bore are treated to an extremely durable black nitride finish that resists wear and corrosion.

I particularly love the Magazine Cut-Off feature of the Maxus II, which allows me to unload the chamber and swap my primary shell. For example, suppose I have a multi-species hunt and would rather use a different load on an incoming bird. In that case, this system is especially great for mixing in or out of those precious bismuth loads without accidentally cycling a shell from the magazine.

In short, the Maxus II feels like the kind of shotgun you could shoot all day and still want to shoot tomorrow. It’s the autoloader for the hunter who doesn’t want to compromise comfort for power. Whether I’m chasing honkers over cut corn or hammering snow geese under gray skies, the Maxus II keeps my shoulder intact and my follow-ups sharp. It’s also just fun to shoot — smooth, balanced, and steady in recoil.

When you set the two side by side, it’s easy to see they come from the same bloodline. Both share Browning’s signature barrel design, both use the Inflex recoil pad, both proudly wear the Speed Load Plus badge, and both have that unmistakable Browning build quality that lasts for generations. They speak different dialects of the same language.

The A5’s Kinematic Drive gives crisp, mechanical feedback that seasoned shooters tend to love, simple and satisfying. The Maxus II's Power Drive Gas System is smoother and more forgiving when shooting of heavier loads. The A5 points itself; the Maxus II pampers you.

Over time, I’ve learned that recoil systems have personalities. The A5’s recoil action gives a firmer impulse is direct and snappy, and it helps you feel connected to the shot. The Maxus II’s gas action, by contrast, softens that impulse and spreads it out, making it ideal for marathon hunts or high-volume days. The A5 requires almost no cleaning thanks to its simpler internals, while the Maxus II’s gas system benefits from a quick wipe-down after long shooting sessions.

Both are tough, field-proven, and easy to live with; it’s really the feedback you want from your gun. If you like a shotgun that becomes an extension of your eye — one that rewards quick reactions and snap shooting — you’ll fall for the A5. If you’re a volume shooter who values comfort, versatility, and a soft recoil pulse, the Maxus II will probably feel like home.

When I think back over the hunts I’ve shared with each of them, I realize the pattern is simple. The A5 comes along when I expect chaos — birds flaring at odd angles, shooting from awkward positions, or trying to connect on a streak of feathers that only appears for half a second. The Maxus II rides with me when I know the day will be long, the loads will be heavy, and the birds will require patience and power. They’ve both earned their spots in my safe.

So, which one should you choose? If you’re asking me, both are Browning autoloaders built with purpose, and both excel at it. The better question is what kind of shooter you are — instinctive and fast, or steady and deliberate? The A5 and Maxus II answer that question differently, but they both get it right.

And if you’re still torn, I’ve got one final piece of advice — maybe the worst financial advice I can give, but the best hunting advice I know: Buy both, you can never have too many shotguns.