Issue with 50 cal Browning Mountain Rifle

[tjiann]

Just thought I'd check with folks here before I seek out a gunsmith. I have a Browning Mountain Rifle, caplock, single set trigger. This thing is near new condition, hardly ever shot before I bought it a few months back. I was out last week and put ~30 rounds through it just fine, then all of a sudden it failed to stay fully cocked. I took it apart and cleaned/lubed everything. Still no luck. It will stay in half-cocked position fine, but will not stay fully cocked. I messed a bit with the sear spring and ended up breaking that, but luckily was able to pick up a few spares off a guy on Ebay. Put in the new spring, but no change. Not sure there's much more I can do before taking it to a gunsmith, but thought I'd pick your brains here in case others have run into this problem. Thanks.

 

[Doco Overboard]

Sounds like the trigger set may be out of adjustment.
Look and see if it has an external screw adjustment. Maybe at / near the bottom of the trigger plate.

 

[John from MD]

Just thought I'd check with folks here before I seek out a gunsmith. I have a Browning Mountain Rifle, caplock, single set trigger. This thing is near new condition, hardly ever shot before I bought it a few months back. I was out last week and put ~30 rounds through it just fine, then all of a sudden it failed to stay fully cocked. I took it apart and cleaned/lubed everything. Still no luck. It will stay in half-cocked position fine, but will not stay fully cocked. I messed a bit with the sear spring and ended up breaking that, but luckily was able to pick up a few spares off a guy on Ebay. Put in the new spring, but no change. Not sure there's much more I can do before taking it to a gunsmith, but thought I'd pick your brains here in case others have run into this problem. Thanks.

Assuming you don't have a adjustment screw for the sear, here are two things to check. 1, check the sear and see if the nose has broken off. Check to see if the Hammer screw and sear screws are tight.

 

[tjiann]

Sounds like the trigger set may be out of adjustment.
Look and see if it has an external screw adjustment. Maybe at / near the bottom of the trigger plate.

Yeah, that was my first check. It's adjusted well. But even out of the gun it won't lock back.

 

[John from MD]

Here is an old thread that may help.

Browning Mountain Rifle won't stay at full cock; Parts?

Browning Mountain Rifle won't stay at full cock; Parts?

www.cascity.com

 

[tjiann]

Assuming you don't have a adjustment screw for the sear, here are two things to check. 1, check the sear and see if the nose has broken off. Check to see if the Hammer screw and sear screws are tight.

Yeah, no sear adjustment screw, and all screws are tight. Sear seems fully intact. Just doesn't want to sit on that back notch of the tumbler.

 

[tjiann]

Here is an old thread that may help.

Browning Mountain Rifle won't stay at full cock; Parts?

Browning Mountain Rifle won't stay at full cock; Parts?

www.cascity.com

Thanks John. That's a useful thread.

 

[The Saint]

Probably blew the tumbler notch; I've done it in my T/C Hawken after literally over a thousand balls down range. Rebuilt the lock last year and it's better than ever.

 

[tjiann]

Probably blew the tumbler notch; I've done it in my T/C Hawken after literally over a thousand balls down range. Rebuilt the lock last year and it's better than ever.

Thanks. Not much of a notch to begin with, so I can see how it would easily wear to the point that the sear won't catch. I'm going to try a little filling on it. If that doesn't work, will need to get it rebuilt. Big issue is no available replacement parts on the Browning's.

 

[jt2100r]

check the stock behind the lock. maybe the trigger or lock moved

 

[Doco Overboard]

Tumbler /sear easy to file could be the problem if it's not been hardened correctly.
Some of the small lock parts are hard to get just right.
I bet someone has lock parts that are direct replacements or can be modified as such.
Good luck getting it patched up. (pun not intended)

 

[John from MD]

Contact Dixon's Muzzleloading shop in Kempton PA. They may be able to give you an idea about a replacement tumbler. (610) 756-6271

 

[tjiann]

Thanks all. Appreciate all of your feedback and wisdom.

Update. A little judicious filing on the tumbler and sear tip (with some small files I have for working on guitar frets, and now apparently guns), along with some tension adjustment in the sear spring seems to have done the trick. Rifle is back to full function. Now for a range test in the next few days to see how it holds.

 

[jt2100r]

Hopefully you fixed it