BLR fail to fire

Discussion in 'Browning BLR Rifle' started by sdowns, Jan 6, 2014.

  1. sdowns

    sdowns Copper BB

    Picked up a blr lightning used. Friend won it in a gun show about 12 years ago but never fired until this year. He fired no more than 10 rds. He had a misfire when shooting at a buck and now it is mine. I thought it was a bad or hard primer as the primer was dimpled from firing pin. Factory hornandy ammo.
    I worked up some reloads and fired 16 rounds. 3 misfires! 1 primer no mark, 1 very small dent, 1 dimpled enough surprised it didn't fire. All 3 rounds fired after re-chambering. FL resized brass, cci primers. no apparent difficulty loading or ejecting (not butter smooth easy, but I "think" the shells chamber OK.
    I have added an aftermarket hammer extension only modification.
    Is this a known problem with the BLR?
    Should I try small base dies? Not sure this would help because FL resized seem to be chambering fine?
    Suggestions on how to clean firing pin (without taking apart gun)?
    Thoughts on what the problem may be or possible solutions to try?
    BLR gunsmiths near SW PA that may be able to help?
    Resell not an option because not ditching my problems on someone else.
    Really hope I can resolve this and gain some confidence in the gun because I can tell already this thing has a chance to be a sub MOA gun once I get a load tweaked.
    Thanks in advance!
    Scott in SW PA
  2. I would call Browning customer service and get a professional opinion. Maybe call the BLR gunsmith before going to a shade tree gunsmith. He may do more harm than good.
  3. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    Welcome to the Browning Owners Forum Scott !!
  4. Rahn H

    Rahn H .22LR

    Did your friend ever disassemble the rifle? How much free play does the bolt carrier have when closed and cocked? If it's too much, the carrier could be absorbing the energy of the hammer before the firing pin.


    The last box covers the theory I'm floating.

    viewtopic.php?f=103&t=2166
  5. sdowns

    sdowns Copper BB

    Thanks Guys!. Rahn-quick read of you link and my gut says oooooo this is going to lead my meddling hands towards a path of destruction...I will need to show some restraint and tell myself "I will not open the gun, I will not open the gun".
    If I can find some quiet time in the next day or so between work and keeping things here from freezing I will get out the calipers and investigate. Oh, I was so hoping to hear "just break out the brake cleaner and spray away..."
    original owner never took it apart, in fact never cleaned it at all. won it, threw away the box and paperwork, think he stored it in a closet, and fired it 12 years later for the first time the day before opening day of deer season this year. Sold it to me 2 weeks later at the end of the day on the last day of deer season.
    Any more suggestions greatly appreciated and I will post updates of progress, successes and failures.
  6. sdowns

    sdowns Copper BB

    OK, with the hammer cocked there is "noticeable" play in the bolt carrier. There is a bit of horizontal and vertical play, but my best guess is there is about .02-.025 play when I push the bolt forward with my thumb. (hard to get a good measurement) The bolt springs back when I release the pressure. I feel like I just want to squeeze the lever harder to fully seat the bolt but of course the lever is firmly at the end of it's travel.
    I re-examined the spent casings and the primer was slight cupping around the firing pin on about 1\2 the rounds. There were no obvious signs of excess pressure; not hot loads, no primer flattening, no ejection problems. Not by any means an expert but my Hornady manual does mention the cupping can be caused by a weak firing pin.
    So, what do you think? Did I buy a lemon or if the problem is the bolt carrier play is it "fixable"?
    Could the problem still be something else not so obvious?
    Thanks, Scott
  7. sdowns

    sdowns Copper BB

    Called Browning. 20 minute wait time for call to be answered. They said send it in average repair time 4-6 weeks to do what they were not sure. 80+$\hour. also vague on sometimes we just cover it... Said misfiring BLR not a common problem. Tech said bolt carrier should move "a little bit" but no matter how I phrased the question all he could tell me was "a little bit". I just didn't have a real warm and fuzzy feeling after the call, although he was nice and polite.
    Closest "authorized repair center" is 3 hrs away and none that I called have been open this afternoon.
    Called a local gunsmith who comes recommended. He said someone had to have opened up the gun and messed up the timing. Maybe that is why it was a prize at a gun show :eek:
    He recommended giving it a good cleaning, getting a box of shells that didn't come from a big chain store and see what happens.
    I don't believe everything I read on the internet but somewhere mentioned the bolt travel on the pre 81 models not more that .015"?

    This is my first blr and have nothing to compare it to. Should there be a definitive click or something when the lever is fully closed like on my marlin 336? I have no sound or click feel like the bolt is locking closed, the lever just runs out of travel.
  8. Rahn H

    Rahn H .22LR

    I tore into mine before ever taking the measurements I recommend. I did go to Gander Mountain and a pistol grip .22-250 & a .30 '06 both had zero noticeable bolt movement.

    The problem is intermittent, so it suggests it's not a "broken" part.

    One anecdotal "test" would be to unscrew one of the 2 screws that matter in the receiver. EVERY screw on mine had some sort of loc-tite (possibly superglue) on it. If your screws seem just normal, it's probably been messed with. If you are nearing hernia territory, and fearing snapping the screw, it was untouched.

    The original donor of the gun may have tried a trigger job and "donated" it as new.
  9. Rahn H

    Rahn H .22LR

    My 7mm-08 is now zero noticeable forward movement. Zero failures to fire, and 2 deer down this season.

    I would recommend trying the Lever screw, it's the only one you need to remove to adjust the timing. The detent and maybe some trigger linkage engagement is the only positive clickS you'll notice.
  10. sdowns

    sdowns Copper BB

    Thanks Rahn! Congrads on the deer. one day my quiver will hopefully have a 7mm-08. awesome caliber.
    Got to thinking early this morn and started chambering unloaded but resized\primed brass. The bolt locks up "almost" completely tight, it is really really close. only a few thousands" play. So maybe my problem isn't the timing? I keep finding accounts of FTF being corrected with a good cleaning, and some of the accounts were with NIB BLRs? So, maybe if I get lucky I just have 12 years of dried factory lube to clean?
    I was trying to just leave the gun "as-is" as to not complicate finding a solution and\or reduce resale. I think I am going to give it a good bath and run some more rounds through it and see what happens. I can't in good conscious sell it or justify spending $ sending it to browning or a gunsmith just yet.
    like you I am going to stop on the way home tonight and check the play in some new ones at a retail store. I found an exchange between two guys discussing the assembly, the timing, and the "play". Not sure what "wink" is? Must be a gunsmith term (which I am not). http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/gu ... lr-254130/


    So, my latest questions for you if you have the time (thanks again):
    1. Does your bolt slide have the zero movement with a shell chambered and without a shell chambered?
    2. I have refrained from having a screwdriver anywhere near the gun to prevent potential problems but noticed the lever screws (1 on each side) will turn when the lever is worked. Was yours like this? I will see if mine are loose tonight. If a trigger job was attempted on mine they failed. creeeeeep then then the pulling begins. Not terrible, but just tolerable.

    (and I was thinking about asking about pulling the lever pin part way to adjust the timing and if everything would explode into a pile of parts but you already answered that one.)
  11. Rahn H

    Rahn H .22LR

    1. I have no movement with a round chambered. I have enough side to side movement in the rear, to make a clank.

    The locking lugs are rotary and don't continually tighten as they turn.( AFAIK, not a gunsmith). I tested this theory with an AR bolt. You can spin the bolt like a drill bit in the "chamber". The only possible downside to possibly firing it out of time would be less than full bearing surface between the lugs of the bolt and the corresponding lugs in the receiver. However, like an AR bolt eventually it stops turning and there is room for play.

    2. I didn't gorilla glue my threads when reassembling. They move when working the action. The pins are full width and the screws simply hold the pin in place. Chicago screws aka sex screws is what they are.

    Bonus : if you have to take the lever off, there is a small screw you can access to remove some of the creep. I'll post a picture later.

    [​IMG]
  12. sdowns

    sdowns Copper BB

    Thanks Rahn,
    Hopefully the CLP, gun scrubber, and compressed air last night will just make the problem go away. Have to do some hand-loads and the going to shoot both the reloads and a couple of different makes of factory ammo. Might be a week or two but I will let you know the results. Found one new BLR in a store last night and it's action had very little play and locked up real tight, but my bolt slide is different. Mine looks like a "star" from the rear. I guess "fluted" would be a better description. I have the discontinued lightning model. Thanks again you have been a great help. Scott
  13. Rahn H

    Rahn H .22LR

    Another thing to try would be working the firing pin with a punch or something and feeling for any obstruction.

    Good luck.

    ETA: If you reload, just size & prime and test the thing with primers only. If one doesn't go bang, try to push the bolt carrier forward and second strike the same "dud".
  14. Rahn H

    Rahn H .22LR

    I found a used BLR in .308 today. It had the modern bolt carrier. There was slight play with the hammer cocked.
  15. tim

    tim Copper BB

    I got my boy a 7mm 08. Blr about 10 years ago leaver action we shot about 15 shells out of it he was hunting last year and shot at a deer.it did not fire he put another round in and it did not fire.I was thinking there cannot be nothing wrong with the gun it is brand new but I cleaned it with WD 40 and didn't wipe it out I'm thinking it tarnished up so I'm going to try brake cleaner . and clean it good I will let you know if that help
  16. Teddy E

    Teddy E Copper BB

    Hi guys. So I'm having the same problem, how ever I noticed that most of my misfires only happing if I had the gun on "safe". Then pull the hammer back, pull the trigger and nothing. Rack a new one in then pull the trigger and it would work fine. As well every misfire the primer would have alittle bit of a pin mark as well.
  17. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    Welcome to the Browning Owners Forum Tim and Teddy !!

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