A step by step instruction on how to effectively clean the gas system on a Browning Maxus. Tools: 1. Green Scotch-Brite Kitchen pad. 2. Gun Oil 3. Gun Cleaner 4. Cloth 5. Nylon Brush (optional) Note: Never use a steel brush on any of the gas components. 1. Please refer to How to disassemble your Browning Maxus in order to remove the gas system from the firearm. 2. To simplify cleaning the gas system, separate the gas piston from the piston sleeve by pulling them apart. Note: There is a small lip that holds the two pieces together, you will have to pull firmly to seperate. 3. Spray the magazine tube, gas piston and sleeve with gun solvent and brush them thoroughly with a nylon brush to remove any deposits. 4. Spray the inside of the gas piston. A green Scotch-Brite kitchen scrub pad works best for removal of heaving carbon fouling on the tube and inside of the gas piston. 5. Complete the cleaning of the gas system by applying a very light film of oil to all parts for protection and lubrication. Note: Do not place large quantities of oil in the action, excess oil can run back into the wood of the stock softening the wood and consequential loosening of the stock. 6. Reassemble the gas system by snapping the piston sleeve into the gas system. Slide the gas system back onto the magazine tube.
hey Sinose, welcome to the browning owners community!! Not sure the reason behind why someone would say that it may cause damage. Even in the owners manual it describes how you can remove it. i haven't heard of anyone having problems after they had removed the gas system. Would be interested to know the logic behind what could go wrong.
Hey sinose, no problem glad i could help. I have over 3k rounds through mine and have removed the gas tub several times and no issues. Yea you have to stay on top of keeping it clean, using frog lube seems to help with preventing the build up for me. let me know if you have any other questions, glad to help. Regards, Billy
Anyone ever tried an ultrasonic cleaner on the gas piston? I get a lot of crud built up inside the close/thin walls of the piston, in Billythekid's photo you can see it there as well, in the little oval cut-out at the bottom of the photo. I find that soaking the piston in a little Hoppe's for 1/2 hour and then sliding some toothbrush bristles up in there really cleans it out. Also, using a green Scotch-Brite cleaning pad on the magazine tube really does clean that crud off, quickly. I thought the rough side of a kitchen sponge was the same as a Scotch-Brite pad, but it's not. Wow what a difference. A little cleaning solvent and that pad do the trick.
Hi Nathan, welcome to the forum. The gas piston is supposed to slide on the magazine tube. For example, to clean the gas system, you pull off the barrel, pull off the gas piston, then the black piston sleeve, and then slide off the spring. The stuck-on debris on the mag tube is best removed with a Scotch Brite pad and gun solvent. The spring, piston sleeve, and piston all slide on and off with no tools needed. On my gun, the piston does have some resistance on the mag tube, but the sleeve and spring do not. I've got over 1,800 rounds through it without issue. Here's a quick video of how mine comes off and back onto the gun. Correction, in video I think I say there are 1,500 rounds through it, there are over 1,800 through it.
Correct, the piston sleeve and piston do not "attach" to each other. The piston just sits on top of the sleeve. Honestly I can't recall seeing a video of them attached to each other. Maybe in other gun designs but not the Maxus. Sounds like your gun is correct.
I have to say, I think the Maxus is the greatest 12 gauge since sliced bread. I bought a walnut Maxus Golden Sporting Clay's in 2013 and a tiger Maple stock in 2014. With both of these, the piston and sleeve separated easily from each other. A friend bought one 6 months ago and said he cannot get them separated which I thought was odd. Last week I was walking through a new gun store and on the wall was the most beautiful walnut stocked Maxus Golden Sporting Clay that I had ever seen. I'd never seen such beautiful wood on a semi -automatic anywhere so it was easy to convince myself I needed a 3rd Maxus. Out of the box, when I went to clean it, I couldn't separate the piston from the sleeve. I didn't want to force it and break the sleeve. Has anyone else experienced this or is it something new with the system? If so, no big deal, just makes cleaning a little harder. On my 1st two, the triggers were so-so and I had them tweaked but with the new one, the trigger feels like it doesn't need any work. It's very crisp.
Based on what I've read, the early Maxus shotguns had a one-piece piston and sleeve. Many have said the same thing you did. I think they made a couple mods to the gun over time, that being one of them. Another is the shell lifter, early models had a "pitchfork" style with two pointed ends, the later models have two rounded and shorter points.
