Interaction With Browning Arms

[JimP]

My nephew purchased a Browning X-Bolt in 7mm-08 a few years ago for his boy, This year after letting it sit in the safe for a few years he took it out and down to the range he went with it for a upcoming pronghorn hunt in Wyoming. The problem was that he couldn't get it to group shooting a number of different weight bullets and ammo. When he first purchased it I believe that he said that it shot OK, no tack driver but they were able to take a couple of cow elk with it.

Fast forward to today. Because of the large groups he sent it off to Browning to have it checked out. After a couple of weeks Browning contacted him and told him that it was out of "spec" with no further information and that if he wanted to purchase a new rifle that they would give him a discount on it. The rifle was a few months out of warranty when he sent it in and he realized that but from what I understand they don't even want to fix it or explain what out of spec's means. So he is having the rifle sent back to him.

When I talked to him I couldn't believe that Browning wouldn't even talk to him and let him know what was going on with the rifle. If it was the barrel, bedding, action, or whatever was causing the problems. I just told him that it was a sad day when their customer service died.

So I suggest for him to try a few things to see if he can get it shooting again. Free floating the barrel, and trying different hand loads. He pretty much shot factory rounds but he does have a reloading set up to where he can try hand loads. He also know of a gunsmith locally that he can take it to and have it checked out, I think that he just doesn't want to mess with it.

It's a sad thing when a used to be reliable rifle manufacture treats their customers this way today. I can understand the out of warranty part but most firearm manufactures that I know of would take care of the problem in warranty or out. So do any of you have any suggestions on what he could check other than what I suggested if he decides to try to correct it himself?

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

I would insist that Browning revealed what in the rifle is "out of spec". Then send it to a good gunsmith for a repair. If the barrel is out of spec, then many others sold are also flawed. These are production guns after all.

The gun has been shot with no unsafe results, I presume? One could measure the fired case wall thickness just in front of the head of the cartridge case. If too thin, then the gun may have slightly excessive headspace. I do not however think that would cause poor accuracy.

Otherwise, floating the barrel, with glass/devcon bedding the action usually tightens up most rifle groups. Since he is "stuck" with gun, maybe start here...

 

[JimP]

That's mostly what I suggested to him.

When he talked to their customer service they refused to let him talk to the smith or to tell him just what the problem was. He was willing to pay them to take care of the problem but all they wanted to do was to sell him a new rifle.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Very Sad that a company with a long history of excellence would act like this, doesn’t surprise me the least in this whole era of worthless that we are going through. Just like taking my pick up into Dodge, they want to change parts or sell you a new pick up, nobody wants to actually work at finding a problem! We are doomed!

 

[Mountaineer]

I got one also. It did the same thing with the exception it was in use a lot. I took it to a gunsmith and he said the rifles were almost gone the first few inches of the barrel. I had the barrel replaced and it’s shoots amazingly well.

 

[Doug3006]

Really poor form on Browning’s part! Try Midwest Gunworks in Missouri. I believe they do warranty work for BACO. They’d probably be able to determine what’s wrong.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I sent a Win M70 into browning for repair. When I got it back, they would not tell what was wrong with it, just that it was now in perfect condition.
I wasn’t impressed.

 

[Firebird]

I had a browning gold semi automatic shotgun that jammed constantly. Sent it to them and it came back with a handwritten note to “use more oil.” Sold that gun and haven’t purchased a browning firearm since. But that was two decades ago and I’ve had issues with customer service from most the major companies since then-it isn’t just browning

 

[Doug3006]

I also have a Browning Gold jam-o-matic. It will only feed Federal 3 inch steel loads reliably. No amount of oil will help. Poor feeding is a hallmark of the Gold product line. I’m done with Browning too.

 

[Hunt anything]

I’ve had similar experiences, I bought a 3 1/2“ Citori in 1989, worked flawlessly for for 25 years and then it started breaking open occasionally when I shot the heaviest waterfowl loads. Sent it to browning and they said they couldn’t fix it but would be glad to sell me a new gun (no discount) I still shoot a citori but it’s a combination of 2, barrels off the 3 1/2 and receiver off of of a 3 inch gun. I won’t buy another.

 

[crs]

Maybe getting away from auto loading long guns will help .

My double rifles and Parker double guns never have jammed or failed in any manner. Neither have my S&W auto pistols or revolvers. Same for my Winchester lever guns and pre 64 Model 70 308. They all do get routine cleaning.
MMMmmm ???

 

[Newboomer]

I also have a Browning Gold jam-o-matic. It will only feed Federal 3 inch steel loads reliably. No amount of oil will help. Poor feeding is a hallmark of the Gold product line. I’m done with Browning too.

That seems to be a common occurance in pretty much everything nowadays. They take your money and then don't want to hear from you again.

 

[Doug3006]

Maybe getting away from auto loading long guns will help .

My double rifles and Parker double guns never have jammed or failed in any manner. Neither have my S&W auto pistols or revolvers. Same for my Winchester lever guns and pre 64 Model 70 308. They all do get routine cleaning.
MMMmmm ???

That’s a good point. IMO the only truly reliable automatic shotguns that are are the Remington 11-87s of older vintage and the Benelli Black Eagle line. The rest seem to be hit or miss. I have no experience with Browning A5s but have heard that they are reliable. I just don’t like the humpback. Not attractive and somewhat cumbersome.

 

[curtism1234]

Really poor form on Browning’s part! Try Midwest Gunworks in Missouri. I believe they do warranty work for BACO. They’d probably be able to determine what’s wrong.

I would demand to know what is wrong with the rifle before receiving it back. Otherwise they could end up with an unfixable rifle that they would have to unethically dump on someone. Might be worth exploring their "coupon"

Yep, they are right down the road from browning and have former employees there. If it needs a new barrel, they should be able to change it. While he's at it, at least consider a 308 if he was ok with the recoil of it currently

I was not impressed with Browning service on my BLR. Near double digit trigger pull so they got it down to 5 1/2. Still not the advertised weight but it is somehow "in spec".

 

[D-Orcutt]

Hate to hear that about browning. I loaned one of my A-5 shotguns to my brother to use for his trap team. High school kids are rough in things and he dropped the bolt cleaning it and it broke part of it off. Now this was the gun that used guiding duck hunting and was used and abused and it showed it. I send the shotgun in to be repaired thinking they would send me a bill for the work. They sent me a brand new gun free of charge, I’ll take that service

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I would demand to know what is wrong with the rifle before receiving it back. Otherwise they could end up with an unfixable rifle that they would have to unethically dump on someone. Might be worth exploring their "coupon"

Yep, they are right down the road from browning and have former employees there. If it needs a new barrel, they should be able to change it. While he's at it, at least consider a 308 if he was ok with the recoil of it currently

I was not impressed with Browning service on my BLR. Near double digit trigger pull so they got it down to 5 1/2. Still not the advertised weight but it is somehow "in spec".

When I asked they didn’t even keep records of the repairs done. He had no way to know what was done to my rifle.

 

[crs]

"When I asked they didn’t even keep records of the repairs done. He had no way to know what was done to my rifle."

Hey, someone should go sell Browning a Trouble Ticket system.
When I was in the software business, we developed out own TT system to track customer problems and our SOFTWARE BUGS! Then we also sold our TT system to our customers and others.

 

[curtism1234]

When I asked they didn’t even keep records of the repairs done. He had no way to know what was done to my rifle.

So bizarre. When I dropped mine off about 8 years ago, they gave me a receipt in writing exactly what they diagnosed (trigger pull at x) and exactly what the fix was (trigger pull now at x)

@JimP was this at the Arnold Missouri location?

 

[leslie hetrick]

i have a older ss left hand browning A bolt in .280 with the barrel tuner(i don,t like it), but it shoots very well with 150 gr bullets and H-4831. i guess i,ll keep it.

 

[Rule 303]

I have a Browning X Bolt in 308 and it shoots very well; thankfully after reading this thread. I don't think I will be recommending Browing anymore, that is shit poor customer service.