Browning Buckmark stopped firing. Please help.

[pmata814]

I purchased a .22 browning buckmark about a month ago (new). The last two times to the range I noticed a lot of my bullets were not firing, about 4/10. I looked at the bullet and noticed that the firing pin had barely caught the outside rim of the case. Today it started doing the same thing until finally it just stopped firing all together. If you look at the case you could tell it barely even grazes the case and clips off some of the brass. Any idea what the problem could be? Ofcourse I plan to call Browning on Monday but i was hoping someone here might know what it is and give me an idea of what I'm dealing with.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance.

 

[Old Shooter]

Have you torn it apart and cleaned it lately?

I'll guess a dirty firing pin channel or perhaps a dirty bolt face, so much carbon built up it cant close into battery fully and is not reaching the cartridge with the firing pin.

It's just that a 22 riimfire pistol needs a little bit of attention every now and then.

I know some people shot Rugers and Brownings a million rounds without even taking a shower but a good cleaning every now and then help avoid problems such as yours.

 

[pmata814]

Thank you for the reply.

Ive only cleaned what i can reach with the slide open. I used a tooth brush with hoppes #9 and oiled it as well. I havent field stripped it for fear of voiding the warranty. Im new to firearms and this is the only weapon that specifies in the manual not to do so.

My 10/22 and marlin 60 actually have instructions on how to do it so i field strip and clean those often.

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

 

[pmata814]

I was checking the pistol just now and upon closer inspection i noticed the front part of the bridge has come loose. I could see about a sixteenth inch of daylight between the bridge and the barrel. Is it possible that this is allowing the slide to creep up when it slides forward therefore explaining why the firing pin is hitting so high on the case? God i wish the solution would be as simple as tightening that screw!

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

 

[Snag]

I havent field stripped it for fear of voiding the warranty. Im new to firearms and this is the only weapon that specifies in the manual not to do so.

I have an old Buckmark. Does it really say in the newer manuals to not take the slide off or it will void the warranty? In my manual it's all explained.

I'd take the slide off and clean, inspect, check screws, etc, etc. If you ever decide to remove the grips go slow, parts will want to fall out. That's the only think the old manuals cautioned about.

 

[btg3]

Here's a link to the manual at the browning website. See the first paragraph on p12.
http://media.browning.com/pdf/om/08_243_bfa_buckmark_pistol.pdf


There are good videos on youtube for stripping and cleaning the buckmark.

 

[RGO]

I was checking the pistol just now and upon closer inspection i noticed the front part of the bridge has come loose. I could see about a sixteenth inch of daylight between the bridge and the barrel. Is it possible that this is allowing the slide to creep up when it slides forward therefore explaining why the firing pin is hitting so high on the case? God i wish the solution would be as simple as tightening that screw!

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

That's probably exactly what your problem is. Same thing happens on my Buckmark. Tighten the screws on the top rail (the one that contains the rear sight) and that will fix the problem. You can loctite those screws if you want, but otherwise, carry an allen wrench to the range just in case you need to tighten them on site.

 

[jrdolall]

My Buckmark, 20 years or so old, probably went 10,000 rounds before I ever had to take it apart. Even then it would fire Stingers but the cheap bulk would do what you are seeing. I eventually, like 2 months ago, took it apart and cleaned everything thoroughly and now it runs everything I feed it.

 

[barstoolguru]

I have had mine since 1985; it has fired 50,000 rounds or better. I love it BUT it has two inherited flaws... first being a plastic bushing in the upper part of the gun where the recoil spring rides, it is white and is designed to wear out so you will have to replace it so0n or a later.

the second is the firing pin, it is a stamped flat bar and with time cracks or bends so if/when you order a buffer or two get an extra firing pin (buffers are 1.25 and FP's are 2.00, when ordering make sure you get the model right. there is the OLD model and then the NEW model. parts are a little different). Clean around the breach head because if you get a build up the slide will not go into battery thus the firing pin will not pinch the rim causing a misfire.

Last; taking the back strap off to access the firing pin assembly or components won't void the warranty but I try not to do it. I only do it to fix the problems; screws are fine threaded and can be stripped and buggered up fast. Cleaning can be achieved without removing the back strap

 

[jfrey]

I'm not exactly sure what backstrap barstoolguru is referring to but you have 2 screws that hold the sight base on the top of the frame. Take those out and notice one is slightly longer than the other. Now you can remove the slide but sticking a fine blade screw driver under the buffer and pressing it forward against the recoil spring and lifting the assembly off. The firing pin is housed in a complete assembly on the new guns. You can get it out of the slide with a dental pick or something similiar. Once you get it out you can clean it or just throw it away and order another assembly from Browning. Doing so won't void your warranty. When I re assemble mine I use a small drop of blue loctite on the screws.

 

[pmata814]

Well i tightened the screw and that fixed it. i went out to my dad's house where he has 2 acres in the back and was able to test fire it. I didnt clean the gun....just tightened the screw so i could isolate the problem. But now i think i might do a complete field strip and cleaning. It looks very simple.

Thx so much for all the replies!

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

 

[rondog]

I have a Camper model that I bought from a feller for a great price. But, It was totally filthy and needed a few new parts. Midway sells every piece and accessory for Buckmarks you could ever need or want. It's kind of a complex little pistol to take completely apart, because of wierd little springs and parts, but if a moron like me can do it, anybody can with a little research and some instructions. But it'll make a world of difference in how it runs, it's amazing how filthy they can get.

 

[Jinx D'jinn]

An excellent resource is the rimfire central forum and if you posted there they would probably refer you to this site:
http://chim.embarqspace.com/
Quite detailed information about your Buckmark.
BTW that top rail should have a couple of lockwashers under the screws. Don't lose them. That seems to be what keeps mine from getting loose. If you do Lock-tite them make sure you use the stuff that is designed to come apart and use it sparingly. IIRC it's the difference between blue and red Lock-tite.
My son & I both have Buckmarks and we love to shoot them. Cheap range time.

 

[Walkalong]

I was checking the pistol just now and upon closer inspection i noticed the front part of the bridge has come loose. I could see about a sixteenth inch of daylight between the bridge and the barrel

If that happens, the piece that holds the firing pin rises up, the firing pin rise up, and it barely hits the case rim. (Impact is too high) Tightening it down fixes the problem. Another thing that can cause this is wear on the recoil spring guide. That little notch on the lower right sits on top of the firing pin, holding in down in place. It is a wear item.

I use blue Loc-Tite on the screws that hold the bridge on. (Or whatever its called. For me, it is the rail for a red dot that must stay tightening down.)

 

[wally]

I was checking the pistol just now and upon closer inspection i noticed the front part of the bridge has come loose. I could see about a sixteenth inch of daylight between the bridge and the barrel. Is it possible that this is allowing the slide to creep up when it slides forward therefore explaining why the firing pin is hitting so high on the case? God i wish the solution would be as simple as tightening that screw!

Yup that is it. Keep the right size hex wrench in your range bag, I don't really like Loc-Tite on something that needs to be removed on a regular basis for cleaning, but its your gun.

And for future reference, if the right side grip screws get loose, the trigger bar will slip off its "hook" and ruin your day. Don't remove the grip to fix if you are in a location where its easy to loose small parts (like at the range), there is a small spring in there that wants to be elsewhere when you remove the grip!

 

[danez71]

Here's a copy of the Browning manual with the dissassembly instructions.

http://stevespages.com/pdf/browning_buckmark.pdf

They took out the disassembly instructions in later copies of the manual - theory is that it caused more problems than it was worth.


If yours has the plastic site base, becareful when tightening it; sometimes it cracks. That would support the theory.


I happen to know that if you call them if/when yours breaks, that given the age of your gun, they will ship you out an entire new sitght base with rear sight made of aluminum.


ALL of the newer guns (Campers included) are to be getting the aluminum sight base that was previously only installed on the higher end models.