Stupid question of the week: Browning high/low wall safety?

[1KPerDay]

I just checked out a nice .45-70 octagonal barreled low wall (or high maybe) at cabelas... I'm ignorant how the safety works on these... Is there one? I couldn't get the hammer to contact the firing pin. I wasn't dry firing it but I was opening, closing the action, and holding the hammer as I held the trigger back. The hammer stopped about 1/8" away from the firing pin. Pushing the hammer forward did nothing. I couldn't find a safety... what gives? Is this rifle broken or am I dumber than I thought?

 

[Llama Bob]

It's a high wall. There is no safety. It's got a half-cock notch. When the hammer is in the notch it's safe. To fire cock the hammer and pull the trigger.

 

[1KPerDay]

Hmmm... wonder why the hammer wouldn't drop all the way then

 

[Kp321]

It's called a rebounding hammer. The hammer won't go fully forward unless the trigger is pulled. After firing, the hammer is retracted by a spring so it does not ride the firing pin when the block is dropping.

 

[1KPerDay]

Yes, I understand how a rebounding hammer works, as I have several SIG pistols and similar rifles, however this hammer would not contact the firing pin even when the trigger was held rearward, releasing the sear, and the hammer lowered and pushed as far forward as it would go. I guess something is wrong with it. there was something rubbing or gritty the first 1/4 inch of hammer retraction.

 

[Llama Bob]

I don't think it had a rebounding hammer. I don't have my Browning 1885 handy, but Im pretty sure it's just a conventional hammer with a half cock notch. I don't think any of the JMB designs has a rebounding hammer initially. Winchester lawyers added them to some designs. The Browning variation usually had the original ignition design.

As to what might be rubbing or gritty, it might be the sear disengaging the notch. If not that, I have no idea and it might be malfunctioning.

 

[someguy2800]

I don't have one and can't be certain, but I recall reading the newer design 1885 (not the original, and not the 70's era B78) had an inertia type safety mechanism which would block the hammer from touching the firing pin unless it was dropped from the full cock position. So it would not engage if pulling the trigger normally, but would engage if you lowered it by hand, and would also engage if the hammer fell while the trigger was not depressed. This is to prevent nincompoops who don't know what a half cock notch is from walking around all day with the hammer sitting on the primer.

Don't take my word on it, I could be making it all up. I want one badly but it hasn't stumbled onto my path yet.

 

[1KPerDay]

Interesting.