BPS cleaning for the first time

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DocSouth

New member
Hey y'all,
So I finally bought my first gun, a Browning BPS stalker. It's sitting here in the box, still covered in packing goop. Now I know I'm supposed to clean it, but this being my first gun ever, this is also my first gun cleaning ever. Do I need to break the whole thing down, or can I just clean the barrel and receiver as it is, then assemble it?

I'd like to know the proper way to do things, but I've heard horror stories about breaking the BPS down.
 
No...you don't have to tear it down completely to clean it adequately. Many people clean their guns only sporadically over many years and never have an issue. Personally, I'm very dilligent about cleaning, but I probably do far more than necessary...in fact, I know I do. If you remove the barrel you can get into both the barrel and receiver plenty far enough to clean them well, especially on the BPS, with it's open carrier design. Gunsmiths will tell you they see a lot more problems...cosmetic damage and functional damage both... caused by improper disassembly/assembly, or some novice "just messin' around", than they ever see from less than thorough cleaning practices. JMO.

You might try these:

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=564/Product/SHOP_SWABS

They'll simplify the job.
 
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The manual should tell you how to take it apart. there should also be articles on the internet that can help you and probably even a few videos somewhere.

You don't need to take down every little part. I am unfamiliar with the BPS, but do not try to take the bolt apart or the trigger mechanism or anything like that. you just need to break it down into the main components to clean it.
 
Thanks AZwarts ...not sure its true ...

A new gun has preservative inside the action ( inside trigger group, on the bolt, etc inside )...and in my opinion, it is much better to take it apart, clean it thoroughly and lube and put it back together.

Very few new gun manuals tell you to completely take a gun apart / but in my opinion, its because lawyers write the manuals ... and some customers don't know how to do it / and do a lot of damage to a gun. But, in my opinion, all pump guns, not just the BPS should be completely stripped down and cleaned, and lubed....and it should be done often. Personally, on my pump guns, I completely take them down every time they are fired. It isn't that hard to do / and pretty quick to do once you learn the little nuances of your pump gun.

Taking a BPS apart isn't hard / and most new BPS's I've seen in the last 10 yrs have a lot of "gunk" in them ... Take barrel off, forend off, drift out pin for trigger group to come out ... But if you aren't confidant in your ability to do this without damaging the gun .... or in being able to get it back together ...then wait until you can find a local mentor to help you / teach you how to do it quickly and easily. I don't think you'll damage the gun if you don't take it apart / but over time all that preservative grease will attract a lot of dirt .. so getting it out of there sooner than later is a good idea.
 
I just looked at the thread that tango ....referred to / and the action gumming up ( in cold or warm weather ) is why you need to get all that junk out of there, in my opinion.

When you pull the trigger group out / keep it intact .... you can spray a cleaner inside the group and blow it out with a compressor or just use some Q tips ...but go easy on the trigger group / you don't need to be too aggressive / its easy to clean without taking springs, etc out of it .... When I lube the trigger group / I keep it pretty light / with a light spray oil - like Rig Oil, Rem oil, something like that. For general lube on bolt, traveler, pins, barrel connection to receiver, etc I use Break Free.

Don't forget to take out the choke - and clean the threads in the barrel as well as the choke tube threads. On new guns, I find the threads have a lot of debris in them / chokes don't run in and out smoothly...and they should. In fact - you should never use a choke tube wrench on them, in my opinion. You want the threads clean and lubed ( I use Break Free ) and keep them clean so you can put your finger inside the choke / and take it out or put it in / just with pressure from your finger. If it won't go / take it out - lube and clean it some more - until it will. Too many barrels are ruined by choke tube wrenches.

My BPS's ( a 12 and 20ga ) are both over 30 yrs old now / killed a lot of live birds and clay targets ... and have a few scratches but are still 1st class guns because I take care of them . The BPS is a great pump gun in my opinion.
 
Take it to a gunsmith so he can disassemble it and give it an initial cleaning. BPS is a PITA to disassemble if you are not famalier w/it. After your smith cleans it it should only require cleaning of the barrel and the action through the ejection port. I would take it in for a detail strip every few years.
 
Personally, when I figure out how to completely strip a gun that is new to me, I just feel better .... Maybe I'm a throw-back / but stripping and cleaning a gun isn't a chore - its part of the game.

I had to laugh recently, but I was taking a 2 day defensive handgun course - fired about 600 rds on day 1 - and when I got home, I cleaned my gun. A couple of the guys in class were asking me about my guns / and we went into the range, so they could fire a couple of rounds thru one of my guns - when they checked the chamber ( they remarked, it was clean ....) ... and I said sure ( why wouldn't it be ) .... To me, keeping a gun clean, and well lubed, is part of what makes it reliable ( and its easy to do, if you do it once in a while ).

I can completely strip and clean a BPS easily in 20 min ..... Yes, there are a couple of tricks on what to hold tight, as you put the trigger group back in ...but its not a big deal. If it goes in easily / its probably right - don't force anything. Once you know how / do it 4 or 5 times / you'll be amazed how easy it is...
 
Bigjim, I'm the same way, as soon as I get most anything, especially a gun, I'm taking it apart. My motto is " If it isn't broken, take it apart and see why not.":D
 
It's a breeze to disassemble one. Not so much fun putting it back together. The cartridge stops are fun. If you do take out the trigger assy., take note of the hammer pin's position. Mark where the flat spot is located. It WILL NOT go back in any other way but the way it came out.
 
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