Brand New Browning BL22 Jamming

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Wild-Bill

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Brand New Browning BL22 Jamming - Update

Shot the BL22 tonight for the first time. I had 4 serious jams. Bullet would come up into the, I'm not sure if its call the breach, but would not line up with the barrel. Had to take a screw driver and push the round up so it would line up.
When it was jammed, couldn't eject either. After monkeying with it a bit I was able to get 4 rounds thru and another time 3.
I never forced it anytime.
Does it just need broken in ?
Any ideas from BL22 owners.
 
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I have not shot one for a long time but as I remember them, they are good performers.

One suggestion is to make sure you are not short stroking the lever. Make sure you get full travel.

Sometimes they work better when you work the action forcefully. Don't try to ease the next round in. Eject the spent one and work the action with authority.

Some semi auto pistols act the same way when you try to baby them by easing the first round from a magazine.

Did you clean out the factory oil before you started?

I am really surprised you are having issues.

Have you cycled the action to see if there are any rough spots?

HTH
 
There are a couple what I would call "bumps" when I work the slide. One during the eject and one during the chambering. No "rough" feeling. The chambering "bump" I think is the trigger moving past another part as you close the lever fully.
I am going to run it thru some cycles of loading and ejecting after a good oiling, no firing.
 
So far so good. Run around 30 rounds thru today after cleaning with cotton swab and a good oiling, no firing. Loading ejecting just like it is supposed to.
I suspect dirt or grit in the receiver keeping the round from loading properly.
 
When someone new uses my BL22 for the first time they generally jam a cartridge just as you described. The carrier does not raise the cartridge high enough unless a strong and deliberate motion is used to operate the lever.
 
Jamming possibly solved

I got the idea that maybe the rim of the different ammo was too wide and hanging up in the bolt.
I took my micrometer and measured 5 rounds from each manufacturer group.
Old Remington (60 yrs) .268 to .274 (only 1 at .274)
New Remington .270 to .273
New Winchester Shorts .270 to .271 ( one at .275)
New German 22lr's .270 to .271
New Winchester Hollow pts .274 to .276 Most were .275, 20+ rds
I believe the ones giving me the trouble are the ones .274 and up. Today I had failure to load with the Hollow Points.
All rounds rims did not measure "round".
The German's were the most consistent.
The Browning bolt is machined with a slot that accepts the rim of the ammo. It is there the rounds hang up because you can push the jammed round up where it lines up with the barrel. If this slot is .275 wide then there is the problem. The loading spring is not strong enough to push it into correct position.
Now, do you blame the gun or the ammo ? I would hate to have to measure each rounds rim. I will call Browning first of the week.
 
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Update

I just found some tiny metal pieces on the face of the bolt and inside the receiver.
Maybe I need to learn how to take this thing apart and give it a proper post manufacture cleaning.
Between the rim diameters and the crude its giving me fits.:mad:
 
Bill, I have had a BL-22 for several years and what the others are saying about short-stroking is absolutely true. I have done it twice... my 11 yr old continues to do it more frequently. When I learned to work the action with authority--not overly, mind you-- but just with authoritative snap of the wrist, I never again had any problems.

Best of luck learning how to disassemble: I took one look and determined that q-tips and Break-Free were the way to go. I occasionally run a bore-snake through the barrel, but other than that it simply gets a wipe-down after each use or handling with a silicone impregnated cloth and put back into the cabinet.

Enjoy, 'cause it's a fine little rifle.
 
Lever Padding

Here is an idea I came up with and I like the feel of it. It is a black round shoe string. I burned the frayed ends with the candle lighter and used the hot glue gun to keep things in place. No glue touching the lever.
Its not as hard on the backside of the fingers when operating the lever.:)
 

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