Advice wanted on a Browning BPR (pump action) rifle

[BrnoB78]

I would greatly appreciate some feedback in relation to opinions and / or experiences of the Browning BPR rifle (pump action, 4 shot detachable mag, free floating barrel) – particularly a .243 Win as I currently reload this caliber for my old Browning B78 High Wall falling block lever action single shot.

Apparently the triggers are somewhat fiddly to adjust if you want a light crisp release !? Also, any problems associated with chambering cartridges and extracting the cases ? I’m currently just toying with the idea of such a rifle, loaded with Sierra 100Gr SBT’s, for specifically hunting goats and pigs over a relatively short range - a lot more practical when a mob's encountered compared to my B78.

Note, I have also seriously considered the Remington 7600, which has the added bonus of a 10 shot mag being available, but a reliable Gunsmith friend of mine claims the Browning is the pick of the two – structurally stronger, with a better fitting barrel assembly.                                                                Hence this thread for relevant feedback / verification etc.

[The Gamemaster]

The Browning Pump Rifle was only built for a few short years.

There was nothing wrong with the triggers.  It was designed to be a hunting rifle - not a target rifle - so adjusting the trigger is not necessary.  I don't know why people keep trying to do that!

Where do I start?

Structurally it is one of the nicest guns out there.  BUT - there is two things that you have to keep in mind if you are going to buy one.

First - they are not made anymore - so anything that you buy will be used.

Second - they do not use a standard clip - like a Remington - so you will pay upwards of $50.00 to buy one.  You cannot increase the capacity of the clip - because it goes inside of the gun and is covered by a trap door.

The next thing is the most important.

Browning didn't do it's homework when it came to designing this gun.

The trigger assembly is also part of the action and when you put a gloved finger inside of the trigger guard, it makes contact with the lever to disengage the lock on the breech.

What ends up happening is that the slide comes back and the gun will not fire when the action is open.

I missed a trophy buck because of that very reason.

Instead of Browning just admitting that there was a problem and revising the trigger, they just abandoned the rifle after a very short production run.  Their claims was that the gun was just to expensive to manufacture.

The very last ones made were sold for $50.00 less than the price of a new 7600 Remington.

So my opinion was that it was the gun that they targeted and the price range that they were not looking for - $450.00 - at that time.

It has a forged aluminum receiver and a forearm that is not meant to be taken apart - ever.
So if your intentions is to take this gun apart and field strip it and clean it and put it back together - forget it!  When you take it apart - you run the risk of doing major damage to the mechanisms that are built into the gun to keep it clean and working properly.  It has felt sweeps built into the slide mechanisms that actually cleans the slides as you pump the action.

The bottom of the trigger guard has a trap door that holds the clip inside of the gun and keeps the dirt out.

The bolt sits inside of the action tight - and does not let dirt in.

The barrel has a hard chrome lining and is chrome plated on the crown.  If you keep it clean - it will last a lifetime.

The forearm is held on with one screw - they have been known to crack.  Mine did and Browning replaced the whole stock and forearm - free of charge.  It was a matched set and had to be matched to look properly.

ON the other hand

The Remington is a billy club, you can do what ever you want to do with it and even if you take it apart - you will not hurt it and even if you do break it - replacement parts are just a phone call away.

Remington makes a Quick Woods Action Carbine 308 - 7600 QWAC that has a 10 shot clip - I believe that it will work in your .243 Model 7600

The stocks are all interchangeable - from the early 50's to present.  The forearms are all the same from the late 60's to present.

Both will shoot really well, but only one is still being made today.

The Browning will be worth more someday than the Remington - because of the number of guns made and because there was so many Remington's made.

[BrnoB78]

The Gamemaster, sincere thanks for your very comprehensive input on the Browning BPR. It would appear that the Remington 7600 might just be the ‘better’ of the two – still currently made, a common everyday item, optional 10 shot mag, less complicated to maintain etc.

Initially, I loathed my thirty year old Browning B78 High Wall’s creepy heavy trigger – purchased second hand nearly three years ago. However, since being professionally adjusted it is now an absolute joy to take hunting – very slight free play, with a relatively crisp 2 lb release. Hence my concern about the adjustability of the Browning BPR’s trigger – and now, the 7600’s.

In contrast to the 7600, you stated : “It has a forged aluminum receiver and a forearm that is not meant to be taken apart - ever. So if your intentions is to take this gun apart and field strip it and clean it and put it back together - forget it!  When you take it apart - you run the risk of doing major damage to the mechanisms that are built into the gun to keep it clean and working properly.  It has felt sweeps built into the slide mechanisms that actually cleans the slides as you pump the action”. In short, the BPR appears not to be very user friendly regarding cleaning & maintenance etc.

I greatly appreciate the valuable knowledge and experience expressed by people such as yourself – keep it up !. Similarly, the facility of such forums for openly sharing / exchanging such data.  All the best from ‘Down Under’, Ross.

[The Gamemaster]

You are welcome.