Author Topic: Browning Gold Shotguns: Bad reputation for (Read 1501 times)

Zachary · « **on:** January 17, 2003, 04:22:23 PM »

I am not a gunsmith, but I have spoken with about three of them and they all told me to stay away from the Browning Golds - but then again they specifically mentioned the 3 1/2" Golds, not the 3" that you are contemplating in getting. Apparently the 3 1/2" Golds are mere extensions of the 3" with no substantial modification or "beefed-up" to handle the extra power. In any event, I purchased a Benelli Super Black Eagle and a Beretta Xtrema. Yes, these guns are very expensive, but they are the finest autoloaders in the world - PERIOD!

Zachary

gunnut69 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 17, 2003, 08:31:26 PM »

I have heard no negetives about the Browning Gold. There are not alot of them around here but I've not seen one yet with an ejection problem. The Benelli's are wonderful shotguns but I personally believe them over priced. But still, as autos go, they seem to be really fantastic!

coyotero · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2003, 09:54:47 AM »

I owned 2 3" Browning Golds.Both had ejection problems.I keep my guns real clean.I goose hunt alot and I got tired of having single shots.I sent both guns to get Sure CyCles installed and the actions polished.That solved the ejection problem.I traded them off for a Berette 391 and an Xtrema.Couldn't be happier,they fit me better and function flawlessly .

roland · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2003, 02:43:00 PM »

I have a browning 3 1/2 and only encountered one problem with cycling, and was from an old reload that didn't fully go off. It was in the first 100 rnds I put though it and the powder stuck to some of the factory oil on the bolt, after a good cleaning it was working excellent. Still after putting 1K rounds though it, hunting, sporting clays, trap, phesent shoots in January, no ejection problems. I still shoot 95% reloads in it- (these are all 2 3/4 shells ), This is the first i heard of such a problem. I also have beretta urika and a bennelli M1 practical- real nice. The browning fits me best therefore I take it the most.

Bullseye · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2003, 05:00:54 PM »

The first 400-500 shots it never had a problem. It jammed a couple times shooting skeet one day but had not been cleaned for about 150 rounds so I just assumed it was dirty.

Then when my wife was hunting tree rats this fall it jammed on her a lot using full power hunting loads. I took the whole thing apart and cleaned and oiled it good hoping it was just dirty, but it jammed on the first shot the next time she shot it.

Dang its a nice gun, I was hoping it would quit jamming but now I am wondering if it will. Oh well, at least I only paid $400 for it.

MinnesotaJoel · « **Reply #5 on:** February 09, 2003, 08:57:50 PM »

I bought a Browning Gold hunter in 20ga, beautiful wood and finish on it. I sold guns at a shop at the time and got a great deal on it. Its not designed to reliably cycle any round under 7/8oz. but I shot over 2,000 of these in Winchester Western loads (the dirtiest of them all) and it never jammed or had ejection problems. I've also sent full duck loads through them interchangebly with the low recoil loads with no problems. The only time it jammed was intentional. I went up north and shot the cheapest ammo I could find all day without cleaning it. It made it through about 600 rounds before it jammed. I was impressed.

wildman · « **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2003, 06:56:03 AM »

The Browning Gold's are good shotguns. At first, I had the same problem with my brand new Gold Hunter 12 ga. I was shooting light 7/8 ounce bird loads, and the gas charge would not cycle the bolt far enough back to eject the spent shells. I switched over to 1 1/8 ounce loads and haven't had one single problem since. For some reason, my 12 gauge needed heavier shot to cycle the action consistently. I haven't tried any 1 ounce loads, so I don't know if my Browning would cycle them consistently or not. Just stay away from the lightest offerings when you are shooting an autoloader and you shouldn't have any problems, unless there is something internally wrong with the gun, such as clogged gas ports, bad rings, or needing a good thorough cleaning and light oiling. It was frustrating to have good money tied up in a new gun that I thought wasn't right, just to find out that I needed to shoot a different type of shell. I suppose shotguns can be just like rifles, in the fact that they have their own personality in determining what they do or don't like to shoot. Hope this helps. :idea:

wildman · « **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2003, 10:58:08 AM »

Come to think of it, I believe this is the same reason that all Browning Gold Sporting Clays shotguns come with 2 interchangeable gas pistons. One is made for shooting the light loads, and the other is made for heavier loads. The light load piston should allow folks to shoot the 7/8 ounce loads with consistent cycling. All Gold Hunters come with only one piston, thus is why some folks have problems hovering around the 7/8 ounce loads, as this piston is made for performance with heavier loads. Think about it - many hunters shoot the biggest and heaviest stuff possible when out in the field, which is why they put this piston in the Gold Hunters. If someone is having ejection problems with light loads, they could probably buy one of the pistons for light loads directly from Browning.