Browning ou weak ejectors

[Shotkam]

Before I head off to a gusmith which is a few hours round trip, perhaps someone on here has the answer ?

 

Browning Citori grade 3, 20 guage OU 35 years old with hand finishing in Belgium. Nice gun and immaculate.

 

Whatever cartridge I use the ejectors are weak, barely throws them 4ft.

The top barrel is intermittently only 2-3ft.

The gun is spotless internally and correctly lubricated.

The chambers are mirror finish and cartridges not tight.

The ejector trip rods slide smoothly in the action.

The extractors and extractor extensions slide perfectly.

I have replaced the ejector springs with new genuine - no difference.

I anyone with knowledge can offer any advice that would be great.

Edited August 11, 2022 by Shotkam

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Has it always been like this?

Have you changed the way you open the gun?

[Shotkam]

Thanks for the speedy reply.

Yes since I bought the gun 4 years ago.

No, I have been shooting a very long time like yourself.

Any ideas?

I have a view, but waiting to hear from others before I sow that seed.

Edited August 11, 2022 by Shotkam

[old'un]

well at least the empties will be easy to find.

My Miroku (12g) only ejects the empties about 3 feet, always as done, why do you need the cartridges ejected 6 feet into the air?

If everything is how it should be then its possible gummed up chambers, they may look clean but try a new brush and see what difference that makes.

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by old'un

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, I'm sure you know cartridges swell after being fired, measure one full and empty, and polish chambers👍

[Mr grumpy]

Could that be as good as it gets?

[ditchman]

are the ejector quadrants worn...?

[Shotkam]

51 minutes ago, old'un said:

well at least the empties will be easy to find.

My Miroku (12g) only ejects the empties about 3 feet, always as done, why do you need the cartridges ejected 6 feet into the air?

If everything is how it should be then its possible gummed up chambers, they may look clean but try a new brush and see what difference that makes.

 

 

 

I have polished them to a mirror finish already on many occasions.

[Shotkam]

39 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, I'm sure you know cartridges swell after being fired, measure one full and empty, and polish chambers👍

Tried A LOT of cartridges, new and fired in combination with polishing - turn gun upside down and they slide out - loose fit makes no difference.

16 minutes ago, ditchman said:

are the ejector quadrants worn...?

No, even though an older gun its had little use.

[Shotkam]

1 hour ago, old'un said:

well at least the empties will be easy to find.

My Miroku (12g) only ejects the empties about 3 feet, always as done, why do you need the cartridges ejected 6 feet into the air?

If everything is how it should be then its possible gummed up chambers, they may look clean but try a new brush and see what difference that makes.

 

 

 

Never lose a cartridge with this gun !

Interesting about your MK being the same with weak ejectors.

I'm not being unrealistic when I expect better than it is now, something is causing the top barrel only to throw 2ft occasionally.

Standing next to a Blaser F3 - that must throw them 10ft with ease.

 

[old'un]

You say since owning the gun it as always ejected the empties the same, perhaps that is how it was meant to be, guess you could ask someone with a similar gun how far theirs ejects the empties but to be honest 3 feet is plenty and even 2 feet into the air would not bother me to much.

Having said that, I know sometimes things like this can bug you.

[Shotkam]

7 minutes ago, old'un said:

You say since owning the gun it as always ejected the empties the same, perhaps that is how it was meant to be, guess you could ask someone with a similar gun how far theirs ejects the empties but to be honest 3 feet is plenty and even 2 feet into the air would not bother me to much.

Having said that, I know sometimes things like this can bug you.

The fact that the top barrel is inconsistent bugs me.

My view is it's a friction issue because:

Nothing is broken, parts spotless, lubricated, loose cartridges, ejection distance variable especially top barrel.

Plenty of 325,425, 525 guns around to compare - not any Citoris though.

Browning would not make a gun that performs like this.

[London Best]

I have never owned one, but I thought Brownings were famous for weak ejectors.

(tin hat on!)

[Shotkam]

24 minutes ago, London Best said:

I have never owned one, but I thought Brownings were famous for weak ejectors.

(tin hat on!)

I agree, this is not the 1st post about the weakness.

Even though the gun has been well looked after, after 35 years it will have fired a no insignificant amount of cartridges.

My diagnosis is - the amount of wear in the extractor dovetails is enough to increase friction as they actuate, even though well lubricated.

Perhaps others will agree / have encountered this issue and had a Gunsmith confirm this can be the case?

[Wylye]

I don't know why you think you have a problem. As long as you don't have to pull them out with your fingers it sounds fine to me.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

2 hours ago, Shotkam said:

Thanks for the speedy reply.

Yes since I bought the gun 4 years ago.

No, I have been shooting a very long time like yourself.

Any ideas?

I have a view, but waiting to hear from others before I sow that seed.

I think it is just one of those things, if it has been the same for the time you have owned the gun I would suggest it is working as well as you might hope.

[Shotkam]

Thanks for all the posts.

Maybe I have reached the end of the road and need to accept that it is an older gun with sub optimal ejector system.

If I ring a gunsmith they are likely to say bring it in and we will have a look based on other posts.. A hefty Invoice will follow having a look.

Learn to live with it perhaps.

[Shotkam]

Spoke to a gunsmith and he the level of ejection is far below what it should be for that model of Browning, which was interesting.

He said no to -  wear in the extractor dovetails causing the issue.

I long journey but they will take a look for free.

Shame there are not a few gunsmiths on here at the moment.

[mellors]

46 minutes ago, Shotkam said:

Spoke to a gunsmith and he the level of ejection is far below what it should be for that model of Browning, which was interesting.

He said no to -  wear in the extractor dovetails causing the issue.

I long journey but they will take a look for free.

Shame there are not a few gunsmiths on here at the moment.

Hi. 

I would say reading what you've said. 

Either ejector travel is impeded when the gun is opened or you've been given the wrong springs. 

Let us know. 

Edited August 12, 2022 by mellors
Miss typed.

[Shotkam]

12 minutes ago, mellors said:

Hi. 

I would say reading what you've said. 

Either ejector travel is impeded when the gun is opened or you've been given the wrong springs. 

Let us know. 

The springs are 100% genuine Browning.

What is impeding the ejector travel I am uncertain, especially when the top barrel ejection is intermittently less than the bottom barrel.

Do you heard that wear on the dovetails can cause this?

[mellors]

39 minutes ago, Shotkam said:

The springs are 100% genuine Browning.

What is impeding the ejector travel I am uncertain, especially when the top barrel ejection is intermittently less than the bottom barrel.

Do you heard that wear on the dovetails can cause this?

I'm no gunsmith but my berreta did the same and removing the the ejectors and cleaning the springs and slide grooves cured it. 

There was a lot of black stuff removed. 

I think its oil build up from cleaning. 

[Shotkam]

18 minutes ago, mellors said:

I'm no gunsmith but my berreta did the same and removing the the ejectors and cleaning the springs and slide grooves cured it. 

There was a lot of black stuff removed. 

I think its oil build up from cleaning. 

I completely stripped the action with every component removed on the bench - its spotless and correctly lubricated.

Agreed a build up can occur over time, but not in this case.

Annoying that I can't put my finger on the issue yet.

[old'un]

do you have any snap caps, if yes, try them and see how they eject.

[matone]

Just a trait of the action in my experience.Stronger springs would be harder to close and probably inflict more wear . Why do you require more powerful ejection ?

[old'un]

3 hours ago, Shotkam said:

Spoke to a gunsmith and he the level of ejection is far below what it should be for that model of Browning, which was interesting.

He said no to -  wear in the extractor dovetails causing the issue.

I long journey but they will take a look for free.

Shame there are not a few gunsmiths on here at the moment.

not so sure about that, if there is excessive movement the ejector will try to override the rim of the case, if this is happening it will push the case hard against the chamber wall and cause drag, it can get to the point were the worn/loose ejector pushes past the rim and leaves the cartridge case in the chamber, this tends to be more common on O/U.