A-5 Browning- Action Locking up on Reloads

[Charles R]

Hey Fellas,
Have anyone had Problems shooting reloads with the original Browning A-5?
This Browning is recent purchase and a bit perplexed since I reload shells for
break-actions opposed to semi-automatics.

The bolt locked up four different times not allowing me to pull the action back or fire the round. Each mishap, I had to remove the barrel to extract a live round.

Once back at home, I took the barrel off and found my reloads fit snugger that factory shells.
MMMM.....Could it be an adjustment on the extractor, something else or the conclusion reloads aren't reliable in a semi-autos?

I value your feedback and figured someone on ODT may have experienced something similar to this.

Best Charles

 

[gh1950]

First and most probably reason, you are reloading hull with steel bases. Put magnet to them. Steel bases do not resize neatly. Make sure you are reloading shells with brass bases. The steel bases tend to stick in most semi-automatics.

Second most likely problem, crud in the chamber, you can dick around with this or you can deal with it. Go to the gun store, get a 10 ga. bronze bore brush, the end of a cleaning rod, a portable drill and some Hoppes or other cleaning solvent. Generic brake cleaner is cheap. Put the brush on the rod, the rod in the drill, and go to work on the chamber with the solvent. When you think it is clean, put a couple of strands of steel wool on the brush and go to work again.

Try it out, see how it does.

All of the above assumes you have check the rings and they are in the proper order for the loads you are using.

My bet is on the steel bases. O/U have massive extracting forces compared to a semi-auto. Above all, don't start monkeying with parts.

 

[gh1950]

BTW, for what it's worth, I've shot tens of thousands of reloads through semi-auto, but absolutely stay away from steel bases. Try not to even shoot them new.

 

[Charles R]

10-4.... Thank you for your input.
This is a Light 20 and will recheck the Rings.
I reload AA Winchester which I believe are brass.

 

[jeep78]

Sounds more like an ammo problem than the A5.

Can you try a different brand resizer? Whenever I see or have a lockup problem on reloads, it is always due to improper sizing.

 

[jeep78]

I love A5s, but would never let anyone not a real Browning trained tech do anything other than field strip one. They are not simple in any way, shape, or form.

MGW is where I would send mine if it needed anything.

 

[gh1950]

Sounds more like an ammo problem than the A5.

Can you try a different brand resizer? Whenever I see or have a lockup problem on reloads, it is always due to improper sizing.

It could be a resizing issue but I would expect the jams to occur more often.

OP, are these shell that were fired in the gun originally?

 

[Charles R]

Sounds more like an ammo problem than the A5.

Can you try a different brand resizer? Whenever I see or have a lockup problem on reloads, it is always due to improper sizing.

I use a MEC 600 Jr. to reload my 20 ga.

It could be a resizing issue but I would expect the jams to occur more often.

OP, are these shell that were fired in the gun originally?

 

[jeep78]

Several years ago a fellow at a dove shoot gave me about a flat of 20 ga reloads that were jamming his autoloader (do not remember the brand gun). He finished the shoot with some Walmart shells with no jams.

I shot all of them through my Mossberg 20 pump without a single problem.

 

[Charles R]

OK....It's the shells. Looks like I need to get a 20 Ga Resizer or just shoot factory loads.

I tried this tipping experiment. Tipping the barrel up and the shell seated and then tipped it down and the shell would fall out. All Un-fired Remington and AA Factory Ammo All Nested Perfectly when up and fell out when tipped down.

I tried the same with two boxes of my AA Reloads. I purchase once fired AA hulls by 100 count.
About 20% the brass would not nest correctly and tipping the barrel down about 50% of the shells didn't fall out.
I used a dowel rod to gently tap to unseat it. When shooting O/U and SXS I've never noticed an issue before.

I'll take this to the range this weekend and try a couple of boxes of factory loads.
Please PM a local gunsmith who specializes in Browning A-5 just in case it starts locking up on factory loads
Thanks everyone for your .02 Cents. Best Charles