16ga.com Forum Index
Author Message
<  16ga. General Discussion  ~  Browning 525 - Firing Pin
Yule
PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 5:40 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 13 May 2019
Posts: 11

Just picked up an older 525 field. I have read that there have been some issues with firing pins. Have any of you guys experienced this? If so, what is the best fix? If there are after market pins that you like, I would like to have a few on hand.
Thanks
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
MSM2019
PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 6:02 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Mar 2019
Posts: 1819
Location: Central ND

Can't tell you what the right way to go about it, but I can tell you what I have experienced.

I have a Grade 1 Citori 16 ga. 28 " barrels. I shoot some sporting and hunt with this shotgun.

Top barrel w/ original Browning spring and pin works fine with every load I have fired in the shotgun.

The bottom barrel with Browning pin and spring misfires with some brands of ammo...mostly RIO and a couple of reloads in Cheddite hulls.

I purchased J & P Products pins with their springs and initially it was OK, because I was only hunting with it and the few shots I fired was perfect. Then I went to practice some sporting and the problems started. Pierced primers in both barrels shooting new Remington ammo....and the bottom pin was hanging up in the primer making it hard to open the shotgun.

I took the heavy J & P springs out, cleaned up the J & P pins and put them back in. The bottom pin is still causing problems but not as bad as with the heavier J & P springs.

No more pierced primers but the lower pin still wants to hang up in the primer.

I want to try the original Browning pins with the heavier J & P springs. I will let you know how it goes. Probably going to be a week or two.

_________________
Mark...You are entitled to your own opinion. You aren't entitled to your own facts.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
16'er
PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 6:10 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 1393
Location: Tappahannock, Virginia

My 525 has original browning pins and springs. I have only had bottom bore ftf with the Remington Game loads. Maybe 1-2 per 100 shells?

I have never had a ftf with Federal, winchester, or fiocchi factory loaded shells. YMMV.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
rkittine
PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 6:25 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Sep 2014
Posts: 419

A friend of mine and I have Browning 525 Sportings in 16 gauge. Both of our guns have experienced misfires on the bottom barrel only. We ordered new firing pins through the same dealer and what Browning shipped will not fit in the gun. We are now waiting for a set of replacement firing pins and new hammer springs to see if we can correct the problem. I have heard about lower barrel firing pin issues on other Citori models also. Seems to only be a problem with Remington Game loads, but that is what we both mostly shoot.

Bob

_________________
Robert Kittine
Sag Harbor and Manhattan, New York
WA2YDV
16 Gauge O/U Browning 525 Sporting
16 Gauge SxS Rizzini Islide
16 Gauge Pump Browning BPS Upland
16 Gauge Semi-Auto Remington 1100 Sporting
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
curteric
PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:23 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 25 Oct 2012
Posts: 70
Location: Full time RVing. Location can be anywhere warm.

I have 3 Citori’s, 2, 16s and a 12. All have experienced ftf on the bottom barrel. I load for all of them. The ftf has always been related to primer seating depth. So as I load I watch and if I have a primer to deep I set it aside and use those in the upper barrel. I have also found that once in a while I will find a hull that is con-caved which will cause ftf’s.

I purchased some Federal 12 gauge target loads last week and they were so bad in the bottom barrel that I let the wife use them in her F.A.I.R. they worked great. All of them had deep seated primers. She broke more targets than I.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
hoashooter
PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:21 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 3436
Location: Illinois

My 525 Sporter had light strikes w/Fed209A's---replaced w/20 ga pins and springs---no more problems
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Yule
PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 2:47 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 13 May 2019
Posts: 11

So I took my 525 out for the first time. This is a used gun and I have no history on it. On my first 25 targets, I had 5 failure to fires, all on the bottom barrel. I was shooting factory RIO shells. After each FTF, I opened the gun and closed again. My issue must be spring related because all shells went off, after moving to top barrel.
Thanks for the replies from all. Now the work begins to fix the FTF.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
rkittine
PostPosted: Sat Nov 23, 2019 1:05 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Sep 2014
Posts: 419

I will have to tell my local gun smith to order 20 gauge replacement pins for my 16

_________________
Robert Kittine
Sag Harbor and Manhattan, New York
WA2YDV
16 Gauge O/U Browning 525 Sporting
16 Gauge SxS Rizzini Islide
16 Gauge Pump Browning BPS Upland
16 Gauge Semi-Auto Remington 1100 Sporting
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Yule
PostPosted: Wed Dec 18, 2019 5:18 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 13 May 2019
Posts: 11

So I just replaced the springs and firing pins with the repair kit from J&P. Test fired a few rounds with no problems. Will let you know after more testing.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
df
PostPosted: Wed Dec 18, 2019 8:28 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 962
Location: Minnesota

I bought a used grade III Citori. The bottom barrel failed to fire about 20% of the time. Took it to Ahlmans in Minnesota. Not sure what they did, but it worked flawlessly after that, and there was no charge for the fix.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nj gsp
PostPosted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:23 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Aug 2007
Posts: 437
Location: WI

I'm bringing back this old post because I had a similar FTF with the under barrel in my Citori 525 Field. I bought two new 20 gauge firing pins some time ago, and finally got around to tearing it down this evening.

I found I had to remove the hammer springs and push the hammers all the way back past the lock position to get the clearance necessary to remove the firing pins. The retaining pins for the firing pins drive out from the right side (as you are holding the gun as if shooting).

The under firing pin was actually a little tough to get out from the crud and carbon buildup. I cleaned up the firing pin pocket, and installed a new pin in the under as the original one was a little pitted.

The over pin was not nearly as bad, so I just cleaned it. Of course, I didn't have much choice as I learned (once I had it apart) that the under pin and over pin are NOT the same. The over pin has a longer shoulder and does not have a spring on the firing pin, and the under one does. Yes, I should have taken a picture of both firing pins... Next time I tear it down this far to clean it I'll update this post.

Make sure the flats on the firing pins are aligned in the right direction so that the retaining pins can be driven back in. The firing pin retention pins have a crimp on one end. When replacing the pins, start them from the smooth end first in the opposite direction you drove them out (left to right) so the crimped end is the last part to drive home. I put the hammer spring back on the under pin side, and used the hammer to hold the firing pin in place while driving the retaining pin back in. This was not necessary for the over pin.

I've used this gun extensively for years. It's had a LOT of rounds through it, and it turns out that the FTF issue was most likely entirely due to dirty firing pin pockets.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
rkittine
PostPosted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 5:41 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Sep 2014
Posts: 419

Thanks for posting. Will try that next on my 525 Sporting.

Bob

_________________
Robert Kittine
Sag Harbor and Manhattan, New York
WA2YDV
16 Gauge O/U Browning 525 Sporting
16 Gauge SxS Rizzini Islide
16 Gauge Pump Browning BPS Upland
16 Gauge Semi-Auto Remington 1100 Sporting
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nj gsp
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 2020 5:26 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Aug 2007
Posts: 437
Location: WI

THought I'd add this as an update/clarification:

The 16 gauge Citoris use the same firing pins as the 20, 28, and 410 Citoris.

The under barrel firing pin is Browning PN: B1334159.
The over barrel firing pin is Browning PN: B1334150

I got them from Midway, their product numbers are:

Browning Firing Pin Browning Citori 20, 28 Gauge, 410 Bore Under: 622850 - $7.99
Browning Firing Pin Browning Citori 20, 28 Gauge, 410 Bore Over: 322133 - $12.99
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
tdnathens
PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2020 6:10 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 141
Location: Kentucky

(nj gsp) The 20 gauge firing pins will work most times but they are not the correct pins. The correct firing pin part numbers are as follows.

B1334148 12 gauge over firing pin-- B1334157 12 gauge under firing pin
B1334152 16 gauge over firing pin-- B1334158 16 gauge under firing pin
B1334150 20,28,410 over firing pin- B1334159 20,28,410 under firing pin

There is a return spring used on the lower firing pin only. Part number 1334165 fits the 16,20,28, and 410. It is too small for the 12 gauge.

What has been called hammer springs in this post is listed as mainsprings by Browning.
The 16,20,28, and 410 all use the same part number. B1334294.
I find all the aftermarket springs work great for the 12 gauge guns but way too heavy for the 16 and smaller frame Browning guns.
The 12 gauge Browning mainsprings part number B1334293 are not heavier but about 1/16" longer. They work better for the 16 gauge than any spring we can find.
As was said earlier in this posting dirt in the firing pin chamber stops the firing pin from extending all the way out. The shoulder of the firing pin hitting the frame is what sets firing pin travel. When crud builds up firing pin travel is shortened. It's very hard to remove this buildup.
I don't know what the difference is between the 16 and 20 gauge firing pins. I have both in front of me as I write this. I can't see or measure any real difference, but they have different part numbers.
Tom
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
nj gsp
PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2020 8:59 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Aug 2007
Posts: 437
Location: WI

That's great information - thanks for the clarification! I bought a 20 ga over barrel pin recently, and will measure it to compare against the 16 gauge pin.

I'm starting to form a theory on why the under pin seems to be the one suffering from most of the fouling - for one thing, the under barrel is usually used more than the over barrel, and the shape of the firing pin and the use of the spring on the under pin might have a lot to do with it too.

The over pin fills the firing pin hole almost completely, and because of the spring there's a lot of empty space around the firing pin on the under barrel, so any blow-by will seek the path of least resistance - which comparing over and under,that would probably be the under firing pin hole.

Just a theory...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
All times are GMT - 7 Hours

View next topic
View previous topic
Page 1 of 3
Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next
16ga.com Forum Index  ~  16ga. General Discussion

Post new topic   Reply to topic


 
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum




Powered by phpBB and NoseBleed v1.09