Jonathan Browning?

I see there are several listed on G.B. They look like a quality piece. Are they? They seem a lil' expensive, but i think they are having trouble getting them sold. Any input?
Scott

I never had one but owner reviews are they are a reliable gun and good shooters.
The price is driven by the limited edition aspect of the rifle.
The ones with the box and provenace serial numbered document command the highest $$$.
I haven't seen one go under for $700 in years.

Had one in my hands at a gun show, it was Mint NIB with the documents, guy wanted $1500 and when I saw him at a later gun show and he got the asking price.

They made a couple models, both in 50 and 54 some with brass trim some with iron,

necchi said:

They made a couple models, both in 50 and 54 some with brass trim some with iron,

Click to expand...

....and .45 caliber. Enjoy, J.D.

I looked at one a couple months ago, and it was unfired and asking price was 600. but the more I looked, the more I started over thinking, the deal I guess. Like if the lock broke, where would I get parts. It's a plain walnut stock, similar to Lyman. The rifle was heavy, of course a real Hawken was too. Instead I bought a nice used custom plains rifle for about the same price, and the lock is a easy to find replacement parts as is the trigger, and it has a Green mountain barrel and maple stock. I guess if I could have got the Browning for a little less money I would probably bought it. To me it's too close to a lyman or TC to justify the difference. I could be wrong, I don't know who made them for Browning, and if there are parts to repair, if something goes wrong. I think there are special models that fetch the high dollars.

I think that te ones bring high dollar are the ones with powder horns and wooden case. They have some extras on the lock also. It's a heavy rigle as the barrel is 1 inch. My son has a 50 and it is quite a bit heavier than my GPR.

I think that they are an exact copy of an origional rifle. One other thing I have been told that they have rather soft steel in the barrel.

It's a good looking rifle just a little heavy for me! Geo. T.

My blackpowder loding manual shows that the Browning can handle much more stout loads than either the TC Hawken or the Lyman GPR!
50 cal
Browning Mtn rifle 120 ffg
TC Hawken 110 ffg
Lyman GPR 90 fffg
54 cal
Browning Mtn. rifle 150 ffg
TC Renegade 120 ffg

high end, highly desireable guns. Only increase in price as time goes by. if you find a good one for under $800 it is either

a. a bargain
b. a worthwhile investement.
c. a good shooter that will keep you busy and happy for a long time

I have heard that the early Browning "Mountain Rifle" was very well made.

This along with the name "Browning" makes it a very fine gun to own.

Later in its production as sales lagged the quality went down making it a good rifle but not an exceptional one.

These later rifles have poorer finishes and the lack the precision fit between the metal and wood parts.

I've had two Browning rifles.
Their quality was #1, foolishly I sold/traded them away.
I did not appreciate all the stamping on the barrel.
The ones that I had were all iron, no brass.
The single set trigger was nice and fine.
The lock is no problem, any competent gunsmith can make any part for it.
If you can get one for a good price, in good to great shape, buy it.
You will have a rifle that is definitely a cut above the rest, much cheaper than a custom gun.
Fred

Well, I guess that's another one on my list of "one's that got away". The problem I have is, there always seems to be a black powder rifle at a good deal, and that's how I ended up with a bunch of lower priced rifles, instead of 2 or 3 real nice custom rifles.

newtewsmoke said:

I see there are several listed on G.B. They look like a quality piece. Are they? They seem a lil' expensive, but i think they are having trouble getting them sold. Any input?
Scott

Click to expand...

They are basically just another factory made. The name increases the price. The quality it typical based on the one I disassembled some years back.
I would not buy a used one on a bet on the grounds its percussion and has surely been shot with highly corrosive substitute powders and given the poor fitting of the breech it is near impossible to remove all the corrosive elements. The stuff has been known to eat its way from the inside out and produce gas leaks at the breech.
This applies to anything shot with powders made with Potassium Perchlorate, but the fouling traps make it worse.

Dan

Old Ford said:

The single set trigger was nice and fine.Fred

Click to expand...

Does that mean its a 2 pull trigger? i.e 1 pull click, 2nd pull boom? oops i mean SQUEEZE!

I have a friend who has one and its a great gun, great quality and shoots very very well, his is in 54cal and i would love to have it.

The double-action/single-set trigger will allow you to fire it normally or you can "set" it by pushing forward on the trigger and then the pull is very light and it breaks like glass. The one in my Browning is a very nice trigger.

Enjoy, J.D.

newtewsmoke said:

Old Ford said:

The single set trigger was nice and fine.Fred

Click to expand...

Does that mean its a 2 pull trigger? i.e 1 pull click, 2nd pull boom? oops i mean SQUEEZE!

Click to expand...

Push it forword with your finger to "set", then pull the trigger like normal.
The trigger goes back just a little then the spring kicks it back and the lever up into the sear.

You can get a double action single set trigger, that means you can use it set or unset like a regular trigger.
It's kind of a funny feeling when your usetoo a regular pull single trigger.

I wish mine was a .54 caliber. The .45 is too heavy. Shoots nice but not a good gun to carry hunting all day. I've kept my eye out for a .50 or .54 Browning barrel.

Enjoy, J.D.

I enjoy my Lyman rifles, and the older TC's were ok, but they couldn't hold a candle to a good Browning.
The only complaint (?) I had was the excessive stampings on the barrel, and their weight.
The wood to metal was very good, the metal finish was great, even their choice of sights were great.
Stock finish was old walnut like, not an over shiny plastic finish like many newer guns.
If you can't see the beauty in a fine old rifle like the Browning, you are hard to please.
Fred

what twist do they come in? Is there a standard or could it be 1 of several options? The ads on GB don't say the twist.

They have a 1 in 66 twist. They were made by Mirouko sp.?. When I mentioned that I had been told that the barrel was mild steel I was told my a match shooter that they didn't hold up to thousands of rounds. Not many of us have to worry about that.

My son loves his in 50 cal. but it is a heavy rifle. Shoots really well. I don't think he shoots over 100 grains when hunting and shoots 55 at paper!. Geo. T.

Funny, that this subject came up, I was in a local gun shop, and no one realized that the trigger could be set by pushing it forward. I picked up the Browning rifle and was saying how much I liked the single set trigger, and they weren't aware, that it functioned like that.