Jonathan Browning Mountain rifle

[slimmpd]

I got a fifty and a fifty four. I know where a forty five is but the old boy won't deal. He's had it for years and knows what he has. You will really enjoy this rifle. Killed several deer with the .50 but my .54 shoots the best. Dad bought both in 79 or 80, the 50 likes 90 gr of goex, 495 speer ball and tight ticking lubed with crisco.
The 54, .535, ticking, crisco and 110 of goex. I've shot the 54 in some matches but that load kicks pretty good to have to shoot it 30 to 45 times for a match.
I got some goex cartridge I'm going to try for some lighter loads.
Good luck with it. They are some nice rifles.

[dondiego]

Saw 2 of these rifles for sale at the Cabela's Gun Library in Dundee, MI yesterday. One with steel hardware and one with brass.

[slumlord44]

Bought a .45 as new in the box on Gubroker last week. Came in today. Don't think it has ever been fired. This one has the browned hardware. It will be shot. There is a minor issue with the browned finish on the end of the muzzle. Tried Dixie Gunworks browning and Birchwood Cassey's browning and neither come close. Any suggestions? Still looking for a .54. It is my understanding that the browned hardware guns are rarer and more desirable. Any opinions? Personally like the looks better.

[waksupi]

Bought a .45 as new in the box on Gubroker last week. Came in today. Don't think it has ever been fired. This one has the browned hardware. It will be shot. There is a minor issue with the browned finish on the end of the muzzle. Tried Dixie Gunworks browning and Birchwood Cassey's browning and neither come close. Any suggestions? Still looking for a .54. It is my understanding that the browned hardware guns are rarer and more desirable. Any opinions? Personally like the looks better.

If it is the muzzle end, it is not uncommon for the browning to be worn away, and possibly never browned originally. If you shoot a lot, it will most likely be gone by the end of a season of shooting anyway.

[KCSO]

I just make my wedges from Brownell's spring stock. Take the closest size and heat the end to red heat and use a ball peen to spread the top, then cut off to length and file the top smoth and round and then file the shank to an exact fit for the key way. The whole job wil take less than an hour and there is no need to harden the pats when you are done.

Supposedly the Browning was a copy of a rifle made by the Browning family and it in turn was a copy of the Hawken, much like the Tryon and such. The single set trigger takes some getting use to as in offhand shooting it springs away from you and there is a tendency to drop the muzzle while following the trigger. The stock and triggerguard of the BMR is just like a rifle made by Johnathan Browning Sr. in 1830 or so. By the late 30-40's Browning was in Quincy Ill. and was making revolving and slide action rifles. This is also where the single set triggers come from.

[fouronesix]

Birchwood Cassey's browning and neither come close. Any suggestions?

I too wouldn't worry about it, especially if it's on the muzzle "end". If it's on the side of the barrel and want to try "fixing" it, use the Birchwood Casey Plum Brown… but it requires heat to work right. Take a short, sample piece of mild steel similar in mass and size to the barrel and heat it lightly over a burner or with a torch, apply the browning solution. With correct heat, it should sizzle a little when applied and immediately turn dark brown underneath. Scrub with water. Repeat if necessary. Trial and error will show what works best. Then give it a go on the barrel if comfortable with the technique.

[bigted]

just got the rifle and man im impressed. I like very much.

1 inch barrel in 50 cal is a little heavy but like has been pointed out ... should dampen recoil very nicely. it looks like a 60 or 70 inch twist but have not checked it yet. the muzzle has been polished around the rifling beginning at the crown .... maybe to stop patch cutting upon loading?

nother thing I like is the extra length of pull. my long arms will be grateful for this "gift".

gotta find a main spring for it. sent a message to TOW gunsmith and he says to bundle up the lock and sent it to him for fitting. may just do that. any opinions on the probability of losing my lock in the shuffle while going to and ending up at the gunsmiths bench?

[slumlord44]

Send it insured with signature required.

[slumlord44]

Mine also seems to have been polished around the crown. That seems to be how the brownig got messed up. Part of the actual muzzle end had the browning polishd off. Finally just polished the whole end of the muzzle and it should be fine. Looks better at least.

[bigted]

I ordered wedges from TOW and also a couple springs to "fool" with and see if my backyard methods will triumph again. these dang muzzle loaders really get engrained in the soul of a man. it seems to be all I think about at work and play. except for some wabbits and squirrels when a kid ... I have never killed any table fare with one yet but plan to try to partake in Oregon's muzzleloader season next year.

I told the wife that I thought I fell into it with the BPCR guns and gat a sickness with them but I believe that these front stuffers are in a world of their own ... I love it !!! ... ...

hey ... could I get a couple pictures of the back side of the lock on your JB Mountain rifle? would like to see what im aiming for in the main spring arena ... mine is completely gone ... MIA ... thanks.

[bigted]

got it running the other day and prudently took it to the range to make smoke with it.

man what a splendid rifle. I love the way it shoots even tho I have a fairly heavy main spring that makes cocking a pain but I will slim that down to lessen the spring a bit.

she hits where I pointed at 35 yards ...[I know huh? what a LOOOOONG range shoot]... the rifling are nice n deep as well as being a 60 or 66 inch twist ... this along with the smooth entry into the bore ... this rifle is just a pleasure to load and shoot.

I wound up de-breaching it to get that breech plug clean for sure. glad I unscrewed it as there were crud in there at the flat "bottom" of the breech flat that I cleaned out very well. also a slight burr on the barrel that I polished off at the beginning of the rifling. the threads were good so I wrapped silicone tape around the plug and re-installed it and indexing it just rite.

the wedge pins worked well with just a bit of filing and polishing. all in all this is a fine rifle and im proud to own it. great shooter. what's best is that with a little messin ... I was the one to get it to go back to work. it just don't get any better then this I feel.

[slumlord44]

Glad to hear it shoots well. Expected it would. Haven't got to shoot mine yet. Not sure about the Teflon tape thing. Think I would have used Anti Seize. How hard was it to get the breach plug out? All my other muzzleloaders are CVA and they don't recommend pulling the breach plug. Been shooting them for years and no problems.

[bigted]

didn't take too much to loosen the plug. actually it came loose with just a nudge with my large crescent wrench ... thought id try it first in case I could get lucky and ...WALLA ... lucky for sure. it was pretty plugged up with gunk ... no rust tho thank goodness. soaked it in very hot soapy water for 1/2 hour then set about brushing with a brass brush and all the gunk came away to leave a nice shiny breech plug inside and out.

before I did the cleaning I couldn't get a musket cap to move a feather out the muzzle. now with a regular 11 cap it scoots leafs and light stuff around with just the ignition of the cap. now she shoots without the slightest hesitation. very fast lock time and certain ignition every time.

as for the Teflon tape ... the threads were not indexed to line up with the barrel so I just used the tape for the mean time till I can get an aluminum crush ring built to help index the plug.

boy what a nice shooter tho. this rifle has the length of pull that fits me without the usual aid of slipping on a leather laceup pad for length of pull. first rifle to fit me for a very long time. I really do like the single set trigger a bunch better then I thought at first. also I like the weight up front and shooting 90 grains of GOEX 2F is like a .22 almost behind the patched round ball. 60 grains behind the ball is just too much fun. gonna go out and try it at 50 and 75 as well as 100 yards to see if she will keep em all inside the barn.

[dondiego]

The one with the brass furniture is still available at the Cabela's in Dundee, MI as of yesterday.

[deerslayer303]

Picked up one last Saturday in 50cal. at a gun show for a song. Missing one wedge. What a fine rifle it is. A heavy beast no doubt but I like a heavy rifle.

[deerslayer303]

[bigted]

nice ... congrates on getting a nice rifle. here is hoping that yours shoots every bit as good as mine does.

[dirtman45]

Hi guys. new to the forum.I picked up the .50 cal.JB Browning in brown from the Cabella's site that was mentioned above.It is now in my happy hands and resides in Central Oregon.It was not sold as unfired but still had the original factory goo out side and inside.The breach plug was bright and shiny when viewd with a bore light. No sign of reside there.A beautiful piece.I did order a factory manual from Browning.Picked up a few round balls, powder and patches and a heavy rod. and #11 caps.Ready for a trip to the range. Oh and spent a few hours scrubbing , cleaning and lubing. This is the only site I have ran across that had recent postings.

[dondiego]

That rifle looked unfired to me when I handled it. The first I had ever seen. They must have wiped off the drool?

[dirtman45]

A little of the drool was still there.It cleaned right off.It's been a long time since I have owned a front loader. Had a .40 cal Pennsylvania long rife from Dixie back in the 70's.It was an absolute hoot.Never did shoot anything other than dirt banks and such.The plan is to use this one on a White Tail special draw.Not sure I will try an Elk.