doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Bottom barrel mis fires on Browning Citori

I have two friends who have Browning Citoris and they have occasional problems of the bottom barrel not firing. Has anyone else had the same problem and what have they done to correct it.

I have the same problem forty yers ago with a Charles Daly, but I was able to solve the problem with shooting very flat topped primers.

Remember that Brownig took over the Miroku line and called it Browning instead of Chjarles Daly.

Its a pesky problem, and pretty common too. The firing pins are driven by inertia, not a direct hit from the hammer. The best fix I have found so far is to build up the rear of the firing pin with a small spot of tig welding. This gets the pin moving at an earlier place in the hammers arc and seems to allow the pin to hit the primer with more force. The firing pin rebound springs can be lightened by clipping a coil or 3 off, but I rarely find this is enough to solve the problem. Modern shotshells really vary in the quality of components which add to the issue.
Steve

If the gun has been shot alot it may just need new pins.My old 101 trap gun needed new pins every fourty or fifity thousand rounds,finely went with the titanium ones and they were still working when the gun went to a friend.The pointy end does wear down with use

Try a stock-off cleaning of the lockwork first. Gunk and grit can interfer with the firing pins.

Try new hammer springs, I have fixed several this way. Do a little cleaning while you are changing the springs. Brownells has the springs.
bill

Another possible area might be the primers- A pal has a Citori 20 skeet gun- he doesn't reload, shoots all new stuff- bought a case of Fiocchi target hulls- and had that problem- apparently a lot of slightly harder primers- went back to AA hulls and "no problemo"-but a strip, clean and lube is always a good start.

I had this problem develop in a Citori I used lots along Gulf Coast for waterfowl. When I took it apart, I found a small spot of rust on the lower firing pin. Removed the rust, polished the pins, cleaned the innards and never had the problem again.

Niklas

I have a number of Miroku guns and have found through experience that this problem is very common. You will often find that the offending (lightly struck primer)cartridge will fire in the top barrel no problem.This usually indicates a number of possible causes which may include, dirt & grease in the bottom firing pin hole, weak hammer spring, burnt and pitted firing pin nose.Also please be aware that firing pins do vary in length.
Take the stock off and clean all the components, examine for any of the above defects.Check the firing pin protrusion it needs to be 0.055" with the hammer in the fired position.Obviously check your cartridges in case they are at fault.Firing pin springs are rarely the cause of this problem, hammer springs do periodically require changing because they get tired.Parts are very inexpensive.

This subject was covered extensively on the 16ga. forum. I believe, among all the helpful comments, there was some resolution to the problem.

http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3918&highlight=fail+fire

Hope this helps.

I believe its mostly the bottom barrel because it gets fired twice as much on most guns plus crud seeks the lowest point.Fireing pins are just to easy to change not to have a spare set laying around and spare hammer springs don't hurt.