BL-22 Trigger Job.

[Seaweed02]

Hello to everyone, as I am a brand new member. I joined yesterday while looking for answers on how to lighten up the trigger pull on a Browning BL-22 rifle. I found quite a few posts on a couple of different forums that covered the subject, but none that had what I needed. However after continuing my search I actually found something that I thought would help other members of the forum who have the BL-22.

I found a guy who sells a Spring kit, or as he calls it on his website, Tuning Kit, for the BL-22 rifle. The name of the company is Shotgun Boogie Gun Works, and he shortens it to an acronym SBGW. The Tuning Kit for the BL-22 is in this link: https://sbgwllc.myshopify.com/search?q=Browning/Miroku+BL22+Tuning+kit

I also found a video on YouTube that I am going to follow while performing this process because it is the only video I found that shows how to disassemble the entire rifle including the trigger group and cocking lever. The downside is the video is entirely in German, which I don't speak. However the details are well covered by the camera and I should be able to follow them even without speaking the language.

There is another video that I like but although it does cover how to disassemble the rifle part of the way, it doesn't cover how to disassemble the trigger group or cocking lever, which you will need to do in order to complete the Spring Tuning Kit installation. That one is by a YouTuber named mixup98.

I hope this post might help someone else who is looking for info, like I was looking for info, on how to lighten the trigger pull on the BL-22.

 

[troy fairweather]

welcome seaweed02

 

[Old Stumpy]

Welcome to the forum.

I don't own a BL-22 so I don't really have a sense of how heavy the hammer spring is on average.
However, based on the lever action rifles and single action revolvers that I own, manufacturers do seem to love to use hammer springs with excessive tension on many of them. So, simply changing one out for a lighter one should improve the trigger pull.
As long as the replacement spring isn't so light that it causes light firing pin strikes or a really light trigger pull, all should be well.
Before actually doing this I would evaluate whether what you think is actually a "too heavy" trigger pull really is.
The BL-22 isn't a target rifle so a 4 pound pull would seem fine for general use.

 

[Seaweed02]

Old Stumpy, I agree a 4 pound trigger pull would have been great. But this rifle had a 7.4 pound trigger pull, and since I bought the BL22 Micro Midas in order to teach my grandson to shoot, be safe, and have fun with guns, I had to lighten it up a bit. So I saw a thread on another forum where the OP of a thread had a link for a Spring Tuning Kit for the BL22 Rifle. Here is that link: https://sbgwllc.myshopify.com/products/browning-miroku-bl22-tuning-kit
Then I watched two videos on YouTube that show how to disassemble the rifle. One of the videos actually showed how to install the new Spring Tuning Kit but it was in the German Language, which I did not understand. However it was the best one to watch so I did watch it and use it for the installation. Here is the post I made in that thread on another forum regarding the job:

OK. I had some time today, and needed it. If you figure I had to keep going back and forth from my workshop to my office where my computer is so that I could follow the videos that I used to do this job. Although it was time consuming because of the need to follow the videos, it wasn't that hard to do at all. Results were good. All three resulting average trigger pulls were taken with the same Lyman Digital Trigger Gauge.

First day I measured my trigger pull at 7.4 pounds. That was brand new out of the box, never having been fired.

Next I measure it after shooting 350 rounds at the range, and got an average of 7.2 Pounds.

Today I removed some of the old springs and installed the Spring Tuning Kit featured in the link by OldWolf on the first page of this post. After the install today I got an average of 4.2 pounds. Much improved, and I'm happy with that.

When you order the kit it comes with an extra spring and it is smaller than the others. It is so you can choose to use that spring or another one which is a little bit heavier but both are still lighter than the original one in the BL-22. I chose the heavier one and perhaps I could have had an average trigger pull closer to 3 pounds had I elected to use the smaller one still. And I elected not to do any polishing of any parts of the trigger/hammer/sear etc..But I am very very happy with the 4.2 pounds I have now. I am going to post the links to the videos I followed. In case anyone wants to do the same.

This is the German video that I followed to do the lower half of the receiver, which is not covered in the video done by Mixup98 in the second video.

This is the video by Mixup98 which covers only the disassembly of the upper receiver from the lower and taking the bolt off. But it is in English so I could understand that part a little better.
And of course the link to the Spring Tuning Kit is on the very first page of this topic. In fact it is the very first post by the OP OldWolf. Thanks OldWolf!!!!

With both videos you have to really pay attention to detail. When the video is showing the guy removing a screw or a pin, you must look at all the details. Like whether or not the hammer is cocked or uncocked. What side the pin is removed from. etc.... I hope this will help someone in the future to perform this tune up on a wonderful 22 rifle.

 

[Old Stumpy]

OP, sounds great. I would be interested in how the firing pin strike is affected and if you get consistently reliable firing.
Please let us know.
The BL-22 is on my wish list, since I think that it is about the best lever action .22 made right now.
I was looking at a Grade II with a little engraving on a blued receiver along with the nicer wood.

 

[Sniper66]

I found a permanent fix for the trigger on my BL-22, I sold it.

 

[Seaweed02]

Well I went to the Range last Friday and fired 200 rounds out of it. I experienced 2 fail to fire, but for 22 rounds I consider that normal, and contribute that to the ammo. Especially since the first day I fired it was before the trigger job and out of 300 rounds I experienced 3 or 4 fail to fire. Like I said, it is common in the 22 ammo to have some fail to fires. But the trigger is now sweet. I love it, and won't be selling it for any reason. It is now perfect for teaching my grandson or any other child how to safely operate a firearm. And that is why I bought it.

 

[WDRGUNS]

OP, sounds great. I would be interested in how the firing pin strike is affected and if you get consistently reliable firing.
Please let us know.
The BL-22 is on my wish list, since I think that it is about the best lever action .22 made right now.
I was looking at a Grade II with a little engraving on a blued receiver along with the nicer wood.

To Old Stumpy!
I was looking around for information about the trigger on these rifles and found this site. I was hoping for some drop in parts to replace as I don’t like lightening the springs on a rimfire. I used lighter springs on my 351PD and I had light primer strikes. I think rimfire cartridges take quite a lot of primer strike force to go off. I think I’m going to sell my BL-22 Grade II Field Grade if you’re interested.

 

[mac-iurranc]

I just bough a BL 22. Partly because my father has a BL 22, he bought it in 1979, and because compared to a Henry or a Chiappa LA322 the BL 22 really shines. As you may imagine, I am very proud to own this little rifle.

Both are surprisingly identical, except the checkering and the gold trigger on the new one.

Both are made in Japan by Miroku, the fit an finish is awesome. The action lever feels really close, you can't tell the difference on this.

But the trigger pull on the 1979 BL 22 is really light compared to the new one. It can't be because of spring wear or something, the old one is in perfect condition, and hasn't fired much, I would say less than 2000 rounds.

I will try to borrow a trigger pull weighter and get back with numbers.