May need new barrel

[dogguira]

I finally got the rifle back I loaned to my dad twenty years ago. My mom was nice enough to drop it off to me this morning. It needs work now. It's a Browning bl 22. I know I need to replace the sights, rebed it, new barrel band, reblue it and do a total clean job.

The fore end stock is loose and barrel rattles and shifts. At this point not sure if barrel is totally straight or just looks off since its loose. Looks like he whacked it hard where the stck and band meet.

I spent the day looking up part numbers in case I need to replace internals. Only thing I can't find for sale so far is a barrel. Anyone know where I can buy one if needed?

So far i know i can buy a brand new gun for less than this rebuild will cost, but it is the first gun I ever bought myself brand new. Also was first lesson i received on not loaning a gun out ever no matter who asks.

 

[skeeterfogger]

If it's that bad clean it up and wall hang it for prosperity and get new one. As you have found out parts for older guns can be a challenge to find. Seems this one is one that is not of wide enough use to keep parts flowing.
Sorry you got it back is this shape. Yeah, got to be careful who you loan to family or not.

 

[dogguira]

Browning is still making that model. But because its browning the parts are ridiculous. New stock could be as high $300 for just a basic I found today. Just one example. Bare minimum it needs rebeded and reblue after a good scrub down. The barrel I still can't find for sale anywhere if mine is curved from whatever he whacked it with.

 

[Slamfire]

I finally got the rifle back I loaned to my dad twenty years ago. My mom was nice enough to drop it off to me this morning. It needs work now. It's a Browning bl 22. I know I need to replace the sights, rebed it, new barrel band, reblue it and do a total clean job.

The fore end stock is loose and barrel rattles and shifts. At this point not sure if barrel is totally straight or just looks off since its loose. Looks like he whacked it hard where the stck and band meet.

I spent the day looking up part numbers in case I need to replace internals. Only thing I can't find for sale so far is a barrel. Anyone know where I can buy one if needed?

So far i know i can buy a brand new gun for less than this rebuild will cost, but it is the first gun I ever bought myself brand new. Also was first lesson i received on not loaning a gun out ever no matter who asks.

First of all call Browning and see if they can restore the rifle. They may have the parts since the thing is still in production. They probably will not sell you a barrel but they may install one.

And if will cost money!. Economically this is irrational, but, I have done a lot of stupid stuff myself. But I thought I had to say it.

 

[dogguira]

I am an idiot. Just looked up into at Browning. Now I realize why I cant find barrel. Apparently they are permanently attached to the reciever. I can buy a new reciever with barrel attached though.

I spent some time and elbow grease tonight now that I am off. I cleaned up gun some. Still need to field strip it. Now minus a lot of grime, it looks a bit better. But still needs rebedded and reblue. I am afraid to test fire it it wiggles so much below that dinged up barrel band. I will have to ship it out to get a gunsmith to figure out what all is needed and get an estimate for bare minimum functionality . Reblue also to stave off rust.

 

[Dr T]

If you buy a new barrel and receiver, you have essentially bought a new gun. Just clean it up, use it as a wall hanger. cherish the memories, and buy a new gun.

 

[dogguira]

If barrel is bent I will just prevent rust and keep gun as a reminder on lending anything out especially to family. And buy another lever gun for squirrel.

I am hoping the barrel just looks off due to optical illusion of scratched and dinged up band and spotty bluing. Could be also with stock loose the wiggle could add to th affect.

Either way dang shame to see what abuse it under went. Gets my temper up every time I remember how pristine it was when it left my sight twenty years ago.

 

[Skylerbone]

I have a 700 that my father bought me, which I have claimed will never be sold. More and more lately it weighs on my mind that accuracy has always been mediocre, the original stock is ugly, it’s really not a special rifle in any way, shape, or form, just a gift that has in practical measures outlived its usefulness. Moving forward, should circumstances arise to unshackle myself from it, I feel the decision has already been made and the burden lifted.

As with vehicles and ex-girlfriends there are things you remember, sometimes miss, may even forget, but they don’t consume you once gone. If the rifle still shoots well then keep it, if not, consume yourself with thoughts of its replacement.

 

[Demi-human]

If barrel is bent I will just prevent rust and keep gun as a reminder of my father and the way he was about things. I'll have to think twice next time I loan out a tool. And buy another lever gun for squirrel.

I remember finding an old "Buzz Box", a Wiley E. Coyote, plunge handle type dynamite detonator, that my grandfather used to blast feed ponds with.
I took it home and my father and I fixed it up. We polished the brass, cleaned and greased the gears, refinished the wood, the whole shebang.

I learned later he sold it about two weeks after being presented with our gift.

After all, he didn't blast ponds anymore and someone paid him four hundred dollars for it...

Which I surmised was what one was worth as is, and worth only half of the effort my Dad and I put into it.

I would love to have that useless tool back, in any condition, but such is life.

Think of the man, not the damage.


Ahem! And the perfectly legitimate reason to buy a firearm! Hello!
(Silver lining!)

 

[dogguira]

Demi yes. Wife did tell me today if gunsmith quote to make it safe to shoot is over a certain amount I can buy whatever lever gun I want instead. So either way I will have another shooter. I just never bought another since my dad borrowed this one since I knew eventually I would get it back.

 

[LoonWulf]

numrich/gpc stocks most of the parts you would need, but installing a barrel on a bl22 is probably more than your average gun owner should attempt.

we're it mine, and I, me, I'd probably attempt it.

anyway, I'd contact MGW and see what they would charge to do a resto if your local Smith dosent want to deal with it. They have done some work for me and I've been very happy.

 

[Obturation]

I would say if its safe to shoot, see how it groups. Worry about the barrel if it shoots poorly, not before you find out.

 

[d2wing]

I have a rifle I bought from my dad. It's a .22 I learned to shoot with in the 1950's. It was worn out , broken and had been run over by farm machinery. I have repaired it and refinished parts over the years. Most of the 40 years I owned it, it was in a cabinet unshootable. Recently I found a new trigger and after some tinkering it shoots again and shoots very well. I could buy a much nicer one but it would not have 80 years of family history.

 

[dogguira]

Due to schedule next weekend and not this weekend I plan and pulling the stock for redoing. I will start sanding and doing the minwax stock redo. I will then take a closer look at the barrel then too. Since I will touch up the bluing to stave off any rust until I can get it down to a gunsmith.

Hopefully the light strike and ejection issue it had when he locked it in the safe a few years back was just due to built up grime. But I will have it inspected for safety reasons before I test it. I would love to get it working again since it was exceptionally accurate and smooth before it left my sight.

 

[Eddietruett]

While it was not my first gun, the first real nice gun I ever owned was a Colt Python which my father gave me for my high school graduation in 1975. Paid the huge sum of $279 plus tax. Of course not knowing what would happen to the Colt market, I hunted with it, shot the hell out of it, probably over 30k rounds through the years. It has been dropped in water and mud and not once failed to fire or get out of time. Of course it is probably the ugliest gun I own now. It means so much to me mainly because my father was not a man of money and $279 in 1975 was a lot of money to him and knowing what he sacrificed for me to have that gun is what is important. I've considered many times to send it to Fords and have a complete restoration but have finally decided to keep it like it is, continue to shoot it regularly and the real value to me won't change a bit by making it look new again. If the .22 the OP was talking about was mine, I would get it in shooting shape if possible and not worry a bit about the cosmetics. Shoot the snot out of it and let the memories add to the joy of shooting.

 

[Boattale]

How do you bend a barrel?

 

[Skylerbone]

I recall on fella talking about a cow stepping on his but I’ve never so much as dropped a rifle. I’ve fallen while hunting once or twice but was taught the rifle always comes first. I did have a stock bust thanks to a guide running into a tree, worst damage I’ve ever had on a rifle.

 

[dogguira]

No clue what my dad did to it. The barrel band has a vague dent and has more scratches than bluing. The forend stock is loose and makes a rattling noise.

I know I tumbled down a rocky mountain and landed in a cactus once with his 30-06 Winchester.

 

[Speedo66]

While it was not my first gun, the first real nice gun I ever owned was a Colt Python which my father gave me for my high school graduation in 1975. Paid the huge sum of $279 plus tax. Of course not knowing what would happen to the Colt market, I hunted with it, shot the hell out of it, probably over 30k rounds through the years. It has been dropped in water and mud and not once failed to fire or get out of time. Of course it is probably the ugliest gun I own now. It means so much to me mainly because my father was not a man of money and $279 in 1975 was a lot of money to him and knowing what he sacrificed for me to have that gun is what is important. I've considered many times to send it to Fords and have a complete restoration but have finally decided to keep it like it is, continue to shoot it regularly and the real value to me won't change a bit by making it look new again. If the .22 the OP was talking about was mine, I would get it in shooting shape if possible and not worry a bit about the cosmetics. Shoot the snot out of it and let the memories add to the joy of shooting.

According to an inflation calculator, that $279 in 1975 would be about $1450 today. Not an insignificant sum, very nice gift.