TexasMac
10-30-2003, 06:45 PM
I posted the following on several other BPCR talk forums and thought I'd give you guys and gals a try. For those of you seeing my request for the 1st time, I’ve spent almost 3 years researching Browning BPC rifles and gathering data as time and my regular job permits. I’m sure by now Browning, who has been very helpful, is tiring of my many questions. My ultimate goal is to have the material published. If it turns out a book does not make sense due to a lack of publisher interest or the cost to publish it myself, I plan on releasing the results to all Browning BPCR owners. There’s no need to disassemble anything to respond to the questions. Just pull out your rifles, jot down the data and send me a quick email. My email address is texasmac@ev1.net.
A few folks have been reluctant to provide serial numbers. If you share their concern I hereby give you my word of honor as a gentleman and a writer that the specific information you provide will be kept private and will not be disclosed to anyone. By the way, I’m only gathering information on the BPCR models, not the rest of Browning’s Model 1885 line. Following is the data I need:
.45-90 Creedmore: the questions are to determine the block of serial numbers issued and which rifles have the fixed front site.
- Full serial number
- Type of front site (windage-adjustable or fixed)
.40-65 & .45-70 models: the questions are mainly to establish when several changes to the rifles were implemented by Browning.
- Full serial number
- Shape of the muzzle crown – there are two shapes, a counter-bored square-bottomed (90º step-down) crown or a concave or dished design also referred to as a “cereal bowl” crown
- Butt plate screw spacing – the center-to-center hole spacing of the butt plate screws. The original stock and butt plate has a spacing of 3.2” (8.2 cm). The redesigned stock and butt plate has a spacing of 4.05” (10.3 cm).
- Extractor (original or redesigned) - If it’s not clear which extractor your rifle has it’s easy to determine by fully opening the action. As the action is opened both extractor designs move out of their resting slot below the breech rim and push the cartridge back out of the chamber. But, unless manually depressed, the old design (original) extractor normally does not fully rotate down and sometimes block the rim when inserting a new cartridge. It can be moved up and down a little with your finger when the action was fully open. The redesigned extractor, after pushing the cartridge out, continues to rotate down until it comes in contact with the top front edge of the breechblock. It may move up and down slightly but never enough to block the rim when inserting a new cartridge.
All rifles:
- I’d like to get comments from any shooters who have experienced a problem with the rear sight staff detent, and solution that may have been implemented.
- Finally, is there a barrel stamp on your rifle? In addition to the normal manufacturing and caliber information stamped on the barrels, some rifles have two block letters stamped on the left side of the barrel, just in front of the receiver and directly above the forearm wood. There’s no need to remove the forearm. It’s just above the corner of the forearm where it contacts the receiver. If your rifle is so stamped let me know what the letters are.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Wayne
aka: TexasMac
email: texasmac@ev1.net
A few folks have been reluctant to provide serial numbers. If you share their concern I hereby give you my word of honor as a gentleman and a writer that the specific information you provide will be kept private and will not be disclosed to anyone. By the way, I’m only gathering information on the BPCR models, not the rest of Browning’s Model 1885 line. Following is the data I need:
.45-90 Creedmore: the questions are to determine the block of serial numbers issued and which rifles have the fixed front site.
- Full serial number
- Type of front site (windage-adjustable or fixed)
.40-65 & .45-70 models: the questions are mainly to establish when several changes to the rifles were implemented by Browning.
- Full serial number
- Shape of the muzzle crown – there are two shapes, a counter-bored square-bottomed (90º step-down) crown or a concave or dished design also referred to as a “cereal bowl” crown
- Butt plate screw spacing – the center-to-center hole spacing of the butt plate screws. The original stock and butt plate has a spacing of 3.2” (8.2 cm). The redesigned stock and butt plate has a spacing of 4.05” (10.3 cm).
- Extractor (original or redesigned) - If it’s not clear which extractor your rifle has it’s easy to determine by fully opening the action. As the action is opened both extractor designs move out of their resting slot below the breech rim and push the cartridge back out of the chamber. But, unless manually depressed, the old design (original) extractor normally does not fully rotate down and sometimes block the rim when inserting a new cartridge. It can be moved up and down a little with your finger when the action was fully open. The redesigned extractor, after pushing the cartridge out, continues to rotate down until it comes in contact with the top front edge of the breechblock. It may move up and down slightly but never enough to block the rim when inserting a new cartridge.
All rifles:
- I’d like to get comments from any shooters who have experienced a problem with the rear sight staff detent, and solution that may have been implemented.
- Finally, is there a barrel stamp on your rifle? In addition to the normal manufacturing and caliber information stamped on the barrels, some rifles have two block letters stamped on the left side of the barrel, just in front of the receiver and directly above the forearm wood. There’s no need to remove the forearm. It’s just above the corner of the forearm where it contacts the receiver. If your rifle is so stamped let me know what the letters are.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Wayne
aka: TexasMac
email: texasmac@ev1.net