Slide Release Problem

jlwman · May 2, 2006, 08:59 AM

Hi all! This is my first post, but I have done a lot of reading here everyday and everybody seems great and knows what they are talking about. Well, here are the problems I am having with my pistol. I have a Browing Buckmark Camper .22 pistol. I have only had it a few months and maybe have put 2000 rounds through it. One problem I have is if it is ever dry fired (almost never), the slide does not want to slide back once the trigger is pulled so that I can lock it in the open position. It is almost like after you pull the trigger it releases some magical super-glue and trys to seal itself shut. It seriously take two hands and all my strength to pull back the slide. I thought maybe it was a lubrication problem but it does it even after a thorough cleaning and lubrication. The other problem is that I am having a lot of extraction problems. I almost wonder if the slide is not going back all of the way. When I pull the slide back I can feel it hitting the trigger mechanism and I think it impedes the slide going all of the way back after firing a live round. When I have jams, the brass is usually stuck inbetween the slide and the barrel, facing the same way it was when it was in the barrell. It is like the extractor just pulled out the casing and moved it over 1/4 of an inch. This has been the most frustraiting gun I have owned....and being that I own four guns and and very new to shooting...it is very irritating. Any help would be great. Thanks!!!

JoeHatley · May 2, 2006, 11:01 AM

When you dry fire the gun, the next time you pull the slide back it is also cocking the gun, requiring more force.

Double check your chamber and under the extractor built up crud. Easy to miss those areas when cleaning. That may help your failures to extract.

Good Luck...

Joe

jlwman · May 2, 2006, 05:30 PM

Doesn't it require the same amount of force no matter if I cock it manually or if it does it itself when shooting. Why would it practically seize the slide shut just because I dry fired it. Maybe I am not catching on to something.

Harry Bonar · May 2, 2006, 08:49 PM

Dear shooter:
I'm terribly sorry and very sympathetic concerning your Buckmark! I just posted the Python owner and I'm going to tell you the same thing: get rid of the Buckmark and get a Rught bull bbl. MII Target - either the short or long bbl.
Buckmarks have problems - Ruger hardly ever does.

Harry B.

James K · May 3, 2006, 07:13 PM

Have you had the hammer or mainspring (hammer spring) out of the gun? It sounds like the hammer is not moving as it should and is blocking the slide. That is often the result of improper installation of the hammer or the hammer strut. (Installing the hammer strut backwards can cause that problem.)

With the slide off, try pushing the hammer back to the cocked position. It should encounter only moderate spring tension. If it is hard to move, that is your problem.

Was the gun bought new? If not, and you are not up to tackling the problem, I can only recommend a gunsmith. If you bought the gun new, take it back to the store and see if they can fix it or send it to Browning's service facility.

Jim

Tim R · May 4, 2006, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Dear shooter:
I'm terribly sorry and very sympathetic concerning your Buckmark! I just posted the Python owner and I'm going to tell you the same thing: get rid of the Buckmark and get a Rught bull bbl. MII Target - either the short or long bbl.
Buckmarks have problems - Ruger hardly ever does.
Harry B.

Harry, I don't often disagree with you but this time I will. I have a 10 year old Buckmark 5.5 Target that runs all the time and is dead nuts reliable. It is my loaner gun and back up for my Smith 41. With the right ammo it will shoot very tight groups. (PMC Scoremaster, but the 41 won't run on it) Because of this I would rather have a Buckmark than a Ruger any day of the week. My Buckmark has close to 20,000 rounds through the tube.

The only real trouble I've had with it is a friends "trigger job" went south after about 1500 rounds at a really bad time and before I got the 41. I sent the Buckmark back to Browning fully expecting to pay for the repair. Not only was there no charge, but the trigger came back really nice, breaking at 2 1/4 lbs with zero creap. The 41's trigger is still better though, but not by very much. I do perfere the 41 over the Buckmark when competing though.

As for the problem at hand, I drop my hammer on a dry fire plug which was built for the Trail Side to keep the barrel from getting dinged. Both the Buckmark and Smith's slide is a little harder to rack on a dropped hammer. There must be something you have not lubed. 2000 rounds, the thing should be running like a champ. I push the frame and pull the slide at the same time which gives a little better leverage.

On a side note, I humbled my son-in-law with his super duper bull barrel souped up factory 10 22 and expensive glass with an old Remington 552 Speed Master with an old Weaver V22 scope. This was done in an indoor range off the bench. Both he and his brother walked around wondering what in the heck just happened.

jlwman · May 4, 2006, 10:42 AM

I do really like the Camper model. I looked at the Ruger Mark III and a Olympic Arms Wolverine, but thought the Camper was the best. The Ruger, in my opinion, was on the heavy side and looks like a pain in the rear to field strip. The Wolverine was on the light side. I felt like the Camper had the perfect amount of weight and was not too difficult to field strip. Plus, I have heard nothing but great things about the Buckmarks. I think it is a great gun. I think the slide is hitting some resistance and I think the hammer is the problem (and no, I have never disassembled the gun other than a basic field stripping after every 1-2 range visits). I have noticed that the gun performs flawlessly if I coat it in oil. I was wondering about trying some grease throughout the gun to see if this helps any problems I have.

I do have another question or two. One, what does bbl stand for? I cannot find the answer anywhere. Two, what is the point of having a fluted barrel on a pistol? What does it do differently than the bull barrel on my pistol?

Thanks for all the help everybody!!!

Wild Bill Bucks · May 4, 2006, 11:42 AM

Jlw,
I have had a Buckmark for several years and lots of rounds, and have never had any problems with it.
After cleaning, almost every auto will work better with a little lubrication on the wear spots. Just don't over do it.
My dad busted my butt when I was a kid for dry firing his .22 rifle, so I have NEVER done that again, but I DO occasionally sit around the house and pull the trigger on an empty case.
Put an emtpy case in your gun and pull the trigger, and see if the gun jams that way. If it does, I would suggest taking it to your smithy, and let him look at it.

May 2, 2006, 08:59 AM	#1
jlwman Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 202	Slide Release Problem Hi all! This is my first post, but I have done a lot of reading here everyday and everybody seems great and knows what they are talking about. Well, here are the problems I am having with my pistol. I have a Browing Buckmark Camper .22 pistol. I have only had it a few months and maybe have put 2000 rounds through it. One problem I have is if it is ever dry fired (almost never), the slide does not want to slide back once the trigger is pulled so that I can lock it in the open position. It is almost like after you pull the trigger it releases some magical super-glue and trys to seal itself shut. It seriously take two hands and all my strength to pull back the slide. I thought maybe it was a lubrication problem but it does it even after a thorough cleaning and lubrication. The other problem is that I am having a lot of extraction problems. I almost wonder if the slide is not going back all of the way. When I pull the slide back I can feel it hitting the trigger mechanism and I think it impedes the slide going all of the way back after firing a live round. When I have jams, the brass is usually stuck inbetween the slide and the barrel, facing the same way it was when it was in the barrell. It is like the extractor just pulled out the casing and moved it over 1/4 of an inch. This has been the most frustraiting gun I have owned....and being that I own four guns and and very new to shooting...it is very irritating. Any help would be great. Thanks!!!

May 2, 2006, 11:01 AM	#2
JoeHatley Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 1999 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,135	When you dry fire the gun, the next time you pull the slide back it is also cocking the gun, requiring more force. Double check your chamber and under the extractor built up crud. Easy to miss those areas when cleaning. That may help your failures to extract. Good Luck... Joe __________________ Go NRA

May 2, 2006, 08:49 PM	#4
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	Buckmark Dear shooter: I'm terribly sorry and very sympathetic concerning your Buckmark! I just posted the Python owner and I'm going to tell you the same thing: get rid of the Buckmark and get a Rught bull bbl. MII Target - either the short or long bbl. Buckmarks have problems - Ruger hardly ever does. Harry B.

May 2, 2006, 05:30 PM	#3
jlwman Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 202	Doesn't it require the same amount of force no matter if I cock it manually or if it does it itself when shooting. Why would it practically seize the slide shut just because I dry fired it. Maybe I am not catching on to something.

May 3, 2006, 07:13 PM	#5
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Have you had the hammer or mainspring (hammer spring) out of the gun? It sounds like the hammer is not moving as it should and is blocking the slide. That is often the result of improper installation of the hammer or the hammer strut. (Installing the hammer strut backwards can cause that problem.) With the slide off, try pushing the hammer back to the cocked position. It should encounter only moderate spring tension. If it is hard to move, that is your problem. Was the gun bought new? If not, and you are not up to tackling the problem, I can only recommend a gunsmith. If you bought the gun new, take it back to the store and see if they can fix it or send it to Browning's service facility. Jim

May 4, 2006, 10:42 AM	#7
jlwman Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 202	I do really like the Camper model. I looked at the Ruger Mark III and a Olympic Arms Wolverine, but thought the Camper was the best. The Ruger, in my opinion, was on the heavy side and looks like a pain in the rear to field strip. The Wolverine was on the light side. I felt like the Camper had the perfect amount of weight and was not too difficult to field strip. Plus, I have heard nothing but great things about the Buckmarks. I think it is a great gun. I think the slide is hitting some resistance and I think the hammer is the problem (and no, I have never disassembled the gun other than a basic field stripping after every 1-2 range visits). I have noticed that the gun performs flawlessly if I coat it in oil. I was wondering about trying some grease throughout the gun to see if this helps any problems I have. I do have another question or two. One, what does bbl stand for? I cannot find the answer anywhere. Two, what is the point of having a fluted barrel on a pistol? What does it do differently than the bull barrel on my pistol? Thanks for all the help everybody!!!

May 4, 2006, 11:42 AM	#8
Wild Bill Bucks Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2005 Location: Southeastern Oklahoma, Next door to Sasquatch Posts: 1,266	Jlw, I have had a Buckmark for several years and lots of rounds, and have never had any problems with it. After cleaning, almost every auto will work better with a little lubrication on the wear spots. Just don't over do it. My dad busted my butt when I was a kid for dry firing his .22 rifle, so I have NEVER done that again, but I DO occasionally sit around the house and pull the trigger on an empty case. Put an emtpy case in your gun and pull the trigger, and see if the gun jams that way. If it does, I would suggest taking it to your smithy, and let him look at it.