Browning HP mag drop question

Joe Portale · February 1, 2002, 11:27 PM

This is a question that has preplexed me for a time now. Some of you may remember me nagging about this some time ago. I have a Belgin HP. I wanted to getthe magazine to drop free of the gun when the release is pressed. Well, i did find someone who made it happen. I never found out what he did. The guy has since retired and closed up shop. I have taken the HP apart, inspected it under a lighted maginfier and I still can't see what the heck this guy did. Anyone have an idea?
I know this will come up, the mag safety was removed before the gun was made to drop the mag.

Being a compulsive tinkerer and endlessly curious...IT IS MAKING ME CRAZY NOT BEING ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HE DID!

Thank you.

bdhawk · February 1, 2002, 11:35 PM

railroader · February 2, 2002, 12:25 AM

Joe, the sear spring if it has a slight bow in it can drag on the mag causing it not drop free. If the spring is taken out straightened, put back in, the mags will drop free. That might be what your smith did.

Badger Arms · February 2, 2002, 01:02 PM

The magazine safety is directly behind the trigger. It has a squarish surface that is spring tensioned and drags against the front of the magazine as the trigger is pulled. This also applies pressure to the magazine all the time. If you look at used magazines, most will have a little worn finish area on the front of the magazine.

What your gunsmith likely did was remove the magazine safety. To test this, remove the magazine and check to ensure there is no round in the chamber. Point the gun in a safe direction and dry fire it. If you cannot get the hammer to drop by pulling the trigger, I'm wrong. If the hammer falls without a magazine in the gun, this is what the gunsmith did.

The magazine safety on the Browning HP is a safety hazard IMHO. It encourages one who is disassembling the gun to insert a magazine and pull the trigger to decock the gun. Many GI's aren't trained enough to remember to remove the magazine again. Any number of simple errors can lead to an accidental Discharge. Modern "Crunchentinker" double action guns invariably have a Decocker which is the only proper way to decock them.

Joe Portale · February 2, 2002, 01:32 PM

Good thought Badger, but I had already took that nasty mag safety out of the gun beforing giving it to the old gunsmith. After reading what railroder wrote, I pulled the panels off and took a look. Yep, there are some drag marks on the sear spring. I'll bet that flattening the sear spring is what he did, also.

James K · February 2, 2002, 04:04 PM

He might also have polished the inside of the mag well in addition to fixing the sear spring.

Jim

February 1, 2002, 11:27 PM	#1
Joe Portale Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 1999 Location: Tucson, Arizona Territory Posts: 715	Browning HP mag drop question This is a question that has preplexed me for a time now. Some of you may remember me nagging about this some time ago. I have a Belgin HP. I wanted to getthe magazine to drop free of the gun when the release is pressed. Well, i did find someone who made it happen. I never found out what he did. The guy has since retired and closed up shop. I have taken the HP apart, inspected it under a lighted maginfier and I still can't see what the heck this guy did. Anyone have an idea? I know this will come up, the mag safety was removed before the gun was made to drop the mag. Being a compulsive tinkerer and endlessly curious...IT IS MAKING ME CRAZY NOT BEING ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HE DID! Thank you. __________________ Joe Portale Tucson, Arizona Territory "Even now in heaven there are angles carrying savage weapons". - St Paul

February 2, 2002, 01:02 PM	#4
Badger Arms Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2000 Location: Harnett County, NC Posts: 1,700	The magazine safety is directly behind the trigger. It has a squarish surface that is spring tensioned and drags against the front of the magazine as the trigger is pulled. This also applies pressure to the magazine all the time. If you look at used magazines, most will have a little worn finish area on the front of the magazine. What your gunsmith likely did was remove the magazine safety. To test this, remove the magazine and check to ensure there is no round in the chamber. Point the gun in a safe direction and dry fire it. If you cannot get the hammer to drop by pulling the trigger, I'm wrong. If the hammer falls without a magazine in the gun, this is what the gunsmith did. The magazine safety on the Browning HP is a safety hazard IMHO. It encourages one who is disassembling the gun to insert a magazine and pull the trigger to decock the gun. Many GI's aren't trained enough to remember to remove the magazine again. Any number of simple errors can lead to an accidental Discharge. Modern "Crunchentinker" double action guns invariably have a Decocker which is the only proper way to decock them. __________________ We may or may not worship God, but John Moses Browning made sure we can choose.

February 2, 2002, 01:32 PM	#5
Joe Portale Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 1999 Location: Tucson, Arizona Territory Posts: 715	Good thought Badger, but I had already took that nasty mag safety out of the gun beforing giving it to the old gunsmith. After reading what railroder wrote, I pulled the panels off and took a look. Yep, there are some drag marks on the sear spring. I'll bet that flattening the sear spring is what he did, also. __________________ Joe Portale Tucson, Arizona Territory "Even now in heaven there are angles carrying savage weapons". - St Paul

February 1, 2002, 11:35 PM	#2
bdhawk Junior member Join Date: December 22, 2000 Posts: 114

February 2, 2002, 12:25 AM	#3
railroader Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2000 Location: Tucson Arizona Posts: 1,756	Joe, the sear spring if it has a slight bow in it can drag on the mag causing it not drop free. If the spring is taken out straightened, put back in, the mags will drop free. That might be what your smith did.

February 2, 2002, 04:04 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	He might also have polished the inside of the mag well in addition to fixing the sear spring. Jim