BLR not firing

[gadgetman]

I just bought a used BLR in .308. (Made in 1990). When I test fired it the first round would fire, and the second round would chamber, but the trigger when pulled, would not drop the hammer. I did this three times, each with the same result. With no ammo in the rifle it seems to function ok. I was firing military surplus ammo that I fire in my M1A with no problem. If anyone can help I would appreciate the input. Thanks, Gary

[gunnut69]

Were the primers a bit cratered??  Looked a bit like overpressure loads?  My guess is the bolt/lever combo is out of time.  There is a gear and rack system that moves the bolt.  If out of sync the bolt will close but the disconnector is not cleared.  The result is a failure to fire..  Take it to a qualified smith and have him correct it.  It's a bit of a tricky job getting the two into sync...  Sounds like they're just a little off....  I have also seen one instance where plain ole dirt kept the disconnector from functioning...but my guess remains a poor re-assembly job..

[gadgetman]

Took it to a local gunsmith for evaluation. He was thinking ammo problem so he put 4 rounds of factory .308 in the mag and fired four times. The whole problem was the surplus ammo I was test firing it with. I took it home last night and mounted a Leupold 2.5x8 with Leupold rings and bases. What a combo, great balance and a scope sized to match the rifle size. I cannot wait to sight it in and hit the woods. Thanks, Gary

[gunnut69]

I would still be cautious.. Military ammo is often made with harder primers than commercial ammo as the military uses much of this ammo in full auto weapons and they are very hard on ammo..  and a slam fire is ugly, very ugly...  Still the ammo should have functioned the BLR.  As rule their hammer strikes are quite firm..  Were the firing pin hits on the rounds that wouldn't fire shallow? Perhaps there is something slowing the hammer or the firing pin.   Was this foreign military surplus?  just curious..  Glad the problem is solved..

[gadgetman]

There were no indentations because the hammer would not fall when the trigger was pulled. The lever would not close far enough to allow for the connector linkage to engage the hammer sear. With this model, the trigger disconnects and moves with the lever. Thanks, Gary

[gunnut69]

Did the smith check the headspace on the rifle?  In reality though I'll bet you have a tight chamber.  Brownings are sort of known for that..  There are even 'small base' dies sets available to size brass to minimum dimensions to allow better funstion in rifles with tight chambers...  That is not a bad thing.  Minimum dimensions keep things a bit more in line and usually shoot a bit better..  though you may well find other brands of ammo that also will not funstion well..