I’ve heard several people complain about the trigger on the Browning B78 High Wall. Mine initially had a little bit of free play, followed by a noticeable creep during which there was an annoying build up of tension before the hammer finally dropped. I was not content to consciously feel and think through the various stages of the trigger’s movement. Hence, I sort the services of a competent / knowledgeable Gunsmith who, after some fiddling & filing etc has lightened the trigger down to about two pound, minus the creep and progressive tension. Absolutely fantastic – the only problem being, I’ve got to now re-train the brain to adapt to this beautifully crisp trigger. That means more time out hunting so I shouldn’t really complain !
Further, I found the original case extraction lever to be overly forceful – resulting in a very audible noise as it snapped open prior to loading (a sure way of scaring off nearby game), and flinging the case hard against the adjustable case guide behind the falling block. A very simple fix – unscrew the forearm, lower the lever and carefully dismantle the rather simple spring operated ejector assembly. Replace the original somewhat firm spring with one which has less tension, then re-assemble. Easy !
Unlike the contemporary 1885 model, the B78’s barrel is not floated. Another easy fix – unscrew the forearm and carefully sand down the channel. When you’re happy with the clearance, seal the sanded channel and add a thin flat metal spacer to each screw - between the channel and the forearm’s hanger.
I don’t like the 1885 High Wall’s straight grip stock and the fact that the .243 Win was only available in the Low Wall version, thus the reason for recently buying an old 1978 B78 High Wall – complete with a pistol grip Monte Carlo style stock with a raised cheek rest and a 26 inch round heavy barrel. A magnificent rifle, beautifully designed and constructed – with the mentioned minor modifications it is now such a pleasure to shoot. Happy hunting !
