# WTN Need Help On A Browning Medalist Problem



## HHM (Aug 21, 2012)

New to this forum, can any one help? I have a browning medalist that will only fire the first round, load the next round pull the trigger; hear the hammer fall without firing the next round. It will fire every time manually loading a single round pull the slide back and fire. I have changed the firing pin and recoil spring. I have tried different magazines, different ammo- high velocity, low velocity. Some times it will fire 3-5 rounds at a time but will not fire a full magazine. Can the dry firing mechanism somehow interfere or slow down the hammer falling? Sorry I forgot, when it does not fire the rim looks to have a light struck. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks a great forum. HHM


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

A few suggestions:

- Check to make sure the slide is closing completely. If the slide is stopping slightly out-of-battery (not quite fully closed), some of the hammer's energy will be redirected from the firing pin to closing the slide, leaving the light hit on the rim that you talked about. Load and release the slide, then (keeping it pointing safely downrange!) lean forward and look at the side of the slide and the size of any gap between the front face of the slide and the rear face of the barrel. Lean back to your normal shooting position, fire the shot, then lean forward again and see if the slide/barrel relationship looks any different. If there is any increase in the gap and then the weapon fails to fire the next shot, then the slide failing to close may be the problem. WHY it is failing to close completely may be difficult to determine, though.

- Check for any burrs on the rear edge of the chamber. If there are any sharp edges, gouges, or burrs on the rear face of the barrel at the chamber's edge, it might be snagging on the round as the slide closes, preventing the round from fully seating into the chamber. When you try to fire, some of the firing pin's energy is redirected to fully seating the round, and you get a light strike mark on the rim (because it wasn't well-supported by the edge of the chamber, and therefore the rim doesn't get crushed properly). You could try chambering a round, extracting it without shooting, then checking the sides of the case for scratching or gouging.

- Look in the extractor recess/cutout on the right side of the barrel (at the rear) and see if there is any build-up of crud in this area. If so, clean it out. Put a drop of oil/lube on the extractor plunger (behind the extractor in the slide), and work the extractor ever-so-slightly back-and-forth (not too far, or it may pop right out!), checking for free movement or any indications of binding. If the extractor is not moving freely in the slide, or is binding in the barrel slot when the slide closes, it may prevent the slide from closing completely, with the possible problems I have previously described, above.

Hope you get it figured out and corrected; I know how frustrating it can be. Especially with a fine, accurate piece like a Medalist!


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## DanP_from_AZ (May 8, 2009)

HHM said:


> . . . Any help would be greatly appreciated.


DJ's got the drill nailed down.

Also, you can go here and ask your question. 
I've put you in the rimfire Browning sub-forum. You'll want to use it as "another forum home for info". :smt1099

Browning - RimfireCentral.com Forums


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## HHM (Aug 21, 2012)

I want to thank you guys for the help, will check it out.

Thanks again, HHM


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## jingellic (Feb 16, 2012)

HHM said:


> New to this forum, can any one help? I have a browning medalist that will only fire the first round, load the next round pull the trigger; hear the hammer fall without firing the next round. It will fire every time manually loading a single round pull the slide back and fire. I have changed the firing pin and recoil spring. I have tried different magazines, different ammo- high velocity, low velocity. Some times it will fire 3-5 rounds at a time but will not fire a full magazine. Can the dry firing mechanism somehow interfere or slow down the hammer falling? Sorry I forgot, when it does not fire the rim looks to have a light struck. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks a great forum. HHM


Been there done that. New spring, etc. It was dry firing or going to safe, last round would not load. Removed safety assembly, end of problem.. Dunno what the connection is there, but it works. I did find that the gunsmith (I am in Australia and gunsmiths that can do hand guns are as rare as hip pockets in underpants) who fitted a new hammer spring had lost a little plate(item 14 or P051731 depending on the schematics). This was causing the safety lever to slop around. Anyway, it is common to remove the safety assemblies on these cannons cos safety's are not required in comps, and this model causes problems. I have just put a few hundred rounds through it at the club, did well. Now I am going to beef up the fining pin with a special welding rod applied to the end of the pin. It is hardened steel so the weld has to be right. My son said he could make a pin but easier to do it this way. After a hundred rounds or so there is a tendency to misfire as the gunk has built up, the pin is worn and it does not give the full penetration hit.


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