Woohoo! Getting my hands on an older BT-99!

thegrandpoohbah

thegrandpoohbah

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My father-in-law is bringing me a Browning BT-99 that he inherited from a friend. It looked to be in as new condition. 32" barrel with a fixed full choke if I am not mistaken. It's no Citori but I can't argue with free. Should make for a pretty good trap gun I would think. Is there anything I need to be aware of as far as maintenance?
 
Ok, so I was wrong. There was more than one BT-99 and I got the rougher one. Serial number indicates 1973 manufacture date and it has some blueing wear. Still locks up nice and tight. The ejector seems to be sticking and only works intermittently so I think a good cleaning is in order.
 
Usually, from what I have seen, they need a good cleaning when things start sticking. I don't own a BT99 but I shoot with at least three people in Smithers who do. Two of them are 70's vintage. They very seldom stop working and when they do its usually from being dirty. BT99s were manufactured at the Miroku plant in Japan starting in 1968 so yours is the more desirable earlier model.
Where do you shoot trap in Terrace. I didn't think anybody did anymore but I haven't been to the Terrace range in a few years.
 
The ejector works again after a good cleaning and some oil.

I also got a Ruger Red Label over under. 1994 manufacture date and it is one of the Ducks Unlimited marked receivers. 26" barrels with improved cylinder and modified chokes. This one is in excellent condition and could pass for new. Can't wait to get out to the trap range.
 
The more desirable one ? Early version's had the beaver tail forend later versions had the big square / rectangular forend that's about the only differance other than screw in chokes later on . I shot one for a decade on the 16yd line it had the standard trap stock not the Monte carlo stock it kept my AA average intact ,sometimes I would switch to my model 12 trap gun it would pulverize targets as well both full choke guns .
 
thegrandpoohbah said:
Ok, got the Bt-99 out for a couple rounds of trap today. The ejector is definitely not working at all. Is there anything else I should try before sending it to a gunsmith?
Click to expand...

Do you hear any click, or snap sound at all when you open the breech all the way, or with the hammer released does the trip rod protrude from the receiver joint?
Were the hulls you were using brass base or steel
Cheers
 
3macs1 said:
Do you hear any click, or snap sound at all when you open the breech all the way, or with the hammer released does the trip rod protrude from the receiver joint?
Were the hulls you were using brass base or steel
Cheers
Click to expand...

Brass based hulls. Right after cleaning it was making the clicking sound and ejecting my dummy rounds. Yesterday though nothing was ejected at all.
 
Dummy rounds are mostly the same dimension as unfired live rounds. I suspect your fired rounds are sticking in a dirty chamber and likely have brass washed steel heads that don't help the situation. IF the ejector works with dummies or dry firing (actually use the dummies dry firing is a bad practice with older guns) you likely will need to polish the chamber a bit to get the hulls not to stick and trap your ejector. Or maybe I am all wet and well off the mark in identifying your problem.

Darryl
 
Dummy rounds are not an issue. I have now cleaned and oiled thoroughly and the ejector is still stuck and not making that clicking sound. Should I open her up to have a closer look or is this something that would require a gunsmith?
 
3macs1 said:
So no clicking when fully being open now
Click to expand...

If no clicking noise take the stock off and make sure the retaining disk is still attached to the trip rod, and in the slot and against the main spring collar.. This pushes the trip rod forward when the hammer is released, and trips the ejector. Theses discs are known to break free and cause inconsistent ejection or not at all. When the hammer is cocked check to see if the rod has some resistance when you push it back into the receiver, it should not be free floating or moving. It can also be just a matter of a trip rod adjustment.

On the chamber polish I would clean it well but not polish it like one would do an express. This is a precision chamber and not a POS like an express and I would only fire clean brass based hulls out of it like STS or AA not plated ones
All the best
 
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