Browning BBR surprise breaching experience

[gunrunner8]

OK,
friend of mine asked me to re barrel his Browning BBR from (damaged) 7mm mag to 27.5" heavy target quality barrel (3/4" dia at muzzle) in 300 Wby.
Easy enough.
Action has 9 massive locking lugs, is long enough, rifle is heavy enough, will be more so with new barrel so the muzzle brake isn't really needed.
I had no experience with BBR before so after removing the original barrel to my big surprise the tenon is small, really small. 15/16"x20TPIx1"long
Smallest I ever seen on a rifle handling magnum sized cartridges.
The reason for it is that action has special HT bracket with 9 locking bases inside in it pressed (?), (loctited?) into the receiver.
I wonder....is the original barrel super high tensile strength steel used, or not, and any SS barrel can be used in its place.
Would like to hear some opinions before starting turning that precious Mick McPhee's blank.

 

[guntech]

I barreled a BBR many years ago to 338-378 Weatherby and altered the bolt face and extractor... I told the customer up front it was an experiment and if it did not work he was out of pocket for everything... he took the chance and the rifle shot very well. It was a very heavy barrel and a huge muzzle brake... it is still shooting as far as I know.

 

[coyoteking]

Tagged for interest.

I’ve been considering using a BBR action for a custom project for a few years, I like the action but don’t care much for the rest of the rifle.

 

[David Henry]

The first BBR I did was also the last one I did. This was about 25 years ago and the problem occurred when I was trying to remove the original barrel from the action. The locking lug insert managed to slip inside the receiver and wrecked the front receiver ring rendering the action useless. A costly experience for me at the time, so I have opted not to rebarrel these rifles ever since. D.H.

 

[gunrunner8]

The first BBR I did was also the last one I did. This was about 25 years ago and the problem occurred when I was trying to remove the original barrel from the action. The locking lug insert managed to slip inside the receiver and wrecked the front receiver ring rendering the action useless. A costly experience for me at the time, so I have opted not to rebarrel these rifles ever since. D.H.

To clamp the barrel in my barrel vise with the help of rosin there isn't any problem, ever.
BBR front part of receiver on the other hand has big challenge to grab it securely for barrel removal.
I also struggled with the method to find good way to do it and over the time I found the way.
Browning does making very deep milling cut in the bottom of receiver for the magazine well.
That cut flattens the receiver and locking lug insert flush with each other, perfect for 1.125" wrench to slide over with
.007" brass shim over the top of front ring (to avoid marring it) for very tight fit.
This method assures me that insert stays secure in front ring during barrel removal.
Guntech comment gives me green light for the job but I still think that BBR should not be handling 7mm Rem Mag size cartridges
with their small tenon limitation.

 

[guntech]

.....but I still think that BBR should not be handling 7mm Rem Mag size cartridges
with their small tenon limitation.

If it can handle the very fat 378 Wby case - standard magnum cases will never be a problem... and I have never seen one with a problem... The newer Browning rifles have even a smaller tenon diameter... .900" with a very fine thread.

I have had only one problem while barreling BBR's, ABolts, etc... I had one stainless A Bolt action threads gall on barrel removal and I had to thread the action slightly larger and fitted the new barrel accordingly.

 

[nowarningshot]

Not in anyway a gunsmith.

My experience with Bbr has been their almost universal habit of the stock splitting in the tang. Massive 9 lug bolt and the original Browning hinged/detachable magazine are the remarkable features. Like the bustard step child of a Mark V and a Browning A bolt.

Sounds like the threads are not as fine as the newer A and X bolts. Two gunsmiths I have used will not rebarrel X and A bolts for this reason.

My thought would be to bed, and reinforce the action, lug, and especially the tang.

 

[gunpro]

have never rebarreled a BBR, but after reading this the answer would be NOT! replaced and repaired a few stocks, cracked tangs and a complete split through the wrist. Stainless A-bolt, galled and actually twisted the receiver removing the barrel. It was not a good day. Had done some blued A-bolts before with no issues. As it turned out i was able to make my brother happy with a new Rem 700 action for his barrel blank and he has never looked back. he calls it a 300 Win Mag plinker as the rifle is so much tamer on recoil than his factory A-bolt ever was.

 

[Leeper]

I run an 8x40 screw through the recoil lug, receiver, and locking insert/barrel extenstion, to keep everything in place. The screw is centered on the bottom flat, is countersunk, and glued in place (Loc-tite). This is done before the original barrel is removed.
The Voere Titan receiver is somewhat similar to the BBR in that the locking lug seats are part of a separate insert. Unlike the BBR, the Voere's barrel threads are in the mild steel receiver and the insert is held in place by the barrel and by a tiny set screw; a strange design.

 

[gunrunner8]

I have had only one problem while barreling BBR's, ABolts, etc... I had one stainless A Bolt action threads gall on barrel removal and I had to thread the action slightly larger and fitted the new barrel accordingly.

Galling stainless bolt in stainless nut is quite common. No surprise there.
That BBR of mine barrel removal was very tight as well all the way out.
It happens that I have 15/16"x20tpi tap and I tried it in that BBR insert with bare hand and it was smooth sailing.
So the tenon being clean (no residue of loctite noticed) was factory threaded with interference in mind like others I have heard.
What would be reason for it? To support tenon with action front ring so it wouldn't expand under chamber pressure?
Thanks for the tip Leeper about that 8x40 screw, that one I have to remember just in case.