Drill and tap a BPS

[Acal57]

I bought a Browning BPS hunter a couple years ago and it has evolved into my dedicated turkey gun. I have a scope, rings and the Browning base for the BPS. The base has 3 holes and no instructions and is compatible with the BPS, Gold and Silver shotguns. I called the Browning tech support line to find out which holes to use. They informed me that the NWTF versions of the BPS have special steel receivers that are built to be drilled and tapped and while it can be done to a field model he wouldn't recommend it. He said I have to have a gunsmith who really knows their stuff so as not to screw it up.

Has anyone drilled and tapped a BPS that did not come like that from the factory? What are the results like?

 

[yorgi]

Just a suggestion but B-Square use to make a dedicated saddle-mount for the 12GA BPS, now they only make a 20GA. I have one of these mounts and it works great, takes less than 5 minutes to install or take down, rock solid and base is only about 1/2" above the rib sight plane. Perhaps place a WTB ad here or troll the US-based sites for one.

 

[gunrunner100]

Aluminum receivers can be drilled and tapped well enough, if there is enough "meat" to have the screw get a good purchase. Generally d & t 8-40.
With the NWTF, Browning determined that the shotgun is almost exclusively going to be scoped, so decided that they'd build it in steel.
I'm with Yorgi, if you can find a saddle mount, it may save you some heartache down the road with stripped screws.

 

[Acal57]

The receiver is "forged and machined steel" (from the Browning website). Is that just the internals? Is the housing aluminum?

I've looked at saddle mounts and I understand the benefits but I just can't get passed how butt ugly they are.
Thanks for the replies fellas.

 

[gunrunner100]

So the one you have is steel?
I've drilled and tapped a few shotguns. Biggest determining factor is locating the holes in an area thick enough to support the screws away from an area such as the barrel tenon.