[firewagon]

I have a Browning 725 Max 32" barrels, pull triggers etc. Since I have owned it it has been misfiring. At first I just thought the primers might be to deep but I was using factory ammo. After a while it started to really get bad. I bought a new firing pin and spring kit for it and replaced the lower firing pin and spring. 1000 rds later same issue started back up. I have now bought my 5th set of firing pins for this gun. I've had iot about a year now. The gun itself is great to shoot and I like the feel of it but I cannot stand the issue with the lower barrel firing pin. Anyone out there have this issue.

Is there a fix..

 

[WadHopper]

I have a Browning 725 Max 32" barrels, pull triggers etc. Since I have owned it it has been misfiring. At first I just thought the primers might be to deep but I was using factory ammo. After a while it started to really get bad. I bought a new firing pin and spring kit for it and replaced the lower firing pin and spring. 1000 rds later same issue started back up. I have now bought my 5th set of firing pins for this gun. I've had iot about a year now. The gun itself is great to shoot and I like the feel of it but I cannot stand the issue with the lower barrel firing pin. Anyone out there have this issue.

Is there a fix..

If you keep replacing factory with factory you're not fixing the problem.
Here's my factory pin after only 1200 rds.

I replaced with JP pins/springs so only a few hundred into those but history says "problem solved".

 

[firewagon]

If you keep replacing factory with factory you're not fixing the problem.
Here's my factory pin after only 1200 rds.

View attachment 1759838

I replaced with JP pins/springs so only a few hundred into those but history says "problem solved".

No I am using JP Pins but thats how they look after a few rounds..

 

[JohnTrigger]

Did you clean out the hole very thoroughly that the whole pin is in when you replaced the pin to include the small hole the pin protrudes through? Use qtips and computer air. I also use a pipe cleaner to get through the small hole.

Another possibility is the mainspring that slams the hammer forward when trigger is pulled. It could be weak especially if it was a used gun.

 

[WadHopper]

No I am using JP Pins but thats how they look after a few rounds..

S.O.B. Time to eat crow...600rds. JP pins and springs.

 

[Pull & Mark]

You really need to buy some HD soap from your local Auto Part Store. I recommend the \Fast Orange brand with Pumice!!! It will help clean your hands nicely!!!

You also should not bit your nails. Now what question did you have for use again??? break em all Jeff

 

[firewagon]

Did you clean out the hole very thoroughly that the whole pin is in when you replaced the pin to include the small hole the pin protrudes through? Use qtips and computer air. I also use a pipe cleaner to get through the small hole.

Another possibility is the mainspring that slams the hammer forward when trigger is pulled. It could be weak especially if it was a used gun.

I cleaned everything. Its not my first rodeo. The MAX has an issue or the primers that the manufacturers are using are hard as hell. ???

 

[RobertT]

Are you shooting reloads with Cheddite primers? They are famous for piercing primers fired from the lower barrel resulting in the hot gases from the blow back eroding the firing pin. Your picture suggests that is exactly what is happening regardless of primers being used.

 

[WadHopper]

Are you shooting reloads with Cheddite primers? They are famous for piercing primers fired from the lower barrel resulting in the hot gases from the blow back eroding the firing pin. Your picture suggests that is exactly what is happening regardless of primers being used.

.
Cheddite. Here's a picture of two hulls. Left was fired through the 725 right my CG. Notable difference. Also appears as if the firing pin is sticking out, catching/dragging the base of the shell by the line just to the right of "12 GA". All hulls fired from my 725 show the same marks whereas none from my CG are marked.

Damn...this blows, I really like my new combo but switching primers isn't really an option with what's going on and there's not a flat in sight. Guess I'll shoot it, clean it and change pins as necessary. I read something on here about filing and polishing out the pitting, maybe give that a try too...?

 

[WadHopper]

.
Cheddite. Here's a picture of two hulls. Left was fired through the 725 right my CG. Notable difference. Also appears as if the firing pin is sticking out, catching/dragging the base of the shell by the line just to the right of "12 GA". All hulls fired from my 725 show the same marks whereas none from my CG are marked.
View attachment 1759856
Damn...this blows, I really like my new combo but switching primers isn't really an option with what's going on and there's not a flat in sight. Guess I'll shoot it, clean it and change pins as necessary. I read something on here about filing and polishing out the pitting, maybe give that a try too...?

So since my last post I pulled the firing pin, polished it and cleaned the hole. There was a lot of carbon, more than I thought there would be at least. Had to squirt it out with PB Blaster several times, run a pipe cleaner through it three or four times (thanks for the tip) along with countless air blasts and q-tips I finally felt like it was as clean as it was going to get. Reassembled and figure that's really all I can do. We'll see.

 

[flashmax]

Rebound spring intact and in place?

 

[RLW48]

Stay away from known hard primers, clean the channels, use J&P pins...once I got those things figured out, no more firing pin problems.
J&P are a big improvement over stock pins, but will eventually get pitted if primers are pierced.

 

[WadHopper]

Rebound spring intact and in place?

Yessir. I have two opinions on this...the JP springs are an improvement over factory and there's a design flaw in the 725. I have well over 10K through my CG without issue, all Cheddite primers.

This is a huge letdown...now I'm wondering how long until I start seeing shrooming around the hole? What other issues are going to surprise me? I guess it doesn't matter because I'll shoot the hell out of it either way but man, what a bummer...

 

[Iggyjr]

I have a Browning 725 Max 32" barrels, pull triggers etc. Since I have owned it it has been misfiring. At first I just thought the primers might be to deep but I was using factory ammo. After a while it started to really get bad. I bought a new firing pin and spring kit for it and replaced the lower firing pin and spring. 1000 rds later same issue started back up. I have now bought my 5th set of firing pins for this gun. I've had iot about a year now. The gun itself is great to shoot and I like the feel of it but I cannot stand the issue with the lower barrel firing pin. Anyone out there have this issue.

Is there a fix..

It’s not the firing pin, it’s the stainless steel primers that are the culprit. I had same problem, switched to Winchester,Federal brass primers never had firing pin problem on the lower pin again ever!
You may find that the upper firing barrel firing pins will last a lot longer and using the upper barrel may help you get by until you can get brass primers.
The lower barrels firing pin angle causes the primers to get pierced and this is where the issue starts. The pierced primers get a shot of heated gas like a cutting torch that burns the firing pin. Over time the pin losses material and light strikes occur.
Dumb the stainless steel primers! Yes ,with the primer shortage what does one do...
It’s not that the Browning Max has a problem many other guns that have angled firing pin holes have same issue.

 

[Carl_in_NH]

There's also variations that cause some primers to pierce and pins to erode, while others show no damage. I've got almost 4,000 Cheddites run over the lower pin in my 725 and haven't seen any ruptured primers or damage to the pin. Been monitoring the situation closely since I was forced to switch to Cheddites because of availability. Taken the pins out of the receiver to clean and inspect several times, and the factory pin still looks and feels like new. The J&P parts are in the case on stand-by in the event the situation changes.

While I wouldn't expect there to be a significant amount of variation in the depth of the firing pin hole in the receiver, it could be a contributing factor. Another more likely source of variation is location of the primer itself based upon seating depth in the hull base, and the type of hull being used. I'm running GC's predominantly.

The drag marks from the pin across the base of the hull would indicate to me the pin is protruding and stuck in that position. Something fishy is going on there...

 

[flashmax]

Yessir. I have two opinions on this...the JP springs are an improvement over factory and there's a design flaw in the 725. I have well over 10K through my CG without issue, all Cheddite primers.

This is a huge letdown...now I'm wondering how long until I start seeing shrooming around the hole? What other issues are going to surprise me? I guess it doesn't matter because I'll shoot the hell out of it either way but man, what a bummer...

J n P pins are longer than factory. Your picture of the two hulls showed a pin that had either stuck in the hull or stuck in the gun. Assuming it had stuck in the gun because of the drag mark down the hull base. But. If the gun was cleaned thoroughly and the pins don’t stick in the bores any longer it indicates pins that were too long piercing primers and filling the pin bore with carbon/soot while the tips burned and spalled away. Polish the pins back round and keep doing it until they quit piercing. People replace their pins because of “light strikes”. But light strikes are caused by more than short pins. They can be caused by carbon build up in the rebound spring. In the pin bore. The rebound spring kinking. Breaking. Limiting the range of motion causes those light strikes after a surprisingly short time. When I shot browning guns I had a bottom pin burn from piercing due to shooting RIO shells. Carbon built up. Had a fail to fire. Took the pin out and filed it smooth and round in my lathe then polished it with crocus. Cleaned out the pin bore. Replaced the rebound spring because those hot gasses shooting through the hole were hot enough to cause the spring to lose temper, get hard, and break into three pieces. I sold and gave away the remaining flats of RIO shells and proceeded to shoot a couple of straights without any more trouble. But I also cleaned hell out of the receiver every couple of weeks. Soaked it in mineral spirits while I cleaned the barrels. Used the pins as pumps while it was submerged to pump fluid through the bores and to feel for any hint of roughness or restricted movements. Whenever I took a notion I’d pull the lower pin and run a qtip up the bore to inspect the spring and see if I could get more stuff out of the bore. Never got much.

Bought spare pins just in case. Never used them and gave them away after I traded the browning.

 

[WadHopper]

Polish the pins back round and keep doing it until they quit piercing.

Exactly my plan. We'll see how it goes. I like my GU 725 Adj Combo enough that I'm considering another for backup and to eliminate the urge to switch back and forth between my CG and B gun. Time will tell...........................................................................................................

 

[flashmax]

Exactly my plan. We'll see how it goes. I like my GU 725 Adj Combo enough that I'm considering another for backup and to eliminate the urge to switch back and forth between my CG and B gun. Time will tell...........................................................................................................

Be sure to mind the pin bores and to have a spare pin on hand if you go too far.

 

[WadHopper]

The drag marks from the pin across the base of the hull would indicate to me the pin is protruding and stuck in that position. Something fishy is going on there...

There was more gunk in there than I had anticipated. I have a slight inclination that possibly the pin wasn't retracting all the way under spring pressure (as Flash stated above). Although the spring looked okay it did get launched across the bench onto the floor so if there was gunk in it, it could have fallen out during the ride. The bore is spotless and lightly oiled now so we shall see. You can bet that I'll be paying closer attention from now on, just not a big fan of pulling the stock so often. I also picked up a few cans of brake cleaner this morning on my way to work to make the process a little faster next time.