Browning .22 semi auto
 

I have a rifle passed down from my Dad, circa mid-1950s, mint condition, but the magazine tube (fed through the stock) is broken off where it threads into the receiver. I'm sure it's just stress due to age at a weak, threaded joint.

I need to get it fixed, but there is not enough of the threaded tube left outside the receiver for me to grab with a pair of needle-nose pliers.

I don't mind sending it off to Browning, but they tell me that I have to send them the WHOLE RIFLE instead of just the receiver and the magazine outer.

Anybody have an idea why I would have to do that? It was easy to break it down to just receiver and tube....seems like it would be just as easy for them to fix those two parts and just send it back to me.

It doesn't make sense to me either, but it's their ball, their rules. :(

Send it off to them and you'll know you're preserving a bit of family history. :)

I will. She's a beauty and I always coveted it as a kid!

Cool. Pictures will be expected. :D

Your best bet is to send it to Browning for repairs. Older autos magazine tubes are a different size than newer ones and Browning doesnt make the older smaller tubes any longer. My GUESS is, is Browning will have to ream the old threads out and rethread to the newer larger size. Just my 2 cents worth.

Thanks, I did send it to Browning, and they just called me back today. They hadn't sent it to their gunsmiths yet, so I'm anxious to get the verdict.

Product liability IMO. They have to make sure that when they return the gun to you, that it is in a safe to fire condition, and that it meets all factory specifications. Many manufacturers tell you that if you have any non-factory parts on a gun (aftermarket grips, stocks, accessories) to take them off before returning the gun for service - otherwise you won't get them back. It will also be test fired before leaving the facility as well.

If something bad were to happen after you got the gun back because you "fiddled" with it - they can document the fact that the gun was returned to you will all the "proper" factory parts and it was assembled correctly. If you change something afterward - it's on you...

I had an issue with a broken stock on my Springfield M1A not long after I bought it. I wanted them to just swap stocks with me, but they insisted I send back the entire rifle so I did.
What they sent back, was another new complete rifle to save time.... :cool:

IMO, sending a gun back to the manufacturer is like taking your car or truck to the dealership for maintenance. You'll end up better off for it in the end. ;)

quoted for the truth.

If you send remington a gun any gun with an aftermarket trigger on it they will take it off and toss it in the trash (So they say) and install a new Remington Factory Trigger and then charge you for a new trigger and the install. A buddy didn't know that and it almost cost me a 2 ox benchrest Jewell ($200) trigger. It did cost him the cost of a new remington trigger and he raised so much hell and even wrote a letter to one of the big wigs he got his old trigger back.

That had to suck... For strct liability, I see why they would do what they did/do. But if you have enough aftermarket stuff on your firearm you're not going to be sending it back to the factory anyway .. are ya?