Browning Gold

[Old Guide]

First off I'm not doing any bashing here. I just need some replies on howto keep the Browning Gold 12 ga. auto from jamming. New or handloads after countless cleanings it still has jamming problems. Like the gun but it sure has been frustrating. Help the snows are on the way!

[Benny]

My gold 3-1/2 was jamming up real bad, I sent it back to Browning.They cleaned it and said the guide rods and the groves they ride in must be cleaned and use a lite greaseless oil.And go very sparingly with the oil, a thin film of the greaseless stuff works great.

My dad said they used feul oil in Korea when the temps droped down to 35 below.

Benny

[Old Guide]

Benny, thanks I'll give it a try.

[radke22]

I had the 31/2" gold hunter, and my question is, did you clean it after every use? If the answer is no, I could have told you that was going to happen, because with my first 3" gold I figured out quick, it has to be cleaned even if you shoot one shell. If you are cleaning it, you should Try using a semi-auto lube found at galyans. It came in a black bottle and it kept my gun working great and made cleaning the shell residue a lot quicker.

[jlm]

I had one to and had the same problem. I hunted with it twice and returned it. There are just too many other good auto loaders out there to deal with something like that. Just my 2 cents!

[lawdog]

I know several people who have (or mostly had) Gold's. They are all notorious for poor performance. It is not Browning's finest product!

Get a Beretta or a Benelli or even an 1187 and you will be much better off!

[Norsky]

I've had one for about 8 years now and it works great. Yes, it will jam if it's dirty, but it takes probably 50-60 rounds before it will jam up. It fits me perfectly, that's why it put up with having to clean it fairly often. I also make sure to get ALL of the carbon off from the piston area, mineral spritis works well.

[T-ProGuy]

This post really caught me off guard...I have had my 3" Gold since '96. I use it regularly. I usually clean it thoroughly at the end of each season, unless I am out doing some heavy-duty target shooting (couple hundred rounds or more), then I'll tear it apart immediately afterward and go through it real well. I have probably put over 3,000 rounds throuh it. I have NEVER had it jam on me...not once. I have owned a few other auto-loaders, mostly Remingtons, and had then jam occasionally, but never the Gold. I find it interesting that so many people have had such problems...

[96trigger]

I'm assuming that by jamming you are meaning that the empy shell is possibly efecting but the new shell gets jammed and the carriage wont bring it into the reciever. If you have to clean a gun every time you shoot it, you basically have an expensive single shot. The Golds that I have seen do this are shooting the max length shell, A 3in gold will jam on 3 in shells, not 2.75.

The explaination I got from a gunsmith is that this is a design flaw in the golds. Most gunsmiths know about this but browning refuses to see it as a problem. Suprisingly though, the Gold and X2 are almost the same gun but Winchester has fixed the problem and doesn't jam.

You are not alone, this is a common problem and their stubborness to fix it will have me continuing to buy berettas

[Benny]

That's the way mine was, would shoot 2-3/4 and the 3 inch rounds.But when shooting the 3-1/2's it would jam the empty coming out with the fresh round comming up.

It would not get the empty out before the new round would hit it.

Browning said it was due to the operating rods not going far enough back to eject the spent round all the way so the fresh round would pinch it up against the reciever.

Benny

[dustin85]

I've had a gold for about 7 years, and I've never had it jam up on me. I think its a great gun. I normally clean it after every day of shooting, but not always.

[Guest]

I think my Gold hunter is about 5-6 years old.

The first year with it, when it got cold, in the twenties, it would eject the empty,

but wouldn't bring the new shell in and cock the firing pin for the next shot.

I brought it to a gunsmith and he pulled out the return spring out of the stock, cleaned

off the heavy factory grease and used a lighter lube. I didn't have a problem with

it for a couple of years after that.

I would usually clean it once a year and that was good enough and I usually run

about 200 - 250 rounds of 3 inch steel through it a year.

Last year it didn't matter how much cleaning, it would give me problems constantly.

I took it in and the spring in the gas compensator was broke.

After getting that replaced and a new return spring put in the stock, Iv'e had no problems.

The gunsmith told me the return spring needs to be cleaned every year

and replaced after 400 rounds. Evidently Gold hunters are notorious for weak return springs.

I like the way I shoot with my Gold hunter, but I wouldn't buy another or recommend one to any one.

As a matter of fact, I bought a Berretta for a back up in case I have problems next year.

[JIGSTER]

I hate to say this,but man it's nice to know I wasn't the only one to deal with the Golds problems!I will not buy another Browning shotgun as long as I live.The one I had would not eject the 3 1/2's so I sent it back.Had it returned,took it out, same talk!Sent it back to Browning it took seven months before I got a new one.Talked about [PoorWordUsage]ed off!I'll stick to my 11-87 and replace a O-ring every 5 yrs. Good huntin',fishin',shootin'or drinkin' which ever you prefer!! Jigster