Hey guys,

I have a general gunsmithing question on switching barrels on Browning 1885 High Walls (both the B-78 & 1885).  The question concerns replacing the barrel with a “take off” barrel from another identical rifle.  In other words & as an example, replacing a barrel on a Browning 1885 BPCR with the same caliber or different caliber barrel taken off an identical Browning 1885 BPCR.  I have switched barrels on one Browning BPCR barrel and it did “index” fine with the correct headspace and the extractor slot aligning properly at approximately what I felt was the correct torque.  Was I just lucky?

The question came up because I just received an email from someone planning to do a similar barrel switch on a Browning B-78.  He thinks he remembers reading a post on this forum in which someone stated that the barrels would index from receiver to receiver.  I hesitate to confirm based on the one Browning 1885 I switched barrels on.

Any comments from you professional or “shade tree” gunsmiths on the subject?  Thanks.

Wayne

Don't count on the Brownings to index. I've been involved in three barrel swaps on BPCRs and they all had to be set back and re-chambered. Maybe I saw the only three that didn't index, but I doubt it. For what it's worth, one was a 40-65 that shot a 250 with smokeless.

Jerry