Dr.J wrote on Sep 29^th, 2026 at 9:41am:

It's as if the engineers were given a directive- Change everything in this simple mechanical device to require more parts and far more complexity than it possibly should.

Disassembling isn't bad, assembly is an issue,  but someone used to make a tool that makes it easier. Getting the springs all compressed, lined up, and getting the pin in can be a pain.

I highly suggest buying texasmac's book if you want to get into one

That's fine if Shaver is doing the work himself but I think that most of the work is done by his underlings and that he is not fully aware of what goes out the door. My only rifle nightmare involved his shop and after sending the rifle back three times it still had the same problem [case head separation in a 32/20 RB] I never got the issue resolved and he got a bit testy over it. Finally sent it to someone else and had it done right. I try hard not to disparage anyone but this left a real bad taste in my mouth.

John Steep out of Shingle town,CA  made a little kit for disassembly...made it VERY easy to take apart and put back together.I gave my kit to last Browning I sold a 40-82 to one of the Members here out of Forsythe,MT.  Helped in putting detent ball in place,etc. He also made   a nut to adjust trigger...from the thru bolt stock down to 8 oz and these guns at 8 oz are sweet and the Badger Barrels made them one of the most accurate silo guns out there!

Wish I'd taken A pic.  There are quite afew kits out there,hopefully someone will jump forward....

Skalkaho wrote on Sep 30^th, 2026 at 6:44pm:


Unfortunately John Steep died in 2019, so his kits are no longer available.  I purchased the kit shortly after John starting making them. I purchased the kit, not only to try out the tools but also to evaluate them for my book.  So, I’m not in a position to make an impartial recommendation as I have disassembled and reassembled scores of Brownings without John’s tools.  I don’t need them when completely disassembling a rifle.  Although no longer available, I’m certainly not attempting to leave the impression that the kit was a waste of money.  Several shooters have reported the tools offers a definite benefit, especially the alignment pin and tension tool.  The alignment pin will help in removing and later aligning and installing the rifle lever pin.  Although I find myself using the alignment pin frequently, a standard punch and an easily made very simple tool discussed in my instruction will also work fine.  John’s tension tool will help in removing and later reinstalling the hammer and mainsprings while reducing the chances that the mainsprings will pop loose and fly across the room.  See the photo from my book below of the complete kit with the three tools.

BTW, as far as I know, John did not make or sell the small 7mm setscrew installed in the the trigger housing front of the stock through bolt & used to reduce the trigger pull.  The technique was introduced to Browning owners via an article By Robert “Dale” McGee in the March 2000 edition of The Single Shot Exchange Magazine.  It became known as the Dale McGee or McGree modification.  See the photo below from my book.

Wayne