XS Pro Exquisite Forend Issue

[andilicious]

Hi guys

Had a shoot today with my XS Pro 525 and after I cleaned it I couldn’t get the forend latch to close. 

Is there any adjustment I can make? The gun is only 4 months old so I can take it back for warranty if needed. 

Video below to explain. 

https://youtu.be/kLcw3kHzXTw

 

[Doctor Lecter]

aint got a clue , but what a pretty gun !  

 

[Jonny English]

I've recently had just the same with a miroku mk game 20 bore. Forend did just the same after being hot. Took it to my dealer and said it needed to go back to browning for regulating. Dropped it off on a Wednesday had it back fixed good as new the next Tuesday, couldn't fault the service. Definitely send it back to browning, it needs doing properly.

 

[Gavin]

Probably go with a tap from your hand 

 

[Mike]

Check that the screws in the forend are tight that hold the latch on. Swollen wood can sometimes cause the same problem where it touches the barrels at the very front of the forend.

 

[Daz W]

My XS Pro suffered from that a little bit, but not quite to that extent. More annoying was after firing both barrels the gun wouldn't open properly and I couldn't get the cartridges out. Opened enough to **** the mechanism, probably about 30 degrees. Closed the gun, then it would open fine, with the spent cartridges extracting, rather than ejecting. Sent it back to Browning, who filed some off the back of the forend lug on the barrels. Hasn't locked up since, and the forend latch closes a lot easier. Took them a month to do it though.

Check on yours for signs of scraping or burrs on the barrel forend lug, and also where it locates into the forend metalwork.

 

[andilicious]

I would say I’ve only put 1000 cartridges through it so there isn’t much wear on anything. I was hoping there was an adjustment to be made that I didn’t know about but it appears not. 
 

ive emailed the shop I got it from today and see what happens. Only downside it’s 2.5 hours drive each way to the shop as they were the only ones that had one left I could find. 

 

[Mike]

I will do no harm to gently tap the latch closed, just lube where there is metal to metal contact. I would check that the stock bolt is tight to. When new everything is a tight fit on these guns.

 

[ColinD]

As above, do you lubricate the forend barrel lug after cleaning.

 

[andilicious]

This is beyond lubrication issues. It’s mechanical contact!

 

[Luke_(NL)]

Can you make a photo of the inside of the forend, ie. the top of the latching system?

The reason I ask is that some newer guns have screws that allow you to adjust the tension on the forend-latch so that it can 'retain the new gun feel' and a very positive lock-up. My Beretta (692) did, but I don't know if Browning has a similar system.

I only know this because of a similar issue with the forend not locking up. Turned out to be the two very small screws that allow for adjustment had worked inwards, which I sorted by screwing them out and back in with the smallest drop of regular loctite. Never had an issue since. 

Edit: Also check if nothing accidentally got stuck in the mechanism anywhere, which would prevent the latch closing.  

 

[ColinD]

This is beyond lubrication issues. It’s mechanical contact!

And mechanical contacts tend to go easier with lubrication, the question was do you lubricate the barrel lug

 

[andilicious]

And mechanical contacts tend to go easier with lubrication, the question was do you lubricate the barrel lug

Yes. But it’s not a factor. It’s locked solid and no amount of lubricant will change it!

Can you make a photo of the inside of the forend, ie. the top of the latching system?

The reason I ask is that some newer guns have screws that allow you to adjust the tension on the forend-latch so that it can 'retain the new gun feel' and a very positive lock-up. My Beretta (692) did, but I don't know if Browning has a similar system.

I only know this because of a similar issue with the forend not locking up. Turned out to be the two very small screws that allow for adjustment had worked inwards, which I sorted by screwing them out and back in with the smallest drop of regular loctite. Never had an issue since. 

Edit: Also check if nothing accidentally got stuck in the mechanism anywhere, which would prevent the latch closing.  

The latch closes and operates fine when off the barrels. 

 

[Mike]

We have tried to help you, maybe get ready for a five hour drive 

 

[ColinD]

We have tried to help you, maybe get ready for a five hour drive 

Which will probably end with a sharp tap with the palm of the gunsmiths hand and a click hopefully, it's hard to tell from the video how much force you are applying to close it.

Try holding the gun butt down on a flat surface and with your left hand squeezing the forend and barrels together, palm just it front of the latch towards the muzzle and fingers around the barrels and see if the latch will close then, also check there are no burrs on the barrel lug before this

Falling that return to dealer

 

[Charliedog]

Which will probably end with a sharp tap with the palm of the gunsmiths hand and a click hopefully, it's hard to tell from the video how much force you are applying to close it.

Try holding the gun butt down on a flat surface and with your left hand squeezing the forend and barrels together, palm just it front of the latch towards the muzzle and fingers around the barrels and see if the latch will close then, also check there are no burrs on the barrel lug before this

Falling that return to dealer

exactly this I would suggest

 

[vmax1010]

I assume the forend fits on the barrels when the barrels are off the action? If so it seems like the barrel lug just needs easing with a touch of a file, also did it fit ok in the shop?

 

[andilicious]

I managed to fix the problem. I had to remove some wood from the forend. It works fine again now. Cheers for your help. 

 

[Mike]

I managed to fix the problem. I had to remove some wood from the forend. It works fine again now. Cheers for your help. 

Glad to hear it's sorted. It would be a good idea to rub some boiled linseed oil on the inside of the forend as it has not been oiled at the factory and the wood is very dry and unprotected.