Want to take your BL22 apart for complete cleaning or minor repair?????

All the images link to larger ones.

The Owner's Manual says that beyond cleaning the bore, to clean the rifle by just oiling down and wiping off any surfaces you can get to without disassembly. I couldn't stand NOT cleaning out the interior so I pulled it apart. It was a definite learning experience and I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. However, if you're like me, and you just can't help yourself, the following information will help you get it back together in working order.

Initially, I took it apart because it wouldn't eject properly. The shell would pull out of the breech but it wouldn't pop out the side of the receiver. I figured there had to be some "muck" or bits of "stuff" in there messing things up. I just wasn't convinced it was getting "clean" doing it the way the manual instructed. Upon pulling the receiver and frame apart I saw a lot of crap, everywhere. With just the receiver and frame separated, and the bolt lifted off, I was able to clean & oil everything nicely.

After some research AND trial & error I got it back together. With some problems. It still wouldn't eject properly and now the hammer wouldn't stay cocked (it just slid down as I brought the lever to the closed position). After some research (and help from the guys at RimFireCentral.com) I discovered I was missing an ejector spring and I had a severely damaged sear spring. All these parts are available from a variety of web stores, but I bought what I needed directly from Browning. They provide a printable order form that I faxed in with my visa number and my parts arrived in about 4 days. In the meantime, I purchased a Browning BL22 field Service Manual, got a copy of the original Browning Owners Manual and received an awesome instructional page from a member at rimfirecentral.com. You can have these documents for free on this page

Once you get the receiver and the frame apart (follow the instructions from the docs above) look into the receiver and make sure the Ejector Spring and Ejector are still on the Ejector Pin (image 1). Using needle-nose pliers, lift off the Ejector and pull out the spring. The spring in my gun was broken into 3 or 4 pieces, so check the little cavity that the spring fits into for any bits or crud (image 3 and 4).

Holding the But stock/Frame either upright or laying on it's right side, push the bold forward a little bit and lift up on the front (image 5). You have to push the bolt far enough forward for the channel on the bolt to clear the groove in the frame, in order to free it from the frame (image 6).

Just as the bolt comes free, lift it away from the frame. It will lift easily, the Locking Block will fall off the Cocking Lever Link (image 7, 8, 9). Pay attention to the orientation of the Locking Block, you will have to put it back the same way.

Image 10 shows the Cocking Lever Link with the Locking Block removed.

The Carrier can be seen aligned next to the Cocking Lever Link (image 11). There is a Pin, attached to the end of the Carrier, and it is tucked under the lower arm of the Cocking Lever Linkage. Wiggle the Carrier and it will easily come free from under the Cocking Lever Linkage and the Carrier Spring will pop the Carrier up (image 12).

NOW.... you can do a proper cleaning.

To reassemble... go backwards through the steps. Push the Carrier back down and tuck the Carrier Pin back under the lower arm of the Cocking Lever Linkage (image 12 and 11).

Lay the gun on its right side, place the Locking Block onto the Pin, on the upper arm of the Cocking Lever Linkage. Orient it as in the picture (images 10, 9, 8).

Lower the bolt straight (be patient!) onto the Locking Block. When you've got the Locking Block into the bolt, carefully push the bolt a little forward, and then down, enough to align the channel in the bolt with the groove in the frame (image 6). When you get it in, push back a little on the bold and it will snap flush with the frame. Now cock the lever to insure the bolt moves nicely to the rear.

When sliding the receiver and frame together prepare yourself. If you do not clamp the but stock/frame upside down to your workspace, this part is very difficult. So... assuming you've got it clamped. Carefully place the Ejector Spring back into its pocket in the frame (image 3, 2), and place the Ejector back onto its pin ( image 3,2,1). IMPORTANT: As you slide the receiver into the frame, you have to ALIGN THE EJECTOR TO THE EJECTOR PIN (image 13 and 14). If you slide the receiver all the way into the frame with the Ejector & Spring misaligned, you can damage the spring and/or the Ejector. I used a small screwdriver through the ejector port in the frame, and pushed/compressed the Ejector against the spring, in alignment, and while holding it there, I slid the receiver into the frame. Watch through the ejector port while the receiver and frame come together and you will see the alignment.

I posted this webpage because I wished I could have found instructions like this before starting my cleaning/repair project. I you get some value from my exparience.