Would you drill and tap a Browning 53

Win9410 · Post by **Win9410** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:35 pm

I've been thinking about adding a Browning 53 to my collection for Cowboy Pistol Cartridge silhouette and was wondering if I would be committing a sin if I had the receiver drilled and tapped to accept a sight. I don't like tang sights for silhouette but have heard that Browning made one of the best 92 style actions. Would it be smarter to buy a Cimarron or Taylor's for that purpose? Thank you for all your help.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:56 pm

I d&t`d mine for a tang sight. I would do it for a Receiver sight if I wanted one.
These guns dont have any real history and will never be REAL collector guns IMHO. Fine little rifles though,why not make it so you can enjoy it?

Post by **Hobie** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:04 pm

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:08 pm

I'd be more concerned about having the correct pistol cartrdge, to be effective, than D/T'ing a Browning.

I like the .32-20, but thought the heavier numbers were preferred for that type of shooting.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:19 pm

Chuck 100 yd wrote:I d&t`d mine for a tang sight. I would do it for a Receiver sight if I wanted one.
These guns dont have any real history and will never be REAL collector guns IMHO. Fine little rifles though,why not make it so you can enjoy it?

+1 Could not have said it better---------------Sixgun

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:50 pm

I wouldn't but that is just me. I sold my Browning B92 rather than drill it. The kicker is in my experience about half the time I install a Williams Foolproof on a gun I have to install a higher front sight as well. There isn't a good way to change the front sights on the Brownings so rather than take a chance I got a Marlin and put a peep on it.

86er · Post by **86er** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:57 pm

I wouldn't be shy about d/t'ing it if it becomes what you need it to be.

Win9410 · Post by **Win9410** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:23 pm

In looking at a Browning 53 on GunBroker, the front sight appears to be dovetailed into the ramp. Dave, is that not the case? I never considered the difficulty of changing the front sight since I'd want a globe front as well. Pete, I use a .357 now, but quite a few of the guys use the 32-20 with no problems. One of the best shooters I know uses the .22 mag in pistol cartridge. He pulls the bullets and loads it up. I forget the powder, but that has solved the problem with the rams. I really appreciate all the assistance. What's a reasonable price for a 53?

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:02 pm

I looked at the pics of one and it does appear the front sight is dovetailed into a ramp on the 53 so changing the front sight may not be an issue.

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:50 pm

Win9410 wrote:In looking at a Browning 53 on GunBroker, the front sight appears to be dovetailed into the ramp. Dave, is that not the case? I never considered the difficulty of changing the front sight since I'd want a globe front as well. Pete, I use a .357 now, but quite a few of the guys use the 32-20 with no problems. One of the best shooters I know uses the .22 mag in pistol cartridge. He pulls the bullets and loads it up. I forget the powder, but that has solved the problem with the rams. I really appreciate all the assistance. What's a reasonable price for a 53?

+2
32-20 and 357m seems to be the preferred cals. Have you looked at the rossi octs? I've done a few of those now for folks using them for silly-wet.
I have even worked out a somewhat adjustable trigger for those guys.

The Browning 53 have a ramped front sight. Unlike the B92.
This is what I have been doing for the CAS shooters that send B92's for sights. Not the neatest job but I had to build them on the barrel without messing up the blue.

big bear · Post by **big bear** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:53 pm

I'm getting the feeling this d&t issue is close to a religious schism. I have a Browning 92 and the thought of altering it for a receiver sight is blasphemous. However, I have a Browning 1885 , I just altered to put a replica Lyman sight on (because in the olden days that was done). I was pretty normal about my toys before I ran into you guys but now I just don't know. I would not drill and tap a neat rifle like yours,it might be a sin, you never know.

Post by **Old Savage** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:53 am

I love scopes but NO!

Win9410 · Post by **Win9410** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 8:28 am

How do the Rossi and Puma made guns compare to the Browning, or for that matter Cimmaron or Taylor's? I have wanted a 92 for quite a while and think they would work well for silhouette, but I just want a nicely made gun with a 24" barrel for the longer sight radius. Does one gun shoot better than another?

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:24 am

Would I do it? Yes. I've done several. If I like the gun, then I'm going to make it the best it can be for my uses. Sights, slings, barrels cut down, what difference does it make if it's your gun and it will improve it's usefulness to you?

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:24 am

Win9410 wrote:How do the Rossi and Puma made guns compare to the Browning, or for that matter Cimmaron or Taylor's? I have wanted a 92 for quite a while and think they would work well for silhouette, but I just want a nicely made gun with a 24" barrel for the longer sight radius. Does one gun shoot better than another?

I have a long barrel Puma octagon stainless .357 and .44 and they both shoot wonderfully; smooth and good function. They seem 'practically' accurate so far - with tang sights they will both hit a 6" gong in the mid-center at 100 yd every time. (I will do my usual new-gun drill of temporarily putting the old BSA 36x

on them this summer just to see what kind of groups THEY are capable of, even though I'll probably use the tang sights mostly.)

I never shot the Browning or others except Marlins (which are nice but mine aren't as 'smooth').

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:30 am

[quote="Nate Kiowa Jones"]

Dumb Question from me...what reason(s) are there not to mount the sight on the barrel band? Is it mostly because there would be some sideways/rotation possible?

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:39 am

They are NOT stable. I had a Navy Arms .22 1866 carbine that was done that way. A good bump would have the windage off. It was frustrating because you generally werent aware of the problem until it showed up shooting at game.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 4:11 pm

[How do the Rossi and Puma made guns compare to the Browning, or for that matter Cimmaron or Taylor's?]

There's no comparison between an issue Browning and a Rossi/Puma, in terms of fit/finish. You'd have to spend an additional $700+ on one of them, to bring one up to the Browning's issue standard.

[b"IF"[/b] you get a good Rossi/Puma, the shootability can be comparable.

I haven't seen an excellent, unaltered Browning 54 trade hands for less than $900, over the last few years.
There's a NIB one on GA & GB for $1200.

Here's a used one, no box, with a tang peep base, with no bids @ $795:

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displ ... um=8503365

There's a couple more, with no bids on GB:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... m=95269608

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... m=95478073

Rod WMG · Post by **Rod WMG** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:01 pm

With mint, unaltered B53's selling in the $1000 rrange as of a year or so ago, I'd have to say, "NO!"

brucew44guns · Post by **brucew44guns** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:35 pm

I bought only 2 weeks ago, a NIB untouched model 53 for 800.00 plus tax at a local gun shop. The dealer had put away 3 of these for several years in his vault, waited for the price to go up. I guess I would hesitate to alter or modify it, I'll shoot at as it is and take very special care not to bang it up. But, if you buy one of these and want to saw off the barrel, shorten the stock, paint it with Rust-Oleum silver paint, or drill holes for sights,it would be your business, your call, it's your gun. People buy expensive cars all the time, and spend thousands on them changing everything about it.

Would you drill and tap a Browning 53

Would you drill and tap a Browning 53

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