Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders J Browning Mountain Rifles

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with the 1970's made J. Browning Mountain Rifles? I own 2, one a 50 cal. never fired in it's original box with brass furniture. The other, a once fired 54 cal with brown furniture. Are they good muzzle loaders? Are they accurate? What type round ball load works best - ball size, patch thickness? What are they worth? They certainly are beautiful guns, made in the true Hawken Tradition.

Thanks!

Friends have them. Those are good rifles. I am not up on the current value but they are desirable and not easy to find. If I remember correctly, the 54 is actually a 53 and takes a .520 size ball.

From what I understand the Browning rifles have a following and are sought out by both hunters and collectors of such.

I saw one in a guns store in AZ a couple weeks ago .

.50 cal. They had $700 on it.

Only the second one I ever saw, only one I ever held. Without a doubt the nicest “production” Hawken I’ve ever seen.

I shoot .530 balls in my .54 Browning Mountain Rifle. I use 90-100 grains FF black powder. Patch thickness can vary. I’ve owned a couple others. I like them a lot. I’ve read that there can sometimes be problems with the single set trigger, but mine’s been fine.

The one I had shot very well but was a beast to carry. Solid rifles.

They are good muzzleloaders and have some value/following in the muzzleloader world. But, long out of production, and parts are unobtainium.

I surely like the two (2) I own. Everything is put together really well and detailed quite nicely. I just haven't shot yet but you folks gave me a starting point, thank you. And yes, it is a heavy piece to lug around. My Italian made one is like carrying a feather in comparison.

I look forward to shooting!

Very nice, sought after rifles. The triggers can be problematic but that wouldn't stop me from getting one if one became available to me. Enjoy!

Be very careful of using any large dia borelight in them they have a tapered powder chamber. If you drop a light in there you can stick it.i am not bs'ing you at all..mb

Never owned one but did campaign an Ithaca from the same era (and loved it). To those with experience of both, how do they compare?

I think there were a couple versions of the Ithaca Hawken. I owned one of the last ones sold by Navy Arms. IIRC, mine even said Uberti on the box. It was nice enough but not nearly as nice as my Browning. I understand the early Ithaca Hawkens were much nicer, though I’ve only seen pictures.

Mine was a very early one, made by Ithaca mainly with left over Cherry Corners parts they acquired when they bought out Cherry Corners to propel themselves into the burgeoning Hawken market. I always considered the Browning and Ithaca to be top tier factory-made Hawkens but like I said, I never owned a Browning.

Nice rifles , they are selling now around $800 at auction. The locks spring has a tendency to break. Near impossible to buy a replacement. Gunsmith would have to fabricate one.

Nice rifles , they are selling now around $800 at auction. The locks spring has a tendency to break. Near impossible to buy a replacement. Gunsmith would have to fabricate one.

Gary - I currently have both (the ithaca is an early one) and they comparable in terms of quality and accuracy. They are pretty well made but as others have said if you have an issue the parts are difficult if not impossible to find.

PennDog