Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Cold Day Range Report - Browning T-Bolt

About a month ago I bought a mint condition Belgium Browning T-Bolt II in 22 L.R.
It came with a compact Leupold gloss finish 4 power scope with Du-Plex reticle.
And I had been waiting for the wind to quit howling for 3+ weeks so I do some ammunition testing and sight it in.
Finally a couple days ago the wind quit, the sun was out and it was COLD!
When I left home it was 18 degrees and I climbed about 900' in altitude as I drove to my friends private range with shooting shack.
The wind was holding off but it was cold - I am guessing it was now 12 to 14 degrees.
I started off my testing with the wonderful Winchester 40 grain Power-Point hollow-points.
Wasn't far off (3" left) from dead on at 40 yards and at first I thought well this Rifle does not like the Winchester ammo as dispersion was well over an inch.
The compact Leupold did NOT have the graduation equivalents marked on the scopes adjustments? So I guessed wrong on their values to begin with.
So I wasted 12 or 15 shots trying to get point of impact where I wanted it - finally I accomplished that, and I am now personally getting COLD. Even though I was well dressed - I said to myself its getting colder maybe 10 degrees now.
Anyway I am thinking the barrel is now getting seasoned to this ammo as the last three shots I fired were touching and in a horizontal row.
I was excited but cold - then it happened!
The nifty little Browning T-Bolt "quit" cocking!
I thought what the heck - I could not get the bolt to cock - it would close but NO cocking?
I kept at it when all of a sudden the T-Bolt's bolt slid backwards all the way out of the action on its own - while I was trying to get the bolt to cock itself.
Puzzlement overwhelmed me - the Rifle had worked perfectly for 18 shots (I counted the empties) and now all of a sudden it is either "gummed up" or maybe could it be "froze up"?
I knew that the owner of the estate from which the Rifle came from was a notorious buyer and not so much of a shooter thus the minty condition of the Rifle and scope.
And it worked perfectly for 45 minutes or so but now it won't cock!
My guess was that the bitter cold had gotten to the firing pin spring or the cocking "latch" wherever that was/is and thus the inability to cock and the bolt will NOT lock in place - it just slides out of the action when pulled rearward?
Sad in the mystery but happy at the potential accuracy of the new to me Rifle I pack up and head home.
Once back home I let the Rifle sit for an hour and "thaw out" but at the end of an hour in my warm home it still would not function!
For the last two days I have been mulling over options to try and correct what ever is wrong with the Browning - til this morning when I went to check the Rifle and it NOW functions correctly/fine!
I think the Rifle's action is going to come out of the stock and I will take the action and the bolt to my friends "sonic parts" cleaner and sonic them for a while, blow dry them, then relubricate them and see how that goes?
I hope I can get the "action" of the T-Bolt into the cleaner solution without having to remove the scope from the gun.
Any suggestions out there for cleaning the bolt or the action and trying to figure out what normally stops the bolt from free falling out of the action when pulled from battery?
Suggestions much appreciated - brake cleaner?
Action cleaner?
And this, the little Browning T-Bolts trigger pull was crisp enough but HEAVY - it still shot well for those few shots I recorded.
TIA
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The same thing can happen with guns like Winchester 52, 75 ,69 ,CZ 452s ,Early Kimber m82s rifles whose trigger sears also act as the bolt stop.
Meaning- the trigger sear sticks upward enough not only to catch the bolt cocking piece and hold it back in the cocked position but to also act as the bolt stop on the rearward stroke,. You can see the trigger sear inside the receiver just ahead of the bolt handle cut moving up and down when the trigger is pulled all the way back.

If the trigger sear has any adjustment at all ,since it affect the trigger pull engagement on simpler designs (like the little Winchester m69s, etc ) it MAY have been adjusted light enough that it makes the sear drop down enough that the cocking piece simply follows the bolt forward instead of being held back in the cocked position . The trigger sear and/ or it's return spring is either broken , worn out or ( most likely) improperly adjusted. If you cannot figure it out immediately upon inspection it may be worth having a decent gunsmith look it over.

VG let us know what you find out.. But winter will be over before you get another chance to try it. ha ha!

Jk16: Thank you for that sage advice and I will get the Rifle back out of my gun-vault room and check that "trigger-sear/bolt stop" situation out!
Your type advice/knowledge makes the CampFire a better place and worth it.
Thanks again.

WyoCoyoteHunter: Alright wise guy - are you saying the wind never stops here in Montana (much like Wyoming!)?
It never fails anymore - whenever I get a new Rifle and get the scope on it and ready for a range session the wind starts howling!
I have only been here in SW Montana for 24 years now but I am sure this has been the windiest winter I have seen.
Five days ago I was out on the big lake (Clark Canyon Reservoir) ice fishing and the wind, I am sure, was blowing 40+ M.P.H.!
I actually had to hold onto the ice shacks door handle to pee - the wind would have blown me over had I not held on!
Did catch my limit though (3 fish).
Well the wind is easier to take than the constant gray and rain of Puget Sound country where I came from.
Hold onto your hat down there in Wyoming.
VarmintGuy

I bought my mint condition Belgian T Bolt last year. Mine shoots well and my trigger pull is @ 3 lb 3 oz. Sorry you are having trouble with yours. Mine came with the peep sight but I put a Clearidge scope on it. For a lightweight rifle with a skinny barrel, it shoots pretty well.

Cooper57m: Good for you on the great shooting T-Bolt.
What ammo do you use?
Alas the estate I bought my T-Bolt from was a huge thing (300 guns!) and the widow wanted the "stuff" gone!
The broker rented a U-Haul truck and loaded the stuff up and off they went - AQAP.
I am sure that the "peep sight" for my Rifle was tucked away somewhere at the widows place and didn't make the trip oughta there.
I asked the seller about it but he had no idea where it might be.
On rare occasion I see one for sale - but that peep sight is not high on my list.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I had a Belgium grade II way way back. It was a nice rifle and I wish I had it back.

VG, our weather has been very windy and cold.. We get that weather, but not this much. Plus most of the elk left the hunt area. Bummer.

I have quite a bit of Eley Match ammo left over from my benchrest shooting days. I still have a case + of it left.

Cooper57m: I'll bet that is great shooting stuff.
I will be using this Rifle come spring to Hunt Ground Squirrels and small game.
So i need the hollow-pointed stuff.
Thanks for the comeback.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

WyoCoyoteHunter: Its windy here again today, but warm!
41 degrees right now.
I cleaned the bolt on this Rifle and wiped the action and its seems to work. I'll take it out of the stock and drive it the 45 miles to my friends place for sonic cleaning if it acts up again.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Have a newer T-Bolt, threaded barrel, synthetic stock, shoots really well with CCI Standard Velocity and Gemtech subsonic 22lr.

Some lubricants, especially old types, get paste like, can get solid due to wax in petro type old lubricants, not good in sub freezing temps, and causes moving components to not function. Have seen Win and Rem bolt rifle firing pins not move with lubes and dirt the builds up over years, they do work when heated to normally operating temp. Try Mobil1 Synthetic oil cleaning and coating parts, stays coated/wet and does not gel, paste or dry. Your rifle may have had lube that dried and the cold temp made the components stop operating.

Mikem2: Thank you for your input and I am sure your analysis is correct.
I have cleaned the bolt and will get the action out of the stock and de-grease and relubricate what all in there I can.
I do not plan on using that nifty little Rifle in the winter at all so I hope my "fix" will suffice.
Speaking of "old" I wonder when they started making these Bowning T-Bolt Rifles?
Because I am sure that is how old the lubricant in the action is.
Thanks again for your experiences and advice.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

T-bolts first year 1965.

Hoppes and lubes in the cans, had petro basis and waxes in the formula, really sludge up in many I have worked on, especially when in the action or trigger group, more was better at the time. Have seen lube that turned to toothpaste like film after 25+ years. Even current lubes will sludge.

A micro oiler bottle with Mobil1 synthetic is my go to option.

The answer to my question was answered by doing a search for Browning T-Bolt reviews/information.
I found out that the first year Browning cataloged the T-Bolt rimfire was 1964!
I did not realize it had been that long since Browning introduced these nifty little Rifles.
Keep up the good work Browning.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

They are nice rifles, I bought a new T-2 left hand in 1971 with a Redfield 3/4" tube 4X scope. I honestly don't recall the accuracy.

I'm pretty sure I traded it for a S&W Model 14.

I kept the peep sight and the single shot adapter, they were in my parts box for years but I have no idea what I did with them.

Amsoil gun oil will not gel up either. Just thought I would mention it.

Hornady One Shot cleaner/lube. I use it on my semi-auto rimfires but it's one of the best rust preventatives and is a great lube for cold weather. I bought mine on-line from Cabela's. Won't gum up.

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/case-care/lubes-and-cleaners/one-shot-cleaners

K22 & Cooper57m: Thank you both for those suggestions.
I have written them down and on Saturday two friends and I are travelling to a top flite Gun Shop here in Montana and I will get some of each.
If not available there I will mail order some.
Thanks again - it was 9 degrees here this morning and is only 21 right now (2:00 PM).
Better get the T-Bolt "winterized" ASAP as I plan on doing some more ammo accuracy testing and winter is just starting hereabouts.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

JB in SC: I would gladly purchase those two items from you if you could find them.
I did NOT know there was a single shot adapter available for the Browning T-Bolt!
Thanks for consideration and for looking if you get time (PM sent as well).
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy