Browning Maral bolt removal

[Rob79]

Hi,

Ive had some good use out of my 3006 browning Maral this year, including some great driven boar in Germany. Although the rifle is relatively clean, id like to be able to remove the sprung loaded bolt to clean it properly.

The manual and online advice doesn't show how to remove the bolt, can anyone help?

thanks

Rob

 

[Hereford]

If it's anything like my Merkel then you'll need to remove the stock and then you can remove everything else. I'm surprised that instructions aren't more comprehensive?

 

[Rob79]

the butt comes off easily, but its almost like a closed system after that, ill write to browning and see what they recommend

 

[Hereford]

Again, if it's anything like my Helix, once the stock is off, there are two pins which knock out to separate the trigger 'lower' from the receiver 'upper'

try this - http://browning.eu/manuels/

 

[Hales Smut]

I think it's similar to the BAR . So probably don't touch it, would be the best.

 

[palmer_mike]

Out of interest, if the bolt cannot be readily removed how can one clean the bore?

 

[takbok]

Out of interest, if the bolt cannot be readily removed how can one clean the bore?

From the muzzle end.

 

[palmer_mike]

From the muzzle end.

Oh, never thought of that!
is there some sort of special bore guide for that?

 

[willie_gunn]

Out of interest, if the bolt cannot be readily removed how can one clean the bore?

As I understand it the barrel can only be cleaned from the muzzle end or using a bore snake type cleaner.

I had a play with one in Croatia this year and have to say that I was very impressed with both the handling and finish. But then I do like Blasers

This is an interesting review: http://www.browning.eu/presse/maral/images/DWJ_browning_maral_sd_en.pdf

 

[takbok]

Oh, never thought of that!
is there some sort of special bore guide for that?

Not sure, but you do get muzzle guides for other rifles that need to be cleaned from this end.

 

[8x57]

The user manual for the Maral mentions that the barrel should be cleaned from the muzzle. I've never actually seen a bore guide or muzzle protector for cleaning rifles such as this but presumably someone has thought of it.
In the distant past when I owned a mini 14 I used to clean the bore with a rod by drawing back the rod towards the muzzle after fitting the piece of 4x2 on the jag or fitting the brush in the breach opening. This was relatively easy with the mini 14 because the breach was wide open, I could imagine it being far more difficult with the restricted receiver opening in the Maral. I was always most careful to keep the cleaning rod centred and used the non pulling hand as a guide at the muzzle.

Interestingly enough the manual for the Browning Acera which is a forerunner of the Maral shows you how to remove the bolt for cleaning. There again the Acera does not have the spring return system of the Maral and relies upon the operator to push the bolt closed.
I haven't seen a break down diagram of the Maral but I imagine the return spring system to be something similar in design to a beefed up tape measure. Therefore if it would be possible to strip the bolt system for cleaning re-tensioning it may be a bit of a nightmare I would think.

I have to say that my first impressions of the Maral was that it was pug ugly but the look is starting to really grow on me and it certainly looks like it is capable of spitting out rounds at quite a rate of knots. I would just be a bit worried about being able to clean and maintain it properly if I were ever to buy one. It's got me curious now and I will have to see if I can get a good look at one sometime.

 

[Lateral]

I clean my Maral with a bore snake, feeding it in from the action, then standing on the end, and lifting the rifle up, making sure to keep it as straight as possible. I have used rods from the muzzle end, but it makes me very nervous about damaging the crown. I've not had it apart yet, to clean the bolt, but it does look a bit of a faff.

I recently bought a Helix, and that looks a faff to get the bolt out too, but cleaning the barrel is easy, only taking seconds to remove.

 

[EMcC]

I use my hand as a muzzle guide when inserting the rod from the muzzle
Then screw the brush/mop or whatever on to it from the breech, then finish off with a bore snake from the breech.
Seems OK so far.

 

[Hereford]

I clean my Maral with a bore snake, feeding it in from the action, then standing on the end, and lifting the rifle up, making sure to keep it as straight as possible. I have used rods from the muzzle end, but it makes me very nervous about damaging the crown. I've not had it apart yet, to clean the bolt, but it does look a bit of a faff.

I recently bought a Helix, and that looks a faff to get the bolt out too, but cleaning the barrel is easy, only taking seconds to remove.

Ive had the bolt out of my Helix and can say it's a doddle, although with 400+ rounds through it there wasn't much to clean - as for cleaning the barrel that's as easy too with the barrel out in seconds

 

[8x57]

Hereford isn't the Helix a much less complicated rifle not having a return spring system and instead relying upon the shooter to push the bolt back into battery?

 

[Hereford]

Hereford isn't the Helix a much less complicated rifle not having a return spring system and instead relying upon the shooter to push the bolt back into battery?

thats correct - no return spring - you manually cycle forward and back - it's as quick as you like or as quiet as you need to be. I've had it 2 years now and pushed maybe 700 odd rounds of 2 different calibre a through it with only one stovepipe whilst bench shooting - quite the robust and reliable bit of kit

 

[8x57]

Yes I have seen and handled a few Helix rifles and have been quite impressed by them. I don't doubt that they are fast to reload too probably on a par with the Blaser but I think the Maral probably has the edge on speed due to the auto return system. Just a shame that it seems to complicate a full strip down for cleaning.

 

[Lateral]

Yes I have seen and handled a few Helix rifles and have been quite impressed by them. I don't doubt that they are fast to reload too probably on a par with the Blaser but I think the Maral probably has the edge on speed due to the auto return system. Just a shame that it seems to complicate a full strip down for cleaning.

The reloading speed of the Maral is good, but dry firing in a shop is misleading, giving the impression it's faster than it is in reality, where chambering a round from the magazine slows it down quite a bit. I guess it may be possible to tighten the Maral spring, but as they stand, I'm pretty sure I can recycle the Helix more quickly.

 

[8x57]

Lateral have you seen the you tube comparison between the Maral, Helix and Blaser? I must admit that the guy shooting the Maral impressed me, plus he seemed to get off four shots when the others only got off three. The Blaser seemed to be handicapped by the thumb hole stock as regards speed shooting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92W9co11dng

 

[Lateral]

Lateral have you seen the you tube comparison between the Maral, Helix and Blaser? I must admit that the guy shooting the Maral impressed me, plus he seemed to get off four shots when the others only got off three. The Blaser seemed to be handicapped by the thumb hole stock as regards speed shooting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92W9co11dng

Personally, I just can't get on with the Blaser stock, I find them too long, and the pistol grip too bulky.

I just watched the link, and both the Maral, and Helix seemed to get off 3 shots, both reloaded a 4th, in the same time. Both were impressive. The guy with the Blaser only managed two, but I think his main problem was he was slow to get back on the target ?

I doubt anyone would be disappointed with any of them, regards reloading speed