Q I read the recent Fiocchi Litespeed cartridge test in Clay Shooting and, as I fancied trying something really fast, I bought some to see if they suited me. I must say I got on really well with them and scored well. But on a couple of recent shoots I had one or two shells that failed to fire when I pulled the trigger. The primer was visibly struck each time, so it didn’t cost me any targets.
My gun is a Browning Ultra that’s less than two years old. I had a misfire problem a few months ago and my lower firing pin was replaced, also increasing how far it protrudes slightly. A friend is trying the Litespeed too and so far he has experienced no misfires in his Blaser. Do you think this is a cartridge or a gun problem?
A This is a fairly common question, but it can be difficult to sort out whether the problem lies with the gun or cartridge, or perhaps a combination of both. The Browning is fundamentally a very sound, robust and reliable gun, but one of the few issues that’s cropped up over the past 40 years is with the firing of the bottom barrel.
The firing pin geometry in any over-and-under is a challenge to the designers, and in the Browning it means that the lower barrel firing pin transmits slightly less striking energy than the top. Over time the tip of the lower firing pin can also become eroded, and may need to be replaced after several thousand rounds.
