Thank you, Ohio Ordnance. How customer service is supposed to work.

So yesterday, I went to the Nation's Gun Show in Chantilly, Virgina with some friends from work. I saw lots of nice guns that would augment my collection splendidly, but unfortunately, prices were a bit on the high side across the board and funds are a little tight right now. So I came home with some reloading gear. At least I can spend my off time this winter making more ammunition.

While I was there though, I took to opportunity to corral Frank at the Ohio Ordnance table to ask him about a problem that I've been having with my Browning 1919A4 heavy machine gun. (My gun was rebuilt by them a few years ago.)

The problem was that lately upon completion of firing, I've noticed that the bolt becomes extremely hard to pull back, and that once the gun cools, it literally requires a 2x4 and a hammer to get it open. Now I've stripped the gun dozens of times, fiddled with headspace until I heard clicks in my sleep, and detail-cleaned every single component inside that receiver until I was dizzy from cleaner fumes, but sure as anything, once back together again, the problem kept coming back, leaving me frustrated, confused, and in pain. (I slipped once while doing the hammer/2x4 trick and whacked the back of my hand with the ball-peen hammer.) I'd even swapped barrels twice but it just kept happening. Now considering that this gun cost more than my last car, I wanted it working right and without having to beat it with a hammer. So when I saw Frank, I asked if he had a minute and even though their table was swamped, he took the time to help me figure out where the trouble lie.

I explained what it was doing and told him what I'd tried to correct it, and he thought about it for no more than a few seconds before asking me if I'd checked the booster for carbon build-up. he said that it was quite common for carbon residue to collect in the space between the barrel booster and the barrel itself and solidify when the barrel cooled, literally locking the barrel and attached bolt assembly in place from the front end.

Well damn. I'd spent several hours playing around with the parts back inside the receiver, thinking that it had to be something jamming up back there because that's where the stuck parts were, but it had never crossed my mind that the trouble might be way up at the muzzle end where there aren't any parts save the tip of the barrel and of course the booster.

So I wrenched the booster off and sure enough, there inside it was a thick, solid carbon ring that had been gripping the barrel end like a vice-grip, keeping it from retracting when I tried to pull back on the charging handle.

Frank gave me some advice on carb cleaners and other chemicals and tools that I could use to get rid of this deposit, and he suggested that I try the newer Israeli booster assembly that was actually recessed inside to create more room for carbon build-up. He had several there for pretty good prices but I already had one for the .308 conversion for my gun so he sold me the .30-06 end plug for that one. Gotta love the versatility of the old 1919's.

Frank gave me several other tips on keeping the gun running and minimizing downtime, and he steered me away from several of the unneeded "must-have" accessories that others insist that every 1919 operator needs. He gave me quite a bit of his time and to me it was worth the admission I paid to get into the show just for the info that I got from Frank. He never blew me off or cut the Q&A session short to talk to people that might have been waiting to spend more money there than I did that day. He gave me the exact sort of great customer service that I've always gotten from Ohio Ordnance and that's why I'll continue to shop and get service work done there even though other places are cheaper.

And once I got home and swapped out the booster, the bolt moves free and easy and the gun's ready to repel human wave attacks, engage hostile low-flying aircraft, deny aggressors an easy approach up my driveway or just shoot up empty propane tanks and other debris at the gravel pit some more.



Behold, the happy war veteran with the new, improved booster in place of the old one sitting front and center.