Browning BLR Owners Manual - Page 12

your finger off the trigger while cocking the hammer. FIGURE 4 HALF-COCK POSITION - This rifle's half-cock notch is simply a hammer position (Figure 4) that may catch a hammer that slips from your thumb while cocking (providing the trigger is not depressed). It should not be taken as an assurance it will be caught ALL the time. No guarantee can be made that the half-cock Half-Cock Position notch will prevent the hammer from striking the firing pin. (Refer Safety Warning Number 2.) MOVING FROM FULL-COCK TO HALF-COCK - In order to move the hammer from full-cock to half-cock position, you must first place your thumb on the hammer to restrict its forward movement. The trigger is then depressed to release the hammer from the full-cock notch. AS SOON AS INITIAL FORWARD TRAVEL OF THE HAMMER HAS MOVED PAST THE FULL-COCK POSITION, IMMEDIATELY REMOVE YOUR FINGER FROM THE TRIGGER. BE CAREFUL: IF THE TRIGGER REMAINS DEPRESSED, THE HALF-COCK NOTCH WILL NOT CATCH THE HAMMER SHOULD IT ACCIDENTALLY SLIP DURING THIS OPERATION. THE HAMMER WOULD CONTINUE PAST THE HALF-COCK POSITION TO THE DROPPED OR FIRED POSITION AND THE GUN COULD DISCHARGE. FIGURE 5 PRACTICE LOWERING THE HAMMER - A wise practice to follow is to place the thumb extended over the hammer with the point of the thumb just over the "V" between the hammer and the firing pin so that it can act as a cushion against accidental hammer fall, and at the same time, ease the hammer into the half-cock Lowering the Hammer 10