Browning BLR "Takedown".....a scattergun?

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I just bought a Browning (made in Japan) BLR "Takedown" Model 81 (Straight conventional stock) in .308 Winchester.

I field tested it today at the Galt 100 yard range using factory Federal 180 grain Nosler Partition "High Energy" ammunition that works perfectly & gives good groups in my 2 bolt action .308's.

I had a Leupold 2X - 7X scope on it and everything was snugged down perfectly.

I have installed many scopes for myself & others.

I'm a pretty good shot & can consistently shoot 5 shots into sub MOA groups if I have a rifle capable of doing so.

I consider 2 MOA minimum acceptable accuracy for hunting.

All my bolt hunting rifles are sub MOA (T/C .300 Winchester, Rem Model 700 XTR in .308 Winchester).

:sniper:My BLR rifle is a nice looking rifle but is obviously no tack driver.:sniper:

:sniper:Group size? Well, there were no groups.........just impact points all over the roughly 2' X 2' square target paper .:sniper:

:confused:Does anyone else owns a Browning BLR "Takedown"?? If so, what is your assessment of it? :confused:

:mad:My assessment of the BLR I just bought is so low that I have :shotgun:smooth bore 12 gauge slug guns:shotgun: that print better groups.:mad:

Hope other Browning BLR "Takedown" owners had a better experience at the range than I did.

Maybe I bought a "LEMON"?

Life Memberships: NRA, GOA, CSSA, NFA, OFAH
CCW Permits: Utah, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine
 
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I would supect that the scope is hooped or not mounted right or that the action screws are not tightened. The take down does not have the reputation of being a tack driver but something that bad requires further investigation of the basics. Sight. Action. Trigger.
 
I have owned a lot of BLRs but never a take-down model. Seems to me you have a malfunction somehow, that I personally doubt is the gun but it MIGHT be.

If you remove the scope and shoot it with iron sights, you will know if it is the gun or the sighting system. Like it is not impossible that the scope is pooched, for example.

Doug
 
Back to the old drawing board

pharaoh2 said:
The BLR takedown uses an extended eye relief mount, right? How's the scope?
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Scope mounted solid with Weaver bases and Warn fast removeable return to "0" ring system that functions perfectly on other rifles I own that have iron sights.

I'm going to try another identical Leupold scope on the Browning BLR from another rifle that I know is good.........Remington Model 700 XTR..........this rifle & scope combo shoots consistent "keyhole" sub 0.5" (3 shot groups) at 100 yds. all day long. That way, if it's the scope that is fcuked I'll know it.

The Browning BLR rifle had a triple lug rotary locking system that made me think it would be accurate.

I'm sure it's something simple.

I'll get Gary Howe at Shooter's Choice in Waterloo to take a look at it when I get him to put sling swivels on it.

I think Shooter's Choice is a certified Browning dealer/warranty repairer so any modifications won't invalidate my warranty.

Gary has done some pretty good work for me in the past & he'll get to the root of the problem I'm sure.

Life Memberships: NRA, GOA, CSSA, NFA, OFAH
CCW Permits: Utah, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine
 
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MOST BLR's are accurate, considering of course that they are lever guns. Not moa accurate, but 1.5 to 2 moa accurate, which is hell on wheels for a fast-handling hunting rifle. (Yes I have a bias :rolleyes:)

Howe will find your problem for sure, but I still suggest trying it with the iron sights first.

I do have one other suggestion: take a real good look at the barrel - is it fouled with copper? My regular deer rifle is a BLR 81 in .308, and a few years back I was trying out some loads with Barnes X bullets. Long story short, I could not hit a pie plate at a hundred yards, and it was 100% due to copper fouling from only a very few Barnes X bullets. Had the same experience with a bolt gun in .280 Rem............

So if you have a good copper solvent and run a couple patches through the rifle, you will soon know if it is fouled or not. (patches will be greeny-blue if yes)

Doug
 
rommelrommel..........go to the head of the class

rommelrommel said:
Most 180's won't stabilize in the newer BLR's barrels due to twist weight. Try some 168's.
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I heard something like that before and I think the twist of the Browning BLR .308 Winchester barrels (1 turn in 12") isn't fast enough to stabilize .308 dia. 180 grain bullets which from the chart require 1 turn in 10" to fly straight.

I've got a couple of boxes of 165 grain Nosler Ballistic Silvertips in the cupboard and a can or two of Winchester 748 ball powder.

I'll whip up a test batch using the .308 brass I kept from todays field test and see how they work.

I've installed many scopes in my time & don't leave screws loose......it just doesn't happen..............and those Warn rings are 100%...........I have yet to see a defective out of the box Leupold.

The only thing that makes sense in light of the above is the bullet stability problem mentioned by rommelrommel.

I'll try my handloads tommorrow with the 165 grain Ballistic Silvertips.

Life Memberships: NRA, GOA, CSSA, NFA, OFAH
CCW Permits: Utah, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine
 
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I have a new BLR, and shot another this year.

180 Silvertips and TTSX handloads looked like a shotgun pattern.

180 Powerpoints and corelokt's shot pretty well.

168 TTSX handloads and 150 Powerpoints both shot 1.5 inch groups off of crappy rests in both guns.

I really think that 168's and certain shorter 180's will shoot well.
 
try shooting it with open sights and see if it will group three shots together .this will tell u if the gun is okay u shoud always start this way before mounting any scope it gives a ref point .if the gun will print a three shot group with open sightsunder four inches at 100 yards it does not matter if it is left or right high or low that is not important it isa group u want then u can mount a scope and move the group to center with the scope adjustment.startig with the scope is starting blind my 2 cents i have been working in a gun shop four six years and have heard all knds of stores good luck
 
however, they shoot just fine in the same 1/12 savage 99- so your twist rate falls to pieces- besides, according to the chart, you only need a twist of 13.2 to stabilize a 180- so it's NOT THE TWIST-look up greenhill formula on the net for the chart
 
Never judge a rifle based on one type of ammo. If I did that then my sub-MOA LE2B would have gone down the road when it shot 5" groups with Federal Premium 168 SMKs. As it is now it will consistently shoot sub MOA and often sub 1/2 MOA with handloads.
 
t-star said:
however, they shoot just fine in the same 1/12 savage 99- so your twist rate falls to pieces- besides, according to the chart, you only need a twist of 13.2 to stabilize a 180- so it's NOT THE TWIST-look up greenhill formula on the net for the chart
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:rolleyes:

Different 180's have different lengths. Some 180's will pretty much stabilize in a BLR... usually cheap bulk bullets as they tend to have the shortest length. All 168's should however... so just use 168's.
 
Thanks for the feedback

Thanks for all the good feedback guys.

I've made notes on it all.

I suspect that the 180 grain Nosler Partition bullets I've been pushing out of the Browning BLR Takedown are wobbling in flight because they're not spinning fast enough.

The rifle appears to be well built and everything is tight & the wood to metal fit is good so I think using lighter bullets will solve the problem.

I'll let you know how it works out.

Life Memberships: NRA, GOA, CSSA, NFA, OFAH
CCW Permits: Utah, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine
 
Quirky BLRs

rem338win said:
Just for the record 1-12`will easily stabilize a 180 partition. It stabilizes 185 VLD`s for me, so ther should be no problem there.
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It seems that the heavier bullets wobble in the BLR for some reason.

Savage, Winchester & Remington firearms that have the same rifling pitch in .308 Win. will somehow stabalize the heavier bullets that produce a shotgun patter with the Browning BLR.

Maybe the Browning rifling is shallower & doesn't have the same effect on the bullet as it speeds down the barrel........who knows.........all I know for sure is what I see on the target paper & it ain't good.

Life Memberships: NRA, GOA, CSSA, NFA, OFAH
CCW Permits: Utah, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine
 
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