Browning Lever Rifle
- Thread starter gunbug
- Start date
I have a '81BLR in 308 (not the newer "lightning").
Trigger pull is reasonably crisp, with a little creep.
I find the action to be a little noisy compared to my finnwolf. The rifle is light, which adds to felt recoil, but makes it a nice carry rifle.
Accuracy is good for the first shot, but the barrel is light, and is banded to the forestock. I think this is the reason my rifle stitches high right with sucessive shots. I've been told this can be cured, but I'm not sure how.
The trigger group moves with the lever so you can't catch a didgit between the trigger and lever.
No feed problems or other issues I'm aware of.
Trigger pull is reasonably crisp, with a little creep.
I find the action to be a little noisy compared to my finnwolf. The rifle is light, which adds to felt recoil, but makes it a nice carry rifle.
Accuracy is good for the first shot, but the barrel is light, and is banded to the forestock. I think this is the reason my rifle stitches high right with sucessive shots. I've been told this can be cured, but I'm not sure how.
The trigger group moves with the lever so you can't catch a didgit between the trigger and lever.
No feed problems or other issues I'm aware of.
Accuracy .... pretty good, but not tack drivers
Reliability .... pretty good
Trigger ....... pretty bad
Magazine set up ..... Pretty good
Stock comb ....... pretty low
Resale ...... pretty popular
Calibers ..... pretty much good variety
.
In have one in 358, and I think SuperCub nailed it. - dan
Took one out on the weekend, 7 mm Rem mag that hadent seen day light in 15 years.( my freinds father owned before he passed away). I adjusted the scope once (down 16 clicks) I then shot 2, 3 shot groups in an inch and a quarter at 100 meters.
I also own one in 308 that I like. Not bench guns as mentioned before but I like mine for bush blasting.
I also own one in 308 that I like. Not bench guns as mentioned before but I like mine for bush blasting.
rommelrommel
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Long action BLR's seem very clunky to me, short actions handle quite well.
Accurate/strong action for a lever gun.
Some people seem to comment that they have a lot of felt recoil due to design, not sure what I think about that, I shot a 308 with close to max handloads and didn't find it that bad.
Accurate/strong action for a lever gun.
Some people seem to comment that they have a lot of felt recoil due to design, not sure what I think about that, I shot a 308 with close to max handloads and didn't find it that bad.
James Dunlop
New member
blr
I have a BLR in .308 Winchester.I handloaded,for accuracy, with IMR 4064 and 150 grain Nosler ballistic tips under an 8 power scope and off a bench at 100 yards to produce consistent 3/8ths inch ten shot groups without trigger creep.Then I tore the scope off and with it the rear sight, exchanging both, for a Williams receiver peep sight with an adjustable 5 hole disc from Merit corporation .I had to raise the front sight useing a Marble sight I got from Brownells.This is the lightest, most rugged,powerful and accurate saddle gun,under my left leg,that I have ever used.It will take care of anything on the North American continent.It's box magazine allows you to use any spitzer type bullet
and the 'camming'action of the lever is the same as a bolt gun allowing much more powerful loads with far better ballistics than any Winchester .30-30.
Good luck with your quest,
Sandy.
I have a BLR in .308 Winchester.I handloaded,for accuracy, with IMR 4064 and 150 grain Nosler ballistic tips under an 8 power scope and off a bench at 100 yards to produce consistent 3/8ths inch ten shot groups without trigger creep.Then I tore the scope off and with it the rear sight, exchanging both, for a Williams receiver peep sight with an adjustable 5 hole disc from Merit corporation .I had to raise the front sight useing a Marble sight I got from Brownells.This is the lightest, most rugged,powerful and accurate saddle gun,under my left leg,that I have ever used.It will take care of anything on the North American continent.It's box magazine allows you to use any spitzer type bullet
and the 'camming'action of the lever is the same as a bolt gun allowing much more powerful loads with far better ballistics than any Winchester .30-30.
Good luck with your quest,
Sandy.
The biggest problem with the BLR is that the stock is far too low to use properly with a scope.
It is perfect for the iron sights, but when using a scope you must raise your cheek well up off the comb. That, as we all know, is not conducive to the best and/or fastest shooting offhand.
I have owned three, and sold them all for this reason. Also, as others have mentioned, the triggers were not the best.
Ted
It is perfect for the iron sights, but when using a scope you must raise your cheek well up off the comb. That, as we all know, is not conducive to the best and/or fastest shooting offhand.
I have owned three, and sold them all for this reason. Also, as others have mentioned, the triggers were not the best.
Ted
Suka
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
blr's
If you want a light, reliable hunting rifle you can carry around on your hip all day, blr's your gun.
We have 243, 270, '06, and 300. Had a 308, but sold it; just didn't like the caliber.
When practicing we never use a bench. Standing, sitting, prone. Always figured there was no point in bench shooting a hunting gun. I'm in S. Alberta. When shooting paper the wind is usually 15-30kts. At 100yds (out of practice) we generally get 4" groups. In practice, make that closer to 2"(sitting). In practice; a 25 yd run, 3 rapid sucession standing shots we look for 4-5" groups.
Our average shot when hunting is prob. 60 yds., max of maybe 200(rarely). When younger had an A bolt 300, could shoot head sized rocks across the coulee with it. Beautiful gun, if you could see it, you could hit it, but too heavy.
Maybe it's just because my first gun was a blr, but I find when you throw it to your shoulder, it just, plain, fits. I'd agree with Supercub on the accuracy, trigger, resale, and calibers, but I'd beg to differ on the comb being too low, and the magazine setup. Maybe it's just what you're used too, but our cheeks are alway's on the stock.
Only thing I've found is you need to watch your overall bullet length if reloading. If the leads not seated properly for the gun(bullet's too long overall), it can jam picking it up out of the magazine.
Least that's my 2cents.
If you want a light, reliable hunting rifle you can carry around on your hip all day, blr's your gun.
We have 243, 270, '06, and 300. Had a 308, but sold it; just didn't like the caliber.
When practicing we never use a bench. Standing, sitting, prone. Always figured there was no point in bench shooting a hunting gun. I'm in S. Alberta. When shooting paper the wind is usually 15-30kts. At 100yds (out of practice) we generally get 4" groups. In practice, make that closer to 2"(sitting). In practice; a 25 yd run, 3 rapid sucession standing shots we look for 4-5" groups.
Our average shot when hunting is prob. 60 yds., max of maybe 200(rarely). When younger had an A bolt 300, could shoot head sized rocks across the coulee with it. Beautiful gun, if you could see it, you could hit it, but too heavy.
Maybe it's just because my first gun was a blr, but I find when you throw it to your shoulder, it just, plain, fits. I'd agree with Supercub on the accuracy, trigger, resale, and calibers, but I'd beg to differ on the comb being too low, and the magazine setup. Maybe it's just what you're used too, but our cheeks are alway's on the stock.
Only thing I've found is you need to watch your overall bullet length if reloading. If the leads not seated properly for the gun(bullet's too long overall), it can jam picking it up out of the magazine.
Least that's my 2cents.
BLRs
My favourite hunting rifle. I have owned maybe 30 or so of them, perhaps more, in quite a few chamberings, but never a long action since I find them very "klunky." I strongly prefer the Model 81 rather than the original models or the more recent ones, and especially those with pistol grip stocks which I do not prefer. So when you ask about a BLR, there are quite a few differences between the various models and chamberings.
I own a "FEW" hunting rifles
, but usually when I go deer hunting here in Ontario I carry a scoped BLR 81 in .308. I have a slightly smaller scope (Burris Signature 1.5 - 6 x 32) on low Leopold rings and a one-piece Leopold base, and do not have any problem with this set-up. It fits me like a glove and is one of the last two guns they will pry from my cold dead hands (the other being an 870 Wingmaster).
It ain't a bench rest rifle, it is a hunting rifle and for my buck it is about the best for the area and deer that I hunt. I did take it on a whitetail hunt in Alberta quite a number of years ago, and that was a mistake because of the longer ranges that shots presented themselves - I should have taken a bolt gun in .270 or similar. But anyways, I am a BLR fan.
And if you buy one and don't like it, they are one of the easiest guns to sell in this country. But buy a USED one first.
Doug
My favourite hunting rifle. I have owned maybe 30 or so of them, perhaps more, in quite a few chamberings, but never a long action since I find them very "klunky." I strongly prefer the Model 81 rather than the original models or the more recent ones, and especially those with pistol grip stocks which I do not prefer. So when you ask about a BLR, there are quite a few differences between the various models and chamberings.
I own a "FEW" hunting rifles
, but usually when I go deer hunting here in Ontario I carry a scoped BLR 81 in .308. I have a slightly smaller scope (Burris Signature 1.5 - 6 x 32) on low Leopold rings and a one-piece Leopold base, and do not have any problem with this set-up. It fits me like a glove and is one of the last two guns they will pry from my cold dead hands (the other being an 870 Wingmaster).It ain't a bench rest rifle, it is a hunting rifle and for my buck it is about the best for the area and deer that I hunt. I did take it on a whitetail hunt in Alberta quite a number of years ago, and that was a mistake because of the longer ranges that shots presented themselves - I should have taken a bolt gun in .270 or similar. But anyways, I am a BLR fan.
And if you buy one and don't like it, they are one of the easiest guns to sell in this country.
But buy a USED one first. Doug
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
OT Doug, what's the other gun they'll have to pry? Savage 99?
ROY-alty33
Regular
- Location
- Not quite beyond Hope, but close
What can I say....I love my little BLR. Light, good shooter, never had it not go bang because of any fault of its own (mine yes its NO). As for the low comb, I cut my teeth hunting in thick Ontario bush, so I put see thru scope mounts on for those uber close shots. That raises the scope up even higher. But as they say practice makes perfect, as long as your cheek weld is the same for each shot point of impact should stay roughly the same.
back to JYC..........
Read my post carefully and the answer to your question is there.
As for the 99 as opposed to the BLR, well that is like girlfriends and wives. You keep a wife for a long time, but a girlfriend might be highly infatuating and not stay a long while. And I have a long-suffering wife of over 25 years, which is perhaps even longer than that BLR. I think.
ALL of my 99s and 1899s are only temporary occupants of my gun safes..............until I find a deluxe T/D in .250-3000 in VG+ condition. THEN we negotiate longer occupancy.
Doug
Read my post carefully and the answer to your question is there.
As for the 99 as opposed to the BLR, well that is like girlfriends and wives. You keep a wife for a long time, but a girlfriend might be highly infatuating and not stay a long while. And I have a long-suffering wife of over 25 years, which is perhaps even longer than that BLR. I think.
ALL of my 99s and 1899s are only temporary occupants of my gun safes..............until I find a deluxe T/D in .250-3000 in VG+ condition. THEN we negotiate longer occupancy.
Doug
