Cant decide... Browning BL-22 or Semi Auto SA-22??

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MarkJnK

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I'm looking for a nice Rimfire for plinking and general shooting fun. I love Browning and have decided it will be one of the two guns listed. Both have stellar reviews from around the net, and both seem to possess the ability to shoot reliably and endlessly. Both have history and heritage, both are iconic Brownings, both have wood and engraving. So how do I choose?

If anyone has an opinion one way or the other, base don past ownership or experience, I'd love to hear it.
Please dont suggest other brands, lets keep this discussion on the two guns in question.
 
I have had both and loved them. The takedown feature of the SA was nice. And it was plenty accurate when reassembled. The BL22 was a grade 1 and still had good wood and awesome bluing. It was plenty accurate with any can , bottle, or empty 12 guage shell I shot at with it. That short lever throw (30 degrees? I think) was fast, and having the trigger travel with the lever prevented the pinch that sometimes happens when levers are worked fast.
I ended up trading both off one time or another for a centerfire kick I was on, but have recently picked up a Norinco SA clone, and its pretty much one and the same. Wood isn't as nice, and bluing is a little duller, but just as accurate, reliable, and handy. There is a bit of barrel/action play with both the SA's I have , but they are equally accurate. Funny.
I was all set to vote on one, then after careful consideration, I can't say. The SA is so small, light, and handy to point, yet the BL22 is not big either, and nearly as fast to shoot, and holds more ammo. Jeez. Seriously, just get both. Dang.
 
I had the semi-auto, one of those guns that I finally bought afer years (decades?) of lusting. Lovely gun, beautifully-made, accurate, nicely-finished...but I eventually sold it simply because I didn't enjoy shooting it due to the bottom ejection, which consistently dumped empties onto my forearm or even down my sleeve. If I had tried it out before buying I probably would never have purchased it in the first place.
 
I enjoy my Bl-22 because it hasn't been ammo sensitive (so far) unlike the semi's I used to own.
Besides, I like tube feed rifles and I find shooting semi's gets a little boring.
 
Tough choice but the bl22. Grew up shooting a bl22 and is still my #1 go to .22 as it never fails, nice and light and a nice short and quick lever throw. old man has a sa and it too is great in being extremely petit and a quick takedown. Great shooter too of course. personally the feel and reliability i have had with the lever it would be my .02¢.
 
Don't leave out the Buckmark Rifle. Lotsa cool factor and very accurate to boot. Easy load/unload mag feed. Rail for optics. Neat, compact carbine, a hoot to shoot. Mine is a sporter with a Weaver 3-9x32 ao. Lovin' it.
 
i have both, a 1957 Semi that is flawless, accurate and fun. also have a newer BL22 Grade II that is my 2nd lever 22(had a golden boy). it's smooth, short throw, accurate and takes whatever you feed it. if you have to choose only one, flip a coin, you will be happy with either and you can always get the other one sometime down the road. either way you win!!!!!
 
jjohnwm said:
I had the semi-auto, one of those guns that I finally bought afer years (decades?) of lusting.
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I always wanted a .22 auto when I was a kid, 30 yrs later I finally got one. Awesome little gun, trim & light, with a great takedown system. And it will dump empties down your shirtsleeve if you aren't careful about how you hold it.

Semi-autos and the .22 rimfire were made for each other. Seems like such a waste of time and effort to have to work the action manually on a .22.
 
Read all the responses and still cant decide. This is crazy. I'm usually very decisive, and with a bit of research can come up with a decision that I can stick with and move forward with confidence. Not this time... flipping a coin is looking more attractive.
 
Do you own a BLR in a centerfire rifle?
You would have a match set.
Big and little brothers.
If not, give you a good excuse to buy n'uther.........aye...

Life and it's ever endearing decisions!
 
OK... decided and ordered! Went with a BL-22 Grade II. The Grade II BL has almost the exact same upgrades as the Grade 1 SA, gloss finish, engraved blued receiver... and the same price. The reason I chose the BL is that I thought shooting a lever will be very different from my other guns (Citori XT and Cynergy 20ga O/U's, 870 Pump, X-Bolt White Gold .270), making it more fun and possibly less "boring" than a semi. I also like to have the option of scoping it, which is cumbersome at best on the SA due to the nature of the take-down design. I know that scoping the BL is almost sacrilege, but its good to know the option is there if I want to. I also like that the BL will cycle any .22 cartridge, where the SA is .22LR only. Lastly, the BL looks and handles more like a full size gun, while the SA is a very slim elegant rifle. Cant wait to get it.
Thanks for your help.
 
Wrong Way said:
Looks and handles like a "full sized gun"?

boy are YOU in for a surprise when you open the box......
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OK ya haha , I guess I meant to say more so than the SA. I've read reviews that consider the BL more of an adult sized .22 and from what I've seen in vids, it looks like it mounts more naturally and looks more normal than the SA. Its all relative, as I thought my Cynergy 20ga was a normal gun until I went to the trap field and saw it on the rack next to trap guns, then it looked like a kids gun.
 
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