Gun Discussion: Browning BLR 30-06

nomad 68 said:
Blr is made for short action imo. Long action calibers and lever action don't go together.
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In the blr you have gear ratios to play with and they are a little more forgiving in regards to lever arc travel for longer stroke calibres.
I fired a friends blr in 300 win mag and it wasn't too bad.
My brother usually needs to use his wood working skills to shorter the lop on rifles for me.
Makes them kind of hard to resell later so I usually keep a gun I like for life.
 
torontogungal said:
They both have muzzle energy ratings from 2500 - 3000 ft-lbs shooting the same bullets.
I see the difference in most factory loads shooting the same bullet seldom going above 200 ft-lbs.
No significant difference in killing power.
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Unless you want to use heavier bullets than 180 grains then the .30/06 has a definite edge.
 
I have one in .243 and have had ones in .308 and .30-06 in the past. Should have kept them all. Tack drivers and very handy rifles. I have never had any magazine issues as far as them falling out, etc., but make sure you hear the "click" of the mag seating and give it a customary tug to ensure that it is seated correctly. I wish the mags held five rounds instead of four, but that is really moot considering the platform. You can't go wrong with these shooters.
 
Mike Webb said:
Unless you want to use heavier bullets than 180 grains then the .30/06 has a definite edge.
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Then I would go to a blr or a 88 in 358 win.
My brother lived in juneau alaska back in the 70s and he had a win 88 lever in 358 win as his bear protection gun.
A ruger sa revolver in 44 mag was on his belt under his jacket at all times.
He spent a lot of time on admiralty island.
Lots of bears there.
He has a skin from a brown bear that he shot that was over 10' in his home in scarborough.
The 200 grain round nose bullet anchored that bear where it stood.
It was just a green box core-lokt. Nothing fancy like a swift or a woodleigh.
 
I have a "Pistol Grip" BLR chambered in 358win,..and a "Straight Grip" Model 81 BLR chambered in 284win,..both are very excellent rifles,..I can't find a thing I don't like about them,..they are accurate as bolt action rifles,.. short and quick handling,.. action is smooth as butter,.. quick loading/unloading,.. light and nice to carry,....IMO, they are one of the best all around rifles out there. However,.. if I were you I would get the BLR in "short action", IMO having a BLR in long action kind of defeats the purpose of having a lever action. There is a considerable difference between the SA and LA,..

Short standard cal action eg: 308win,..length of pull = 13 3/4"...barrel length = 20"...overall length = 40" ...weight = 6lbs 8oz

Short magnum action eg: 300wsm,...LOP = 13 3/4,... BBL = 22" ...OAL = 42" ...weight = 6lbs 12oz

Long standard cal action eg: 30-06sprg,...LOP 14 1/4,... BBL = 22" ...OAL 43" ...weight = 7lbs 4oz

Long magnum action eg: 300 win mag,...LOP 14 1/4,... BBL = 24" ...OAL 45" ...weight = 7lbs 12oz

As for the trigger being a little heavy on them,...I don't see a problem, they aren't as bad as some people make them out to be,..I can shoot moa groups with both of mine,..the BLR is not designed to be a bench rest rifle, it is a very handy effective hunting rifle. As for the magazine,.. I have never had any problem with either of mine falling out on its own, the release button is tucked up past flush in the bottom of the receiver/forend, and the only way I see it coming unlatched is if you do it with your finger.

If you handload, my suggestion would be the 358win,....if you don't handload, my suggestion would be 308win over the 30-06. As already stated by other posters, the difference between 308 and 30-06 is little to none with 150 to 180gr bullets,...the short action in the BLR is the way to go. If you need more performance than the 308 can provide I would go with the 300wsm. Don't get me wrong, I love my 30-06s, but I think the long action is better left for the bolt guns.
I don't know if you are familiar with the highly underrated, unnoticed 358 Winchester, but it is one great old thumper, good for everything from mice to moose,...do some google searching on the 358 and I think you will be impressed,..here as a link to a good read about the BLR and the 358win,....http://www.gunblast.com/Browning-BLR358.htm

Go get a BLR,...you won't regret it.
 
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If you get a blr get the takedown version.
Especially if you do a lot of traveling on atvs and bush planes. More portable, much easier to clean.
For the far north and/or where the gun will be used a lot in winter or in inclement weather conditions getting a stainless version would be advisable.
 
The more I load the .30-06 the more I am impressed. I've had .308's in the past too, and may have another in the future, but the .30-06 does have a distinct advantage in the power department. I find that, with some small exceptions such as IMR-4064 in .308, 180's are moving along around 2600fps. It is no trick to get 150-200 fps better with the .30-06. I'm going to do a bit more load development in spring with the 175gr LRX, but I have already seen +2900fps with that bullet out of a 22" barrel.
 
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