Pick up a Browning BLR .223rem

T

TheFlyingGen

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I have been thinking to pick a BLR .223REM, and am wondering if you could share your thoughts and experience. Takedown vs Non-takedown, pistol grip vs straight?

Anyone saw a good deal recently? I have come across several dealers' sites, but it's not in stock.

Thanks.
 
I bought a stainless takedown BLR in .308 Win, great rifle. It was hard to find in stock/short delivery, so you may have to hunt for a while.

Resign yourself to availability w/o a good deal, seller's market on these.

If you are in Nova Scotia think carefully about chambering, .223 Rem is a very limited cartridge for hunting in Nova Scotia
(unlike most other provinces).
 
It is a nice gun, BUT for me a .223 is more useful in a bolt action rifle...

Consider a .243 in the BLR... pretty handy gun...
 
My BLR came with a trigger twice the factory spec weight, made it tough to shoot good groups.
Apparently that is a very common complaint with current production units.

I eventually found a Canadian gunsmith who
(a) Was capable of doing a proper trigger job on the BLR
(b) Was accepting BLR trigger job work.

Tight chamber, great barrel.

The takedown model is much easier to clean the barrel.

\\

If you want a range target rifle, I would suggest getting a nice bolt gun. They are easier to scope
and either come with nicer triggers or have drop-in aftermarket triggers available. Easier to find in stock,
somewhat less expensive. Stevens 200 is a popular base bolt gun, there are others.
 
Thank you for sharing your experience. I was wondering if I could have the dealer measured the trigger pull weight for me before I purchase it.


rodregier said:
My BLR came with a trigger twice the factory spec weight, made it tough to shoot good groups.
Apparently that is a very common complaint with current production units.

I eventually found a Canadian gunsmith who
(a) Was capable of doing a proper trigger job on the BLR
(b) Was accepting BLR trigger job work.

Tight chamber, great barrel.

The takedown model is much easier to clean the barrel.

\\

If you want a range target rifle, I would suggest getting a nice bolt gun. They are easier to scope
and either come with nicer triggers or have drop-in aftermarket triggers available. Easier to find in stock,
somewhat less expensive. Stevens 200 is a popular base bolt gun, there are others.
Click to expand...
 
TheFlyingGen said:
Thank you, guys. I am going to shoot it in the range, not for hunting. .223 ammo is cheaper than .243.
Click to expand...
A bolt action would be a far better choice for a range blaster. BLRs are hunting guns, not target guns.

A bolt action 223 will be more accurate, easier to load for, brass will last longer, able to shoot heavier bullets, have a better trigger, work better with a target scope and easier to find than a BLR in 223.
 
You can ask, but the shop may not have a trigger-pull gauge handy.

Based on the reports I have read, most of the current production units simply have triggers way heavier
than the factory spec. (4.5 lbs). My 2013 production unit was 8.8 lbs before being reworked.

ht tp://www.browning.com/products/catalog/family.asp?webflag_=003B&catalog_=B
"Trigger - Wide groove design trigger with short, smooth pull of approximately 4½ lbs. Trigger travels with lever."

Realistically if you want a nice trigger on one you'll probably have to pay a gunsmith who works on BLR's regularly to do it
after you have made your purchase.

This is who did my BLR trigger work:

Rob Wise
Wise Choice Sporting Goods & Gunsmithing
1364 11N Hwy
Kilworthy, ON P0E 1G0

(705) 689-9473
 
Probably you will have to custom order especially in 223 as this is a very unusual calibre for a lever, 223 makes it very much a range rifle and levers are a pain to bench shoot.

The blr takedowns are excelent and as for pistol grip or straight stock is purely your own liking
 
Thanks for the info.

rodregier said:
You can ask, but the shop may not have a trigger-pull gauge handy.

Based on the reports I have read, most of the current production units simply have triggers way heavier
than the factory spec. (4.5 lbs). My 2013 production unit was 8.8 lbs before being reworked.

ht tp://www.browning.com/products/catalog/family.asp?webflag_=003B&catalog_=B
"Trigger - Wide groove design trigger with short, smooth pull of approximately 4½ lbs. Trigger travels with lever."

Realistically if you want a nice trigger on one you'll probably have to pay a gunsmith who works on BLR's regularly to do it
after you have made your purchase.

This is who did my BLR trigger work:

Rob Wise
Wise Choice Sporting Goods & Gunsmithing
1364 11N Hwy
Kilworthy, ON P0E 1G0

(705) 689-9473
Click to expand...
 
Yes, I understood that. I love lever-action. 223 ammo is quite cheap, and I wonder if I could shoot 223/5.56 surplus with blr.

razorbeck said:
Probably you will have to custom order especially in 223 as this is a very unusual calibre for a lever, 223 makes it very much a range rifle and levers are a pain to bench shoot.

The blr takedowns are excelent and as for pistol grip or straight stock is purely your own liking
Click to expand...
 
To most people I know, takedown versions are less likely to have repeatable accuracy when re-assembled. Any time a "platform" is cut in two and re-joined, no matter how stable the join, it won't be as accurate as a regular one. I'd take the non-takedown for bench shooting myself.
 
sgt.rock said:
To most people I know, takedown versions are less likely to have repeatable accuracy when re-assembled. Any time a "platform" is cut in two and re-joined, no matter how stable the join, it won't be as accurate as a regular one. I'd take the non-takedown for bench shooting myself.
Click to expand...



BLR takedowns have 2 options for scope mounting, one mounts the scope to the barrel and one mounts it to the action. I have a 243 takedown with the barrel mount option that gives excelent repeatability
 
I can recall a few people with takedowns claiming repeatable accuracy using the action mount option for scopes. Haven't seen any reviews of actual owners saying otherwise. I have a .308 that I still haven't fired; it will have to be something to test when I get around to setting it up.
 
I'm using a forward-mounted optic on my .308 Win BLR so repeatability/lockup isn't an issue.
Since it is a low-power scout scope, I'm not in a position to make serious accuracy claims.

Having said that, I've read very positive reviews of the takedown model's repeatability for a rear-mounted optic.
 
I totally agree with you. But the accuracy associates many other factors other one body or jointed body. Maybe it can be ignored by comparing with others. It's just my deduce without any hands-on experience. Please correct me if I was wrong. Thanks.


sgt.rock said:
To most people I know, takedown versions are less likely to have repeatable accuracy when re-assembled. Any time a "platform" is cut in two and re-joined, no matter how stable the join, it won't be as accurate as a regular one. I'd take the non-takedown for bench shooting myself.
Click to expand...
 
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