It's pretty hard to beat the BLR for a takedown repeater. I was looking for one in .358 for a while before i 'settled' on a hog stalker in .308. Just couldn't find a TD .358. I liked the fact mine came with an 18.5" barrel, and after carrying it around with me for five years, I think the only Thing I would trade it for is a takedown in .338 Fed. Not an option from the factory, but I have seen them come up used from time to time. If you are into blue dot and casting though, the .358 is just an obvious choice. Slamfire knows where it's at.
I have gone through a lot of different sights. The factory sights left me wanting. Tried a few different receiver/peep sights and found it hard to get a high enough front sight to make it work. If I go back to open sights, skinner makes a low profile receiver mount peep that might work out nicely. Tried the scout scope, loved the balance and lack of muzzle jump, but just didn't fall in love with it. The scout mount is pretty heavy, and I just felt if I was going to pay the weight penalty I might as well enjoy the magnification benefits and put a 2.5-8x on the receiver. That's my favourite configuration thus far, but there is a compromise there too. With so much drop at the comb on the straight stock, it's tricky to get the scope low enough for a good fit/sleek carry and still have clearance for your thumb on the hammer. I really want to try a micro red dot (Leupold deltapoint or similar), I think this might be the ultimate in terms of fit form and function but I've been keeping my eye out for a Savage 24 or simar. thinking the combination might put a few more birds in the freezer.
Bottom line is BLR is a solid platform, lots of flexibility in sights. The triggers can be really bad. Quite easy to remedy, hammer and sear are removable without taking the action apart (contrary to popular belief). A little time on the stones and she will break smoothly. They are kind of expensive, but they hold their value pretty well. Lots of .358's on the EE at the moment.
