Browning Automatic .22

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JCooperfan1911

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Like most gun bugs at present I have been buying a few new pieces just in case. I have wanted one of Browning’s automatic .22 rimfires for years now. Here is an ad:

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They are still made by Miroko in Nippon. I had my reservations about owning a Japanese made rifle but it appears they are very well made. I took up order of one of these last night from the gun broker website. I am going to buy the carrying case as this is a takedown and might scope it with a Leopold I have laying around here someplace.
 
Consider ordering a complete barrel and parts directly from Browning. Then you can have a easy to swap scoped or iron sights set up.
My extra barrel is getting threaded and i'm putting a red dot sight on it.
 
earplug said:
Consider ordering a complete barrel and parts directly from Browning. Then you can have a easy to swap scoped or iron sights set up.
My extra barrel is getting threaded and i'm putting a red dot sight on it.
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How is the reliability and accuracy of the piece?
 
I have one in 22 short. More accurate than necessary, beautifully made. Limited round count thus far so I cannot speak to durability. It is too pretty to beat up on with the maple stock. Spookily quiet with CB shorts as well.
 
My browning is a very nice looking gun. Reliable as any semi auto rimfire I've ever had. Accuracy is mediocre at best. My Bl-22s are considerably more accurate and they aren't really up to par with my winchester or marlin levers. Not a huge complaint though. I could probably dig out 20 22 rifles right now. Very few would I call accurate, and all those are bolt action. I love the look of the Brownings. The only guns I want a gloss stock on. Some of their stocks are very deep. Like a glass plate on them. Lol

Mine is the takedown model. Not sure if they all were but every one ive seen was. Maybe that's the accuracy issue. Idk

I have a first year bl-22 grade 2 made in Japan. As well as a 2004ish (or so) grade 1. The miroku rifles are nice. I have no reservations about them. Far nicer finishes than most of my American rifles.
 
crestoncowboy said:
My browning is a very nice looking gun. Reliable as any semi auto rimfire I've ever had. Accuracy is mediocre at best. My Bl-22s are considerably more accurate and they aren't really up to par with my winchester or marlin levers. Not a huge complaint though. I could probably dig out 20 22 rifles right now. Very few would I call accurate, and all those are bolt action. I love the look of the Brownings. The only guns I want a gloss stock on. Some of their stocks are very deep. Like a glass plate on them. Lol

Mine is the takedown model. Not sure if they all were but every one ive seen was. Maybe that's the accuracy issue. Idk

I have a first year bl-22 grade 2 made in Japan. As well as a 2004ish (or so) grade 1. The miroku rifles are nice. I have no reservations about them. Far nicer finishes than most of my American rifles.
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I thought very long and hard on the BL22s. I handled one in a small Illinois gun shop some years back and it was extremely nice.

However I researched the new made ones and found loads of bad reports on the trigger pull for current versions of the BL22. Something like they re-designed the trigger system or something to that effect? Supposedly few work on the triggers and there isn’t much that can be done.
 
JCooperfan1911 said:
Something like they re-designed the trigger system or something to that effect? Supposedly few work on the triggers and there isn’t much that can be done.
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The trigger on my 00s model is the same a my 69. Maybe they changed after. Idk. But it does leave a lot to be desired though. Just part of the design. The trigger actually travels with the lever so there are more moving parts and surfaces than there should be. And the trigger hinges on a pin in the lever so you get 1/16 or so of movement before engaging. There really is not much one could do to remedy any of it.

All that said is not that bad. As good or better than say, a savage 64, or glenfield or plenty of my other rifles. Just not up to par with the other lever or pump guns since they work like a single action revolver trigger. They should be pretty dang nice. The bl-22 is closer to a mediocre semi auto than a nice lever action trigger. Or at least my two are.

Some don't like the short stroke of the lever on the Brownings. It travels half as far as a Henry/ winchester/ marlin etc. It is different for sure. I won't say I don't like it.

Eta. They are small and super light. Mine weights under 5 lbs. The marlin/ winchester weigh nearly 2 more lbs
 
crestoncowboy said:
The trigger on my 00s model is the same a my 69. Maybe they changed after. Idk. But it does leave a lot to be desired though. Just part of the design. The trigger actually travels with the lever so there are more moving parts and surfaces than there should be. And the trigger hinges on a pin in the lever so you get 1/16 or so of movement before engaging. There really is not much one could do to remedy any of it.

All that said is not that bad. As good or better than say, a savage 64, or glenfield or plenty of my other rifles. Just not up to par with the other lever or pump guns since they work like a single action revolver trigger. They should be pretty dang nice. The bl-22 is closer to a mediocre semi auto than a nice lever action trigger. Or at least my two are.

Some don't like the short stroke of the lever on the Brownings. It travels half as far as a Henry/ winchester/ marlin etc. It is different for sure. I won't say I don't like it.
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It’s a shame Marlin is in shambles as their 39 lever action is a masterpiece, yet collector’s have gotten all the ones in my area and are not letting go.
 
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Bad picture but the gloss on the far right 00s browning is deep. Which i usually dislike but that one is nice. The older one beside it is grade 2 but has very little gloss compared to the newer one
There's a picture I had of few of mine. I wouldn't say the Marlins trigger is good either. I don't care for the "Henry"/ Ithaca 72 but they and the winchester have the better trigger. Imo I grew up with the Ithaca and have it and the Henry (same gun) they have the simplest mechanism. Good trigger too.

The marlin is a heavy beast. Almost 7 lbs. My 300 mag doesnt weigh any more.
 
About four lifetimes ago I had a friend that had a Belgian made semi auto. We could routinely hit empty shotgun shells from across the barn lot.

I had BLR-22 II that could get head shots on swimming muskrats at +/- 60 yards. Gave it to my S-I-L
 
Long long ago when those rifles were first being made Browning licensed FN to make and sell the rifle in the European Market and Remington to make and sell the rifle in the US market. Remington continued making the rifle up until the 1950s.

Here's my 1949 Remington Browning Patent model 241:
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Even today it's simply one of the firearms that just makes me happy every time I take it for WalkAbout; super reliable, tolerates any ammo I've tried in it over the decades, beautiful, easy to takedown and just plain a pleasure.
 
I don’t use optics on mine but the Belgium ones were grooved on the receiver for mounting.

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While the Japanese barrels are drilled and tapped for a cantilever mount.

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If an optic is your goal, I would want the barrel mount for consistency sake.

The wood is better on the Belgium ones but the Japan ones still beat most other .22’s. The only .22 I have with better wood than the Brownings would be a Weatherby.

If you hold rifles like this.

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Leave your long sleeve shirts at home when you take it out.
 
jmorris said:
Leave your long sleeve shirts at home when you take it out.
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Never held mine that way but ive still experienced what your getting at when I've shot from awkward rests Lol

Of course I'm 6'3 and long armed so my sleeves aren't always long enough. Great brass catchers

My grandpa had a left handed 22 semi auto of some kind when I was little that would get me too
 
JCooperfan1911 said:
I had my reservations about owning a Japanese made rifle but it appears they are very well made.
Click to expand...

My replica was made in China (Norinco Model ATD 22). I paid $99.83 for it at a Wal Mart store way back in 1992. It's not a Browning or even a Miroku Browning but it's a much better rifle in terms of material and workmanship than one might expect, especially given the relatively low price.
 
My cousin had a SA-22 in the 60’s which I thought was the pinnacle of Rimfire rifles. By the time I decided to buy a nice semi many many years later I went CZ.
 
Here's my 1960 Belgian SA-22 with factory Browning scope and hard case. Beautiful little gun. I do shoot it on occasion but don't take it in the woods anymore.
 

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Congrats on your Browning Miroku you will be another very happy owner.
I have a relative that got one few months back (grade II) I guess is just a joy. Sadly are a little expensive for this pour soul.
 
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