BLR vs AR

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oldfool

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me, being the only kid on my block without a 223, just wondering how minor my minority is

(one nice thing about enthusiasm for rifles, but no dinero to do anything about it, is that you can always dream for free)
have oft though I ought to do something about that no 223 in the gun safe
mebbe one of the Ruger short boltie Hawkeye carbines, just for the flamethrower sideshow effects
but since they are doing Browning lightweight '81 BLRs in 223 again, it's pretty hard to ignore

so... just how extreme few of us are there here, that would actually choose the BLR over an AR ??
 
If you buy a AR, you'll never stop spending money on it!

BLRs are beautiful rifles in my opinion and I'd own the one you're talking about in a heartbeat.

However, for about the same money you could buy a plain jane AR used.

Wait awhile the prices on ARs will come back down where it should be. No reason a basic AR should cost anywhere near 1K new.... 750-800 bucks should be closer to a real world price (take the politics out).

The DOD is only paying around 400 bucks each for the M4 and profit is being made on everyone of those....
 
IIRC the contract price was close to $1100, with KAC rail. Without the rail, $800. Hence the price point for a quality AR.

CMMG Bargain Bin guns run $599, and S&W's might have had a recent sale for under that. The market does have a lot of pressure to drop the price, we could see things get cheaper. Nonetheless, parts in quantity are a lot cheaper than we think. Lowers at retail are in the $100 range, but in bulk - thousands - less than $45. Do batch inspections, and the QC expenses drop to normal production gun stuff, prices drop a lot more. But, you get what you pay for.

If the barrel and other parts were available, I'd be converting my old Win '94 to 6.8SPC. A BLR in .223 is certainly a good thing. It will shoot just as well as the AR - but to be fair, it wouldn't survive 6 months in Afghanistan kicking down doors or on patrol in the mountains.

It's not a X vs. Y comparison, the AR wasn't designed for light use and plinking. That's a major difference in construction and price right there.
 
I own a BLR in .300WSM and an AR in .223/5.56. They were acquired with different purposes in mind. The BLR is a hunting rifle, while the AR is the HD/short to medium range predator hunter/plinker. I love both and would feel confident in the woods with either. If I had to choose either in .223, I'd probably go with the AR. It seems a little more versatile and you can tinker with it more. At least as far as my experience, my basline DPMS AR was cheaper than my BLR w/ pistol grip.
 
I love my .308 BLRs, and also own an AR15. I love the idea of a .223 BLR, but my budget is not likely to sustain such a purchase in the near future.

Indeed, as already stated by another member, different tools for different roles. While a BLR could certainly be used defensively, or an AR15 for hunting, I would rather hunt with the light, slender BLR, and would hate to subject it to a warfare environment, or even a high-level defensive rifle training course. (My "hunting" is really just walks in the woods, with opportunistic pest control a secondary objective, so I like lightweight woods rifles.)

The .223 BLR is a rare bird, thus far only made in special runs. You might want to take that into consideration. I had figured on someday getting a BLR in 22-250, as those are more available, but wold not pass up a .223 if available when I can afford one. I just used my disposable funds on a nice camera and lenses, plus a lightweight middy upper for an AR15. (All work related; hopefully I can write these off at tax time, to ease the cost. I work police patrol, with the added responsibility of photographing crime victims and crime scenes.)

Regarding the defensive use of the BLR, when Hurricane Rita was heading right for us, shortly after the well-known incidents in the aftermath of Katrina, when we were hosting a bunch of Katrina refugees, there was a very familiar-looking, and very unauthorized BLR, in somebody's patrol car. ;)
The BLR might not be military-tough, but this old body is not military-tough, either.
 
out of six, a couple yes, a mebbe or two, a few thousand members here
no surprise, how it is, no disrespect to AR folks intended, but ain't none of them ARs got that Browning double deer logo on 'em, and there ain't no Glock 357 mag pistolas

but they are doing 'em again (223 BLRs) per their website, for the 3 of us that maybe would

you do gotta' march to the beat of a different drummer to prefer a 38/357 '92 with a S&W 66 companion (vs Glock/AR) for the Mutant Ninja Turtle invasion, and/or HD, and/or range fun, and/or possum, and/or Katrina II

the good news is that you don't need a lot of shootin' buddies to enjoy shooting ARs on the cheap
the bad news is that BLR buddies are a tad scarce
could be a lot worse
(still a few folks around who are fond of k-frames, yours and/or theirs, any caliber)

shoot well, be well, be safe, and always mind your backdrop :)
 
so... just how extreme few of us are there here, that would actually choose the BLR over an AR
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That's the beauty of this country: you're under no obligation to buy anything just because everyone else did. The AR is a more versatile--probably more accurate--rifle than the BLR, but, for me, the BLR would provide more pride of ownership.

The DOD is only paying around 400 bucks each for the M4 and profit is being made on everyone of those....
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I wish people would stop repeating these Ford Administration-era figures. Current cost to DoD is about a grand a throw.
 
I've had several ARs; have one now. Can't get really excited about it; the AR just isn't really aesthetically pleasing to me. Good social gun, of course. My 77 Mk II is just as accurate, is a tad lighter and is a lot more fun on prairie dogs and coyotes.

I sighted in a .308 BLR for a guy, years back. Pretty tight groups for a lever gun, but not what I'd call a long-range small-varmint-class critter. Certainly an attractive, well-made rifle, for sure.
 
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