Browning BLR?

[RPRNY]

I have never fired one. I have held and admired one but that is the extent of my experience. I have been offered a 1982 81 BLR in 358 Win that I find very intriguing. I love my Marlin and Winchester lever guns and, unlike them, would consider scoping a BLR. I have a portfolio gap in 35 cal and like the 358.

So advice and counsel, experiences (good and bad), and views on a 1982 Miroku rifle would be most welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

[fiddleharp]

Positives: Great handling and accuracy. Attractive design. Handles powerful cartridges safely.
Negatives: The average user can't remove the bolt, firing pin, or other innards for a thorough cleaning. The trigger sucks.

 

[steveno]

well made rifle but a poor stock design in my opinion. mine was a 358 Winchester and it kicked. the 358 is a good round

 

[H&Hhunter]

I like the concept but can't get over some of the issues with the rifle such as the horrible trigger and Browning choice of a shiny finish on a field rifle makes me want to puke.

 

[Elkins45]

I have a BLR in 358 Win and I did scope it, unlike my other lever guns.

Positives:
good handling
accurate
light weight
358 is a reloaders dream, especially with cast bullets


Negatives:
trigger is quite heavy
would not consider taking out the bolt myself (and I take apart guns all the time)
expensive
shiny

I just bought it last year and I may hunt with it this fall.

 

[HOOfan_1]

Aren't most Browning guns shiny?

 

[H&Hhunter]

Aren't most Browning guns shiny?

Browning loves their shiny ultra thick satin finish. I can't stand that look on a rifle. It's a personal taste thing, I know many folks really like it there is nothing wrong with it per say. But it reminds me of the older Weatherby super shiny Japanese Mark V's. I used to take those and strip the stocks and refinish them with an oil finish back in the day. I'd take the metal down and have it re blued with a flat finish as well. I'm just not a shiny rifle kind of guy.

I am a flat metal, rubbed oil finish kind of a guy, I like my field rifles to have that subdued natural finish look.

 

[Don McDowell]

Those early Miroku rifles are way ahead of the present day models in allround quality. The triggers on those rifles are good hunting triggers. Be mindful of when sighting in, it's a hunting rifle with a light barrel, keep your groups to 3 shots, after that they begin to open up due to the barrel heating and crawling around a bit.
Best accuracy seems to come when the forearm attaching bolt is tightened just as tight as you can get it.
Be mindful of the magazine , they are stamped and staked, and as such if you drop one on cold frozen ground it may knock the thing out of alignment a tiny bit and create some feeding issues.
Those early Miroku's seem to prefer Remington brass.
Keep in mind the 358 generates a lot of horsepower going in both directions, this is a light rifle and recoil may be a bit on the pesky side.
Don't worry about removing the bolt, a bit of brake cleaner spray inside the action once a year, a light coat of lubricant, and a good bore guide to protect the muzzle while cleaning and that rifle will give you many good years of service. (At least the ones that live here have served well for 30 someodd years)

 

[H&Hhunter]

I have to admit that BLR in .358 interests me as an all around saddle gun. I'd just have to drag it through the sand for while to knock the shine off.

 

[Don McDowell]

Saddle scabbard takes care of any "shine" problems in short order.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Saddle scabbard takes care of any "shine" problems in short order.

True dat^^^^^^^....

 

[claiborne]

I had two, one in .243 and one in .308. Both were decently accurate, reliable and shot well. I detail stripped both of mine after I purchased them in a pawn shop. Man O Man......Getting those rotating bolts to line back up with the locking grooves and the lever was about as intriguing as putting a Ruger MKII pistol back together. Doable, with patience, but not fun. When it came time to clean them again, I traded both rifles off.

 

[RPRNY]

Well, I really appreciate the feedback, so thanks very much.

Sadly, it's not really definitive. Looks don't matter so much. I dislike the wood finish, but a refinish is easy enough and, as noted above, use will solve it too. Horrible trigger would be a deal breaker, but if the early Miroku's are better...

Recoil. Yes, I take it the 358 is a bit snappy and the 81 is light. That could be a real issue. I don't know that I'm a good enough rifleman to be consistent if it is too hot. My 444 Marlin at 8.5 lbs is at the top end of what I'm comfortable with and the 358 looks punchier.

Sooo, thanks for the info and advice. I need to stew a bit.

 

[Elkins45]

I have both and I think the 444 (at least with heavy bullets) has slightly more recoil.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I have the exact rifle.. I don't find the .358 to kick all that bad. It's about .30/06 level.

Mine likes H4895. Full case at 48.0gr gives ~2,550fps with 200gr Hornady PtSpt and near 1moa accuracy. (w/IMR3031 it gets 2-3moa as with factory ammo).

Mine has a LONG throat and will chamber essentially anything that will fit the magazine. I seat the bullets out to around 2.815" or about 1/10" behind the cannulure. This gives about 0.03" short of touching the lands and is about the longest that will fit the magazine.

Yes, trigger has a LOT of creep but is "hunting" grade.

I removed the heavy solid rubber 1.5" pad and put on it a 1/2" Boyds rubber pad and ground it to fit. It MUCH improved the handling/shouldering and lightened the rifle almost 1/2lb. Mine wears a Leupold Vari-X II 2x-7x scope. A perfect match of scope to rifle, imo. Low Weaver bases and aluminum split rings.

I took two does with two shots in 6 seconds in 2012. Only two deer I killed that year in Georgia. (not counting 10pt buck I killed in Alabama in Jan'13 w/.257wby.... ).

I 'like' the rifle, and really like the cartridge. I have a "thing" for .35cal rifles. I like the "whop" they put on game. Definitely more "flinch" by the game they're shot by, if not any significantly greater "killing power".

 

[Speedo66]

I have an earlier Belgium model in .308, love it. For the type of hunting typical in NY it's the best. Great woods gun; light, short, powerful, and accurate.

Go up to Blue Mt. or Wooster Mt. in Danbury and let 'er rip! On second thought, avoid Blue Mt. at all costs.

 

[IkenI]

I've owned two BLRs - an early steel receiver .243 and my current lw .358 WCF. The newer trigger is much better than my old one. I think a lot of people that complain of the trigger are not accustomed to the long hammer fall on a lever gun. The .358 does kick a little (about like a .30-06 180gr to me) but it is manageable. After all it's a 6.5lb rifle without a scope. I have killed three big bull elk, a few smaller elk, and several deer with mine and it's my favorite of all that I have owned. I'm hoping to try it out on hogs this fall. It is not in the same category as the big belted magnums that elk hunters seem to prefer these days. I hunt instead of sniper shoot. Works well out to about 250yds with a scope but I only hunt black timber and have never taken a shot at an elk over 75yds - most have been killed inside 40yds. I hunt like I'm bow hunting and I don't sit in trees. It works well on deer up close and personal. Never had a blood trail worry.