New browning BLR model short barrels and side rails

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Sheepdog1968

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I've always liked the BLRs. Recently I saw a new one on their web page that was likely rolled out at shot.

It has the potential to make a nice starting basis for a scout rifle. Comes in 223 and 308 in 18 or 16" barrel lengths with and without a muzzel flash hider on it.

I also like the side rail for a light. Basically it is really close to what I would want to do. I'd likely take off the rear rail and put on a peep sight and get a front sight installed and put a thread cap on it. I'd probably weigh the thing and up getting a lighter polymer stock.

Has anyone seen one in person?

Michael Bane over the last year was working on a BLR 50 state compliant take down model. I guess browning took notice.

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?fid=003B&cid=034&tid=026
 
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I've tried hard to like the BLR. I've almost bought one on a couple of occasions, but just can't bring myself to. Unless the street price is less than 1/2 of MSRP I don't predict these will be flying off any shelves.

A bit heavier than I'd want too. My heaviest 308 bolt gun weighs less including scope, mounts, and a 22" barrel than the 16" 308 BLR weighs out of the box.
 
It's a takedown which is a plus for me. Wish they would make it a bit less "tacticool" though.

I wonder how hard it is to take the side rails off and how the area under them looks if you do.

It also comes threaded which is a plus for some people.

In the end I like it but may hold out for one more hunting based. Threaded, takedown with nice wood and less stuff on it. Also, for $1k it would be nice for it to look like a $1k lever gun and not a Mossberg zombie thing.
 
Ohen Cepel said:
It's a takedown which is a plus for me. Wish they would make it a bit less "tacticool" though.

I wonder how hard it is to take the side rails off and how the area under them looks if you do.

It also comes threaded which is a plus for some people.

In the end I like it but may hold out for one more hunting based. Threaded, takedown with nice wood and less stuff on it. Also, for $1k it would be nice for it to look like a $1k lever gun and not a Mossberg zombie thing.
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It's a fine line and I understand what you mean. I would pay to get a light weight Kevlar type stock made for it and go for just one rail on the side for a white light. I think Michael Bane got his from MPI. Once the thread cap is on it will look a lot less tactical.

By the way, I don't think it is as extreme as the love child of an ar and a 30-30 that Mossberg has.

The good news is that there are many BLR models to choose from. Their hog hunting model had a lot of appeal.

I really wish browning would spend some time developing 10 and 20 round mags for it. That way, I'd have handy ones for hunting and bigger ones for self defense. It would be the perfect travel gun for me.
 
Looks like they simply deleted the iron sights, added a couple rails, and threaded the barrel. For $300. Better off buying a standard model and add the rails you need and keep some sort of iron sights. And $125 MSRP mags?:what:

I've always wanted a BLR in .358 but have never been able to get past the $800+ rifle and expensive mags when a Marlin will do pretty much everything I need to do for $400.

Looks the mags can be found for $65.
 
It would be awesome if they made the same thing... but like this, in .358. No rails...

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One of my favorite guns to borrow growing up was an uncles BLR in 243. It was accurate enough to hit jack rabbits out to 300 or more yards. The one in the link? I don't think so.

Matt
 
I never could stomach the MSRP on the BLR. I think they get away with it by simply having the only rifle-cartridge lever gun out there.

My Winchester 88 will have to keep serving me well, at least until I find a BLR for insanely cheap at an estate sale....
 
The current BLRs are mfgr in Japan, which may contribute to the high price.
The one I acquired was very nice build quality.

You can also get a white light rail by deploying a barrel clamp device where it transitions out of the forend. Obviously not as elegant as a rail on the forend itself, but it works.

Michael Bane has been bugging Browning to make higher capacity magazines. Because of the lever, there are mechanical limits to how far the magazine can protrude, which will also limit capacity.
 
Michael Bane has been bugging Browning to make higher capacity magazines. Because of the lever, there are mechanical limits to how far the magazine can protrude, which will also limit capacity.
Click to expand...

An absolutely stupid idea, anyway. :rolleyes: Extended magazines mess up the ergos of the gun afield and, how many rounds to you think you can get off at a deer or other game animal, anyway? One is usually all I get, so I make that one count.

I always liked the BLR since I shoot lefty, but I never bought one.
 
I'm thinking of extended capacity rounds for use in a self defense situation. When I travel, often the only long arm I bring is the one I will hunt with. In that situation it would be nice to have a 10 round mag (or more) to put in it. For hunting much past two or three shot capacity isn't needed.
 
It looks like 10 round mags wouldn't make it. They should be able to lengthen it enough to get a few more in there however.
 
Yeah, Browning and I have been back and forth on the BLR "tactical." My focus was on weight reduction, which I succeeded with by using a dreadfully expensive MPI fiberglass stock. Still needs an action job, but it's a petty cool gun. In a Negrini case it's a totally handy package.

I was asking for an 8-round magazine, which I think would work with the BLR action, but Browning is a tres-conservative company. We did a very well-received episode of SHOOTING GALLERY a few weeks ago on lever-action options for self-defense. I used the BLR, my partner on DOWN RANGE, Marshal Halloway, chose a different path with the Taylor .44 Magnum takedown, which he loves. Out pal Tim Wegner from BladeTech brought the "high-priced spread," a Wild West Guns takedown Marlin in 45/70. It rocked!

I started the project as a sort of homage to an interesting couple of weeks I spent in a really sleazy hotel in a very antigun state. It was a crash contract job, and because of a bunch of other nearby events that was the only hotel room the client could get me. I thought I was going to be killed and eaten.

Michael B
 
My current generation BLR greatly benefited from a 3rd-party trigger job.
The trigger weight now meets the factory spec, as opposed to double the value :)

I had serious doubts that anything meaningful would be achieved by sending it in to the
Canadian authorized Browning warranty depot for an over-weight trigger.
 
I saw the lever gun episode and liked it a lot. One thing I found out was that Taylor also has a take down in 44 mag that is blued and case hardened and has nice wood on it. That has certainly been on my mind as well. What I like about this BLR is that it I short and handy in 308 and has a rail for a light. I also like 308 as a general hunting round. Too bad browning is so conservative on an extended mag. I'd even be happy with 8 rounds if that's all they can do. I kind if wish magpul would give it a try then.
 
jmr40 said:
I've tried hard to like the BLR. I've almost bought one on a couple of occasions, but just can't bring myself to. Unless the street price is less than 1/2 of MSRP I don't predict these will be flying off any shelves.

A bit heavier than I'd want too. My heaviest 308 bolt gun weighs less including scope, mounts, and a 22" barrel than the 16" 308 BLR weighs out of the box.
Click to expand...
I'm exactly the same. Came close and really like the look. But a lever with a mag, however functional for larger/modern rounds just doesn't float my boat. And though they seem to be extremely well made and the action runs beautifully, the price is just too painful.
I'm buying a .44Mag takedown lever this year and I'll stick with a bolt for .308 and .223. But it's just personal preference.
B
 
id be so much more interested in the BLR if i could get a .308 version with common magazines.. maybe if i could rivet an AR-10 magwell onto a BLR, that would be awesome
 
I've got a BLR-81 (steel reciever) in .358win.
They need to do something about the TRIGGERS.

It's a nice rifle, especially after I removed the recoil pad and installed a 1/2" Boyds and ground it to fit.
It reduced the weight of the rifle by 4oz and shifted the balance slightly foward. Now, with it's Leupold 2x-7x that looks like it grew there, it's a decent rifle.
However with the Looooonnnnggggg trigger pull (not especially heavy but feels like a double action revolver trigger), it'a annoying to hunt/shoot with.

My Marlin in .35rem; along with the .338ME are my go-to deer rifles.
The .358 really doesn't do anything the .35Rem doesn't. Especially with my handloads. There is only ~100fps difference between them. With cast bullets, the advantage is actually with the .35Rem.

Most of my Marlin's have had trigger jobs. Anyone familiar with the M1911 Colt can do a splendid job on the Marlin trigger. Mine wear ~3lb crisp triggers. This really, really aids in shooting accurately.

The Browning is really too pretty to allow just anyone (I don't feel comfortable, myself) to punch out the pins hold it together without marring the beautiful finish on the rifle.

That's my second complaint.... The "bowling pin" finish on the stocks. A low-luster finish would be much more desirable in a hunting rifle.

I had the opportunity to buy a take-down 7mm08 that had the brush finish reciever and stainless barrel. But, it had a "overly phat" butt stock and reciever -aluminum- and of cours, the horrible trigger.
I really don't think that they want you to actually shoot the things!!!

And yeah, the magazines don't especially fit that well considering how proud they are of them. I've got mine electrical-taped to make it fit snugly so it doesn't rattle when you handle the rifle.

Tried finding jacketed .358" bullets lately? They're finally starting to show up "slooowly".
I had to buy a bullet mold to supplant my supply. Now, the bullet manufacturers can go swim, for all I care...
 
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