Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Browning/Miroku '81 Lever Action issues...

G'day chaps,

(I posted a similar question on the Lever Action Forum but maybe this Gunsmithing Forum might be more appropriate...)

I have a .308 MLR '81 (basically same as the BLR '81 as both were made in Japan I believe...) which is in generally very good condition (quite a few 100 rounds through it..but not 1000's !)...and the lever mechanism has started to bind/stick when cycling the action at the open-most position....

(I had an identical model MLR in .243 which had most of the blueing worn off and the barrel shot out by 1000's of rounds ....but it cycled smooth as silk to the very end...)

From other threads here it seems that even in the 'the States' ...many 'smiths' are reluctant to fiddle around with the complicated rack and pinion mechanism ...

Any thoughts on what might be happening ??

Has anybody here done much work on these ?

On another issue a good few years ago ..when a major Australian gun importer/distributor was closing up shop (selling off to the Government in a 'buyback deal')...I picked up a new factory .358W barrel for a BLR 81..but also attached to the tube was a bare receiver without the innards !...'this is how they sold 'em' I was told... 'it's was easier the swap the tube with receiver attached than merely fit a new barrel' !!!

Did Browning practise this in the States to ?

These rifles must be reasonably tricky to work on!


cheers

Peter

Oh well.... seems like MLR 81's or BLR 81's are'nt very popular anymore ...or else everyones rifles are faultless !

I used to have one way back in the day. Can't say I was in love with the thing. It too was a .308, built in Belgium.

I'm not a gunsmith but in lieu of a more qualified response, I would consider flushing it with solvent. It is possible that greases and oils have built up enough to varnish or clog the mechanism?

Best of luck!

The rack and pinion Brownings are pretty easy to work on. You need to pull the butt stock, by first removing the recoil pad, and then do as BrentD suggests and wash the action as thorough as possible. I would recommend kerosene, a tooth brush, a paint brush and compressed air.

Close the bolt and look up into the receiver via the magazine well. Cycle the action while observing the gears and teeth. Look for any signs of damage. Close the action and push on the back of the bolt. It should be tight without any forward play. Of course if the bolt is off 1 tooth, it will not fire. But check it anyway. If everything looks good and nothing appears broke or missing, Apply a little grease to the rack and cycle the action a few times. The grease will find it's way into the rest of the gears. Moly grease if possible.

Also, make sure the hammer is locked back well out of the way of the rack and not interfering with it. The bolt should only make contact with the hammer on the very first and very last of the cycle. Good luck!

Thanks Brent for the reply, the gears are pretty clean but I'll give it the 'once over' again...surprised you weren't in love with your BLR ! the '81's are pretty highly regarded in Oz (well the steel receiver Browning/Mirokus are) generally as accurate as bolt actions...

2nd hand, the old steel receiver/straight grip models sell pretty quickly here..(us Aussies like the 'old school' stuff !) the newer alloy receiver Brownings aren't as popular as we all know how crap looking black alloy receivers get after some hard useage !

Thanks Malm,

I'll follow these instructions and see what happens !

Cheers
Peter

I love the old 81 BLR's. I have one in .358 that I'll keep to the end. Same reason, I'm old school and like the gracefull shaped steel receiver. Very accurate to boot.

There are some high tech plastic spacers on the gears. It is possible one of these are cracked or deteriorated.

Craftsman,

Thanks for that tip...I had a feeling the MLR/BLR's had some secrets !

Peter

I have one a BLR in 284 and I love it!!