Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Browning BLR .223 Issues

I recently purchased a new Browning BLR non-takedown pistol-grip rifle in .223. I wasn't expecting it to be unbelievably accurate but had certainly hoped to see groups of an inch or just under. What I am finding though is that the rifle seems to throw everything into 2.5" at 100 yards - loads I have have consistently good results with in plenty of other rifles. On projectile I had hoped would do well was the 55gr Hornady soft-point - a projectile well-suited to light-bodied game. I have not had any difficulty getting this to shoot in other rifles, but 2.5" @ 100 is the norm with this one as well..

I have been shooting the BLR off a Harris BR bipod - Is this a no-no with the 2-piece stock? I figure it might a have a small effect on accuracy.....

Are you guys getting better accuracy than this with your .223 BLR's? What projectiles are you getting results with?

Try shooting it off of bags or a soft pack. Not all forends like bipods.

First......welcome to the fire.

Are you handloading? I have a 22-250 BLR that also did not like the 55 Gr Hornady's. I didn't mess with it much, but instead moved to the 53 TSX and it shoots those right at an inch or a little over. I use RL 15 and load to factory COL.

Or you can try some different weights of charges with the powder you're using.......assuming you handload.

But the easiest change would be to try it over bags or supported with your hand up front.

General rule #1. Take down rifles are not as accurate as static models..

General rule #2. Lever actions, or anything with a 2 piece stock, are usually not as accurtate as bolt guns.

Note: I say Generally and 'usually' because there ARE exceptions...all over the board...but it doesnt sound like you got one...

+1 to igwe's comments, and my experience with two piece stocks is that resting them at the rear of the forearm and as near to where it joins the action has produced the best groups for me, albeit that advice is not based on any experience with a Browning. But that is something that's easy and cheap to try, I found it made a big difference for me when shooting off of a bench. CH

AI it. just kidding, Try it on a bag.

Well I'm confused ! You didn't expect your BLR to be accurate , but you expected it to shoot an inch or under at 100 Yds. ? What do you expect from an "accurate rifle" ? What you are shooting is lever action sized groups , I'd say ! Any cartridge is only as accurate as the rifle it's in ,.223 and BLR are seldom used in the same sentence .

Hi all and thanks for your replies...

257heaven thanks for your comments re your experiences.. I will try the projectiles you mentioned.

oneoldsap - I said that I didn't expect unbelievable accuracy from the BLR.. To quantify this, I did not expect it to shoot as well as the Tikka .223 rifles that my friends have purchased - those things seem to shoot .5" out of the box with decent loads... But I did expect better than 2.5" - and I am sure I will crack the problem.

As it stands, I loaded some rounds yesterday with the Hornady 55gr projectile and took the BLR hunting today.. Got three goats between 40 and 100 yards and on each occasion I hit exactly where I aimed.. So I am fairly sure the bipod has something to do with it. I will let y'all know how I go once I have sorted the rifle out.. Thanks again for the constructive replies...

C: glad to hear its working in the field for you...I had a Ruger #1 like that-unimpressive groups but shot what we would term 'hunting' accuracy, and indeed I made some borderline brilliant shots on game with the rifle...on paper...not so much

Thanks ingwe.. going to try some TSX 53gr over the next couple days, with a revised shooting method to see if I can't tighten them groups up...

The trigger on the BLR is a bit heavy and creepy. This doesn't lend itself to accuracy nor does the bipod. You should be able to get sub-1.5" groups easily with that rifle tho and I wouldn't be surprised if they go down to 1/2".

I've seen several BLRs shoot really well.

Thanks for that ANGCorsair. I have spent many hours polishing and honing the trigger system which is now sweet and breaks clean at around 3 pounds. I agree, I think I just need to sort out the rest system and find the projectiles it likes. Boy, if I could get it shooting half-inch I really woukd be smiling... Thanks again

I'd have round filed the bipod idea before it ever became a thunk.

Im starting to get that message.....

Ive got a couple BLR rifles all are very accurate once the correct loads found, but none of them shoot well with a bi-pod attached
try a good sand bag rest under both the rear stock and with your hand cradling the forearm between the front stock and sand bag, most BLR with the correct loads easily shoot 1.5" three shot 100 yard groups or less, some much tighter.
both my 358 win (250 speers ,44 grains of h4064 215 fed primers )
and 450 marlin BLR (50 grains of IMR 3031 405 rem bullets 215 fed primers )shoot under 1" , my 257 robersts easily under 3/4"
(100 grain speers 215 fed primers 44 grains H380)

Nice going - that is excellent accuracy from the Bob, and very encouraging. Cheers!

Took the rifle out to the range yesterday and began printing the usual large 2.5" groups, off the soft rest - no matter what I tried - even shooting off the magazine rather than the stock itself. I decided to remove the forend to establish what, if any effect the metal-wood contact was having on the groups. Immediately the group size shrank to a fairly consistent 1.3" - and that with the rifle feeling rather awkward to shoot without it's front wood. I expect that if I could consistently hold/rest the rifle in this configuration, those groups would be smaller again.

Now I am quite happy to have a BLR without front timber to use as my carry-around rifle - the balance suits me and with .223 rifles my grip is normally right back at the trigger-guard anyhow. But it does look a little odd.. and it would be nice to have a functional forend for load-testing and a blue-moon bipod-shot. So I lay awake last night devising a methodology for pillar-bedding the forend. It will be a three-step process that will be a little time consuming, but I figure I have nothing to loose and everything to gain - and if it doesn't work well, too bad.

So I am off today to gather resources. I will post my results over the next week or so if you are interested. After seeing 1.3" groups with a 3-9 scope and hunting-grade ammo and no stock, I think the goal has to be 1" or less with the bedding job and perhaps some more accuracy-focussed loadings. Then I will be a happy lad.

Thanks for your help and encouragement thus far - have a good weekend fellas. I am in New Zealand, so it has already begun for me!