Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General How accurate are the Browning BLR Take-Downs?

Since I haven't had any luck in locating one of the new Win. M-71's, I've been looking at the Browning BLR as an alternative. I'm really interested in the pistol-gripped, Take Down models (358 Win and 30-06).

Couple of questions:

- Can anyone comment on the accuracy and repeatability of these rifles?

- For those who own (or have owned) one, did you scope yours? If so, where did you mount the scope - receiver or barrel?

Any insights welcome.

So am I! I have a pistol-grip BLR, but it's not a takedown. Mine shoots the ammo it likes VERY well. I hope some here can provide good feedback to you, as I'll be watching, too!

my dad had 1 of the 1st to come into out county...he could almost outshoot a shotgun at flying birds with it...i still have it but i cant hit nothing in the air smaller than a barn...

It depends on how far you are throwing it.........

Why not buy a Browning 71? They are not too hard to find. I'd happily take one over a BLR.

But then again, I like the real deal best......

Have a BLR Takedown Model 81 Lightweight (with the barrel band).
Mines a "gold trigger" (made by Miroku of Japan) version in .308 Winchester with a Leupold 2-7x33m Rifleman scope receiver mounted on Warne QD mounts.
They recommend barrel mounted Scout scopes with the Takedown model but I hate Scout scopes.
I have completely disassembled my gun into (butt stock & receiver, fore-end & barrel, scope) and put it back together and the deviation is always less than 1/2" @ 100 yards from original zero.
Good enuf for me......the gun is not a bench rest target gun or a 300 yard varmint rifle anyway. It's a deer/elk/moose hunting rifle.
I'm getting approximately 3/4" 3 shot groups @ 100 yards with the Nosler brand 165 grain Accubond factory ammo.
I tried various hand loads but the Nosler "tailor mades" are the most accurate.

I too am interested in these rifles. About three months ago I went into a local gunshop and asked about them. That's when a clerk, probably no older than 25 or so, explained to me that no one in their right mind would pay $1200 for a rifle made in Japan. I guess he's never heard of the Weatherby Mark V. Anyway, I steer clear of arguing in gunshops, I usually even try and avoid it on forums too though. To each his own I suppose.

Now that we're busting stereotypes & misconceptions I will add to the heresy and say that the Japanese guns (Miroku, Howa) are every bit as good if not better than anything made in the USA or that was ever made in the USA or Belgium for that matter.
This statement gains new meaning in light of the disgraceful junk lever action firearms being turned out by the new Marlin factory in New York since the Cerberus/Remington takeover.
The Japanese Miroku made BLRs are very well made, dependable & accurate guns.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...ew/1/WTS_Browning_71_lever_in_348#UNREAD

Forget the BLR.......

My 308 shoots pretty well. One thing, however the 20" barrel on mine is slow. Max 125 BTs only about 2850 fps (Varget and 748) I like it and will work up 30/40 class loads and take the scope off, it shoots about an inch at 50 yards with the factory open sights. An inch @ 100 with a 4X...I am thinking a soft 170 or 180 @ 2400 fps would do for a woods rifle.

I have a straight grip stainless laminate 358 takedown. Running a 2-7 in leupold QDs on the receiver. I then have a 1.5-4 pistol scope in leupold weaver style QDs mounted on the barrel. My thinking is to sight in the barrel mounted scope with a close range heavy thumper and standard load for the 2x7. Accuracy has been great. Point of impact wobbles about 1/2 inch right to left after takedown and reassemble. The thing I like the best is ease of cleaning and that was the main reason I bought it.

Mike7mm08, is the half inch of 'wobble' from takedown/reassembly present only when using the receiver-mounted scope, or only the barrel-mounted scope, or both? Also, you're talking about 1/2" at 100 yards, right (just checking)?

With the receiver scope. Barrel mounted any slight difference is not measurable. I am talking at a hundred and it is about half inch in total movement. About 1/4" right or left of bullseye. No pattern to it. But more than acceptable for a hunting rifle.

That sounds like terrific repeatability!

Yep I was very surprised.

Hi
I�ve heard about the Accuracy of these BLR`s, but I need to Know a Little about the jamming of the lever actions, I am a Brazilian guy and I will buy one of those and don�t have many gunssmiths here in Brazil that know about them.
Is thet true that the BLRs have a troble with the lever cause by the gears? Is that frequent to happen?
Can anyone tell me about that, may be some advise.
I that a good piece of a gun?
Thank�s for replying and sorry for my poor english, has been a lot since I was in ND, Hazen.

Brazilian, 2muchgun should be along shortly in order to properly educate you on the shortcomings of the BLR and Browning rifles in general. I think he saw a pucked up one long ago and he now suffers PTSD from the encounter.

The gears are only a problem if you take the BLR apart.

For a while someone here was saying that the gears were made of plastic. To verify this I spoke to BLR trigger guru Neil Jones.......he stated that there is a nylon bushing somewhere in the inner workings. He also stated that he hadn't seen any jam problems or trouble with the gears!!!

You are correct. A few years ago, I called and spoke to a Browning 'smith directly about the supposed "plastic gears" and got the same answer. There is a nylon (plastic)bushing somewhere in there, but no plastic "gears" themselves.

Got a Pedersoli model 86/71 in 45-70.
The same as the Winchester 71 but in a more generic caliber with an endless selection of factory ammo &/or reloading components.
Superb workmanship & accuracy.