I have owned and shot Browning steel framed BLRs a lot for the last 15yrs or so. I have owned many other rifles, but the BLR has been more accurate then many of them including many boltactions. I have a .308 that will consistantly shoot inch and a half to two and a half inch groups at 200 yards with factory 180gr Slivertips. Since I have stocked up heavely on this factory load, I have seen little need to handload for this rifle.

My brother in law owns two of these steel framed BLRs in .308, but doesn't get to hunt with either one, and is now looking for a third, because his two boys have taken them over. I own a second BLR as a backup, just in case anything ever happens to my first one. We also own many boltactions, but frankly, my boltactions don't get out much, for deer hunting because the BLRs work too well for the hunting we do.

I used to own another BLR (older steel framed gun with the old rounded magazine that hung out the bottom in 358 Win. This gun would put 200gr roundnoses and 180gr speer points into the same spot at 200 yards. It was very accurate, with many groups around an inch and half to two inches at 200yds. Unfortunately, this gun was unreliable in feeding. I tried fixing it, even purchased another Magazine for it, but finally gave up, got rid of it. The older BLRs with the rounded Mag are not as reliable as the next generation that had the flat bottom Mag. While they usually work OK with .308s, the fatter necks of the .358 created problems, and the design of magazine feed lips was the problem. I really hated to part with that gun, but I can't stand an unreliable gun, no matter how accurate it is.

IMHO the best of the breed was what I call the second generation BLR which had the steel frame, non folding hammer, and flat mag housing. Personally, I think they went down hill after this generation, however next generation with the steel frame and folding hammer is a good gun, I just don't see any need for that stupid folding hammer. The BLRs were also best in the short action calibers. This configuration was the handiest, the newer lightweigh models feel too clubby to me.

So now we have another gun, that is not what it used to be, because some bean counter or engineer who probably never hunted in their life, decided to redesign it and it wasn't for the best.

Last edited by Lastmohecken; 11/30/07.