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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 113
Campfire Member
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 113 |
Anyone here have any experience with a Browning BLR? Guy here at work has an older one in .243 that he's wanting to let go for $600. It'll need a new scope and rings, and the stock shows some use, but other than that it's a good looking gun.
I currently don't own a .243, really don't need one but this could be a gun for my sons to use in the next few years.
Thoughts on the gun/deal?
Last edited by ssramage; 10/04/17.
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,187
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,187 |
I have a 243 BLR. Mine is 'older,' meaning it was made near the beginning of the current aluminum alloy frames and AR-style bolt lockup.
It is a perfectly good hunting rifle. Light and handy, and will shoot well with factory ammo it likes in various bullet weights. I decline to handload for it. It'll only keep about 3 shots in a 1 - 1.5" diameter circle, though. After that, shots start to scatter and the bbl is really hot. Once it cools clear down, it's right back as it was.
I like the sort of ambidextrous nature of lever actions, and the BLR cycles very smoothly, though with a completely different feel than the 19th-century designs.
A side note: The design of the BLR is not well suited to keeping escaping gas and particles away from the shooter's face in the event of a leaky primer or ruptured case. Obviously these are not super common events, but I was glad to be wearing my shooting glasses one day while testing some things with it.
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 113
Campfire Member
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 113 |
Thanks for the info. I've always been partial to lever guns. Killed my first deer with a Marlin .30-30. I think I'm going to check this one out and see if I can get a deal on it. If nothing else, it would make a fun little woods gun for a little while.
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,752
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,752 |
I carried a BLR 243 when I was a driver during our deer drives for a while. Handled well, easy to walk with and was accurate enough for quick drawing running game.
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Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 2,480
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 2,480 |
Is it a pre-81 with the mag that hangs down a ways below the reciever? If it is you may want to take a look at what it would cost to replace the mag if you ever need to. Last time I sold a mag for one of those it brought around $200 on ebay. If it is a later model the mags are easy to come by. I have had them in .243 and .358 and my brother has one in 7-08 presently.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1 |
Is it a pre-81 with the mag that hangs down a ways below the reciever? If it is you may want to take a look at what it would cost to replace the mag if you ever need to. Last time I sold a mag for one of those it brought around $200 on ebay. If it is a later model the mags are easy to come by. I have had them in .243 and .358 and my brother has one in 7-08 presently. Yeah, those magazines are tough to come by. I know I found place that had a stash of them in Canada, but that was a dozen years ago.
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 5,536 Likes: 12
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 5,536 Likes: 12 |
I have a BLR in 30-06 and it shoots 1" with my 220 grain loads, and 1-1/4" with 165 grains and 180 grains. I got it in a trade and I am unsure when it was made, but I think it was in the late 80s. It's a very nice gun.
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 113
Campfire Member
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 113 |
Is it a pre-81 with the mag that hangs down a ways below the reciever? If it is you may want to take a look at what it would cost to replace the mag if you ever need to. Last time I sold a mag for one of those it brought around $200 on ebay. If it is a later model the mags are easy to come by. I have had them in .243 and .358 and my brother has one in 7-08 presently. It has the cheaper, easier to find mags. I bought the gun. Seller let me shoot it a couple times and I had to have it.
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 20
New Member
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New Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 20 |
I have one high in sentimental value. With them English stock I have a hard time taking prone or resting shots when compared to my bolts. But for stalking and having a handy little rifle with you it's perfect. it isn't my first choice for anything but it usually tags along for theride
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,763
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,763 |
I have three BLR's (.308 Win, and two 350 Marlins) I love these rifles, they are extremely handy and shoot very good 1"-1.25" groups...I think you will be very happy with your dandy little rifle...Good luck.......Hb
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,609
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,609 |
Blr's are great rifles, especially the short actions. I've shot 243,7mm08, and 223 quite a bit. They were very accurate,reliable, and nice to carry. If I hunted in the woods or less open country it would be my main gun.
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,228 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,228 Likes: 2 |
Got a older 358, cool rifle, great caliber...
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Ain’t easy havin pals.
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