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Never been a browning fan-maybe thought the finish was too shiny when I was a kid-anyway, getting curious about the BLR in .243 for a elder stepdad for deer hunting. He is very new to guns/hunting and he is a lefty. I like the idea of the removable mag, but never had real experience with the gun. So what can you tell me about it?

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I've had three or four. Found them to be accurate. 223, 7mm-08, 450 marlin, I guess that's it.


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Good solid rifles. Sometimes the triggers is a little gravelly but not excessive on pull weight. I personally prefer the steel receiver era guns.

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What era has the steel receivers?

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Didn't the steel guns have that magazine that hung down out of the receiver? I never liked the look of that, figured it'd carry awkward.


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The first BLRs (US, Belgium and Japan) had steel receivers and drop magazines. The next generation BLR81 still had steel receivers but had the more flush fitting magazine. Don't know when they went to alloy. I briefly had an early steel BLR81 in .358, never cared for how it handled or shot (vertical stringing). After the trigger hung up a couple times I got rid of it and found a Savage 99 .358 Brush Gun.......mucho better.


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They need trigger work.

The early models locked up differently than the later. The early models are regarded as " weaker".

The long actions had a factory recall and are " less desirable ".

The newer composite receivers are regarded less desirable for collectors.

I personally find the newer pistol grip carbines, especially the takedowns my favorite hunting firearm.....after Neil jones did the trigger.

Last edited by Angus1895; 11/28/18.

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I have a few of the lightning models . 243, 22-250, 7mm08, 30-06 , 308 all are very accurate. I am a huge lever fan . marlin, savage, winchester and browning. I will make the statement that the browning blr lightning design is the only lever action I own that you can jack the lever as slow as you possibly can and it will function.my go to gun is the blr in 30-06. I bought new in 1996 took it home and cut 3/4 of an inch off the butt stock and cut the barrel down to 19 inches, and put an 11,5 degree inverted crown on it. off the bench at 100 yds is so tight that if I made a claim on just how accurate it is you would think I was making up stories.


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Google BLR fails to fire. I had one in 358 that I sold for that reason.

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I bought a 1993 LNIB 7 mm mag this year for a moose hunt, I’m a lefty. First one I owned and liked it.

I also purchased a .358 new model as a back up. I’m shooting Buffalo Bore ammo, again very satisfied.

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I’ve owned 5-6, all in 308 or 358......mostly first run and 81s. Never had a misfire, jam, or bad accuracy. MOF, I’ve had more malfunctions with some popular bolt actions than BLRs, but I don’t hunt in Alaska rain and mud, just AL, MS, LA, TX, TN, etc rain and mud and such.

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I find my 308 s can be finicky about reloads. I think I push the shoulders too far back perhaps?

I also think the Winchester 88 is a wee bit stronger. Compared to the BLR. The model 99 is way weaker.


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I was able to find one in the local gun store...they feel kind of “cheap” to me-just not real solid.

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LOL....apparently you’ve never handled a marlin or savage?

Outside of a finnwolf, a BLR is the bank vault of lever actions.

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My sister-in-law is a lefty, too. Her BLR is chambered for the 7mm-08 cartridge and she has taken many large bodied mule deer in Wyoming with this rifle. Two elk as well and a couple antelope. The unique BLR is actually a bolt action operated by a lever. Accuracy is quite impressive, too.

If you look around, you will find a Savage 99 in either 300 or .308 chambering. These rifles are noted for their stellar accuracy and reliable lever action. The 300 Savage cartridge features moderate recoil and flat trajectory for the deer hunter who hunts in mixed cover. The .308 has only slightly better ballistics although ammo is easier to locate. Managed Recoil Ammo for the .308 might be a better choice than shooting a .243 for deer. This photo shows my Savage .308 rifle.

Sherwood

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Originally Posted by hh4whiskey
LOL....apparently you’ve never handled a marlin or savage?

Outside of a finnwolf, a BLR is the bank vault of lever actions.


The BLR might handle pressure better than the Marlin, and maybe even the Savage 99, (although the Savage is chambered in some high pressure calibers,) but in terms of quality its not even in the same league as the Savage, and personally I think even the Marlin is more reliable. Take a Savage 99 apart and you will marvel at the simplicity, and strength of these fine rifles.....they truly were decades ahead of their time. In contrast the BLR has a lot of moving parts and needs to be timed perfectly to work properly. I never cared for the geared action or the alloy they build the receivers with.

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I had an 81 in .243. I stripped all of the shine off and used it for calling coyotes. I probably shot 150 coyotes with that rifle. It was accurate and functioned well. I had the trigger worked and it still was not that great. I don't like a rifle that I cannot take apart and clean once in a while. I sold it a few years back.


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check out the Henry Long Ranger in 243. i hope to buy one in the near future.

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I still say an early BLR is built as good as anything out there, and I have savage and marlins, too. Of course, that’s just my opinion after having shot and worked on them all. A BLR may not seem ‘simple’, but a savage isn’t exactly ‘simple’, either.....especially messing with magazines. They all have weaknesses, and they all have strengths.....but build quality is probably not the weakness for any of them....perceptions on feel, aside. It’s hard to beat a BLR for smooth, fast, and accurate....as a rule of thumb. Looks, cleaning, takedown, feel, etc.....up to you.

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I own 2 S.S. BLR Brownings both are very accurate 308 win. and a 300 win. mag. I will never sell them. I want to buy a 7mm rem. mag S.S. in a BLR yet. BLR`S are really kinda a bolt - lever lockup that`s why BLR`S can handle a lot more pressure and able to shoot 7 mags and 300 mags, I do wish Browning built a 338 Win. mag.S.S. with a 24 inch barrel too. plus BLR`S have a magazine clip not a tube feed so bullets in the cartridge don`t get damaged.


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