Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Favorite BLR caliber?

I have been looking at BLRs.
I thought I wanted a 308 Win but a LGS has a used 358 Win coming in on trade. Lightweight, pistol grip. I already have a Rem 673 in 350 Rem. mag.
So for the BLR guys, what caliber do you favor as a deer gun?

Well, I used to have an original Belgian BLR in 308 and I found it to be excellent layout.
For deer it's easy to get carried away with overpower cartridges. I'd say the BLR I had would have only been better had it been in 7mm-08.

I'd pass on the 358 if I were you. You'd probably never really use it, maybe even grow to dislike it.

Caliber, or cartridge? There are several cartridges within any caliber. I sure liked the .243 that I used to have, but there are several good options.

I don't see the joy in overcomplicating an answer to the man's question. It would appear from your reply that you understood what he was asking?

I infrequently hunt deer or target them specifically as they are mostly incidentally taken while hunting elk but I've used a 308win a good deal for both with good results. At current I'd classify your 350rem and the 358win as cartridges for folk who load their own and the 308win is more of an factory turnkey option. That's really what it comes down to.

Currently the BLR in 358win is an discontinued item. If you want one you best aquire it as they'll get less available in time whereas anything in 308win is always available.

I have a 358 and love it. I'd love to have another in 7-08 myself. They're pretty sweet little rifles and shoot well from the few I have been around as well.

I reload everything....
And Browing is still showng the 358 Win in blued and stainless. Actually getting one to a shop is the problem. But that is the same for the others.
Just have to wait and see if the used 358 Win actually shows up. And the price..

Last year I contacted Browning and much of the BLR line is discontinued from what they informed me in an email and specifically the the 358. That may have changed but I'm just relaying what my exchange was via my communication.

So true. Can't trust a web site all of the time.

I've had 308 and 243 both, and in Miroku and
Belgium both. Both functioned and shot
equally well. I didn't send mine down the road
because of any dissatisfaction but because the
areas I now have to hunt are much different
than the places I used to be able to hunt at,
and there were people with enough money
that convinced me to let them carry the guns
to a new home.
Before you buy one, make absolutely sure that
you can get at least one spare functional
magazine.
I can't think of any dissatisfaction I had with
the BLR's I owned and hunted with
Good Luck

WStrayer: I always wanted to find a BLR in caliber 222 Remington - but haven't as yet.
A friend of mine has one in 257 Roberts and used it a lot out in the Cascades and Okanogan country of "taxington" - for a while I kinda had the hots for that caliber in that Rifle also.
It was a Deer killing machine according to that Deer Hunter.
Good luck with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I definitely prefer the short action.

I prefer the pistol grip.

I like take downs.

If you shoot more than 300 yards , or are recoil sensitive I would lean towards a 308.
Or the other smaller bores.

If you hunt in close quarters and are in a ricochet sensitive area I would lean towards a bigger slower ordinant. Like the 358, 450 marlin.

If you don’t mind long actions …..we’ll you got a lot more options!

Trigger work will be your friend!

Best of luck happy new year!

I have seen several comments indicating that the triggers could be better.
I have no interest in most of the cartridges. I have dies and components for 308, 30-06, and 358 so not looking to start up with another cartridge.
My shots have ranged from 16 to 130 (once) yards with 45 being the most common.
At this point t I am looking to just handle one

Mine is a 358 and it’s the only chambering in the BLR I’m interested in. I love it. It’s as accurate and hits hard.

Had 308,358 & 22-250 sold them all nothing wrong with any of them some one wanted them more than me.

I have a 356 marlin ER And a 308 BLR.

I like the 356 to hunt in ranges you speak of over the .308

I killed my first 6 deer with a BLR in 308 Win....I would love to find a 257 Roberts

I have two - a .223 and a. 243. For deer, I LOVE the. 243. Significantly less recoil than a .308 or 7mm-08.

Recoil is not a probem for me. So far. So thus my inclination towards the 308, or 358 in a short action.
No slam of the guys who like the smaller stuff but I prefer at least a 30 cal.
Keeping a good thought for that call from the shop expecting a 358 Win to come in on trade. I have never dealt with him so who knows how his prices run. And the days of a $650 BLR are gone....

I passed on a NIB BLR Lt Wt in 7mm 08 for a grand last week. Boy did I catch hell!! I own one in 358 and love it. I never was a fan of the 7mm 08. My 358 drops them in the scope every time with the 250 gr RN bullets made by Hornady

I have a 358 Win Winchester but you need to reload to keep it fed. It does drop deer reliably.

Dan

I had a 358 for a short while. Savage 99. Never really took to those. I even tried again with one in 308 Win.
Never did get to shoot a deer with it. But I have never killed one with a 308 either. I tend to run bigger cartridges. Over the years I have killed deer with 33WCF, 338ME, 35 Rem, 30-06, 44 mag Marlin, 45-70 (in Trapdoors, Winchester and Marlin levers, Ruger No 1), 450ME, 50-70 Govt.

I harvested a small cow elk three years ago with a ,356 {( a .358 with a rim) 250 grain older cup/core }the shot was 20 yards the elk went 50 feet.

I harvested a medium sized cow at 45 yards with a .308 BLR (180 grain Nosler BT). It went 60 yards.

The shot placements were similar on both elk.

As I have read here on the campfire. I believe it was an Elmer Keith quote.

“ U could eat right to the hole”.

The .35 caliber bullet did exactly that.

The .308 there was some meat loss in the front leg area.

My only one was an early 358 and I had a spare magazine. I liked that rifle. However, a friend with lots of $'s carried it home.

So, I built a short barreled 700 358 Win.

.284 W

I find it interesting that short action cartridges seem so much more popular than others. Makes me think that the shirt action and the 20" barrel offer a more popular rig

Triggers don't really mean a whole lot on a bush hunting rifle. They're not all "that" bad anyway. Some leverguns have great triggers, some, so so. Unless you have spent a lifetime as a Competitive shooter of some sort AND have OCD, a mediocre trigger is just fine on a hunting rifle.

I called my LGS about ordering/ price. Their distributor has none in 308 or 358, blued or stainless. One of the clerks claimed that Browning stopped making them. I contacted Browning and they advised that they are making them but are behind in production and are trying to catch up.
The guy that claims to have a used 358 coming in told me that the guy is still supposed to be in this week.
In the mean time I keep looking at them on the auction sites. No real bargains vs waiting on Browning.

Mine is a .358 and is one rifle I will never get rid of . Mine is steel which I much prefer to the lightweights.

Same with mine. Deer, Bear and Moose thumper. never gonna let it go.

I have 3, all Miroku....243 win, .270 win and a .450 Marlin...takedowns and only the .450 is a pistol grip model.
I prefer the takedowns, but use scout scopes on them all. Miroku stuff is well made, imo

Well the LGS send me an email last night. The guy stopped in but the shop told him his price was too high...he wanted $1250 for a LW, blued, 358 Win BLR.
I asked the shop to have him contact me directly. Who knows if that will happen. Looks like a 358 BLR is not happening for me.

Supposedly the guy traded it (358 Win LW) at another shop. I called them and they don't know anything about it...
I found another. Didn't screw around and bought it.
Browning is still making them but 358 Win is discontinued .
Now for dies and brass...

i own 5 different cartridges in BLR rifles but my favorite is a take-down S.S. 30-06 main reason is a person can find or buy ammo for this 30-06 cartridge any place in the word and being S.S. won`t rust as easy as a blued BLR rifle. it always goes to camp with me its my back up rifle and blood trail rifle if its needed.

I really like the SS models. Had I not been able to get the LW in 358Win, the SS LW in 308 was my other choice.
I have always gravitated towards the larer bores.

I've shot my buddy's BLR in .308, and it's a great combo, but one in 7mm-08 or .358 Win would be a step up depending on where and how you hunt. The 7mm-08 would probably win in the all around category, but .358 would be great for woodlands.

ive got 2 358 winchesters i have one 243 the 243 is the belgian made gun that was only made for one year i believe (if im wrong no worries i have been before) they have been excellent rifles all 3 shoot very well, the 243 will put three factory core lokts into a nickel at 100 yards the two 358's are sub moa and moa rescpectively with hornady and winchester factory loads, i do love the 358's

I have one in 308 , 243, and 30-06 they all shoot fine. the triggers are a lil stiff but to each their own . the 30-06 I cut it down to 19 3/4 inch and put a 11.5 degree inverted crown on it . off a bench rest that gun will shoot better than I am capable of shooting. I had one in 223 but it would not group for chit. never did get it figured out. sent it away .

I bought one in 1989. Still have the bill of sale. I have killed more game with that gun than any single gun I have ever owned. My father killed his last buck with it. I gave it to my son about 10 years ago and he has killed deer, axis, antelope and bear with it.

When I bought it I wanted a 284 Win but they were back ordered and I needed a gun to hunt that season in Pa so I bought a 308 and never looked back. I've been hunting close to 50 years and have at one time or another owned or shot about every caliber there is including 284 Wins. Today, if I could only own one rifle it would be a 308 Win.

The long actions never felt right for me. Have three steel framed short actions that are not for sale. Got my early Japanese 308 used in 1974. Got my 223 and 257 as soon as they were available.
Had the triggers on the 223 and 257 worked over locally. 308 trigger was fine. Seems that I've become spoiled. Since the late 1980's it seems that if I'm going after deer, hogs or wild goats, I always grab the 257. It has never disappointed.
Enjoy that 358.

I am hoping for the best so far as the trigger.
When I had a Browning 1886 I had to have the trigger worked. In the mean time I am waitng on dies, brass and the gun. Probably going to load the Speer 180 FP over a couple of powders as test loads. Factory ammo is too much $$ for me
I can't even remember the last time I shot factory

I just started loading for a 35 Rem with the same 180 Speers. Over Varget, they shoot bugholes at 50 yds with a receiver sighted Marlin.

Good luck with the new rifle.

I remember seeing one in a hardware store. Chambered in .358 Winchester. I thought that would be neat to have but couldn't afford it at the time, doubt I'd buy one now just for nostalgia.

It seemed like a sensible rifle/cartridge combo, nice looking rig, too.

> i had my trigger redone made a big difference for me ! <

I have not deer hunted in many years. My hunting preference was to hunt areas where 150 yards was a long shot and 75 yards and under the usual shots.
I would have no issue with the 308 Winchester. But, the 358 Winchester does have its uniqueness. And certainly works with a bigger hole.

I have a Japanese Model 81 BLR, steel receiver, straight grip. I bought the rifle used and in excellent condition. I had been looking locally for one in 358 Winchester. But, those that I ran across had seen quite a bit of use, and priced higher than I was willing to pay. Probably worked out better for me. I have other 308's and reloading supplies for it. One of the newer ones in 325 WSM would be tempting to me these days.

It will be a while until I get reloading but later today I will pick it up. It came with a Burris 3-9×50 scope. I plan on swapping that to my 350 Rem mag and putting the Redfield 2-7×32 on the BLR.
I must admit that the fans of the 7-08 chambering surprised me so far as the number of them.

I have an early BLR .358 Win. It has been my go-to rifle for hunting here in western Washington for deer, elk and bear. I have dozens of rifles that I hunt with but this BLR is far and away my favorite. The one disadvantage of these early BLR's is finding a replacement magazine. IF you can find one, you will pay right around $300.00. So, don't lose or abuse the one you have! Good luck in your search. You won't be disappointed if you're successful.

Well, well was not searching for a 358 Winchester, after the previously mentioned 308 Winchester purchase. But, just stumbled upon a steel receiver Japanese Model 81 in good condition. Yep, I bought this one.

7mm08

I am a BLR fan. I have been hunting whitetail with one caliber or another for over 30 years. I still have my first BLR, a Belgium made 308. I now have a 243, two 7mm08s and the 308. I did have a 358 Winchester at one time and it was the only one I ever parted with, I didn't like the stiff recoil. I killed a pile of deer with that original 308, it was my favorite until I picked up a 7mm08 and fell in love with the caliber. My son also hunts with BLRs, he has a 308 and a 270 WSM, I guess the old man's love for them rubbed off. That being said I think the 308 or 7mm08 is an ideal deer cartridge, you couldn't go wrong with either.

Finally got to the range with the 358 Win.
Had some trouble with.primer ignition. Currently the gun is sitting with GunScrubber shot down the firing pin hole hoping it was just junked up.
Recoil was not as bad as I thought it might be. But I am used to 45-70 full power Marlin loads and 350 Rem mag.
First loads with the Speer 180 are running at 2" at 100 yards..trigger is gritty so I am hoping that will clean up as well. Not great but tolerable.
H4895 and Re7. Both one grain off of top end.
This could cause me to sell of the Rem 673...lighter and handier although that 350 Mag shoots like a charm

30

The .300wsm was a slick rifle.

If you don't reload I think the 308 Win would be the way to go.
The 300 WSM must have a lot of muzzle blast and recoil.

Which is so easily done that it's not even to be considered.