Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Rebarrel a Browning BLR?

I'm intrigued with the idea of rebarreling a .358 BLR with a 24" barrel, adding a forearm with forend cap and intregal sling swivel and pistol grip. Basically a modern .348 71.

My dad has one of the original BLR's in .358 and I really like hunting with it. I just like the pistol grip and the way the longer barrel swings and steadys like on my 71, 64 and early 336A's.

Anyone that would rebarrel a BLR? I've heard some rumours that they are harder to do than a bolt action.

How about barrels? Good ones for a project like this that aren't $500 and up?

Thanks in advance! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The old ones thread into the steel action with a conventional bolt lock-up in the action. The new ones thread into the aluminum action, and the bolt locks into the barrel. The old ones should be pretty easy to do. HTH, Dutch.

Check with the montana rifleman I think they do the rebarrels on the blr. tom

Montana rifleman doesn't rebarrel BLRs. Thanks for the idea though.

Sounds as if a steel reciever would be best to start with.

i hope the threads are beefier on the alloy rec than they are in the abolt.....

woofer

maybe it was Z-Hat Custom I was thinking of in casper WY?
tom

I'm sorry I can't help you with your question, but if you figure it out and the .358 barrel isn't shot out (pre-81 version), I would love to buy it or work a deal with you. I have a spare magazine for the original model if that's of interest to you.

I sent an e-mail to Z-Hat with some questions. Hopefully I will hear from them soon.

Cheyenne I'm just in the question stage with this project, but if I end up with an extra barrel in .358 I will let you know.

Z-Hat e-mailed me back....they have done lots of work on BLR's. Cost is about $600 if you supply your own rifle.

Thanks for everyones responses.

Yrs ago i had a BLR rebarreled from a 7mm mag to a 358 Norma mag. Earl Biesecker in Wisconsin did it. I know my bullet maker( Jack Dejozier _ of blue mountain bullets ) in Oregon and some of his friends have had BLR's rechambered to 358 Norma mags as well.If you IM me ill give u Jacks phone # he can give you the smith.

RZ49,

I pm'ed you about the gunsmith you used.

Thanks!

I think the main reason for the reluctance on the part of gunsmiths to work on these is the inordinate amount of time needed to set the timing/headspace. Anyone who ever has had one apart and has had to fiddledee-dee$%^%^&&withe the gears to accomplish the .001-.014[I believe] headspace will think twice before doing it again. I did two and that was enough. The last one is a real gem in 25 Souper but I`ll bet it remains a one-of-a-kind for awhile too.

Aloha, Mark[in Or]

I have a brand new Browning factory barrel for the BLR chambered in .358W. It is blued and unstamped. I bought it from Midwest Gunworks, an outfit that does Browning warranty work. I got one of the new BLR lightweights in this caliber, so don't need the barrel. Who wants to take it off my hands?

PM sent.