I'm a lever guy. I have a few Savage 99s, several Marlins, a Henry, and some Winchester's.

The blr has never really interested me. But I almost feel like I should have one. In either 7mm-08 or .300wsm.

For the guys that have them, what do you like about them? What don't you like?

-Jake

There are lots of them in this neck of the woods.

- They work very well, and are dependable.
- While they're not a target gun they are very much so accurate enough for hunting and have a great mag system, in fact it's the best detachable mag system I've seen on any rifle..
- The trigger is a bit long & heavy.
- The comb is low and thus require the lowest possible scope mounts with a straight tube scope for best ergos.
- The mags for the pre 81 are crazy expensive. The BLR 81 with the steel receiver would be my first choice by a long shot. The later versions came with alloy receivers.



- I'd choose a 308 or at least a 308 based case over all others.
- The long action BLRs are stoopid heavy and should be avoided.

They are just nice.

I have the lighting model, chambered in 30-06. It shoulders nice for me, carries easy with the slab sides.

I have never scoped it. I liked the sights on it, but that was a dozen or more years ago. Now my eye sight has changed and I might need to scope it someday.... I don’t box/blind hunt in ND.

It would definitely be scoped.

As I have more "traditional" levers that I leave open sighted.

This rifle would be used just like my bolts, primarily as an out to 300 yard deer rifle.

-Jake

I have a newer one in 308 with straight stock. Rifle is light and balances perfectly. Just feels really natural and balanced when you shoulder it. I put a VX2 2-7 on it and seems like a great fit. I haven't developed handloads yet but plain factory 150 grain core lokts shoot pretty well, roughly 1 - 1 1/4" groups. The only negative is the trigger. It is heavy and has a lot of creep. If intended to shoot 300 yards, i would get a trigger job. I'm hoping the trigger smoothes out as it wears in over time. This has nothing to with function but i do wish the stock had an oil finish instead of the thick glossy finish they use.

I owned a 308 and wish I hadn't traded it off. An easy rifle to carry and mine shot very well. I'll own another one someday.

I have one in 450 Marlin Mag.

Easy moa with factory Hornady ftx.

Just hammers stuff

The only one that interests me now is the takedown model, and I think I'll get over that one in time. Brian Pearce is pretty positive on these, little quirks and all, and he loves traditional lever guns and doesn't tolerate junk.

I use 3 of them, 2 takedowns. I take them down all the time.
The trigger is not adjustable but you will get used to it and it can be altered by a gunsmith if not.
I am horseback alot and carry it either in a split scabbard or assembled in a off side scabbard. On the takedowns I have Scout scopes and poi is very reliable, as good as any of my rifles about holding. A long eye relief scope takes a little getting used to at first and now wish my other rifles had them. I can even bore sight my takedowns.
I am a levergun guy anyways, but this has few disadvantages to any turn bolt rifle. It is my Bighorn/ elk rifle. Well...you asked my opinion. I only wish other rifle makers would produce competing models.
Also, the action is front locking, it is a lever operated bolt action design. High intensity rounds are welcome, and my .270 wcf is as high pressure as any round on the market- no glitches at all .Works/ cycles as well as my short actions- maybe better.
If you want a big bore you can get it in the .450 Marlin. It really performs and bullet selection is nearly unlimited. I have one too.Good luck.

I had a nice '81 BLR in .358 and it was super nice. My local smith ( before he retired) did the trigger job thing on it and it was a shooter. Unfortunately, it couldn't compete with my tricked out 35 Whelen AI I had at the time. I hunted with a friend and his dad one year for cow elk. It was late season, really cold and the dad used a BLR in 30-06. Now, being raised with a Mod 94 Classic carbine, that particular BLR/'06 was one ugly devil, ha. But it worked just fine and he loved it, so that's whats important. Also, the shiny factory finish on the stock is surprisingly super tough! It can be buffed down with some steel wool/elbow grease, but Its never been proven ( in my own experience) to me that a shiny rifle has hurt anyone but Snipers!

I'm going to go look at a 7mm-08 on Saturday.

-Jake

i own 3 BLR`S all S.S. all 3 shoot excellent 308 win,300 win mag,7mm rem mag,i do have 1 more on order a SS 30-06 takedown BLR

Only one here, '79 BLR in .358 Win. I got 1.25" with the primary load development using Hornady 200g SP's and quit. I'm sorely tempted, now that I have some 200g NAB's to revisit development for this little dandy.

I too had a BLR 81 in 358. Once I had a trigger job it was a good shooter 1-1.25 with a good load. I mostly shot 200hsp. It was a handy carrying gun. I originally had it scoped but found the stock had to much drop for a good cheek weld and was slow to aquire a target ( I mostly used it for still hunting and tracking in the snow where quick shooting sometimes happens). I didn't know at the time (1990) that there were plenty of ways to add some height to the stock for a better fit. In the end I changed over to a Williams peep. wonderful package, wish I had it back.

I owned a BLR 81, in .243. It was a great shooter. I used it for called-in coyotes, with a reduced load. I also shot a few deer with it over the years. It was a nice rifle and was very accurate, but I did not like the fact that I could not break it down all the way to clean it. I got rid of it. That Henry Long Ranger, or whatever they call it, looks real interesting, also. It looks like a Browning.

I just looked at one too. I liked it. They'er pretty proud of them though.

That's the one I saw as well.

For sure, if you have a gunsmith take it apart ( for trigger work, cleaning, anything) make sure he knows what he's doing as the 'timing" of the rack n pinion action is critical. Bubba can mess up a good thing super fast, ha.

I had a steel receiver 308 with a Jaeger mount, Lyman peep and a 2-7 Leupold for drive hunting in PA, I liked the rifle and shot a bunch of deer with it. When PA went to the 3 point AR I gave up drive hunting and gave the rifle to my father. I'd look at a 308 or 358 if you can find one!

I'm a fan of lever actions and really like the BLR. Killed my first deer with one in 308 in the 70's. I sold my first one and always regretted it. When I found one like it years later, I had to have it. It has done everything I want a deer rifle to do. I found another a year or two later in 284 Winchester and wouldn't hesitate to take either of them anywhere after deer.

I have one in 450 Marlin with a 2-7 atop it. Handy, well balanced and downright fun.

I have a BLR circa 1971 in .243. It is a little heavy for a lever action and the trigger could be better but it is a good rifle for deer and javi.

Bocajnala,
I'm a lever guy too. I have hunted in Alaska with a blr in 358 since 2005 and with a Savage 99 in 358 since 2011.
Like you, I've owned marlin, Henry, Winchester and Savage lever guns.
I'd take a good BLR over any Marlin or Savage 99.
They're lighter, and tougher. I recently tested the BLR against the 99 with over-pressure rounds. Enough pressure to cause case head expansion and loose primer pockets. Far before loose primer pockets, the Savage 99 extractor bent outward and slipped over the case head.
The BLR extractor extracted like a dmn Mauser claw. On the last and final round where I encountered the only loose primer, I had to lean the stock against my thigh, and pull the lever for all I was worth.
Extracted like a champ. No problems with the strength of the gearing, the aluminum receiver, or the extractor.
No damage to the rifle. Iregardless of what you might read from others, the BLR is the first rifle that convinced me that some push feed guns will extract and eject as well as my Mauser.
During winter testing as cold as 38 below (ambient), the BLR firing pin was flawless, even with an action chock full of cheap gun oil.

I have never gone to the point that Mainer did, but full pressure loads were flawless in the BLR, extraction was quite easy. My hunting loads are full pressure . It is a gear operated bolt action rifle. Obviously it can be somewhat more difficult to extract than a turn bolt .
I now have 3 of them, I also went from the Marlin 1895 45/70 to a BLR .450 because I had not fully trusted the action of the Marlin. Great post Mainer

My brother has had one, a .308, since the 70’s sometime. It’s almost the only rifle he ever uses. When he first got it I developed loads for it and was shocked at how well it shot. He’s taken it all over for elk, moose, caribou...what have you. One of our best friends got the same thing about the same time and, he too, has used almost nothing else for 40 years or so.

It was mentioned above that they can be tricky to work on. I’ve had both those rifles apart a few times over the years and that’s true. Almost every time it was a matter of their having been jammed to a standstill by a surprisingly small piece of debris, a piece of twig, a leaf stem...something like that. That would be my primary concern with them.

Personally, I like lever guns, have some Marlins, Savages, Winchester’s, but I never cared much for the looks of the BLR. Then again, I don’t think Browning’s made a rifle I like the looks of in a long time.

The straight stock short action models fit me perfectly. I’ve had three and 2 were moa shooters the third a 1.25-1.5moa all with factory loads. They carry well and with a 2.5-8x36 Leupold they were just about perfect for the short range stalk hunting I do and held their own when I hunted out of a box blind overlooking greenfields. I’ll own another one someday. FWIW the long action models do not fit me well at all. I’m 6’3 🤷🏼‍♂️

Just shot my BLR in 358 Win today for the first time since last fall and it was still a lot of fun to shoot With the right loads it's capable of shooting under moa, nothing that good today but I was rusty after the long winter. Would gladly own another.................

Forgot to add, here are some ideas for bringing a BLR down to 6lbs 12oz with scope and rings:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...ralight-blr-358-win-project#Post13414915

I have a 308 with the straight grip stock. It’s a good gun, mine will shoot about an inch and a half at 100yards. Fairly lightweight and looks nice. The trigger is awful though, depending on how you hunt, you may never notice it in the field, but every time I go to the range it drives me crazy. Also, I put a 3-9x40 on it and wish I’d gone smaller.

I’ve always wanted one. Picked up an early 80’s model ‘81 7mm-08 just last week... I was getting light strikes and it was pissing me off. It had never been taken down before. I was pretty intimidated about doing it but I stripped it down, took the bolt apart, cleaned it real well and put it back together. I’m not suggesting every body do it, but anybody with some mechanical inclination and the right punches can do it.

I got to spend some trigger time with it this afternoon... it’s shooting great, the light strikes are gone, and it’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun just shooting a gun. Mine was holding 1.5ish MOA with the first batch of ammo I made. I know I can shrink that down a bit but doubt I’ll worry about it. That is plenty good for busting hide to 350 and under..

I’m looking forward to many years of enjoyment with this little unit..



Good luck,

Todd

162's at 2550fps from a 20" spout,prolly do not suck. It'll ring 1000yd steel,with boring regularity ala the windshield alone and is easily amongst my FAVORITE Sleepers and oh how I do love me some Sleepers.(grin)

Pass the Steel and rigid frame.

Hint................

If I wanted a lever action for accuracy this is probably where I would start and probably stop. The BLR is like an artillery rotary bolt action more than most other lever actions.

Too bad about the triggers and limited options on getting it tuned up but the steel frame short actions are a pretty nice combo. I have owned 243s and 308s but one in 358 or 284 has always had my interest just haven't run into one at a steal of a deal yet. Same for one in 22-250 or 257 Roberts. There will probably be more BLRs in my future, I hope so.

So for the OP get it if you haven't already.

Hardly "daunting" to stone the trigger. Hint. Congratulations?!?

I very much enjoy the exceedingly long list of things,that you can't do. Hint.

Bless your heart.

Hint.

Laughing!.....................

Yes, it is soooo pathetic that he can't dangle his feet from a nickel or break an anvil. Or ruin a Geissele.

Trybone,

"Luckily" you "get" to read about it and "live" vicariously,as you GREEDILY consume every word and Splendid Pixel...you "lucky" kchunt. Hint. Congratulations?!?

You couldn't "critique" a ZipLoc sack. Hint.

Bless your heart for crying though.

Hint.

Laughing!..................

Ooooopsie!..............

My BLR has a superb trigger right out of the box. Crisp and right at 4lbs on the trigger scale. Due to the wide trigger, 4lbs doesn't feel like much. Not all of them have bad triggers. 300-400 yds shots, the 4lb trigger hasn't effected accuracy.

I also don't want it any lighter, so probably will never fiddle with the hammer spring. I want that hammer to slam home at 40 below. On exposed hammer guns like levers and revolvers, I'm leery of anything lighter than 4 lb trigger pull in the cold weather.

I replaced the hammer spring and trigger return spring on my sp101 with a Wilson set. As the springs broke in, I began getting misfires in the cold weather. ISMI springs fixed the problem, and never break in or weaken over time, but are lighter than stock springs. They're not cheap music wire, can't remember what the composition is, most of their customers are high RPM race engine builders who need better valve springs.

After working out any trigger creep issues, if trigger pull is over 4lbs, maybe give ISMI a call. Any time I need lighter springs, I get replacements from them. Don't cut a coil off the hammer spring. I learned the hard way that making the spring shorter for a lighter pull, isn't the best idea in cold weather.
https://www.ismi-gunsprings.com

I shoot the above at 900yd steel,all the time and it's funny to watch folks respond to same.(grin)

Prolly don't take all that much time either,to simply gawk the reticle and connect dots,as per whim.

Hint....................

Oh, it's in pieces. What a surprise!

Trybone,

How else might one tune the trigger,replace broken guts and throw a new spout aboard? Hint. Congratulations?!?

You Drooling DUMB Fhuqks are a Whining Hoot! You'd need a Co-signer,for the paint alone!

Hint.





Here's to the perpetual HILARITY,of you doing your very BEST. Hint.

Bless your heart for crying.

Hint.

LAUGHING!...............

Rusty, broken parts! LOL!

Trybone,

Actual "use",tends to take a toll. Now you "know" too. Hint. Congratulations?!?

You Prissy Melting Snowflakes,are a fhuqking HOOT! Hint.

Bless your heart for crying so hard.

Hint.

LAUGHING!.............

TFF...

Pretty sure most folks around here wear out keyboards exponentially faster than rifle barrels....

I just bought the better-half a 20” BLR in 7/08.... she wanted a lever gun for chasing elk. It’s a pretty light/handy rig... I can see it getting some heavy use.

I shortened the stock a smidge for Sister,as the elder versions were/are purty proud there.

Hint................

I’ve been eyeballing the same thing myself. Post up how you like it. Pretty sweet little package.

It's one of Sister's favorite parcels and she has more than a few to choose from.

Hint................

Have you apologized the gentleman's who's granddaughter you insulted yet?

elkchunt,

Didja' "forget" about your Imaginary Pretend Ignore yet again and feel compelled to elaborate upon the Fact...that besides being a CLUELESS Kchunt,you are also a Lying Piece Of Fhuqking Schit? Hint. Congratulations?!?

Bless your heart for crying.

Hint.

LAUGHING!.................

No you did not. Figured. You're nothing but an attention whore/troll.

elkchunt,

Didja' "forget" about your Imaginary Pretend Ignore yet again and feel compelled to elaborate upon the Fact...that besides being a CLUELESS Kchunt,you are also a Lying Piece Of Fhuqking Schit? Hint. Congratulations?!?

Bless your heart for crying.

Do not "forget",that you reserve the right to find me "mistaken",but Facts simply preclude such things from happening. DARE you to "try".

Hint.

LAUGHING!.................

Big Stick Offline
Campfire Oracle

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 44,402
Paradise,Alaska
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And her crossed eyes and17 IQ Points.

Hint................

elkchunt,

Didja' "forget" about your Imaginary Pretend Ignore yet again and feel compelled to elaborate upon the Fact...that besides being a CLUELESS Kchunt,you are also a Lying Piece Of Fhuqking Schit? Hint. Congratulations?!?

Bless your heart for crying.

Do not "forget",that you reserve the right to find me "mistaken",but Facts simply preclude such things from happening. DARE you to "try".

Hint.

LAUGHING!.................