Anybody like the Browning BLR?

[blackhawk44]

My BLR and two BLR81's are not for sale. I have carried my .308 since 1974. I picked up my .223 and .257 in the early 1980's. All are one inch guns. Any good gunsmith can clean up the triggers. I'm still looking to sneak up on a steel framed .358.

[FergusonTO35]

BLR in .257- yummy!!

[pricedo]

I have 2 BLR takedown "blue" models .......1 in 308 Win & the other in 450 Marlin.
Love the quality of the finish & fit and the smooth as a mountain lake actions on both guns.

[W.R.Buchanan]

This is one gun that has been on my list for along time. I want a strait gripped takedown, and I would take a .243, .308, or a .358.. I have only seen one or two for sale ever, and they weren't in a caliber I wanted.

Hopefully one will show up some day.

Randy

[dakota]

The older pre BLR-81 short barrel/carbine model in 358 Winchester is one of the best 150yd woods rifles made, plus it shoots most of the 38 handgun bullets out to 75-100yds with accuracy.
32ideal

I have one of these in 358 -- I mounted a scope on it. I think I'd feel comfortable in shooting 250 yards with it. My favorite load is 200 gr Hornady. But I have a few pistol 357 moulds and when I get time...

[pricedo]

No silly lawyer tang safeties or rebounding hammer on the Browning BLR '81 to get you killed if a bear charges.........just the old style half cock safety.
Both the modern Winchester 94 & the Browning BLR are made by Miroku of Japan for FN/Winchester/Browning.
The half cock safety and one-piece linkage hammer are considered safe on the BLR yet the current 94s apparently need a tang safety and a rebounding hammer.......go figure??
YEP !......I like the BLRs ........they're great guns.

[dg31872]

I have a BLR81 in 223 and it is my go to rifle. I keep it at the front of the gun safe. It's the best ranch rifle I've ever had. It'll do the job if I do mine.

[Ruber]

Yep, hard to beat a BLR in .308. A quick handling woods gun, but accurate out beyond 200 yards with time.

My wife bought me a Belgian one in .308 for my first Father's day several years ago. I can see where the Miroku ones can be better guns, but I'm not letting that one go.

[Speedo66]

I'm always amazed how accurate my Belgium version in .308 is with that thin pencil barrel. Also love the apparent lack of recoil, don't know why, just is.

I use it as a woods gun, and love how light and easy to carry it is.

Only have one magazine for it, and worry about problems/loss, but haven't come across another mag for sale.

[part_timer]

My oldest has a newer model in 358 and likes it a lot. I'm contemplating getting one myself

[pricedo]

Yep, hard to beat a BLR in .308. A quick handling woods gun, but accurate out beyond 200 yards with time.

My wife bought me a Belgian one in .308 for my first Father's day several years ago. I can see where the Miroku ones can be better guns, but I'm not letting that one go.

As far as shooting goes I don't know but there's nothing to match the lustrous rich bluing of the Belgium Browning BARs & BLRs made in Japan.

[FergusonTO35]

I didn't know BLR's were ever made in Belgium...

[Speedo66]

Yeah, the early ones with the non-flush magazines that are impossible to come by.

In my head I know the Japanese models are as good or better, but for me Browning=Belgium.

[pmeisel]

I had a 243 BLR and really liked it. I wasn't shooting it much for awhile and traded it on a shotgun. I have always regretted that.

[Ruber]

As far as shooting goes I don't know but there's nothing to match the lustrous rich bluing of the Belgium Browning BARs & BLRs made in Japan.

Yep!

For me, the best group I've ever shot was my Miroku BLR in .308, my second best is from a Belgian BAR in 7mm with some handloads I worked up just for it, and third best from a M1 (again with handloads).

So ya, those Japanese guns are pretty sweet and hold their own for sure, but I still have a soft spot for those Belgian ones.

[dakota]

BTW, I clean mine primarily with a bore snake as I like to do with any rifle that I have difficulty cleaning from the chamber end. Of course smaller diameters are not so easy to clean with bore snakes, but the 358 is a piece of cake.

[pricedo]

Yeah, the early ones with the non-flush magazines that are impossible to come by.

In my head I know the Japanese models are as good or better, but for me Browning=Belgium.

Japan cannot (or at least hasn't yet) match the lustrous, rich bluing of those Belgium Brownings...........both the BARs & the BLRs.
Sure loved the looks of those things.........almost like sex pulling a new Belgium Browning out of the box for the first time.

[pricedo]

BTW, I clean mine primarily with a bore snake as I like to do with any rifle that I have difficulty cleaning from the chamber end. Of course smaller diameters are not so easy to clean with bore snakes, but the 358 is a piece of cake.

My BLRs are Takedown models but I clean them from the breech end with pull through cleaners ...........mostly Bore Snakes.
The rods are hard on crowns and rifling......especially the cheap aluminum ones when they pick up microscopic silica particles.
I've seen so many muzzle crowns destroyed by careless & improper cleaning rod use.
I keep a rod handy for removing barrel obstructions ONLY.

[pricedo]

My BLR in 450 Marlin shoots amazing groups with the factory Hornady 350 grain FP ammo as does my BLR in 308 Winchester with the factory Nosler Custom 165 grain Accubond ammo.

Factory ammo back when I started reloading in the 70s was nowhere near where it is now in regards to selection or quality.

From the 70s til the late 90s I hand loaded about 90% of my hunting ammo.

Now I hand load about 50% of my hunting ammo.

[pricedo]

That's the only thing I don't care for on the BLR is the magazine. It's expensive to replace and just seems like it would be easy to lose. I think Browning should have gone with a fixed rotary mag like the Savage 99.

I bought 3 extra magazines for each when I bought my 2 x "gold trigger" (Miroku) BLR Takedown rifles.
With 4 mags each I should be good for the rest of my days in case at some point in time magazines get scarce and the gougers start charging a fortune for them.