BLR Triggers?

[45coltnut]

First off, I LOVE Browning rifles and shotguns. I've always been a fan and all of my A-Bolts shoot great! And, I've always wanted a BLR. But, I've heard horror stories about the triggers! And, I'll go ahead and admit that I'm somewhat of a trigger snob I guess. But, it's really that I just can't shoot a gun good with a long travel or jerky/creepy trigger! I can handle the poundage if it breaks clean. But, still like a 2-3 lb crisp trigger.

So, for those of you that own one...how are the triggers?

[wch]

I don't know about BLR triggers but I have a .22 T Bolt that has the lousiest trigger I have ever used.

[45coltnut]

I'm not sure how the T bolt triggers are made. But, I can replace the spring on the A Bolt and get an awesome trigger! So, you may want to look into that.

But, when it comes to lever guns and especially the BLR with its rack n pinion system, I assume stoning and polishing is required. But, not 100% sure.

[gundownunder]

Factory triggers are horrendous. However a daytrip to a (good) gunsmith and you can make them into an excellent trigger, both light, and with zero creep.

[MT Gianni]

I have had 3 down to one now. None will ever see Camp Perry, I was fine hunting with any of the three I owned as they were. Consider the long fall and exposed hammer if you want a target weapon go elsewhere. If you just want 6" accuracy @ 400 yards they will do fine.

[GooseGestapo]

I've got a BLR '81 with steel reciever in .358wcf. Trigger pull isn't too hard (~4.5lbs) and it's smooth, but it has a lot of creeeeep!
However, it's "acceptable". I've taken a couple of deer with it, and it's a "keeper".
It belonged to my best friend/hunting buddy who passed away in '98. It was his favorite rifle, and I bought it from his widow.
I didn't like the length of pull and removed the Pachmayer style butt pad. Replaced it with a Boyds 1/2" I fitted to it.
Biggest improvement you can make to the BLR, IMO !
Shorted the lop to fit me, and lighted it up by noticeable amount, even improved handling.
The accuracy improved significantly after putting a couple of hundred rounds through it. It likes the 200gr Hornady PtSpt over 48.0gr of H4895. Tried H335, 3031, and 2520, but couldn't get better than 2.5moa from it. H4895 took it to near 1moa.
My friend had just mounted a Leupold scope, sighted it in with some 200gr Winchester SilverTip ammo, and hunted with it! I doubt that it'd had 100rd put through it in the 15 or so years he owned it. It had a 2x-7x compact, but required a set of medium rings to clear the rear sight. I swapped out a standard Vari-X II 2x-7x which allows lower rings. Also a big improvement in handling! You had to "crane" your neck to see through the scope before. It points naturally now.

He killed numerous deer and several pigs with it. He like myself, like the way .35cal rifles put down game.
I prefer my Marlin M336 in .35Rem, but if Moose were on the menu, I'd prefer the .358 for sure!
It's almost too pretty to take hunting. I'm reluctant to try to disassemble it to tweak the trigger. I'm afraid I'll mar the receiver punching the pins out. Don't know a gunsmith I'd trust with it either.

[Speedo66]

I've heard people complain about the trigger, but it's never bothered me in decades of hunting with it, and most years resulted in a freezer full of venison. No trigger scale, so I can't give you an accurate figure.

Mine is an early Begium model in .308.

[45coltnut]

Thanks for the replies everyone. An older 358 would be a nice find if I'm lucky enough.

[44man]

Browning triggers----------AAAAGH!
My high wall BPCR was fine for a while until the hammer would not stay back.
Trigger was aluminum with a steel insert and it was not hardened right. Thing wore until I had a 1/16 oz pull.
I made my own trigger out of tool steel, installed a set screw for an adjustment, hardened and tempered it. Great pull and has been running for years.
I never shot the BLR. I hate the pins in Brownings.

[EDG]

My .358 BLR 81 has the worst trigger I have ever owned. Heavy at about 5 lbs and very long and creepy.

[Geobru]

I have a pre-81 308 that has shot a half inch group at 100 yards. It has accounted for many deer and elk. I got used to the trigger decades ago, and have made many shots on game in heavy timber where not a lot of the animal was visible when I shot. There is a lot of slack in the first part of the trigger pull that I pull tight, then start the squeeze part of the shot. It would be nice if it broke at 3.5 lbs., but it is 5 lbs with a clean break. I have some rifles that have triggers that are nicer, but if I need to survive, that rifle is at the top of the pile.

[JFE]

I think if the trigger was located in the receiver rather than on the lever, gunsmiths might be more inclined to try to tune them.

Having said that in Oz Miroku released the same version known as the MLR and the ones I handled had very reasonable triggers cf BLR's.

[EDG]

The trigger is in the lever but it is not the villain. The villain is the sear mounted in the receiver. You can change some of the springs and lighten the pull.
But to do it properly you need to be able to measure the spring constant so you can order a lighter set of replacement springs.