Browning Take Down Lever Rifle

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have been looking at a stainless/laminated one of these in 308W at the local gunshop. Serious dollars, but a lovely rifle. It would be perfect for packing on my motorcycle and wandering into the woods. I feel it would do eaqually well shooting boolits as well as jacketed bullets for long range stuff. I have a nice Vari X11 2-7 Leupold and a VX3 3-10 with an illuminated reticle that should cover most things and allow me to dispose of several rifle which will cover the cost of it.

I have been working with an Encore as my pack/motorcycle rifle, I don't mind the single shot but I find the hammer awkward and extracting the last bit of accuracy is a whole can of worms. I think I'll move it on.

Has anyone else had experience with the Browning take down? Do they make a take down bolt gun?

[SmuvBoGa]

FFD,
ACCORDING to the Browning data the receiver is "aircraft grade alloy" - I have NOT had hands on the BLR 81. The barrel is "heat treated chromoly steel'. The PICTURES of the break down remind me of the old Browning 22 auto rifle that had a detachable barrel that had a screw ring coller - a lovely rifle (the 22) with all steel parts.
My concern is how does the steel barrel "afix" into the alloy receiver ? This would be a GREAT travel rifle to have in a break down hard case. Just what I was thinking of.
Haven't found a "local gunshop" with any BLR 81's in stock - - - all are willing to take a non refundable $300. deposit & do a special order - pay the other 600. on pick up.

I have ordered the "fixed" barrel & hope it will follow me home next week or so.

[MT Gianni]

I have had great luck with the BLR in 308 but mine is a pre-81 and not a takedown.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The BLRs have had an alloy reciever for some time The take down that I looked at has a matte nickle plated reciever, stainless Bbl and black grey laminated wood. I have been looking at them on and off over the years but was always welll served by bolt guns for my high power cartridges. Now that I have got back into motorcycles, I fancy riding to a few places that I can hunt. It woudl make a nice day trip hunting rifle with the bike.

Do they do a take down bolt rifle?

[Multigunner]

FFD,
ACCORDING to the Browning data the receiver is "aircraft grade alloy" - I have NOT had hands on the BLR 81. The barrel is "heat treated chromoly steel'. The PICTURES of the break down remind me of the old Browning 22 auto rifle that had a detachable barrel that had a screw ring coller - a lovely rifle (the 22) with all steel parts.
My concern is how does the steel barrel "afix" into the alloy receiver ? This would be a GREAT travel rifle to have in a break down hard case. Just what I was thinking of.
Haven't found a "local gunshop" with any BLR 81's in stock - - - all are willing to take a non refundable $300. deposit & do a special order - pay the other 600. on pick up.

I have ordered the "fixed" barrel & hope it will follow me home next week or so.

From images on sites carrying this rifle it would appear that the bolt locks into a barrel extension, so the alloy receiver would not be subjected to the pressure and shock of the cartridge when firing.
Theres a latch that engages a slot in a rail on the underside of the barrel extension. It looks similar to the method used to hold the Japanese parachutists rifle takedown barrel with extension, that rifle using a cross bar somewhat like the locking latch of the Colt Navy revolvers.

The extension slides straight back into the receiver and latches in place, no interupted threads are visible, and alloy would probably not be suited to interupted threads anyway.
Theres no torque collar as found in many takedown .22 rifles.

[Canuck Bob]

I looked at the take down Browning and thought it a stout well engineered design. The BLR is a good shooter and your idea for a bike gun is why I bought a 92 take down for a Jeep gun for working the Canadian oilpatch. No long case that cries out GUN, fits in luggage, and still a full sized barrel and stock for proper shooting.

[Combat Diver]

McMillian and a few other custom gunmakers make take down bolt guns. Can't think of any current common commerical bolt actions (maybe the Blazer 93 or SIG 202). Winchester has a take down 1886 and 1895 I believe. Back in 86' used a take down bolt gun (sniper rifle) in 7.62x51 that fitted in a very small breif case at Ft Bragg. I don't recall the manufactuer but might have been McMillian. (stock, action, barrel, suppressor and scope all broke down)

[Four Fingers of Death]

McMillian and a few other custom gunmakers make take down bolt guns. Can't think of any current common commerical bolt actions (maybe the Blazer 93 or SIG 202). Winchester has a take down 1886 and 1895 I believe. Back in 86' used a take down bolt gun (sniper rifle) in 7.62x51 that fitted in a very small breif case at Ft Bragg. I don't recall the manufactuer but might have been McMillian. (stock, action, barrel, suppressor and scope all broke down)


Theres a few out there and they are nice rifles in the main, but mega expensive. There noit giving the Brownings away, but they aren't that dear.

[softpoint]

My memory is a bit fuzzy, but didn't Mauser make a bolt gun that was a barrel swap type? I don't know if they still do, but if I remember correctly it wasn't as pricey as a full custom.

[Four Fingers of Death]

They made the 66 which had a telescoping bolt I think they called it. The Bbls were about as expensive as a top notch rifle and the rifle itself????? Forget about it! It was a classy outfit though. Sauer (as in SIG Sauer) make a nice rifle that you can swap barrels around on and once again, its Bbls are as dear as a top quality rifle.

The beauty of the Browning is that it breaks down and re-assembles in seconds with no tools. If you could get used to a scout scope it would be awesome. A normal scope would overhang the action when dis-assembled which is not that important, but a bit harder to pack and the scope is open to getting damaged. It is drilled and tapped for a scout scope as well.

[Naphtali]

Has anyone published a procedure to disassemble bolt-lever rack-and-pinion assembly? I have been reluctant to consider purchase of any BLR - that is, any firearm I cannot disassemble for maintenance.

[JJC]

My two cents: the BLR is a bit ugly, but feels good and shoots good when they go off. I know of three that had timing problems and would not go bang every time. It is a known problem and there is a gunsmith that specializes in this that can fix it for about $250-. My father sent his back twice and it was not reliable so he sold it. Browning does not warranty or atleast the ones I know of this problem. Hope yours is better if you pick it up. John

[Four Fingers of Death]

My two cents: the BLR is a bit ugly, but feels good and shoots good when they go off. I know of three that had timing problems and would not go bang every time. It is a known problem and there is a gunsmith that specializes in this that can fix it for about $250-. My father sent his back twice and it was not reliable so he sold it. Browning does not warranty or atleast the ones I know of this problem. Hope yours is better if you pick it up. John

What is the problem with them exactly? Incorrect assembly of the bolt and ratchet or whatever you call it? If you guys are having warrantly in the States, I dread to think of how bad it would be here.