I bought a browing BLR last year in 308 for deer hunting and harvested a nice buck with it. I used Speer 150 grain RN bullets over 43 grains of IMR 4320. I also tried IMR 3031 and RL-15. The 4320 gave the best results.

I noticed right from the start that the gun kicked really hard for a 308. I realize the BLR is a light rifle but the gun just about killed my shoulder off the bench. I had to fold a towel up and put it on my shoulder to make it tolerable to shoot. I have shoot other calibers bigger and smaller and nothing hurt me like this gun. I didn't see any pressure signs and should'nt with 43 grains of powder - no backed out primers etc.

I trimmed all my Remington cases to 2.010". Do you think this is too long? Could the chamber be short and the case jamming into the end?? I thought I might try to trim the cases back to 2.005" because that is the trim length in both the Speer and Hornady manuals. It also may just simply be the weight of the gun and the stock somehow is not fitting correctly although it seems fine to me.

Any suggestions or thoughts on what to check out? Unfortunately I am starting to flinch with this gun. I may try a lighter bullet or just trade the gun for something else.

Thanks for the help.

Hmmm, I've had a .308 win BLR since 1983, shot 180gr Win Failsafes in it for the last 15yrs or so, have never noticed the recoil issue you speak of, it could be the difference in the stock design, the new models don't look the same as the older models, just a guess though, I've not handled any of the new ones. I'd recommend a good recoil pad as a solution, a Pachmayr triple mag or Sims Limbsaver would be my first choice. Also, you could install a mercury recoil suppressor in the stock for less than $50, but I'd try the pad first, one of the nice things about the BLR is it's light weight and quick handling, the pound or so of suppressor would detract from that quality.

hth,

Tim

Wrongtarget, I also thought about putting on a better recoil pad. This one has me baffled to say the least. This gun has the aluminum receiver housing so it is about a half pound lighter than your all steel receiver model. It also has the straight grip not the pistol grip. It still kickes more than my mossberg 500 with 2-3/4" slugs at standard velocity - just doesn't seem right. I somehow think there is an over pressure situation but just don't see any signs on the fired cases??? I plan to tinker some more.

Thanks for the help.

Yeah, I forgot about the new models having the aluminum receiver, that ½lb less and a slightly different stock could make a noticable difference.

Hogsaw 652,

Know exactly what you mean. I have the BLR Lightning - Frypan receiver, pistol grip stock & beavertail foreend in .270. When I take the Warne QD's & Leup 3-9 off man it kicks on the bench. I've installed an Ashley ghost ring sight on mine.

The answer is not to shoot it off the bench without some recoil protection. Mine without scope weight just 1 oz shy of 7lb. Yours may weigh a few oz lighter. Any rifle of that weight in a .308 or .270 will kick off the bench.

Hunting, now that's a different story. You won't feel it so why punish yourself on the bench. A Past pad should suffice & for $20 or so is a cheap solution.

FWIW I didn't think the BLR's std recoil pad was too bad. I still think it stinks that they don't include swivel bases in the rifle though.

This is a common enough problem. I have a Browning Micro-medallion in .308Win. that weighs exactly 6.0lbs, has a thin, pencil shaped 20" barrel and is a beast at the range. Mind you it's not bad in the field. You don't usually feel the recoil when shooting at an animal anyway. This was initially a very pretty rifle, but the front end now looks like it was used for fungo practice, from jumping out of the cradle so often. Now I'm very careful when I hear the term "lightweight rifle." The rifle shoots well enough, 5 shots/100yds, into about an inch. But, boy did the hefty recoil come as a surprise. Best wishes.

Cal - Monteal

You should have shot my 6lb 300WSM when it didn't have a recoil pad installed . It was dang near unmanageable off the bench. A heck of alot more recoil than my 300 Win Mag, 7 Rem Mag, and 7 Weatherby Mag w/ Full Throtle loads. The scope would slam my shooting glasses every time and you could go ahead and accept the fact that the ole' shoulder was gonna be blue that night. It had more percieved recoil than my Lightweight Turkey shotgun w/ full power loads off of the bench. Any of you turkey hunters know that the ole' Turkey loads have alittle "bump" to em'.

Solution: I added Lead to the stock to Balance it as well as put alittle more weight in it and Most Important, I installed the Sims Recoil Pad. The Sims Pads are a must for a hard kicker. That rifle is manageable from the bench now, it still has some bounce but, manageable.

Good Luck!

Reloader

O.K. guys thanks for the input. It sounds like there is nothing wrong with the gun or reloads. The perceived/real recoil I am getting is a combination of the light weight and extra drop at the heel. The recoil pad appears to be just a rubber pad only about a 1/4 inch thick.

I should note that with my back woods recoil pad (read towel) I could comfortably shoot 20+ rounds while working up loads. I shot my buck with one shot only. After I fired from my tree stand I was looking half way up into the trees through the scope. So much for a quick lever action follow up shoot! When I got the cross hairs back on him I was watching his rear end disappear into the woods.

I also recommend the Sims Limb Saver recoil pad. I have one on my Remington 300 WM installed from the factory. People ask me if the gun kicks and I say like a Mule but you can't feel it because of the pad it is more like a shove. Unless you don't get the scope far enough from your eye then the blood will run. I put one on my fathers Remington 7mm Weatherby Mag it was brutal from the factory.

Good luck with your shooting.

I have an original BLR .308 and a new BLR Lightweight in .358. If a gun kicks a lot, one thing you should do is raise your front and rear rests so you are sitting more upright. I am too recoil/punch drunk to know if my BLR's kick; I don't notice it.