Who has this rifle and what do you think of it? I had an original BLR .358 that I folishly traded off years ago. My dealer is trying to find me one of the new ones.

don't buy the new one,they just aren't as good as the old steel recievered blr81's, not as slick and I have seen a few of the alloy recievers crack.Keep searching for an old model.I see them on various gun auctions and at gun shows.
If you want a new one call arcadia valley sporting goods in Arcadia, Mo. they had 3 on the rack yesterday and they will ship to other dealers.

I've got the Lightning model but not the 81 style - in 270Win. I had the choice of a second hand steel receiver 81 but found the balance of them not to my likeing. So compare for yourself before you decide.

The old steel 81's get very loose in the forend as well.

Personally I like the Lightning version better. The receiver is just a frame so its unstressed at all. If it cracked the gun was probably dropped or suffered some other impact damage or it was a defect from the start. I don't think that just because its aluminium its prone to cracking.

Regards
JohnT

The forends get loose? I wish someone had told me before I went a gave $125 for that .308 (in 1972). Maybe I can get rid of it before the trouble starts. Oh, no. That means that the .223 and .257 I got in 1986 may be suspect too.