I've have several BLRs (.270WSM, .308, .358) and generally like them...The .358 will occasionally go "click" instead of "bang", the other 2 seem OK...I've read about this problem on several sites (never seen it in gun magazine articles/reviews, though)...Anyone familiar with this problem? Is it fixable?? All 3 have crummy trigger pulls but that seems endemic to BLRs (My gunsmith won't do trigger jobs on BLRs any longer) Any info./solutions to these issues? Thanks in advance...

Check your headspace.

I had one in .308 with the old style mag. Everynow and then it would misfire. Had two gunsmiths look at it, neither could find a problem. Eventually I just got rid of it.

I can think of 4 things that need checking-

1 clean/degrease the firing pin and channel and check for obstructions/burrs

2 check firing pin protrusion

3 inspect firing pin spring

4 check headspace

I suspect it will be one of these 4 items.

Possible 5th issue if you have a hammer spur.

Not with a BLR, but on two different rifles I got misfires with a hammer guns when I had hammer spurs installed. The weight apparently slowed down the hammer enough that upon strike, the force wasn't sufficient.

Both time I shaved of about half of the spur and haven't had the problem on either rifle since.

My recollection is that the BLR had a wide hammer to make a hammer spur unnecessary. To tell the truth I wish I still had the rifle. I'm not sure the smiths I used looking back were all that good.

Check the cleanliness of firing pin and its spring as well as firing pin length. Both are critical with its intertia operation.

I bought a used Belgium made BLR .243 for my wife a couple years ago. My only complaint with it is someone did an awesome trigger job on it but got it a little light it is set at a little over two pounds. However, it is very accurate.

Never have had it not fire although I would check the above mentioned things. I plan on buying one in .308 soon.

I have owned several BLRs and I liked them all. Once while preparing for an elk trip I was cycling each round through the action to be sure it would feed. Some of the rounds had tight fits and I had to close the action with extra force to get it fully closed. After the rounds were ejected they would feed easily. One round was a bit tighter than the others. I turned the rifle upside down and slapped the lever closed. It discharged. This was the second of only two accidental discharges I have ever experienced. I unloaded the rifle, examined it closely, put it away, and took a different rifle on the trip. The rifle did not malfunction. It performed as it was made. That was the last BLR I owned.

Interestingly, both times I experienced an accidental discharge I was using a rifle that relied upon the half-cock as the only safety. I now only own firearms that have a true safety and all my guns must be able to withstand a significant jolt, for example banging the butt hard on the ground or slamming the action closed, without discharging.

I don't bang guns on things and I don't use safeties much. Keep the chamber empty if you want it safe.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
I don't bang guns on things and I don't use safeties much. Keep the chamber empty if you want it safe.

I wouldn't bang guns on things either if I hadn't had more than my share of tumbles down a hillside, trips in the dark, slips on ice, or had to use extra force to cycle rifles in very hot and dry or very cold and wet environs.

I agree that keeping the chamber empty is the safest way to go. But when closing on game I find it more practical to have the rifle loaded as opposed to cycling it within earshot and sight of game.

I had to do some serious investigative work to ascertain the cause of light hit-misfires both in a brand new S&W M&P and a Marlin 336 in .35 Rem.
What I found and almost always overlooked is failure to fully seat the primer with handloads. High primers create an out-of-battery condition.

I just used a bullet puller to disassemble a fist full of .45 ACP and a dozen remaining rounds of .35 Rem. Reamed the pockets with a Sinclair pocket uniformer, reloaded the shells: Problem gone. Nice, deep pin indents in the primers.

You didn't mention whether or not you used handloads. If you did, use a straight edge to determine if your primers are fully seated. If you find high primers, you have probably found the cause of your problems.

I agree with Federali. The problem is most likely with your handloads and not the gun.

As an aside, my 450 Marling BLR has a really good trigger.

How difficult is your ammo to chamber in your rifle? Many BLRs have tight chambers and can benefit from using a small-base sizing die in the loading process.

If the round isn't fully and completely seated in the chamber, when the hammer falls and strikes the primer the case may move forward just the wee-est tad in the chamber. In turn, the blow struck on the primer pellet may be reduced enough in force to result in a misfire.

Having to force the lever closed on a loaded round is a good sign of this very problem.

And as some have discovered, slapping the hammer closed can have unexpected results, especially if the owner or someone else has already "adjusted" the trigger to minimum pull weight.

I bought a used BLR not to long ago. It also had light strikes & failed to set off the primer much of the time, reloads with new cases & factory. I brought it to Browning in Arnold, MO. They came up with 'excessive headspace'. Their reasoning was likely hot reloads in the past. I also saw the receiver screws had been removed by a prior owner. The trigger was lighter than my other BLR. The cost to fix this gun was more than the value.

I left the gun with them & may buy a replacement at 'factory cost'.

The BLR's have floating inertial firing pin. The firing pin should not contact the primer when the hammer is down. If the firing pin does not move freely it could cause a lot of problems. Also they are a bitch to disassemble and reassemble correctly. Not recomended.

I have owned six of them and own two now (all steel receiver). One made by TRW I should have kept. Never had one misfire. If assembled incorrectly there can be all sorts of problems.

The BLR I had trouble with is a .358 bought used; I used factory ammo (tough to find b/c Winchester produces very limited supply. Double Tap sells it also) I expect the previous owner buggered up the gun...Otherwise I own a few others & REALLY enjoy them. I'm having one rebarreled to .375 Ruger to take to Africa. I have heard, more than once, that the folks in Ogden at the factory can be less-than-helpful when problems arise