Hi All,

Could some of you with experience with relatively recent production BLR's share your experiences? I've always wanted something chambered to .358WIN and see that they are currently being produced in this rifle. I like the configuration of the 20" barreled lever action for this gun as my intent is to use it in thick cover for deer and black bear.

Any thoughts.....?

Thanks,
Bob

quote:

Originally posted by Bob_ADK:
Hi All,

Could some of you with experience with relatively recent production BLR's share your experiences? I've always wanted something chambered to .358WIN and see that they are currently being produced in this rifle. I like the configuration of the 20" barreled lever action for this gun as my intent is to use it in thick cover for deer and black bear.

Any thoughts.....?

Thanks,
Bob

Welcome to the board.. Bob

Now i dont own a BLR 358
But i did buy a BLR in 300 winchester Mag..
I have that rifle converted for next to nothing
From a full length 300 Win Mag to a ..........50-110 Winchester The best thing about the rifle is that its a long magnum action
able to withstand higher pressures
And i did it all for around 1200.00
now before you go
I added alot to the rifle more then was needed
Just remmber you can pick up a 300 winchester mag ( full length vertion for around 600.00
all you need to do is buy a .510 barrel
have your local gunsmith turn the barrel to fit the action then have the barrel chanbered to
50-110 winchester a little bolt face wwork and your done just use the same sites that were on the old barrel ..and you should be into a 50-110
for under a grand...

You might want to have him do a we bit of triger work it can be a bit much for a factory rifle .


Martin

I have don't have any experience with the new BLR's, but I own a 1991 in 358 Win.

The newer models have a folding hammer that I didn't care for. I went with an older model that had the standard hammer. ie full cock, half cock, and all the way down. It also has the straight english style stock, not the pistol grip.

I am really looking forward to playing with it and carrying it in the deer woods. But probably not until next year.

Bob_ADK: I too do not own any of the newer BLR models, but I do own 4 older models including one in .358 that I purchased new in 1981. The BLRs have always been a favorite of mine because of the way they handle and feel - they are easy to carry, reliable, and accurate enough for any hunting situation. Their only weak spot, IMO, are triggers which are heavy with some creep, but you will only notice it at the shooting range.

The .358 cartridge is ideal for thick cover deer and bear hunting and it seems to have a good following here on this forum despite the fact that it was never popular commercially. If you reload, you can really expand your choices of bullets, including the 180 grain Speer flatpoint which whitetails just hate. Recoil is a little stout, but again handloading can help this with reduced loads using SR 4759 for recreational shooting.

Browning now offers BLRs with either a pistol grip or a straight grip, so make sure you try both to see which feels best to you.

When whitetail season comes around, I always reach for the .358 BLR, without fail. It just feels right.

I second the above trigger comments. I had mine worked over by a gunsmith.

You won't confuse it with a 3 lb bolt action trigger, but it is much better than factory.

Thanks to all for the resonses.

Pagris - It sounds like you are a big fan of these rifles. Have you compared your BLR's to the newer models at all? If so, I wonder what your thoughts are on this comarison.

SDhunter - Is your BLR the older model with a steel receiver, or had they gone to aluminum by 1991? I guess they must be plenty strong enough, but the aluminum makes me a bit nervous. What is the difference between the "folsing hammer" and traditional hammer? I haven't gotten my hand on one at the gun shop yet to be able to check it out.

Thanks,
Bob

Bob_ADK: The BLRs with aluminum alloy receivers and a folding hammer were introduced in 1996. They were renamed to BLR Lightning. I have handled a few of them over the years and really have nothing against the use of the aluminum - the internal components of the action are steel. I am not a fan of the curved pistol grip which they also introduced in 1996 - just too comfortable with the original straight grip - but they reintroduced a straight-grip model in 2003. I do wish that Browning would offer a satin stock finish, as they do (did?) for the BL-22 lever action 22s.

Information about the folding hammer, which is simply an additional safety position, is available here:

http://www.browning.com/products/manuals/pdf/blr_02_262_om_s.pdf

The only problem I have with the folding hammer is that it prevents the use of a hammer extension, which I have on all four of my BLRs and find quite beneficial.

Hope you get to handle one soon.

pagris

1977 .358 BLR
1980 .358 BLR - original owner
1987 .243 '81 BLR
1991 7mm-08 '81 BLR

Bob, I should mention that Browning produced a limited release of stainless steel BLRs with a grey/black laminated stock last year, in case that would interest you. They show up on GunBroker.com occasionally and I was in a gunshop in northern New Hampshire a couple of weeks ago that had several on its shelves.

I recently purchased a SS BLR in 300 short mag. This was my first lever gun ever, I'm a bolt guy........but bought if for the heck of it, figured it would fit my jeep or a horse. I havent shot it.......need to have the trigger worked, mine is 8 pounds. I'm going to send it to Dennis Olson for the trigger work.

Its a neat little gun, if they had better triggers I'd buy another. Sure looks like it has a good bolt face, seems to be very well made.

quote:

Originally posted by pagris:
Bob, I should mention that Browning produced a limited release of stainless steel BLRs with a grey/black laminated stock last year, in case that would interest you. They show up on GunBroker.com occasionally and I was in a gunshop in northern New Hampshire a couple of weeks ago that had several on its shelves.

I found one of these locally in .450 Marlin.....overall a very nice gun!