I've been wanting a Browning BLR lever rifle and have recently learned a little bit about them. The older Belgium ones had a steel receiver but had a protruding magazine that looked a little strange, and the newer ones have a flush magazine that looks better but they have aluminum alloy receivers and a weird folding hammer that acts as some kind of "safety". I've never been too crazy about newer Brownings gold triggers and "HIGH GLOSS" stocks but I can live with it, and I've heard some have pretty heavy triggers, but few lever action rifle triggers are as nice as bolt actions, and they could probably be tuned a little. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with these BLR rifles?

I sent you an e-mail, Farmer, concerning a 308 Lever action I have.

I had that model only in 223.

Great in some ways, but yes, the gloss was annoying, and it really heated the barrel rapidly.

Traded it off before long.

Love lever guns.

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

Not familiar withe the BLR but I know I love my Winchester model 88 in .308

I have one of the early Miroku models with a steel receiver in .308. It is exceptionally accurate. Favorite bullet weight is 150, which it will usually shoot into 1-1.25" groups at 100yds, but it handles 125gr almost as well and likes 180s just fine. The rifle does not have a tendency to start losing accuracy as it heats up like many tube fed lever actions, at least for a couple of magazines worth fired fairly rapidly.

It carries well in the field, best between the hands, and points quickly. It's easy to mount a scope on; it doesn't look wierd on the BLR like it does on traditional lever rifles. I have mine set up with a 2.5x post and crosshair, about as ideal a setup for this rifle as you could ask for, great for snap shots in cover or plenty precise within 200 yards.

Downside is that the mags for the steel receiver models are scarce and expensive when you can find them. Not a prob with the newer alloy receiver models with flush fit mags. Also, the BLR action does not have the powerful camming action of a bolt gun. I have never had a feeding problem. I use small base dies, but they probably aren't really necessary. If you have a waaay overpressure load it may also be difficult to extract but that hasn't been an issue yet either. However, feeding and extraction in general is butter smooth, ejection is totally positive.

The trigger can best be described as "mushy", not heavy at all, at least on mine, but not glass-breaking crisp. It's not really a problem for a field rifle and from its paper accuracy doesn't appear to be much of one at the bench. Most ARs have far worse triggers.

They are great rifles, plenty accurate, long on performance and something just a little out of the ordinary. They are superb in heavy cover or woods where a snap shot or quick follow-up may be necessary, but work great for open shots too.

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" I said, good DAY! "

I had one of the original steel-receiver models in .308. It was OK, I killed a few deer with it, and, once, a raven at about 250 yards with an Accellerator round (55gr saboted bullet at about 4,000 fps). The trigger was poor, there is no real safety --- you have to decock the hammer after operating the action. After experiencing an AD in the field during this decocking procedure, I sold the gun to a guy whom I now hope had similar experience with it...

I own a Belgium in 308 and a newer 358. The 308 shoots cast and jacketed equally well from 113 grains to 200 grains. It has killed mice to moose for me and will be the last gun gone if I have to empty the stable. Mine wears a 2x8 Leupold though it has had a peep on it previously. My trigger breaks consistently though it will never be a target trigger. The safety is the same as any single action revolver and pre-safety 94's. It is located between your ears.

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Front sight and squeeze

Many of the new BLR lever actions are "take-down" rifles. Does anyone know if you can buy a barrel in a different caliber and add it to one of these? Like a .308 with an additional barrel in .358 Winchester would be cool.

I have a 3006 lever action. Neat gun---because of the alloy receiver and light barrel it kicks the snot out of ya...All of my Browings have the gloss stocks except for a couple real old ones-

Mine is a .243 and is a Japanese version.

It has the steel receiver...no aluminum

It has the traditional lever action style hammer...no weird floppy safety

It has the flat (basically) magazine...no protruding tumor

The trigger is fine and it shoots 1" groups @100 yards with inexpensive Federal Power-Shok 100 grain ammo. As of yet, I've not been able to hand load anything for it that shoots that small of a group.

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C & L

LOL. You should try my blr/aluminum. It's 7mm rem mag. First time out I shot a box of Winchester Power Point Moly bullets. When I was done, I felt like I went a few rounds with Mike Tyson. I then plopped down $35 for a sissy Past shoulder pad and that tamed it immensely

It's a pretty decent quality gun, the rotating bolt locks up directly in the barrel, not reciever. Made in Japan.

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9tenz