Visited with a Browning Lever-action Rifle today

687 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Poor Valley, Dec 23, 2009

Poor Valley

Discussion Starter · Dec 23, 2009

Drove over to Osage Co Guns today and had a first hand look at a Browning BLR today. Some of the posts in my other thread made me wonder about some of the features of this rifle. While there I also inspected a BAR but rejected it immediatly because of it's weight alone.

The one I looked at was a 243, the prefered cal is 308 and they did have one in stock. The first thing I noticed was the beautiful finish on both the wood and metal. Outstanding fit also. The rifle is very light weight and it shouldered perfectly for me. The lever throw was shorter than I expected and I was totally surprised by the length of the bolt (and this is a short action) that protruded from the reciever. Also the lever had a unique safety feature that was very interesting. The iron sights looked very nice and were sharp to my eye.

At the front of the handguard was what looked like a tube with a cap on the end. Don't know what it's for unless it has something to do with disassembly. Anybody know? Also what about sling fixtures?

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glennasher1

· #3 · Dec 23, 2009

That vestigial tube is for the purists out there, who just HAVE to have a tube magazine. The Browning doesn't have one, but it "kinda" looks like it has one, it's purely for looks, AFAIK.

I THINK, and I'm not sure at all, that a sling attachment can be fitted to the fake magazine tube doohickey, and a swivel stud can be screwed into the buttstock in the normal way. Uncle Mike's probably has the swivel kit in their listings, I'd bet money on that. If not, they probably make a band to go around the barrel for attaching the sling out there.

The action works on a rack and pinion, which gives the short-throw lever extra pizazz to work the longish bolt. It's basically a lever-operated bolt action rifle. Kinda neat, if you think about it.

[Edited on 12-23-2009 by glennasher1]

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glennasher1

· #5 · Dec 23, 2009

I can understand that

They take a LOT of getting-used-to, being so completely different than a M94 or Marlin. They just AREN'T the same feel, sometimes that's good, sometimes not. The added performance is a good thing, in my book, though.

To older guys like us, the shiny plasticky finish and shiny metalwork is also a bit foreign, too. especially if you (like me) really like that old Winchester Red finish on a good walnut stock, and bluing, not a black finish.:whinging:

Sigh, this is the 21st century, though, and times change.

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