accuracy of Browning BL-22

Colt-45 · February 28, 2005, 02:20 PM

Have a couple of questions about the Browning BL-22. Has anyone had experience with it?

1) Just wondering how the BL-22 compares in accuracy to some of the other .22 rimfire lever actions, e.g. the Winchester, the Henry.

2) Does anyone have experience with the Marlin .22 lever actions? Someone in a gunshop recently told me he thinks the Marling Model 39 (?) is famous for its tack-driving accuracy.

Omaha-BeenGlockin · February 28, 2005, 02:28 PM

My BL-22 seems to be quite accurate---although I''ve never seriously shot targets with it----its my plinker and only used as such----I mounted a Trashco red dot----zeroed it at 25yds at empty shotgun shells---offhand. Anything within that range is mine---no second shot required----and this is using the cheap Remington ammo from Wally World.

I've never shot groups with it off a bench though---and don't have any plans to. As I said this is strickly a plinker.

Jseime · February 28, 2005, 09:18 PM

they are a nifty little gun. they shoulder nicely and i like the different look of them but ive never shot one. id buy a remington model 597 if i were you. they are very accurate as a rule and the feeding problems they were having have been cured by a new magazine design. cheaper too

JMag · February 28, 2005, 09:24 PM

I shoot mine with iron sights. It is highly accurate. The lever action on the Browning is unique as the trigger rides with the lever making it THE fastest .22 lever I'm aware of. Great gun!

SteelChickenShooter · May 12, 2011, 01:17 PM

I tested the Browning BL-22 one day ago and found it disappointingly not accurate for my intended use. It was a new purchase and I compared it to my Henry and Ruger 10-22. I really like the gun. It appears well made and is fun to shoot. For a squirrel or rabit hunter using Aguila HV ammo, it will be great. But I wanted "single hole accuracy" for my intended purpose. And I get that with a good variety of ammo brands in the Henry, and a couple brands in the Ruger- but none in the Browning. In fact, a lack of accuracy was so unexpected, I might even think the gun could be defective in some way. My dealer offered to return it to Browning. That might be a right thing to do. However, I have seen and read other accounts regarding this gun as a "two inch plinker". And that just won't work when you have a one square inch target where all 10 shots need to hit. Since I am a new member here, and have no experience with this forum, I do have, and can post copies of actual comparison targets for the BL-22 compared to other more accurate rifles if other members are interested.
Al

Pahoo · May 12, 2011, 02:00 PM

I had one for about six months and although It shot fine and accuracy was good, I just didn't care for it, when compared to my 39's. Not sure what was happening but the lever was biting my hand every time I shot. Kind of annoying. It's a pretty little thing and certainly not bashing it but just prefer my 39's. Also prefer the Winchesters over the BLR. Might add that I have great respect for Brownings and have owed quite a few. This one just didn't work for me. .....

Be Safe !!!

SteelChickenShooter · May 12, 2011, 05:32 PM

I agree and would say it did not work for me either.
I agree to not bash it. It is a very nifty, fast, and sweet gun.
I'm sorry it did not perform as expected.
Like I said, for rabbits, squirrels, plinking cans or swinger targets it can be a very good rifle. But on the downside, this is what I see: my Ruger 10-22 will make a single ragged hole on paper with a couple brands out of the 25 brands tested. The Charles Daly bolt action will do the same with 8 brands. The Henry will do it with 6 brands. The Kimber will do it with 16 out of 25 brands tested. The Browning BL-22 makes 5 holes in 5 shots for most of the ammo brands tested and 3 or 4 holes out of 5 shots for the remainders. One single brand (Aguila High Velocity) produced 2 holes for 5 shots. Trouble with that is that the other rifles will make a single hole with that same ammo. I really like the fast action. The short cocking stroke, to me just adds fun to shooting. I regret the expected accuracy was just not there. My best guess as to what to do with it: give it to dad for garden pest control. He'll really enjoy it. It just will not cut it for steel chickens. In the end, to have a lever action accurate rifle, I have to say the much lower cost Henry gave me pleasing performance and the Browning was not equal or better. It's also an expensive rifle. The Leupold 2-7 scope, Leupold rimfire rings (outstanding), and the rifle added up to over $800.00. And I can do better regarding accuracy for $240.00

SteelChickenShooter · May 20, 2011, 01:11 PM

After testing more than two dozen ammo brands making up a mix of sub-sonics, standards, highs, and shorts, I returned to the range this time with five different hyper-velocities. None gave me what I hoping this gun would deliver and therefore it proves to be an expensive purchase which serves no purpose for my needs. I wanted it to excel using at least some of the brands to obtain a blend of fun-to-shoot with target accuracy. But it did not. I may return it to the dealer and tell him to sell it. I have no doubt that if a father bought this gun and gave it to a son. And the son liked to hunt rabbits. And that boy used PMC standards, Aguila High Velocity, CCI Stingers, CCI Velocitors, as well as Federal SpitFire- he'd have a great rabbit gun for life.

cackalak · June 21, 2011, 09:17 PM

Mine eats up any ammo I feed it and is deadly accurate. Maybe I got lucky. But its def s tack driver. Steelchicken, why not return it to Browning and see what they can do? All it may need is just a simple tweak.

OJ · June 22, 2011, 11:35 PM

I agree - I've had mine over 40 years and have been impressed how accurate it is - like the short throw - have a Williams FPGR aperture rear sight that is attached to scope grooves - needed a taller front sight - but that's a piece of cake to do and I do like the white strip front blades.

Works for me -

doug66 · June 23, 2011, 08:28 PM

My dad bought me a used BL22 for my 12th B Day, 33 years ago.Not much finish left on the receiver and has had a ton of shells run through it. Great accuracy IMO...

cornbush · June 23, 2011, 10:10 PM

I have a grade two, and it will hold it's own with my dad's Marlin all day long.
He has had that Marlin for over 45 years but keeps trying to talk me into selling him my Browning, I don't know...................

February 28, 2005, 02:20 PM	#1
Colt-45 Member Join Date: November 29, 2004 Posts: 17	accuracy of Browning BL-22 Have a couple of questions about the Browning BL-22. Has anyone had experience with it? 1) Just wondering how the BL-22 compares in accuracy to some of the other .22 rimfire lever actions, e.g. the Winchester, the Henry. 2) Does anyone have experience with the Marlin .22 lever actions? Someone in a gunshop recently told me he thinks the Marling Model 39 (?) is famous for its tack-driving accuracy.

February 28, 2005, 02:28 PM	#2
Omaha-BeenGlockin Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2001 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 1,183	My BL-22 seems to be quite accurate---although I''ve never seriously shot targets with it----its my plinker and only used as such----I mounted a Trashco red dot----zeroed it at 25yds at empty shotgun shells---offhand. Anything within that range is mine---no second shot required----and this is using the cheap Remington ammo from Wally World. I've never shot groups with it off a bench though---and don't have any plans to. As I said this is strickly a plinker. __________________ I take the leech that's bleeding me Can't stop to save my soul I take the leash that's leading me -------Metallica

February 28, 2005, 09:18 PM	#3
Jseime Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,775	nifty gun they are a nifty little gun. they shoulder nicely and i like the different look of them but ive never shot one. id buy a remington model 597 if i were you. they are very accurate as a rule and the feeding problems they were having have been cured by a new magazine design. cheaper too

May 12, 2011, 01:17 PM	#5
SteelChickenShooter Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Posts: 863	BL-22 not accurate I tested the Browning BL-22 one day ago and found it disappointingly not accurate for my intended use. It was a new purchase and I compared it to my Henry and Ruger 10-22. I really like the gun. It appears well made and is fun to shoot. For a squirrel or rabit hunter using Aguila HV ammo, it will be great. But I wanted "single hole accuracy" for my intended purpose. And I get that with a good variety of ammo brands in the Henry, and a couple brands in the Ruger- but none in the Browning. In fact, a lack of accuracy was so unexpected, I might even think the gun could be defective in some way. My dealer offered to return it to Browning. That might be a right thing to do. However, I have seen and read other accounts regarding this gun as a "two inch plinker". And that just won't work when you have a one square inch target where all 10 shots need to hit. Since I am a new member here, and have no experience with this forum, I do have, and can post copies of actual comparison targets for the BL-22 compared to other more accurate rifles if other members are interested. Al

May 12, 2011, 02:00 PM	#6
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Just didn't work for me ??? I had one for about six months and although It shot fine and accuracy was good, I just didn't care for it, when compared to my 39's. Not sure what was happening but the lever was biting my hand every time I shot. Kind of annoying. It's a pretty little thing and certainly not bashing it but just prefer my 39's. Also prefer the Winchesters over the BLR. Might add that I have great respect for Brownings and have owed quite a few. This one just didn't work for me. ..... Be Safe !!! Last edited by Pahoo; May 12, 2011 at 06:51 PM.

February 28, 2005, 09:24 PM	#4
JMag Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2004 Posts: 284	I shoot mine with iron sights. It is highly accurate. The lever action on the Browning is unique as the trigger rides with the lever making it THE fastest .22 lever I'm aware of. Great gun!

May 12, 2011, 05:32 PM	#7
SteelChickenShooter Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Posts: 863	I agree and would say it did not work for me either. I agree to not bash it. It is a very nifty, fast, and sweet gun. I'm sorry it did not perform as expected. Like I said, for rabbits, squirrels, plinking cans or swinger targets it can be a very good rifle. But on the downside, this is what I see: my Ruger 10-22 will make a single ragged hole on paper with a couple brands out of the 25 brands tested. The Charles Daly bolt action will do the same with 8 brands. The Henry will do it with 6 brands. The Kimber will do it with 16 out of 25 brands tested. The Browning BL-22 makes 5 holes in 5 shots for most of the ammo brands tested and 3 or 4 holes out of 5 shots for the remainders. One single brand (Aguila High Velocity) produced 2 holes for 5 shots. Trouble with that is that the other rifles will make a single hole with that same ammo. I really like the fast action. The short cocking stroke, to me just adds fun to shooting. I regret the expected accuracy was just not there. My best guess as to what to do with it: give it to dad for garden pest control. He'll really enjoy it. It just will not cut it for steel chickens. In the end, to have a lever action accurate rifle, I have to say the much lower cost Henry gave me pleasing performance and the Browning was not equal or better. It's also an expensive rifle. The Leupold 2-7 scope, Leupold rimfire rings (outstanding), and the rifle added up to over $800.00. And I can do better regarding accuracy for $240.00

May 20, 2011, 01:11 PM	#8
SteelChickenShooter Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Posts: 863	Hyper Velocity Update After testing more than two dozen ammo brands making up a mix of sub-sonics, standards, highs, and shorts, I returned to the range this time with five different hyper-velocities. None gave me what I hoping this gun would deliver and therefore it proves to be an expensive purchase which serves no purpose for my needs. I wanted it to excel using at least some of the brands to obtain a blend of fun-to-shoot with target accuracy. But it did not. I may return it to the dealer and tell him to sell it. I have no doubt that if a father bought this gun and gave it to a son. And the son liked to hunt rabbits. And that boy used PMC standards, Aguila High Velocity, CCI Stingers, CCI Velocitors, as well as Federal SpitFire- he'd have a great rabbit gun for life.

June 21, 2011, 09:17 PM	#9
cackalak Member Join Date: November 12, 2010 Posts: 56	Mine eats up any ammo I feed it and is deadly accurate. Maybe I got lucky. But its def s tack driver. Steelchicken, why not return it to Browning and see what they can do? All it may need is just a simple tweak.

June 22, 2011, 11:35 PM	#10
OJ Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 1998 Location: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, USA Posts: 1,570	I agree - I've had mine over 40 years and have been impressed how accurate it is - like the short throw - have a Williams FPGR aperture rear sight that is attached to scope grooves - needed a taller front sight - but that's a piece of cake to do and I do like the white strip front blades. Works for me - __________________ OJ - SEMPER FI - DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY NRA ENDOWMENT LIFE MEMBER Last edited by OJ; June 23, 2011 at 11:31 PM.

June 23, 2011, 08:28 PM	#11
doug66 Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 116	My dad bought me a used BL22 for my 12th B Day, 33 years ago.Not much finish left on the receiver and has had a ton of shells run through it. Great accuracy IMO...

June 23, 2011, 10:10 PM	#12
cornbush Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: The retarded place below Idaho Posts: 1,408	I have a grade two, and it will hold it's own with my dad's Marlin all day long. He has had that Marlin for over 45 years but keeps trying to talk me into selling him my Browning, I don't know................... __________________ The best shot I ever made was an accident

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