Browning Pre 81 BLR.

snemetchek · April 12, 2014, 10:45 AM

I am being gifted with a Browning pre 81 blr in a 308. I am new to Browning and wondering if anyone has expierence with these rifles? The gun has only been used for target shooting. Will this rifle make for a good hunting rifle? Thanks everyone!

big al hunter · April 12, 2014, 11:15 AM

You won't like it...you should immediately box it up and send it to me!

On a more serious note, welcome to TFL.
The 308 is a fine cartridge for most North American big game. The BLR should be a good fit for most areas. You will have to shoot it and determine its accuracy potential. It would not be my first choice for long range hunting, but that would depend on accuracy.

Where will you be hunting? Woods, prairies, clear cuts, mountains?

snemetchek · April 12, 2014, 11:22 AM

Haha ill get right on that.

I live out near Calgary so my backyard is prairie hunting but not a far drive from the mountains.

big al hunter · April 12, 2014, 11:59 AM

Should be lots of fun. It would be great in the woods. If the accuracy is good enough you can use it on the prairie. Make that decision after you shoot it.

oneoldsap · April 13, 2014, 09:48 AM

If you ever have any mechanical difficulties with that rifle , contact The Williams Gunsight Co. ! They have the parts and the Smith , to fix it . There are very few parts left , for the Belgian made BLRs . It took me almost two years , to find a Hammer for one ! That being said , they are excellent guns , and it's hard to beat a .308 for an all around caliber !

Art Eatman · April 13, 2014, 08:17 PM

I sighted one in for a buddy of mine, back in the 1970s. I vaguely recall that it was easily close to one MOA for group size. Overall, seemed like a pretty good rifle.

RANGER94 · April 15, 2014, 08:18 PM

Do not under any circumstance loose that magazine. Newer BLR magazines do not fit. Market price for a spare magazine is well over $200.00.

JoeDorn · April 16, 2014, 11:41 AM

Since you were given the gun you may not have the instruction manual. I have recently purchased a Gold Medallion BLR IN .308 and the manual states in bold 'DO NOT DISASSEMBLE THE RIFLE PAST A CERTAIN MINIMUM POINT'.

I also saw this warning in several different blogs as I researched the BLR before purchase. There is a problem re-synching the lever and the rack gears that usually requires the skill of a knowledgeable gunsmith.

My White Gold Medallion is absolutely beautiful for a 'working' gun, but also understand I am having a life sized John M. Browning statue placed in my living room...

and before I get feed back, I am aware JMB did not design the BLR...

**44 AMP** · April 17, 2014, 11:48 AM

According to a gunsmith I spoke with back when the BLR was new on the market, Browning "didn't cut the gears right", for the best leverage locking and unlocking the action. He had worked on several at that time.

Essentially, while the BLR does have a rotating bolt, and for pure strength is on a par with a bolt action, it does NOT have the camming power of a bolt action, and so loads that might cause sticky extraction are to be avoided.

In other words, stick with factory ammo, or handloaded equivalents, and don't try to get the absolute last possible fps from that gun and ammo.

I have one of the later ones (post 81?) that has the more flush magazine. Inherited from my father. It shoots well enough 1.5MOA or so, plenty good enough for anything bigger than varmints.

It does seem to kick more than my other .308s, but that's due to the stock design, and may not matter to you.

Trigger pull is a bit heavy, and I would call it only "fair", but again, good enough for the intended use of the gun. Because the trigger travels with the lever, the setup is difficult to get, and keep a really good trigger pull on. If you can live with it the way it is, I wouldn't tinker with it.

The other advice is good, don't take the gun apart more than absolutely needed for cleaning, and DON"T LOSE THE MAGAZINE!

Paul B. · April 17, 2014, 06:00 PM

I have one in .358 Win. and it's a good shooter. The comment about the magazines being very pricey is quite true. Nice carrying weight is one redeeming factor. The .358 is supposed to be a hard kicker but I didn't find it to be all that bad. Maybe it's because I have stuff that kicks harder.

Paul B.

April 12, 2014, 10:45 AM	#1
snemetchek Junior Member Join Date: April 11, 2014 Posts: 4	Browning Pre 81 BLR. I am being gifted with a Browning pre 81 blr in a 308. I am new to Browning and wondering if anyone has expierence with these rifles? The gun has only been used for target shooting. Will this rifle make for a good hunting rifle? Thanks everyone!

April 12, 2014, 11:15 AM	#2
big al hunter Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2011 Location: Washington state Posts: 1,558	You won't like it...you should immediately box it up and send it to me! On a more serious note, welcome to TFL. The 308 is a fine cartridge for most North American big game. The BLR should be a good fit for most areas. You will have to shoot it and determine its accuracy potential. It would not be my first choice for long range hunting, but that would depend on accuracy. Where will you be hunting? Woods, prairies, clear cuts, mountains? __________________ You can't fix stupid....however ignorance can be cured through education!

April 12, 2014, 11:59 AM	#4
big al hunter Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2011 Location: Washington state Posts: 1,558	Should be lots of fun. It would be great in the woods. If the accuracy is good enough you can use it on the prairie. Make that decision after you shoot it. __________________ You can't fix stupid....however ignorance can be cured through education!

April 16, 2014, 11:41 AM	#8
JoeDorn Member Join Date: May 24, 2010 Location: Belton, Texas Posts: 26	Since you were given the gun you may not have the instruction manual. I have recently purchased a Gold Medallion BLR IN .308 and the manual states in bold 'DO NOT DISASSEMBLE THE RIFLE PAST A CERTAIN MINIMUM POINT'. I also saw this warning in several different blogs as I researched the BLR before purchase. There is a problem re-synching the lever and the rack gears that usually requires the skill of a knowledgeable gunsmith. My White Gold Medallion is absolutely beautiful for a 'working' gun, but also understand I am having a life sized John M. Browning statue placed in my living room... and before I get feed back, I am aware JMB did not design the BLR... __________________ Joe Dorn, W5VEX Belton, Texas NRA Benefactor, GOA, SAF & TSRA Lifer

April 17, 2014, 11:48 AM	#9
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 30,503	According to a gunsmith I spoke with back when the BLR was new on the market, Browning "didn't cut the gears right", for the best leverage locking and unlocking the action. He had worked on several at that time. Essentially, while the BLR does have a rotating bolt, and for pure strength is on a par with a bolt action, it does NOT have the camming power of a bolt action, and so loads that might cause sticky extraction are to be avoided. In other words, stick with factory ammo, or handloaded equivalents, and don't try to get the absolute last possible fps from that gun and ammo. I have one of the later ones (post 81?) that has the more flush magazine. Inherited from my father. It shoots well enough 1.5MOA or so, plenty good enough for anything bigger than varmints. It does seem to kick more than my other .308s, but that's due to the stock design, and may not matter to you. Trigger pull is a bit heavy, and I would call it only "fair", but again, good enough for the intended use of the gun. Because the trigger travels with the lever, the setup is difficult to get, and keep a really good trigger pull on. If you can live with it the way it is, I wouldn't tinker with it. The other advice is good, don't take the gun apart more than absolutely needed for cleaning, and DON"T LOSE THE MAGAZINE! __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

April 12, 2014, 11:22 AM	#3
snemetchek Junior Member Join Date: April 11, 2014 Posts: 4	Haha ill get right on that. I live out near Calgary so my backyard is prairie hunting but not a far drive from the mountains.

April 13, 2014, 09:48 AM	#5
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,602	If you ever have any mechanical difficulties with that rifle , contact The Williams Gunsight Co. ! They have the parts and the Smith , to fix it . There are very few parts left , for the Belgian made BLRs . It took me almost two years , to find a Hammer for one ! That being said , they are excellent guns , and it's hard to beat a .308 for an all around caliber !

April 13, 2014, 08:17 PM	#6
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	I sighted one in for a buddy of mine, back in the 1970s. I vaguely recall that it was easily close to one MOA for group size. Overall, seemed like a pretty good rifle.

April 15, 2014, 08:18 PM	#7
RANGER94 Member Join Date: December 18, 2010 Posts: 40	Do not under any circumstance loose that magazine. Newer BLR magazines do not fit. Market price for a spare magazine is well over $200.00.

April 17, 2014, 06:00 PM	#10
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,938	I have one in .358 Win. and it's a good shooter. The comment about the magazines being very pricey is quite true. Nice carrying weight is one redeeming factor. The .358 is supposed to be a hard kicker but I didn't find it to be all that bad. Maybe it's because I have stuff that kicks harder. Paul B. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!