BLR range report

375hh1973 · Jul 23, 2009

Finally had a chance to properly sit down and shoot my new SS/Mossy Oak Brush BLR today inbetween thunder storms. Since I havent owned a .308 before and dont have dies yet, just had factory stuff to play with. Sportsmans guide had Hornady 150 gr SST ammo on sale for $23 so I got some of that and a buddy have me half a box of 150 gr corelokt to try. Started at 50 yards and could tell a couple of things right off: 1st, the BLR trigger isnt great. 2nd, despite the trigger, the gun shoots 150 gr SST very well. 3rd, the gun doesnt like corelokt. After several groups at 50 yards, I cleaned the gun and moved to 100. I shot a corelokt to foul the barrel (that is the hole in the upper left) then shot a very slow 3 shot group with the 150 SSTs. I have bolt rifles that dont shoot this well! As soon as I get dies I want to try to duplicate this with some acubonds.

FOTIS · Jul 23, 2009

You got a good one...

buckfever · Jul 23, 2009

Thats the nice thing about a .308 they just plain shoot no matter what type of rifle thier chamberd in.

DrMike · Jul 23, 2009

The BLR trigger can be slicked up a little, but it is not great no matter what. Nevertheless, it looks as if you will easily master that rifle! I imagine you'll want to keep that one.

JD338 · Jul 23, 2009

375hh1973

Nice shooting.

JD338

Guy Miner · Jul 24, 2009

Nice! I kind of like BLR's...
:grin:

Huntbear · Jul 25, 2009

I have owned a BLR for over 20 years. I have made many bolt gun owners, very jealous during that time. :twisted: I can consistently put 3 shots under a nickel at 100 yards, and it will shoot MOA out to 300 yards easily. I love the fact it is light, yet the way the stock is designed there is very little recoil, and it comes to the shoulder and is on target very easily. Enjoy it, it may well become your go to gun, first out of the safe, when hunting season rolls around.

.405 · Jul 25, 2009

Buy you a can of ReL 15 and a can of Varget.I think you will find a load. :wink:

Jeff Olsen · Jul 25, 2009

Neil Jones of Neil Jones Custom Products can fix that BLR trigger for you. He did the one on my .325 WSM BLR. It's now a relatively clean, 3-lb trigger. Makes all the difference in the world!!

Not cheap though. He says it's a big job.

-jeff

SJB358 · Aug 19, 2009

My 358 BLR has a rough trigger also, but man, it is a great shooter. I haven't quite found my favorite load yet, but it has shot everything I have put through it with pretty good accuracy and consistency. If I could get the trigger to loosen up, I am sure it will be a great companion, once I find my load for it. Scotty

DrMike · Aug 19, 2009

Somewhere after a thousand rounds or so, the triggers loosen up.

SJB358 · Aug 19, 2009

I guess might be about half way there! I can shoot it plenty good right now, so anything more is just gravy for me. Scotty

DrMike · Aug 20, 2009

My BLR has a reasonable trigger. It isn't great, but it does work, and the rifle shoots well. Six tenth of an inch with 200 grain TSX. All the BLRs that I have shot (about five in the last year) shot decent groups. Nothing was over 1.5 inches (325 WSM, 358). I've sold about six during the past year, most in either 325 WSM or 358, with perhaps one in 243. From the beginning, Browning has had a winner in this rifle.

SJB358 · Aug 20, 2009

Mike, mine seems to shoot pretty well, you just need to work at it a little more. I have had worse, that is for sure. Mine does seem to be getting better. I am used to our M4 triggers, so good breath control and sight alignment really comes into play with the 358. Scotty

257 Ackley · Aug 22, 2009

Scotty -
Break out those silvertips and have some fun!!

SJB358 · Aug 22, 2009

Joel, standby. I am going to do some killing this year with the Silvertips this year. I promise. They look too good not to make blood trails. Scotty

bear · Sep 1, 2009

My blr in .358 is my favorite black bear rifle 23 bears and no complaints. I just live with the trigger and this rifle is also a real shooter .

JD338 · Sep 1, 2009

bear":1kfl6fcn said:
My blr in .358 is my favorite black bear rifle 23 bears and no complaints. I just live with the trigger and this rifle is also a real shooter .

bear,

What is your bear load(s)?

JD338

bear · Sep 1, 2009

48 grns of TAC 250 hornady 2350 out of my little 20" bbl browning. shoots one hole groups.

DrMike · Sep 1, 2009

Bear,

That looks like a load worth examining. In recent days, I have focused on 200 and 225 grain bullets in my 358 BLR. I have several that give me sub-MOA groups and decent velocities. However, I still have a few of my Speer 250 grain SP loads, with 47 grains of H335, that give me good groups and reasonable velocity. I used this load a couple of years ago to take a bison, and it worked just fine. The BLR is a great rifle to carry in the bush, and for black bear, it is just the ticket.

My hunting partner backed me with with a BLR in .358 when I took my last grizzly. I was carrying its twin, a Model 94 chambered in .356 Winchester loaded with 220 grain Speer FN. The first shot broke both shoulders of the grizzly at 140 yards. I have no doubt that the BLR would have worked just as well.