Browning BLR 

As mentioned in a weekly "Sunday Shoot-a-Round" video, don't rely on RU-vid to keep you informed when somebody uploads a new video. For those folks you like to keep up with, go to their channel page regularly, and click on "videos." You'll see all their recent videos: ru-vid.com Also, everybody stay calm and keep your hands washed. Enjoy some good books and good movies, OR maybe even catch up on your Hickok45 homework and watch all those brilliant videos you've not seen yet. :-)

I'll learn to shoot before I get old Such a humble guy.

Honestly I would rather have a firearm made in Japan than china

I have a Belgian made BLR from the 70’s in .308. Bought at a gun show in 1980 for $400.00. Been my deer rifle going on 40 years now. Love it!

POV : YOUR A CETUS SOLDIER

Even if you hate that rifle, You've got to love the wood! That is beautiful!!!!

The Japanese machinists have proven to be excellent at making browning products, they are cheap but still excellent in regards to Accuracy and reliability. That's a proof a professional craftsmanship.

My BLR .308 is my favorite hunting rifle. My dad bought it for me as my first rifle off of a fella who won it sitting next to us at a raffle. Beautiful gun very very accurate and Iv provided plenty of meals for my family over the years with it

Great because of you my wife just left me and is all I have left is 71 guns, THANKS!!!!

I have had and used the Browning BLR in 7mm-08 for 30 years and I don't remember how many deer it has taken. A few coyotes as well. They are great rifles.

The modern and current BLR locking lugs lock into the steel barrel itself, so it was no longer necessary to have a steel receiver although it is difficult to machine the lugs precisely into the barrel if you want changes later. They also use a "through bolt" to connect the buttstock which is much more rigid than an "old school 2 part stock" on a traditional levergun. For these two reasons, the BLR is very accurate. Triggers may vary, but can be modified to be quite good. Mine is a SHOT Show special edition in 358 Win that I had the action smoothed up and NP3 plated by Mic McPherson and the front stock silicon bedded and the front barrel band stress relieved so point of aim doesn't change when barrel and band is heated. Its a total light weight tack driver with the best trigger in my collection of gunsmithed guns. This is probably the strongest lever action rifle on the market, equal to or surpassing the Win '88 model. The smoothness of the BLR cocking mechanism might be over-rated, in that it is not linear. It takes a lot of pressure to crack it loose, then the gear set takes over and its extremely smooth and very light through the stroke, but needs a firm closure. Its not nearly so linear as a Model 92 or 86 slicked up. You have to be careful, we learned, with messing with the spring set, you can end up with a light hammer strike. All in all a phenomenal rifle, tremendously strong, light weight and accurate. Probably the best, most accurate and lightest field carry lever gun ever made.

The Japanese are excellent craftsmen, their attention to detail are second to none.

BLR is one of the smoothest lever action rifles made. I shot one several years ago.

Went to buy a .308 in 1980 and they were sold out so that gun shop made me a deal on a .358 for $240 new. Couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with the iron sights, put an aimpoint red dot on it and have shot more deer on the run than I can count .it’s deadly out to 300 yds

Love the finish on the Brownings

I have a Belgian-made BLR in .308. I happened to see it on the used gun rack at a local gun store many years ago. It's a beautiful gun and very very accurate. When I bought the gun, there was a sort of phobia about having extra magazines. I fell under this phobia and asked the store if they had any extra mags. The clerk checked and there were 5, not including the one in the gun, all of which I bought. When I went back to pick up the gun after the waiting period, the store didn't want to sell me the magazines. I told them "No magazines, no sale." I walked out the store with all the magazines and the gun. ;-)

This was the first gun I shot. 22 my grandpa has. Now he’s got covid and I hope he pulls through. This video makes me cried. Killed first squirrel with this gun and grandpa

I've been hunting and shooting for almost 60 years ,owned many hunting rifles. The blr 243 Belgium made is the smoothest most accurate rifle lve ever used . My favorite gun. I have the 308 Japanese, nice but not quite as good.

Sitting in my deer stand with my BLR model 81 in 7mm-08 watching this video. Great video, very informative.

I inherited a Miroku-made Browning 1895 in .30-40 from my dad. They make beautiful rifles!

Very happy to see this one, thank you! I got mine new in .308 in 1987, it was $340 out the door, a tidy sum back in the day. Trigger on mine is outstanding. Light, no creep and smooth let off. It's as good or better than many of the bolt guns I've shot. The hammer on mine does Not fold down and I've not had the feeding issues you experienced, so I am wondering whats up with that. The action on mine is also glass smooth as well, no he-man vigor required. Even with a steel receiver it's a mighty light and handy package for hunting in dense woods and bush country, especially with a proper sling setup. I also agree with you on not putting a scope on a lever gun, especially for a woods rifle. Iron sights are the way to go. Even though this is one of my personal favorite rifles and I had high hopes for a good showing in your hands, I greatly appreciate you and John showing things straight through, issues and all. Cheers!

I got my dads old BLR when he passed away, it's my favorite gun that i own and i wouldn't sell it for anything. It's an absolutely beautiful gun to look at and shoot.

Thanks for the review. Save the misfires, I thoroughly enjoyed it. :) I first saw this rifle way back in 1975. I was 19 and it was my first year at hunting camp. One of my buddies had one and I fell in love with it. Naturally being a young guy, the money he paid was out of reach for me. It wasn't until 2 years ago I finally bought one and I absolutely love it. The rifle is rock solid and the fit and finish are impeccable. If I had one complaint (and I do) I wish it came drilled and tapped with sling swivel studs installed. It kind of freaked me out having to drill into my brand new rifle to put the swivel studs in. It came out alright but it's not like the factory did it. If you're on the fence about buying one of these, get off the fence and do it. You won't regret it at all..

I usually dont comment but would like to add that I own a blr and had issues with light primer strikes. The light primer strikes were from long storage of the firearm and the oil I used to store the firearm had thickened and made the firing pin not function properly( the firing pin is a floating pin) just like to add in case anyone has the same issue. With that being said I love the blr and would buy another great video by the way 👍👍

Got an old one from late '70s or early '80s in .243. Briefly thought about selling it, but still emotionally attached from childhood hunting.

I have a 270 Win and used it for hunting Caribou and Moose in all conditions, here in Newfoundland Canada. I have had my gun for years and never had one problem. Other than general maintenance. It has put hundreds of pounds of meat in my freezer... Also the up side a right or left handed shooter can handle this gun easily. Accuracy.... extremely accurate my 270 Win BLR. That's years of experience shooting this gun.

The BLR is the finest rifle in my collection. If there is anyone out there questioning the validity of Japanese craftsmanship, do not fear. The quality is second to none.

"Great gun for da-fence" Lol

I have two of the BLR’s. One is .308 and one is in .22. As a young guy and being a southpaw lever guns were my thing until I got older and able to purchase left handed rifles. The BLR are a great hunting rifle in my opinion. Fell many whitetail with mine

I got a question for you hickock do you consider the savage 99 A traditional lever gun It was made originally in 1895 and updated in 1899

Thank you SO much Hickok for finally posting this. Love the video. Keep up the awesome work

I'm thinking it's a slight out of battery problem, as you said, just not getting that lever squeezed up all the way. That gear driven bolt is perhaps a bit over engineered? Top marks for Japanese mfg, I would put them above most. I also believe Browning wouldn't put their name on it if it wasn't quality. Thank you Mr Hickok45 for the presentation.

Largest buck I have taken to date was with a BLR in .358 Winchester. Love the gun and the round.

Been watching you for ten years now. All the sudden one day I just wanted to start collecting and shooting firearms. Great investments and something you can hand down to your kids for them to remember you by when your gone

I love mine in .308. I sighted it in and have only fired 3 rounds while hunting. Two bucks and a wild boar! Great rifle!

Bought the 243 version back in 1985 great rifle unmatched quality for a out of the box lever action.

Absolutely gorgeous. And nearly the perfect clambering. If that was in .358 that would be more fun to watch at your expense....my personal lightweight BLR is in 22-250

They make that same rifle in 358 Winchester, making it one awesome thumper!, please make a video on the 358 Winchester BLR.

My dad has that exact same rifle chambered in .30-06 Springfield. He bought it as a present for himself, first rifle he bought in over 25 years and his first real hunting rifle.

Appreciate y’all from Texas ^^

Hey Hickok45 i think the japanese are fantastic firearms makers, i feel like at least they respect the history of the designs and it shows in the craftsmanship put into that rifle. If it was a norinco this might be more critical but even then a gun is a gun as long it shoots and can keep shooting

At 0:15, 5:20, 5:23, 14:38,and 18 minuets in more light primer strikes 5 misfires. I just bought a new BLR in 308 and the first 5 shots of new ammo only 2 went off. light primer strikes. doing some research online Thousands people with the same issue. I got 3 answers. Grease in the bolt assembly , Timing issue, or head space issue. One guy said to take the stock off and soak the action in some kind of solvent for 24 hrs then blow it out with air gun. not what I want to do with a brand new gun. So I used some carb cleaner and a air hose. Still having misfires. I loaded 5 empty casings with federal 210 primers 4 went off. loaded 5 with WLR primers only 3 went off. 5 with CCI 200 and 250's none went off.. very little dent in the primer. The hammer hits the back of the bolt face and stops and the firing pin still has to travel another 1/8 of an inch before it touches the primer, I don't know how any rounds go off ? no solid contact between the hammer firing pin and the primer. I put all the casings that didn't go off in the BLR in my rem 700 bolt gun and they all went off no problem ... Put the BLR in my chest freezer overnight the first 6 factory shells didn't go off the 7th one did. Iv been reloading for close to 50 yrs and never seen anything like this. Don't trust this gun for anything its junk. This is the only brand new gun out hundreds that I had to spend days trying to get it to fire every time, Still cant figure it out. Might be the 2 piece floating firing pin design ? Its going back.. FN Herstal made this one.

I had this rifle... it was picky about ammo.. but with the right ammo... 3/4 inch group at 100yds.. Winchester silvertip 180 grain.

I don't do a lot of commenting but I had to join in on this one. I purchased a BLR .270WSM some years back and have hunted it hard. Extremely accurate, hard hitting and smooth. I live in Florida so most of the deer that I have taken would not be what you would call huge but the gun had no issues in dropping them in their tracts. I hunt hogs at every chance and use this rifle to flatten them right out. If you can find one, buy it!!!

I have three, passed down from my father before he passed a couple years ago... A .270, .243 (I took my first deer from it), and a .22 that has a tube mag with beautiful etching on the side. All are over 20 years old and I've done my best to keep them in the best condition. They've been in the family most of my life and are some of the best rifles I've ever known.

The Japanese have always prided themselves on master craftsmanship in regards to Weapons ⚔️

Had one in 7mm-08. Absolutely wonderful rifles.

I have 5 if these in the pistol grip style. The issue you are having is simple to cure. Close The Action Tight Against The Stock. Then work the action with gusto both directions. You won't have this issue action.

Hickok is like, I like them classics but a good gun is a good gun

I have a 308 Belgium that I inhered from my father. I love it for two reasons!

Very nice rifle. We have a Browning BL .22 at home. Beautiful thing. Smooth and short action you can cycle just by opening and closing your fingers without taking your hand of the stock. Now, on the "made in Japan" issue, to me it just usually means that it nicely made. Of course, as a Belgian I like my FN/Browning guns to be "made in Belgium" but I know for a fact that Miroku in Japan do make high quality stuff.

度重なる排莢装填不良と不発。元祖レバーアクションのライフル弾仕様ライフルのウインチェスターM94では見られない光景。この銃は触ったことすらないから、あくまで外観から想像したメカニズムの考察だけれども、閉鎖機構とファイアリングピンセーフティの位置関係がうまくいってないから、不発になるのではないかなぁ。レバーを戻し切っているのに、ロティティングボルトが完全に閉鎖していないことがあるために、ファイアリングピンが完全に前に行かない(プライマーにわずかな窪みは作るが、発射には至らない衝撃しか齎さない)安全機構が勘違いして働いているのでは。ヒコックおじさんも中後半あたりから、レバー操作毎にしきりにエジェクションポートを目視して、そのあたりを気にしていそう。個体差なのか、機構の設計そもそもの不良なのか、組み上げた際のギアの噛み合いが1，2ギア分ズレて居るのに気付かないまま射撃しているのか。根本的原因が知れないと、とても山に持って行ける信頼たるパートナーにはなりえない。弾が出ればよく当たる銃なだけに、残念。

Love this gun. I have one custom chambered in 338 win and a 18" barrel. I use it for protection when baiting for spring bear. Nice and compact when checking 70 baits a day. Have used it and worked great stopped bear in its tracks

How does this compare to the Henry Lever action 556/223? P.S. Can you reload and hold the gun to your cheek ready for firing - at the same time - so that the action doesn't strike your face?

Could you sometime review the Remington 7600 in 308? Thanks for the great videos.

How many red plates are hanging in your trophy room?

I have owned one of these rifles in .308 for nearly 40 years. 4 round box magazine. Short action (.308), but, because of the rotating bolt/lug locking design, it has a long throw. Not a fast action that you would use in cowboy action shooting, but it takes rounds with spitzer bullets that you can't use in a tubular magazine Winchester. Mine has the original sights that came out on the rifle when it was introduced in 1981. It is a tack driver out to 200 yards, which is my limitation, not the rifle's. To ensure that you get proper extraction and feed, you have to make sure that you firmly cycle the action open and closed. Trigger is not light, but also not heavy and very crisp. Recoil in .308 is not abusive, but is substantial because the light weight of the piece. It is a beautiful firearm. Still pristine looking; the wood and bluing are perfect.

I have this same exact rifle. It is a joy to use. It’s very accurate and I walk up and down the huge hills in the Rangeley,Maine area. It’s not heavy at all. I put a scope on my rifle. It’s killed many animals.

The aussies make extended mags for it now

I love this channel, been watching for years now! :)

Jeez this man can shoot with pure accuracy every time that I see his vids he always makes a bullseye at his targets

I saw one of these in 2007 in a hunting magazine. Had to have one. Bought my 1st in 2013 in 243. Absolute tack driver!. Then in 2020, I found a 358!!! Both great, accurate rifles!!!

The first deer my wife killed was taken with a Savage 99 in a 303 Savage caliber. Since ammo was not overly available, I bought her a Remington Model 7 in .243. She used that for about 5 yrs. but she always liked a lever action. I did a little research and settled on a BLR in the 7mm-08. She's been using it for 30+ yrs. now. With the rotating bolt, it's extremely accurate rifle and and the 7mm-08 is a great round with lower recoil than the .308. She's killed a deer every year and never hit anything but heart with every shot. But then again, she's a damn good shot with rifle and pistol.

Joe Biden says that 4 round clip is approved.😆 He says a magazine is what you read.

Can't go wrong with a Browning, too many end up being safe queens.I have always been impressed with the quality of the furniture on their guns. You can always tell a Browning by just seeing the wood. Great video.

For better than 15 years, I've been running a Browning BLR in .270 WSM....love it!

I would have tried all the rounds again that did not fire to see if it was the ammo or the rifle.

I have often wondered who the first poor soul was that discovered a pointed bullet in a tube magazine don't work.And I wonder how many rounds they had in that magazine.

Hickok I have owned a couple of BLRs over the years I’ve never seen this issue with one before Would like to know what was happening

Have this rifle in 30 06 love it, super accurate , fits in a scabbard for horseback. And it's a good bear defence gun getting 5 rounds off fast.

Gotta love Browning quality. Would love to see a video on the Browning SA-22. Lots of history.

If it can't be made in North America, Japan is still a place id happily accept. Engineering, fit and finish are always superb.

I've always liked guns with a mag. 2 seconds to reload vs 2 seconds of feeding per bullet.

put a peep sight on mine, was super accurate. problem was could never see the sights during best hunting times. Finally broke down and put on a old leupold 2x7 compact with low rings. Still very handy. See so many guys with 14x and high rings.

Finally! I was waiting for you to review this beauty.

My brother-in-law has a nice 357 mag . Very nice rifle with an interesting caliber. Nice to have a round going from a hand gun to a rifle. Another nice match is the 22 mag . Peeps on that would be nice. Anything Browning is a step ahead of all the other levers would be my guess . 😎

I've owned one of these since mid 90s With proper handloading these will shoot as good as s bolt gun I've been fortunate enough to harvest quite a few of Maine's game with a BLR chamber in 308

That loading problem is enough for me to say no to this rifle.

Recently I’ve become intrigued by lever action rifles and I’ve been binge watching all the videos on them

One more positive is the chamber on my Browning bolt rifle Is hand cut not machine cut! I would think the BLR is the same. Also if the lever is not pulled tight to the stock the bolt is not in full lock up so it’s not in battery & will NOT fire. It’ the same on any AR,if the bolt/carrier is not totally closed it will not fire.

"I want to shoot before I get old" : A good statement.

Browning claibs thier stronger than the old steel recievers as the bolt locks into a steel barrel extention and uses six lugs or seven i forget but strenght is not a problem thier made in 300 win mag as well as 300 wsm very strong indeed

I remember watching this guy when I was younger! This man never gets boring.

If your use to 1.8 to 2lbs triggers this not the rifle for you. Due to the complexity of the trigger system many a gunsmiths won't work on them. Avg trigger was 5.8 to 6lbs it does shoot true easy sub moa at a 100yrds but that tigger it is a hunting rifle and beautiful one at that.

If there were ever a lever gun made that is impossible to short-shuck, it's this one. The shortest throw lever on any rifle.

I've always liked Browning since I've I had a little Browning 22 made in Belgium about 40 some odd years ago. And of course it's stamped FN. Their furniture on them or is just so exquisite I guess it's the words you would call it. You can correct me if I'm wrong but I am not an educated old man. I would love to have the BPR in a 308 chamber but you can't find nothing around where I live. But small town life I guess is good and most of the ways there's just some times you wished you had the access to things that you do in large towns. We have no lights down Main Street but we do have traffic lights down a state and US Highway I think there's about 8 but of course about 9 at night they shut them down. Anybody out there got a line on a 308 pump y'all can share that knowledge with me. and thanks to you mr. Hickok for another wonderful video.

I've got one in 30/06, it's about thirty years old, and I like it a bunch. Every deer I've ever shot fell to that gun.

I think he had misfires, because he didn't hold the lever fully closed/tight, enough, so the bolt carrier wasn't all the way forward/s, which is what U have to do, with that action.

Average centauran disagreement

operator error. because of those island sized paws. he work's the lever perfect but he re-positions his right hand over the lever when he is preparing to fire. also shooting the non pistol grip model play's into the mix. Love the rifle and watch him shoot.

I have a 243 browning BLR that I use for deer. And yes, as long as you work the action completely as in full open and full close, (mine has a short throw)and with purpose , it loads exactly as it should. I only use pointed soft point. Brand doesn’t seem to matter. Like you mentioned, it feels very solid. I love mine.

You were not closing the lever completely! The newer model has a detent to insure the rifle is in battery so it will not go off if dropped and lever is not locked, it is a form of a drop safety. It is something the new ones have my father’s does not have this my brothers does. It took me a while to get use to it . It requires one to squeeze the lever more when shooting!

I own the Henry Long Ranger, also a magazine Fed lever action and I have never had a feed issue. It’s a great gun MADE IN AMERICA

I own both steel and aluminum reciever blr both short action and there's not much of a weight difference. The steel reciever is a bit slimmer and lop shorter for an overall shorter gun.

I'd like to see the Winchester SXP 12 gauge if possible

Check out the rotating bolt and locking lugs. I Have a 284 with a varie-x 2 3x9 and a 308 with open sights. These rifles have been my two North American big game favorites. Great in the saddle, easy to use mountain rifle. The best part is the accuracy. The BLR is the only long Gun model I own in duplicate. I never knew there was a long action. A BLR in 270 win or 30-06 might be a little light for factory loads. I think the BLR would be a great chambered in 243 with good glass. Thanks for the video.

Is a lever action ever not gonna be cool? Answer: no

They are indeed beautiful and accurate rifles but I've walked away from several sub $800.00 BLRs with Savage 99s with rotary magazines in my hands instead. If Savage ever reintroduces the '99 or licenses production to a company willing and able to equal or surpass the quality of the original, rotary magazine '99 I'd be all over them.

A mag fed lever-action. Truly amazing what Mormons can make.

Anytime you're shooting and you're expecting to hear a bang but hear a click instead, if you then eject a cartridge out of the firearm, you should check the cartridge and make sure that the bullet is still in the cartridge. A cartridge loaded with too little powder or the wrong powder can cause the round to not make enough pressure and the bullet will be stuck in the bore. The expanding gases are trapped in the barrel by the bullet and the case which makes the event silent. You won't even hear the primer pop. The trapped gas quickly cools and the pressure drops to ambient quicker then you can open the action. If you're paying attention you might see smoke in the chamber when you eject the cartridge if the cartridge you fired was a squib load. If you aren't paying attention and load and fire another round you're going to most likely have a very bad day. Serious injury is likely as is a damaged or destroyed firearm. The more powerful the firearm the more sever the consequences. Squib loads from factory loaded ammunition is very very rare. If you're shooting handloaded ammunition you should assume that you have a bullet stuck in your barrel any time you hear a click when you're expecting to hear bang..