blr--old vs new

[hipshot300]

Could someone please tell me the weight difference between the old steel blr and the new light weight ones. (.308)
I have been able to handle the new ones but have not been able to get ahold of an older one.
The light weight straight stock current production feels good but the receiver seems a bit bulky or thick. Are the older models more trim in the receiver?

[Country Boy]

 I don't know about weight but I have both and the old steel sided blr81 is much quicker to operate and put in action. My .358 and .308 has never failed me. I sold the new models with the aluminum recievers.

[ryback770]

Country Boy re: "the old steel sided blr81 is much quicker to operate and put in action". For those of us who have never shot one, could you explain why the steel one is quicker & easier to put into action.....

Is it because it "stays put" once you've mounted & fired it? (due to it's extra weight)? OR because it has better balance due to the receiver being made from steel?

Your input is greatly appreciated.

[Country Boy]

I believe it is due to the bolt body shape. I've had both kinds . It seems the steel reciever housing is polished much better and or over time the pieces of the bolt and reciever smooth them selves out. In the new ones the bolt has been reshaped and riding in an aluminum reciever(it seems to hang or catch a little) while the bolt locks into groves in the bbl. The old steel models lock into groves in the reciever, this makes it much easier to rebarrel if one wants too..   As to weight, it doesn't make a dime's worth of difference. I can shoot my blr .358 and .308 much quicker than the aluminum recievered models. (we timed it)  But quickness is academic as one shot usually does the trick however for a whitetail or bear moving I can get off 3-4 aimed shots much quicker than with a bolt !

[pagris]

The older steel receiver BLRs (pre-'81), with the protruding magazine, have a concave shaped receiver - the receiver is thinner in the middle than it is at the ends where it meets the stock.  This thinner receiver makes it easier to carry when one is holding the rifle with one hand around the receiver, IMO.  From 1981 on, the receivers were made straight-sided - the extra width permitted the redesign of the magazines to a wider width, which subsequently shortened them to the point where they are more or less flush with the bottom of the receiver. 

The newer, aluminum receivers introduce in 1995 maintained the straight-sided receiver.  The 1995 models also introduced the folding hammer as a safety feature, which, unfortunately, prohibits the use of a hammmer extension that I find very useful on my older BLRs.


1977 .358 BLR
1980 .358 BLR - original owner
1987 .243 '81 BLR
1991 7mm-08 '81 BLR

[volshooter]

I have not owned many Brownies but a few years ago a NIB BLR in .308 with papers came my way. The date is 72 on the bottom. I thought about to or not to clean the grease out of it and shoot it or just hang on to it. A few weeks ago I toped this outstanding rifle with a Nikon 3x9, loaded some Hornady 165gr SST's over 49gr of H-380. At a yardage of 100 of my paces I begain with some .308 surplus to sight in. After all said and done this lovely BLR will put 5 rounds inside a golfball sized target at that distance. I did noticed that it took a box or two before one hole groups were the norm. My only gripe is the trigger pull, I am used to a smithed adjusted very light pull. This I will get over.

Rick

[pastorp]

Volshooter, IMO you have one of the finest guns Browning ever produced. The belgium made blr are my favorite and I have 4 of them. Hope you enjoy yours, Byron