# BLR barrel



## seaweaver (Jul 27, 2008)

A pal is looking at a .308 blr in a pawn shop.
He said that a few of the "regulars" looked at the bore and said it looked "shot out"
My pal is a novice. I said he needed to run a patch down it and check the color. My bet is it is copper fouled.
The gun has been camo spray painted....
I have found diamonds in the rough like this...and found pigs..
they are asking $340. He said the action is very smooth and tight.
I figured if is shot out he could have the barrel replaced so I  looked at Brownells and Numrich and could not find any.
Any one know where or how much?
Thanks
cw


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## cmshoot (Jul 27, 2008)

I can't believe that someone would shoot a BLR enough to "shoot it out".  I've run 5,000 rounds and more of .308 out of Sniper rifles before I began to notice a degradation in accuracy.  Of course, I've seen some barrels start to fall off after 3,000 rounds.

I hunt with an early 80's Rem788 in .308, with the original barrel.  It puts 3 rounds into one tight clover leaf every year.

I bet a good cleaning would get it back in the black.


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## Twenty five ought six (Jul 27, 2008)

> My bet is it is copper fouled.



My bet is the regular doesn't know what he is talking about.

IMO it would be a practical impossibility to "shoot out" a .308 with normal commercial loads. You'd be talking in excess of 10,000 rounds, and there would be definite signs of wear on the rest of the rifle.


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## EMC-GUN (Jul 27, 2008)

BLR for $340? Jump on it! Then take some acetone to the rattlecan spraypaint job to clean it up.


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## cmshoot (Jul 27, 2008)

If you or your buddy aren't gonna buy it, PM me with the location.  I'll drive by and pick it up!


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## seaweaver (Jul 27, 2008)

That's what I was thinking! If he doesn't  have it by noon I might drive over and put some money down on it.
I'm a marlin guy and would love the new .308me but hate the notion of the limited brass and then the lower ballistics of the reloads due to no gummy tip.
The BLR could get me into a .308 and lever handiness...
I think I gave him enough warning he better jump on it....

cw


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## seaweaver (Jul 28, 2008)

Well I put $$ on it. It was spray painted I could see no significant damage to the wood or steel. The action was tight and the bore perfect.
Had I had cash for the whole thing I know I could have got it for $300.
Guess I be in the market for dies and an education in BLR.
cw


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## 11P&YBOWHUNTER (Jul 28, 2008)

That was cheap!!!  I said i wanted it if he did not take it...What a friend you are!!    Hope it shoots like a dream man!!  Good buy!!!


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## EMC-GUN (Jul 29, 2008)

Good job on a good rifle. And with the BLR you can load any type ammo you want as opposed to the tube fed leverguns.


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## seaweaver (Jul 29, 2008)

Chad you didn't see the number 2 stamped on my forehead?!!!
EMC that's what I'm looking forward to.
cw


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## seaweaver (Aug 15, 2008)

I got it!
Any idea where the SS# is?
I have to sneak this one around as it doesn't look like a Marlin...That said I have to get it into the shop to start the camo strip.. but I don't think it would fill the #
Any suggestions on preferred ammo is appreciated.
I was kinda thinking the 165g Hornady SPBT for when I start to reload.
It has a ?? scope that's fairly clear and a 32mm,3-9. It has a red ring on the front bell but any marking is hidden by the paint.
The camo might not have been that bad had they taken their time and taped thing properly...and not stuck a thumb into it.
Thanks
cw


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## EMC-GUN (Aug 15, 2008)

Red ring? Probably Simmons. Finally got it huh? Nice one. Straight grip, really nice! How do like the short throw on it? Fire up the reloading press and let 'er rip. Evan


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## contender* (Aug 15, 2008)

You won't find a better shooting 308 lever gun. I've had one for over twenty years now and have never failed to hit what I aim at. I use 180 gr SP's.


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## seaweaver (Aug 15, 2008)

Evan I'll have it dialed by the time you come back down for the pigs.
All my nasty chemicals are on a boat project...so I used a bit of break fluid to get the paint to lift off the ss#...I'm glad it matches the receipt!
According to a site I found it is an 1982 m81 short action.
The shop guy was nice and gave me a box of cheep Russian rounds. Nice gesture..but they are berdan primed.
Any suggestions on factory rounds to build a brass stash?
cw


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## EMC-GUN (Aug 16, 2008)

You have a PM Sir. If it is just rattle can spray paint, you can wipe it off with acetone or MEK. It may play havoc on your wood finish underneath though.


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## GAnaturalist (Aug 16, 2008)

I have a BLR in .308. When you find the serial number on the left side of the receiver, you can go to brownings website and check on the date of when it was made. It is most likely a steel receiver. The BLR lightweight that they now sell has an aluminium receiver. Browning will, most likely, never make the steel receiver again, so you have a good platform to start from. I prefer steel. 

If there is something wrong with the barrel in regards to accuracy, then it is most likely the muzzle crown that could be damaged. All it takes is one little nick on the crown to destroy accuracy, but that is an easy fix to recrown. 

I wish they had match barrels available. There is a private range near Macon that has lever action rifle matches, iron sight only, and you can get match iron sights for a BLR. 

My rifle shoots 1-1 1/2 MOA with good ammo. Anywhere from 130-150 Sierra Match Kings, with IMR 4064. Other factory ammo seems to work well too. 

New wood furniture is available, but very expensive. I would try to refinish the wood myself.


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## seaweaver (Aug 16, 2008)

Ga do you know how to get the stock off?

I have 80% of the paint off and while the paint sys used was good, the prep was not.....or...in my case good as they guy did not sand everywhere and thankfully used a light grit.
There was some pitting in the steel but nothing to warrant a paint job in my eyes.
I know I can get the stuff out of the metal and the bulk of the wood but it will be work.

cw


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## GAnaturalist (Aug 17, 2008)

seaweaver said:


> Ga do you know how to get the stock off?
> 
> I have 80% of the paint off and while the paint sys used was good, the prep was not.....or...in my case good as they guy did not sand everywhere and thankfully used a light grit.
> There was some pitting in the steel but nothing to warrant a paint job in my eyes.
> ...



I have not taken my stock off yet, I hope I never have too either. I will have to take a look at mine later, it could be that you have to remove the trigger assembly to get to the butt stock, and the fore end is removed by unscrewing the cap towards the end (you might have to remove the sling stud first). I have thought about putting a relief carving on the buttstock, but the wood grain looks too pretty to touch. 

It is hard to think about why someone would paint over, or let a BLR get pitting. I think someone has used that rifle for some serious hunting, and for good cause too. It is light weight, accurate, easy to handle, and fast. I am almost too careful with mine in the field. Sometimes I think I need a 700 to bang around with. 

Your BLR will turn out good, post some pics later !


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## seaweaver (Aug 19, 2008)

Ga I took it to the Range all nasty and half stripped!
After all my pretty Marlins some of the guys were taken aback.
I had a nice group at 40yard before the cheep Russian failed to eject.
I didn't think to ask for a cleaning rod so I packed it up.
I found a schematic a Brownells that show access to the stock screw under the butt pad. W/ the Fay rain coming I should have some down time to break it down and make it presentable.
cw


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## Wiskey_33 (Aug 19, 2008)

I wanna see it when you've got 'er cleaned up.

Nice find.


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## bighonkinjeep (Aug 19, 2008)

Just be careful if you wind up sanding any of the wood, As its very easy to mess up the fit between wood and metal when sanding.(I know it hasn't been mentioned, just a warning.) stainless steel pot scrubbers and oil work well to clean up stubborn messes on the metal finish.


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## seaweaver (Aug 19, 2008)

well I got some real stripper on everything. I stained the wood and did a hot soak in boiled lenseed oil. I dry the wood in g a box w/ a blow dryer to dry, then wrap in saran wrap and oil and then into the same box. This is kinda dangerous as the ignition temp of BLO is very,very low. The plastic keeps air from the oil so it seems to retard  ignition but one day I might be surprised.
I Gun Blued the metal about 8x and it blued all the bright metal ok and seemed to fill alot of the small scratches from the camo prep.
I'll pull the wood again in the week and add a can of poly to the surfaces.
The checkering is cut and skinny so I will have to keep applications thin and few in those areas.
It's never going to be a glamor gun again but I think it will keep me happy looking at it as much as killing w/ it.
I'm ready to get back to the range and get those groups tight 2"high at 100.
crummy pics from the kids camera.
Second stock is a Marlin I got from Milkman. Is kinda hard to see, but that's the finish I'll try to get.

cw


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## Wiskey_33 (Aug 19, 2008)

Gonna be real nice. You going to reblue it?


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## seaweaver (Aug 20, 2008)

I think when i pull the wood again I might try some left over Blue Magic. I got it to try on the Marlin I got from milkman but it was splotchy, very blue but hard to keep even. The wood (in the pic) turned out so good that I sent that back to Marlin and they did a smoking job. They sent New wood back on the gun...that's why the original wood is still sitting on the TV. That gun had pits too but not as bad, and now it looks new. I don't know if a factory job on the BLR could do that as the pits are much deeper. 
Perhaps a black satin dura/ceram coat in the future but for this season rugged functionality is fine.
It might not have been bad to leave the camo on but the poor tape job screamed at me, and since it does not look like my Marlins the wife would have spotted it as something new, and would have screamed at me.

cw


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## GAnaturalist (Aug 20, 2008)

seaweaver said:


> and since it does not look like my Marlins the wife would have spotted it as something new, and would have screamed at me.
> 
> cw



So in a way you have created a new camoflauge, "Leverflauge".


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## EMC-GUN (Aug 20, 2008)

Looking good CW! I say Duracoat and iron sights. Low gloss linseed finish on the wood and you're ready for the thicket! E


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## seaweaver (Aug 20, 2008)

That rear sight that is missing is $70+++!!!

cw


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## GAnaturalist (Aug 20, 2008)

Wow, Browning parts are expensive. The stock rear sight does have windage and elevation adjustments though. 

Do you want to use the scope with see thru mounts (that is what I have) ?, or just open sights. I asked that because Williams peep adjustable sights are available for about the same price, and are much better if you go the iron sight rought.


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## EMC-GUN (Aug 21, 2008)

$70!??!?!? Holy crap! Get a Williams reciever peep and fill the holes with filler screws and rock'n'roll with it!


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## seaweaver (Aug 21, 2008)

Now that's an idea!
cw


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## Patchpusher (Aug 21, 2008)

I've got two BLR rear sights. I will sell you one for $25.00 plus postage.


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## seaweaver (Aug 21, 2008)

Thank you!
Pm sent.
cw


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## SmokyMtnSmoke (Aug 21, 2008)

You lucky boy, what a deal you got. Good job with the "Leverflauge" 

Nice job bringing it back . Post your next range trip so we can all be more green w/ envy.


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## seaweaver (Aug 21, 2008)

Thanks Smoky.In law has it up at the club range and I'll get it back tomorrow. I gave him some win Power pt 150s. I feel pretty amped about it and cannot wait to drop the hog I missed Monday!


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