Lately, the lever gun has seen a resurgence in popularity. More and more shooters have come to appreciate the compact, quick handling nature of these little carbines. That said, most lever actions require you compromise on the aerodynamics of your bullet in order to stay safe in a tubular magazine. The Browning BLR overcomes this by using a detachable box magazine with a rotating bolt. This makes the BLR capable of full power modern cartridges using spitzer bullets, opening a new class of performance.
Specifications
The Browning BLR is a lever action rifle design that started production in 1971. What made it novel is it’s detachable box magazine, holding 4 rounds in standard cartridges and 3 in magnum chamberings. The BLR ejects out the side and comes drilled and tapped so installing a scope is straightforward. Unlike it’s contemporary the Winchester 88, the BLR retains a two piece stock reminiscent of the classic tube fed lever guns.
The BLR does not feature a manual safety. Instead, it has a unique half cock design where the hammer can be folded forward from the half cock position so that it cannot strike the firing pin. The rifle is about a quarter pound heavier than a Winchester 94, and with a 20 inch barrel it is a light compact package. Additionally, some models of BLR come with a takedown feature for easy transport.
Strengths
Primarily, the strengths of the BLR come from its handling characteristics. The rifle is compact with most of the weight between your hands. This makes it feel livelier than a comparable bolt gun.
Also, the fit and finish on the BLR is beautiful. The bluing is a polished blue, which is appreciated in an era where matte finishes and cerakote dominate. The wood is nothing exotic but is well finished and checkered. The rack and pinion system used in the action is much smoother than a Winchester style action.
Finally, the magazine works well and is relatively flush to the receiver. I also appreciated the smooth sided action; It is both more comfortable to carry and I find crossbolt safeties on lever guns to be hideous. The half-cock system for a safety is perfectly adequate and much sleeker.
Weaknesses
One drawback of the Browning BLR is despite what you may read online, they do not shoot as well as a comparable bolt gun. This is unsurprising as a lever system is more complicated than a bolt. Furthermore, the forearm screws directly into the barrel. This makes free floating the barrel impossible. Additionally, the trigger, which swings out with the lever when the action is cycled, is long and heavy with significant creep. With all this in mind, it is unsurprising that the Browning BLR was around a 2 MOA gun in our testing with factory ammo and handloads.
Another issue we had with the BLR is that it appears to have a very tight chamber at the rear of the casing. This was not an issue with factory ammo. However, with handloads the cases had to be completely full length sized every time in order for them to chamber. Any bulging at all at the base of the case would make the case fail to chamber, and the lever action lacks the camming power of a bolt action to overcome adverse conditions.
One other minor drawback is the stock geometry. For whatever reason, some stock designs have more felt recoil than others. The test rifle was chambered in a 243 Winchester, so recoil was mild. Despite this, the factory stock felt snappy for a 243 Winchester. While not a concern with the smaller chamberings, felt recoil will be stout in a 300 WM or a 358 Win.
Comparable Alternatives
Unfortunately, there are few current production alternatives to the Browning BLR. The Henry Long Ranger is the most similar. The Long Ranger has minor ergonomic differences but borrows heavily from the BLR design. Winchester still occasionally does runs of its Model 1895, another magazine fed lever action. Notably, the Model 1895 is much more difficult to mount a scope on. Historically, the Browning BLR also competed against the Winchester Model 88 and the Savage 99. In 2025, both are long out of production.
Closing Thoughts
I struggled to put my opinion of the Browning BLR into words. I am conflicted, because logically I shouldn’t like it. The accuracy is mediocre, the trigger is bad, and it is not as reliable as a turn-bolt. However, the handling characteristics, sleek lines, and buttery action make this a really enjoyable firearm to hunt with. As such, for hunting whitetails where handling and speed are more important than benchrest accuracy, the Browning BLR still holds a place in my safe.