I'm really thinking of getting a
Browning BLR in 358 Win. I have a pre-'64 Winchester model 88 in 308 Win. and I absolutely love it. I wouldn't mind a model 88 in 358 Win. but I'm not going to pay the price their getting for a used rifle when I can buy a new rifle for 1/2 or even 1/3 the price. I was at Gander Mountain this past weekend and was looking at a BLR in 358 Win. that had the "strait grip" stock. It felt pretty go but I would much rather have the "pistol grip" stock which they didn't have. Both the strait grip and pistol grip stock rifles have the same length of pull, drop at comb and drop at heel so I'm pretty sure the pistol grip will feel even better!
I've always been a "buy American kind of guy" and I still am (these are manufactured in Japan), but nobody else makes anything like this anymore. A lever action rifle with a box feed magazine so you can use pointed bullet! From what I've heard these BLR's are extremely accurate rifles. My model 88 will shoot right around an inch at 100 yards so I know "
some" lever action rifles are capable of bolt action accuracy.
The BLR in 358 Win. weighs 6 1/2 lbs. This rifle with a Leupold VX-II 2-7x28mm Ultralight Scope will weight about the same as my Marlin 336CS in 35 Rem. without a scope, thats another reason I like this rifle so much!
I'll be using this rifle for deer, black bear and maybe wild boar hunting. I want to start reloading pretty soon so ammo cost and availability won't be and issue. I was going to get a 350 Rem. Mag. or a 35 Whelen, but I think they'll be more gun then I need!
What do you guys/gals think???