I found the original booklet that came with the BLR. The Browning part number listed in the diagram is 4230. It is the Mainspring Tube. I went to Gander Mountain to bring in a copy of the original booklet and talk with the gunsmith and looked at the diagram and part number they have. It looked the same but had a different number as it was a catalog of rifle parts. So far they have recieved the wrong mainspring tube 6 times in 9 months.

Browning told the gunsmith that based on the serial number the gun is a BLR 81 made in 1982. That may or may not be correct. I have the older BLR with a different style magazine than the ones that came out a year later. There are two other Mainspring Tubes for other BLR models out there.

The tubes I need is simply a basic hardened pipe with a male and female threaded end. There is one small hole in the tube.

He is going to call a couple more places tomorrow and the next step is just getting the part made. Looks like it wouldn't be very hard to make.

I told him if possible for the parts place to take a picture and e-mail it or send it wireless as a picture message just to make sure they even have the right part.

I brought the gun to the gunsmith in November of last year..................................