Was in the local gander mountain the other day and happened upon one of these rifles in 30/30. Nice balance and looks great with the 24" barrel and all. Shoots the pointy soft ballistic tip bullets that Hornady is making for them. I looked at the price tag 637 dollars. I am going to email Marlin on Monday and tell them to put down the crack pipe. I guess they are banking on people never hearing about a certain Browning BLR that shoots those there pointy bullets and is actually lower priced at the store..

I looked at on at Sportsmans warehouse as well. Seems like they wanted 600.00 for it. I don't know if there is any difference besides th 24 in barrel or not. Good break through on the ammo though. IMO.

I've seen them for under $600. And frankly, I'd rather have one than the BLR personally.

THe BLR is in a completely league then the Marlins. From trigger to gun construction to resale value. IMHO

i copied this off their site heres what you are paying 600 bucks for......

"Using the time-honored Marlin lever action system as a start, all of the XLR’s have 24” stainless steel barrels, as well as stainless receivers and levers, broached rifling, fluted bolts, black/gray laminated stocks, and deluxe recoil pads."

broached rifling is a fancy way of saying cut rifling which in manufacturing terms is a little more costly then button rifled or hammer forged barrels.

I dont really see a reason other then the barrel being 4 inches longer, that would make it a SOOOOOO!!! much better of a rifle then your regular marlin lever gun. maybe the cut rifling will improve accuracy......doubtful unless they lap the barrel too, I dont know my marlin 30AW in 30-30 win with the micro groove barrel is already accurate enough IMO I can punch 1 inch groups all day long with 170 grain core lokts.

Im gonna try the new hornady bullets when they become available to handloaders. But I'm deffinately not sold on marlins XLR IMHO its just a sales pitch to sell a new gun.....

I have owned more Marlins then BLR's (3) and I completely agree with this there is simply no comparison at all. I will say that the only advantage the marlin has is in the fact you can clean them easily from the breech end(certain models that is) ..There is as big a difference between the Marlin and the BLR as there is between a Marlin and the newer 94's.



And if I had a ballard cut rifled Marlin that is exactly what I would do as well. To jack up a rifles pricethat much just to sell bullets that are not anywhere as effective as standard pointed bullets just makes no sense..

I am a browning fan and own 2 BLR's.
The first time I saw a stainless BLR I picked it up thinking I would buy it.
Stainless barrel, Aluminum receiver and blue magazine. Nothing matched. To me it looked like a bunch of left over parts put together like Colt did with the Delta Elite pistols in the late 1980's.
I am sticking to my older steel receiver BLR's

My last 2 blr's were made in Belgium and Japan. THe newest one is a lightweight built in 2004. I like them all..I have to say the first one built in the 70's was not as nice(poor impressed checkering)as #2 (1980)and #3(2004) . If I could find the stainless model in .358 I would pick it up in a minute.

Saw a XlR yesterday at Gander Mountain, looks great and feels great but upon closer examination both models they had in store had a problem with the dovetail piece holding the magazine tube and the rifle barrel together. The two barrels and the dovetail were moving side to side and up and down. Can't be good for accuracy and frankly could have been done less conspiculously. Don't understand the hype about pointed bullets either.The 30-30 was always a 200yd cartridge for deer and still is even with the newpointy bullet and all. I mean really, I shoot round nose bullets and pointed bullets in my 30-06 and guys, at the 100 yd range they hitin the exact same spot. That point don't do nothing or if it does its somewhere around 400-500 ydswhere its effects can start to be felt. Wish someone would do a real test using the same weights and different shapes in a long range shootout to settle this point once and for alland get to the truth about point, boattails etc for the average hunter at realistic ranges. Take care all and happy Easter(Orthodox Easter today).

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Ltd Edition BLR 81 STAINLESS
GA# 976657230
$849.00
JUST IN...NIB, Factory New & unfired Browning BLR LIGHTWEIGHT 81 STAINLESS Short-Action rifle in .358 Win. & 450 Marlin calibers. Special Edition & NON-cataloged. Gorgeous stainless steel receiver & 20" bbl. Rotating bolt combines to make BLR lwt, yet magnum tough. Quick handling straight grip laminated checkered stock. LOP = 13.75" to deluxe pa
Seller: HARRIS SPORTING /
FFL Dealer: Yes Area Code: 314