takedown BLR...good idea or bad?

[jwm]

Greetings all! I'm thinking of celebrating the non-end of the world by getting a gun, and I'm eying the takedown BLR. Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about these things? Im wondering specifically if the long-action BLR's are significantly slower and/or less comfortable to cycle than the standard-length ones...they must have a much longer lever throw ? Also, any comments on pistol-grip vs. straight stocks? I see that the pistol grips, although ugly to my eye, don't use a barrel band, and one of the old steel-receiver BLR's I owned in the past, and foolishly sold, showed a significant improvement in accuracy with the barrel band removed. For that matter, what kind of accuracy are owners getting out of these guns in general?

Any suggestions, opinions or ideas are welcome...thanks in advance.

[M. M. Wright]

OK, I have bought, scoped, sighted in and mostly gifted 12 BLRs. Mostly straight stocked, short steel actions but a couple of long actions with pistol grips. Long actions in 30-06, short ones in .308 or .243. No take-downs. All shot very tight groups without the need to develop special loads for individual rifles. My old Belgian made .308 is very well worn, little finish left and the barrel is getting pretty smooth and it still shoots little bitty groups. 1.5" or less and that is with a 2.5X scope. Well, it used to do that good, before this old shooter got to where he can't see that well any more. Grandsons are all happy with them and I think they make the ideal hunting tool. Handy as a 94, accurate as a bolt gun and good out to 300 yards. Yeah, they don't carry as nice as the 94 because of the shad belly clip on the Belgians but at my age mine tends to spend most of it's time on the sling so I can hold my staff/monopod.

The only one with any kind of problem is a very early Belgian that has a badly cut chamber that causes the case to stick for a few seconds before it will extract. I doubt you'll ever run into this problem especially in the Japanese mfg. guns.

With the 20" barreled, short actions, I don't see the need for a take-down. If it's a feature you like and they make it in the short action, go for it. I found the long actions sorta cumbersome after spending so many years with the short ones.

A couple of hunting buddies and my middle son have fallen for the BLR too and purchased their own. Son had a bad motorcycle wreck several years ago and has switched from 7mm Mag to .243 because he can't stand the recoil any more. Deer still just as dead.

[Ji in Hawaii]

I want one in 416 Ruger like Coloradoyaler's

[Tycer]

I have a straight stocked, takedown 358 Win that shoots 1.5" groups and does not change POI with the scope on the receiver. I've had five 358 BLRs and this one is as accurate as the others. I've never shot a long action nor a pistol grip.

[blackhawk44]

Having worked with several BLR's over the years, I'm with Brother Wright. With the short action 20" barrel, I can't see a need for a take-down and the long actions have the balance and grace of a grubbing hoe. Accuracy has been fine to great for me.