I have verified the operation of my BLR Model 81 down to -15C. However, this is kept for a reference. --zaitcev ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Tony" Newsgroups: rec.guns Subject: Re: Browning BLR lever action rifles - opinions? Date: 22 Nov 2001 09:26:48 -0500 Organization: MTS Internet Lines: 36 Approved: gun-control@cs.umd.edu Message-ID: References: <9t7u1s$p0j$1@xring.cs.umd.edu> I have a BLR, in .308. Great gun, but it will never come hunting with me again. First year I bought it, sighted it in, got to know how it shoots, and it was a thing of beauty. Took it out for early moose season here in Canada, and didn't manage to get a shot off. I was disappointed, but what the hell, there was deer, and late moose season coming up. Deer season comes along, first chance I get, I'm out there waiting to open up on with my new BLR. I have a bullet in my chamber, and out pops a small buck. I decide to take him, and for whatever reason I hit him farther back than I wanted. He takes off on the run, and I go to cycle a fresh round, and it ain't happening. The mechanism is locked solid, or should I say frozen. Temps here during deer season are in the minus 10-30 C. I was not impressed, and ended going home getting my 30-30, coming back and trailing this deer for hours before catching up to him and finishing him off. Took the gun home, once it thawed I was able to cycle rounds effortlessly. Took it to my local gunsmith, and he recomended stripping it, removing all grease and going with dry with no lube. So I did that. Took the gun out for late moose, and the same scenario unfolded. After some research, found that some earliermodels of the BLR had a particular component (gears, if I recall) that were made of a different metal, and their rate of expansion during cold, was considerably greater than that of their surroundings, causing them to bind. Now, this may or may not effect you, depnding on where you hunt. But this gun has sat in my gun cabinet for nine years, and it is beauty, but I can't afford to have that happen to me again. That said, this gun has been an excelent warm weather gun, deadly accurate, and pleasure to shoot. Just my 2 cents. Tony ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn about rec.guns at http://doubletap.cs.umd.edu/rec.guns Rec.guns readers and MPFO team up with two-rifle raffle for the cause. Order your tickets on Fulton Armory M1 Garand / Carbine package now by clicking on www.direct-action.org