The Browning BLR solves the problem every other lever gun has: it feeds from a detachable box magazine, which means it runs pointed spitzer bullets safely and chambers modern bottleneck cartridges a tube magazine can't. This is the Lightweight Stainless with Curved Grip in .308 Winchester — a 20" matte stainless barrel on a matte nickel aluminum-alloy receiver, with a gloss Grade I black walnut curved-grip stock and Schnabel forearm. At 6 lbs 8 oz and 40" overall, it is one of the most carryable centerfire rifles Browning builds. Item number 034018118, UPC 023614066620.

Rack-and-Pinion Lever Action

The BLR uses a rack-and-pinion lever action driving a rotating bolt head — a genuinely different mechanism from a traditional toggle-link lever gun, and the reason the action is strong enough for high-pressure cartridges like the .308. The lever and trigger are integrated, so the trigger travels with the lever and your finger never gets pinched during the cycling stroke. The folding hammer has four positions: full-cock, half-cock, folded, and dropped.

Stainless Where It Counts

The 20" barrel is stainless with a matte finish and a polished chamber, paired with a non-reflective matte nickel receiver. That combination is aimed at hunters who work in wet weather, coastal climates, or snow, and who would rather not baby a blued rifle. Sling swivel studs are finished to match.

Why 20 Inches in .308

A 20" .308 gives up very little velocity and gains a great deal in handling. At 40" overall with a 13-3/4" length of pull, this rifle comes out of a truck, a treestand, or a saddle scabbard faster than a bolt gun with a 22" or 24" tube — and the 1:12 twist stabilizes the standard 150- to 168-grain hunting bullets most .308 shooters use.

Fit and Furniture

• Grade I black walnut stock with a gloss finish and cut 18-LPI checkering.
• Curved grip — the pistol-grip profile, favored for scoped shooting over the straight-grip variants.
• Schnabel forearm — the flared tip that gives the BLR its distinctive profile and a positive index for the support hand.
• Adjustable sights plus a drilled-and-tapped receiver for scope mounting.
• Gold-plated alloy trigger and a steel trigger guard with the Buck Mark in gold.
• Polymer recoil pad.

Browning BLR Lightweight Stainless 034018118 Specifications

Who This Rifle Is For

Whitetail and black bear hunters in timber, anyone who hunts from a stand or a blind where a short rifle is a real advantage, and lever-action shooters who want to shoot a modern cartridge with modern bullets. It's also a natural fit for hunters in wet or coastal country who want stainless without giving up walnut.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a takedown model?

No. This item is the non-takedown BLR Lightweight Stainless with Curved Grip. Browning's takedown version is the BLR Lightweight '81 Stainless Takedown, a different item number with a gray laminate straight-grip stock and fiber-optic sights.

Why does a lever gun need a detachable magazine?

Tube magazines stack cartridges nose-to-primer, which rules out pointed bullets in centerfire calibers. The BLR's box magazine lets you shoot spitzers safely — and that's what makes a .308 lever action practical at range.

Curved grip or straight grip?

Curved (pistol) grip, as on this item, gives a better hand position for scoped shooting. Straight grip is the traditional lever profile and faster for open-sight work.

Can I scope it?

Yes — the receiver is drilled and tapped, and the BLR ejects to the side, so a conventional scope mounts without clearance problems.