I took two days to do the accuracy testing, and I took whatever time it took to pull the trigger. Profit. Measuring the round at 2.705, its the shortest round I tested, and although within SAAMI spec, a little over 1/10 shorter than Barnes lists for that bullet. The Browning trigger has a tighter curve that may be favored by those with thin fingers, while the Henry's more open trigger curve may be favored by those with thick fingers. It may not seem fair to take off anything for what amounts to a sticky bolt, but theres perfect and there isnt. They have been outstanding leaders in this field for many years now. Sweet! Now that Hennry has made one I must have one . When you pull thetrigger, the rifle will fire. Thanks to that easy cycling action, thatweld is easy to maintain. rear, ramp front; Weaver type scope bases supplied, Catalog weight: 7.0 pounds (w/o magazine). My Henry will make a fine gun to haul on my quad or the back seat of my 44. The Long Ranger is elegant. The best-seller among hunters? Accuracy was excellent so long as the bore was clean. In my opinion, the short action BLR rifles feel noticeably better balanced than the long action models; since you want a .308, you're gtg. Calibers like the .300 Savage and .250-300 Savage brought new speed, and longer hunting ranges to the lever gun market, though the Savage 99 was produced in cool calibers from .22 High Power through .375 Winchester. Mag cannot be any larger or the lever wont cycle. Publisher, Kevin Steele is with Brett Marquardt from Streamlight Inc. discussing the new Streamlight Pro Tac 2.0, the latest edition in the Pro Tac series. Unlike traditional lever action rifles that rely on a quarter cock hammer notch safety, the BLR cannot be forced to fire by a strong blow on the hammer, even if it breaks internal parts. And a totally redesigned trigger. Youll like the trigger on the Henry Long Ranger. Even if struck by a sledge hammer blow, the hammer cannot hit the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled all the way back. That HPR round scored a group size of 1 3/4. 1 MOA from a lever gun isnt bad at all. I have an old Marlin 1895 in .38-55 presently, but it needs a LOT of work. There are several Long Ranger model variants, some with iron sights and others with sweet engraving and inlay like the Wildlife Editions. The second group stringed vertically more than 2 inches and the third group a little more. I believe that both the Lehigh Defense Company and Underwood Ammunition Company have been producing some of the most significant breakthroughs in ammunition design and loadings to date. Keep in mind that there are no flies on the .308 Winchester (or the old .300 Savage). Often regretted that decision. The BLR Lightweight with a pistol grip walnut stock, the subject of this comparison, comes with a 20" carbine length, chromoly, button rifled barrel in short action calibers. Looks like it is an inch to inch and a half type gun in the accuracy department. The Henry may be more "practical," but the Browning's finish is prettier and very durable. What i said was true. Plus, unlike the Browning BLR, this gun is entirely US made at about the same price. For more information: www.henryrifles.com. Im glad to see Henrys Long Ranger come out with these issues addressed. Henrys .22s are low quality fwiw. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Way to go Hennery . The BLR safety system requires the shooter to draw the hammer back to a "quarter cock" position. Six rotating lugs engage a barrel extension in the last inch of lever travel providing a level of lock-up equal to many bolt-actions. Usually all that remains is copper jacket material. Question of the Day: What Other Weapons Should A Gun Owner Own? I decided that the tacticool crap was not for me & have stayed away from it. [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze. Is it an Anschutz? (Keep your finger outside of the trigger guard as you operate the action of traditional lever action rifles and the Long Ranger.) Id use it more, but the top-eject 1886 action is iron sights only, so I have to be careful where I take it. For hunters seeking greater stopping power when hunting bigger game, stepping up to the similarly designed Marlin Model 1895 chambered in .45-70 Govt is ideal. For me, aquality scope in fixed four or six power will suffice in magnification for hunting, and likely be more durable than Illever need. The solid top receivers are drilled and tapped for convenient riflescope mounting. I sold it. It comes in many different variations and is chambered in numerous calibers from .22-250 Remington, .308 Winchester, .325 WSM and .450 Marlin. Ive taken points off Henry rifles in the past for good, but not great furniture. Its safe to say that any hunter whos had the pleasure of harvesting game with an old 99 would love to see that design return to production. That round was very difficult to eject, no others were. Don, if I understand your question correctly you are basically asking for information regarding any new or fast approaching improvements to the 5.56 x 45 mm also known as the 5.56 NATO cartridge. I use a brass rod, a muzzle guard (Kleen-Bore, Dewey or Bore-Tech) and Shooters Choice MC-7. Barrel Length: 20 Round Accuracy * * * * * Henry can keep up with demand eh? Years of development and pushing the limits of what is possible in a rifle optic have led up to this moment. Therefore, a comparison is in order and should prove interesting. Across the country, many of us hunt thicker cover, where long-range shooting isnt necessary. The receiver is made of alloy and has a caliber of 223 remington with a 5+1 capacity. Interesting is the huge growth in big-bore lever actions (a.k.a. The extra heft moderates recoil, but makes the rifle more tiring to carry in the field. So if a dangerous-game lever-action suits your fancy, you might be better off with a Marlin .45-70 with optical sights. I stand by the old rule of 1X per 100 yards for hunting rifles. All Rights Reserved, You Want a Practical Lever Gun? I have 2 pros and one con. If you truly have a rough action , contact Mr. Imperato at Henry and Im sure they will make it right. Side-eject Marlins have been able to accept scopes for generations, and the Savage 99 was the first factory rifle to be drilled and tapped clear back in the 1950s. Threaded barrel This rifle is an ultra-modern design built with state-of-the-art materials and methods. I do not know about the 338 Federal. I hunted both elk and moose with the .338 ME, with awesome accuracy and performance. now the bad side (besides the farting girlfriend, even worse when she Dutch ovens you) on my second shoot I had a terrible time with rounds not seating on the bolt or chambering properly, sometimes locking the lever or not firing when triggered. A winchester 70 featherweight has a street price of $900 This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Why would a lever action carbine need a tight chamber I have no idea, especially when the rack and pinion mechanism isn't the strongest thing. The LR with irons definitely has my interest, but Im hoping they eventually come out with a pistol grip (personal preference) so I can better compare the two myself, particularly with feel/trigger/smoothness of action. Is it smart to leave a weapon near a hot stove? Manufactured in the USA, the Henry Long Ranger in .243 is drilled and tapped for scope mounts, and comes with a steel-bodied flush-fit detachable magazine (4-rounds for the .243) I thoroughly expected to pay a reasonable price for the part, but they shipped me a new sight for free. No slight to the BLR, but I personally think the Long Ranger is a much more attractive rifle. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Or chamber for the .257 Roberts? In the case of the Browning BLR Lightweight and Henry Long Ranger carbines, my honest opinion is they are both very good rifles. Right now, the lever-action is once again hot. How do these two rifles stack up to each other? My more or less average size finger found both triggers comfortable to pull. The BLR uses a slightly different design than its earlier lever predecessors, with a rack-and-pinion driven system and a trigger that travels with the lever. The BLR is different from several other brand offerings in lever-action rifles. It looks good, but maybe not Henry-ish enough. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is at the Streamlight booth at SHOT Show 2023 to go over the Bear Trap light from Streamlight. Consequence knows about. And this one is pricey enough to ping the radar. So I have stopped getting semi autos because apparently they sneak of and commit crimes when Im not looking, I purchases a Marlin 45-70 dart 1895 and love it. Perhaps Sako should reintroduce the Finnwolf. Guess they saw me coming! Though the original Marlin brand sold in 2010, production continues under the Remington Outdoors Family of Brands. I hunt elk in the jungles of the northwest , and it be the ultimate bush gun . I looked it over very well and excellent craftsmanship never came to mind, not when comparing to the wood of other similar priced satin walnut firearms. The hot brass ejects to the right. For those of you who preferiron sights, Henry makes a version with sights included. I have a Browning BLR Lightweight in .308 and love that rifle. Tired of the tacticool crap. As for market, yes. Affordability meets reliability in the budget-friendly Marlin Model 336. The Long Ranger lever gun wasas reliable as any bolt action rifle Ive ever shot. It also has less creep (almost none) before release. BLR in 308 and Long Ranger in 243. For more information, please see our This gave hunters a flat-shooting cartridge with near .308 Winchester performance from a traditionally styled Marlin lever-action rifle. The gun shoulders naturally while the generous rubber recoil pad soaks up kick and has enough grip to keep the gun on your shoulder for fast follow-up shots on big, tough bucks. Many of them conducted by people and organizations who aren't hesitant to call crap crap. However, the BLR's bolt feels like it slides more smoothly once the hammer is cocked, perhaps because the BLR bolt is heavily fluted. Kevin Steele from Petersen's HUNTING speaks to Jordan Egli of Burris Optics about the all-new Veracity PH Riflescope. In modern, versatile cartridges, the BLR and Henry .308 are almost the only answer in new rifles and the used-gun rack provides more solutions. The standard BLR Lightweight comes with a pistol grip stock and a Schnable fore end, but there is also a BLR Lightweight '81 model with a straight hand stock and a fore end secured by a carbine band. Instead, a premium is placed on fast handling and easy carrying. There is an iron sight version available. The BLR uses a detachable box magazine. I havent taken it to the range yet but fit and finish are great and I really like the trigger. 3. Similar to the traditional Henry lever guns, the Long Ranger employs the proven in-hammer sliding transfer bar as a safety. Its depressed by the finger lever as it closes, making it all but impossible to fire the Long Ranger before its action is fully and safely closed. Great accuracy for a lever action ie for a gun Herr Mauser made obsolete a century ago A while back I picked up a Savage 99 in .300 Savage with factory aperture sights. and .300 WSM. Like most classic Browning offerings, the BLR is clearly a deluxe rifle. Browning/Miroku firearms have earned an enviable reputation for high quality, precision assembly and fine finish. The Long Ranger comes with a medium width, blued steel trigger with a smooth face. My total prone group was only 1.9 inches, not bad for 10 shots. Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. A spongy, heavy trigger was one of the most common complaints about the Model 88. Rifles are definitely in the you get what you pay for category. I only tell you this because it sounds like you have an AR and thus can shoot either cartridge no problem. I think they are modern classics. Remington's Nylon 66 semi-automatic .22 LR rifles have grown from 1950s bargain buys to 21st century collectors darlings. To some extent, I think its the fun factor that is renewing interest in the all-American lever action. But if the top of the gun was canted to the left by any noticeable degree, they were sometimes left loose in the action. Armed with new prescription shooting glasses, I can again use aperture sights comfortably to about 100 yards, open sights somewhat less. Of the two mentioned, I would go with the Henry. MSRP:$1014.95 (at Cabelas for ~$889). Thanks Michael, I especially am happy about their new single-shot line, and I hope we see more creative thinking like that from them. I cant say much about the smootheness of the action because Cabalas wouldnt unlock the lever and let me cycle it. Because their bolts lock at the head, case stretch in minimized in the BLR and Long Ranger. I have a .338 Marlin Express thats a 5 round subMOA gun. It was the only round where I hand to change my grip and really tug on the lever to get the round to eject. OK, I have never had the time or money to hunt or even own a rifle. The Long Ranger's trigger is definitely superior. Ten years ago I got a Model 70 308 and have since killed 10 Colorado Elk with it including one 6 PT bull. We contemplated an internal hammer and tang safety but struggled with concepts for making high performance while avoiding non-traditional looks, says Imperato regarding the Long Rangers aesthetics. I would like to see the Long Ranger offered in a pistol grip stock. Unfortunately they went buckhorn which are only adjustable in a dream. That light cleaning regimen stabilized accuracy and brought the average 100-yard group size down to 1.46 inches. One of the true do-it-all affordable rifles. Id like to see a little better finishing of the metal. With their front locking bolts, the BLR and Long Ranger are as intrinsically accurate as comparable autoloading, falling block and bolt action hunting rifles. Because of the transfer bar safety, the Long Ranger is safe to carry with the chamber loaded and the hammer down. anyone? How do you Sully the office? ), I know of only two current production lever action rifles intended for use with modern high intensity cartridges (.243 Win., .308 Win., etc.). Moving forward I have cleaned, lubricated, and hand worked this LR action a thousand times. Coupled with Hornadys LeveRevolution technology, these are, in my view, the best (and certainly most versatile) cartridges ever chambered in tubular-magazine rifles. The best part: its not a bolt gun or an AR. The key to this is a rotating head, multiple-lug, recessed face bolt that locks into the barrel breech when the bolt is cycled into battery. With a five-round detachable box magazine, the BLR made it safe and easy to chamber the rifles for pointed or tipped projectiles, opening the door to heavier magnum rounds, including some of the WSMs. Don. That 1 3/4 was the worst of the group, and frankly, good enough for most hunting. Again, I chose .308 Win. Not everybody can afford to pay over $1,000 for a rifle. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is with Dawn Wehunt of Rock River Arms INC. learning about the new Ascendant platform. I had my heart set on buying the Long Ranger in 6.5 CM and today I went to Cabelas to get one. Henry chose an unobtrusive matte metal finish and satin stock finish for the Long Ranger. It seemed a little soft, but had no creep or overtravel to speak of. I'm a big fan of Henry rifles and the company. Copyright 2000-2023 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. So PLEASE chamber the 338 !! I owned a Browning BLR in 308 Winchester. There is only an inconsequential $5.04 difference in their 2017 MSRPs. But that hasnt stopped manufacturers from trying to make them better at taking deer over longer distances. This makes them eminently suitable for reloaders. Need Help?service@guns.comCall (866)582-4867, PO Box 1131 13800 Nicollet Blvd Burnsville, MN 55337 2023Guns.com. The Underwood Ammunition Company purchases these bullets from them to load and sell on their own web sight. Gotta say you have it worse up there with gun control. Introducing the Veracity PH from Burris, the perfect combination of reliability, quality, and technology delivering a simple aiming solutiona tool for the hunter that just works. Thanks to Henry for a fine rifle. henry long ranger. They ask for it, so I oblige. as a gun dealer / FFL holder i know resale and what sells best ,if you want the best lever rifle ever made buy a used Savage 99. good luck with your choice,Pete53. Although there are a number of excellent lever action hunting rifles from several manufacturers that are chambered for traditional rimmed cartridges (.30-30, .25-35, .38-55, .444 Marlin, etc. Its nice that there are a few options out there for the half dozen or so of us who arent really interested in ARs and budget, plastic stocked bolt guns. One weighs 55 grains & the other weighs 62 grains. My .308 long ranger is a year and a half old. When Henry Repeating Arms revealedtheir box-fed lever-action Long Ranger series, I asked to test one in .308 Winchester. The result is a lever action rifle with the strength and operating pressure handling capability of a bolt action rifle. After five rounds, I measured the group, then continued the testing with other rounds. Lol! Guns and Guitars 241K subscribers Subscribe 51K Share 4.8M views 2 years ago Hey guys, if you like. I love lever guns! Kept the Henry. Looks good though. I know I read that at some point but it might be something they've sorted out by now. Shame! I have owned both of these chambered in .308 Win.My Henry was very accurate indeed but I still liked my BLR rifles better Hb. (See our series of suggested caliber offerings for the Long Ranger under the "Henry Long Ranger Rifle Information" heading on the Rifle Information index page.) They are essentially bolt action rifles operated by an lever. I plan to find a Henry Long Ranger and put my hands on it to see how I like the way it feels and handles. Going on a bear hunt with it in a few weeks in north central Saskatchewan Canada. Lever-action rifles have traditionally suffered ballistically from things such as the strength of their designs and cartridges for which theyre chambered. Kali Parmley of Gun Dog Magazine talks to George Thompson from Benelli USA about the new features from the Benelli line in 2023. The forends on these guns is so thin its like holding a red rider bb gun. Kali Parmley, Editor-in-chief of Bakccountry Hunter speaks with Bret Maffet of Franchi Firearms to discuss the all new Momentum All Terrain Elite. This fall, with a mission to take a buck with a .30-30, I put an Aimpoint on a Mossberg 464, which is also angle eject, drilled and tapped. Mechanically, the Long Ranger worked great, though ejection seemed a little weak. If you make a 308 detachable magazine rifle that doesnt fit an AR-10 magazine you are doing it wrong. You should investigate its design how it is made and how it functions to make sure you believe it will work for your situation. Bore scope showed a divet in the barrel, Henry replaced it. Bottom line Im still short 500 ft pds to a 30-30 and almost a 1000 on 308 Simply thumb back the coil spring-powered hammer when ready to shoot. Practical accuracy (the ease of shooting a rifle accurately) is more important in a hunting rifle than intrinsic (mechanical) accuracy. When I dress Western, nothing beats the classic good looks of my Smith & Wesson (S&W) 586 .357 revolver. Privacy Policy. (I love this brotherhood shit, its a lesser substitute then the military but still scratches the itch)) and while one guy helped the other went to his truck and brought in match quality reloads. Time didnt allow a thorough testing of several different loads to further diagnose the stringing so I simply pushed a patch wetted with Hoppes Elite Bore Cleaner followed by a dry patch between groups. Seen the 223 for even less. Henry's new Long Ranger may change your perception of lever-action guns. Hey Henry, how about a lever gun in .38-55 with a 26 barrel? BLR was a Japanese Steel version. the Long Ranger has a much slimmer profile. Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF. In Ca. This just hit the top of the Henrys-to-buy list. It comes with a beautifully grained walnut stock with a matte clearcoat. So like any rookie in target ranges (was military for 25+ years, but apparently we stopped using lever action over a hundred years ago,,,shame) I asked someone for help. they pay for shipping both ways which is really nice. I bought the long ranger. Cases always cleared the action if the gun was held perfectly upright. Cookie Notice Most notably, the Henrys trigger is mounted in the receiver, while the BLRs is attached to the finger lever and travels with it.