New gun........or two

[srb08]

Last Friday night I saw an ad for a reasonably priced Browning BL22 on our local Armslist. I was going to be gone all day Saturday and didn't think the gun would last long, so I didn't contact the seller. When I got home on Saturday, the add was still there, so I sent the guy an email. Didn't hear back Saturday, or this morning, so I grabbed my saws and headed for the woods, figuring the gun had been sold.
Around 1pm my wife showed up and said, some guy with a gun for sale has called the house twice and wants you to call him. I made arrangements and went to meet the guy at a spot half way between us. I bought the BL22 and while we were talking, he said he preferred the Marlin .22 lever guns. I told him I'd been looking for a nice older 39M for a number of years but had yet to find one reasonably priced. He said he had a 39M and a 39A but only needed one and would be willing to sell the other.
I followed him to his house where he pulled out a really nice old 39M. A deal was struck and I headed home with the BL22 and the 39M.
It was a good day!

Marlin 39M on the left, Browning BL22 on the right.

 

[birdmeter]

that is a good day.

 

[CR888]

I had a BL .22 Browning and a bigger brother BPR .270 pump. The little lever .22 was made in Japan while the BPR was Portugal. I actually went to the gun shop to buy a BLR 22/250 but changed my mind at the counter and bought the pump instead. Beautiful gun, both the lever & pump have unique quick loading actions. The .22 has a magazine near as long as the barrel, I could fit from memory about 18 subs (mini .22 rounds) or 15 regular hollow points. The subs were so quiet you could shoot them in your backyard!

 

[amberg]

Last Friday night I saw an ad for a reasonably priced Browning BL22 on our local Armslist. I was going to be gone all day Saturday and didn't think the gun would last long, so I didn't contact the seller. When I got home on Saturday, the add was still there, so I sent the guy an email. Didn't hear back Saturday, or this morning, so I grabbed my saws and headed for the woods, figuring the gun had been sold.
Around 1pm my wife showed up and said, some guy with a gun for sale has called the house twice and wants you to call him. I made arrangements and went to meet the guy at a spot half way between us. I bought the BL22 and while we were talking, he said he preferred the Marlin .22 lever guns. I told him I'd been looking for a nice older 39M for a number of years but had yet to find one reasonably priced. He said he had a 39M and a 39A but only needed one and would be willing to sell the other.
I followed him to his house where he pulled out a really nice old 39M. A deal was struck and I headed home with the BL22 and the 39M.
It was a good day!

Marlin 39M on the left, Browning BL22 on the right.

View attachment 146574

Sweet deal there Steve! You plan on leaving them with open sights?

 

[FergusonTO35]

Wow, that 39M is worth some serious coin. I was going to get a BL-22 but ended up with a Henry H001T instead. Probably will get a BL-22 at some point though.

Browning BPR? Never knew they made such a thing! Nice looking gun though.

 

[srb08]

Sweet deal there Steve! You plan on leaving them with open sights?

Yes.
The first thing I did when I got home was pull the scope and mounts off of the Marlin and plug the mounting holes with plug screws. I prefer the lines of the gun without optics. At some point I might mount an aperture sight.
I have other scoped .22 rifles, so optics on these aren't a necessity.

 

[srb08]

I was going to get a BL-22 but ended up with a Henry H001T instead. Probably will get a BL-22 at some point though.

I did the same. I'd been looking for a used Browning but bought a Henry H001 as a less expensive substitute. After changing the front sight, it's quite serviceable.
The Henry has a better trigger pull than the Marlin or Browning and is almost the equal of my Winchester 9422.
If the Henry had a steel receiver and barrel band, it would be a great gun.

 

[CR888]

Wow, that 39M is worth some serious coin. I was going to get a BL-22 but ended up with a Henry H001T instead. Probably will get a BL-22 at some point though.

Browning BPR? Never knew they made such a thing! Nice looking gun though.

Yeah, the BL-R are the centre fire lever actions & the BP-R are the pumps. Come in 5 or so round sizes. Really cool pump action, you just move it a few inches to reload, nice wooden knurling, gold plated trigger and just down right badass...well not compared to what you guys can buy.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I did the same. I'd been looking for a used Browning but bought a Henry H001 as a less expensive substitute. After changing the front sight, it's quite serviceable.
The Henry has a better trigger pull than the Marlin or Browning and is almost the equal of my Winchester 9422.
If the Henry had a steel receiver and barrel band, it would be a great gun.

The octagonal barrel of my H001T sold me on it. The only similar .22 lever action I can think of was the Marlin 1897 Cowboy which will set you back over a grand if you can find one. I don't mind the zamak/aluminum receiver, as my Henry is a working rifle and never going to be a collectible. If it was an 1897 I would feel bad taking it out of the safe!

Yeah, the BL-R are the centre fire lever actions & the BP-R are the pumps. Come in 5 or so round sizes. Really cool pump action, you just move it a few inches to reload, nice wooden knurling, gold plated trigger and just down right badass...well not compared to what you guys can buy.

I have a BLR in .308, it is a very nice gun. A target gun it is not though, with it's skinny carbine style barrel.