The BL 22 effectively meets all of the requirements for an easily shootable design with low recoil and affordable ammo, which is the simple joy of the enormous variety of weapon types and actions afforded by 22 LR rifles.
Anything similar to this also makes a wonderful club gun for beginners or a nice first rifle for younger shooters.
Browning BL-22 does have certain drawbacks, including jamming, misfiring, trigger issues, failure to eject, etc.
I’ll discuss some typical problems with BL-22 rifles in this post along with fixes for them.
Features & Specifications of Browning BL-22:
| Caliber | 22 S L LR |
| Weight | 5 lbs |
| Length | 36.75 inches |
| Capacity | 15 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Tubular |
| Barrel length | 20 inches |
Common Browning BL-22 Problems and Solutions
| Problems | Solutions |
| Trigger needs adjustment | Lubricate the internal components to reduce friction |
| Misfiring | Send it back for repair |
| Failure eject | Keep it clean |
| Jamming | Replace or install a new carrier |
| Not chambering rounds | Replace extractor & carrier spring |
1. Trigger Needs Adjustment:
Because the trigger travels with the lever and is in fact physically detached from the sear mechanism during the cycling of the lever, the BL-22 has a special linkage between the trigger and the sear.
For this special feature to function properly, precise fitting is necessary. This trigger design did not adapt well to Browning’s decision to make the BL-22’s trigger pull heavier. The end outcome is a strong, unpleasant trigger.
The Fix:
Disassembling the trigger and hammer or striker assemblies, completely cleaning the components. And identifying the friction surfaces that contribute to the movement of the trigger to fire the pistol are efficient and inexpensive way to reduce trigger-pull weight.
Once found, a top-notch lubricant may be used to lower the amount of force needed to pull the trigger in order to fire the gun.
In cases where there is any uncertainty, the task should be given to a certified armorer or gunsmith who is experienced with the particular model of firearm that requires a trigger job.
2. Misfiring:
It might be anything that, on rare occasions, prevents the bolt from closing, preventing the firing pin from ever making contact with the cartridge’s rear.
One can suspect that there is an issue with the extractor not moving forward completely enough to hook the cart. preventing the bolt from fully closing as a result.
The Fix:
It wouldn’t take much crud accumulation (or another mechanical issue) to prevent the lever from moving far enough to properly cycle the bolt because the BL22 sometimes has a fairly short throw on the lever.
Another possibility is that dirt accumulation in the vicinity of the sear enables the hammer to bypass the full cock notch and return to the half-cocked notch.
You must send it back for repair if that does not fix the issue.
3. Failure to Eject:
After enough rounds are fired through a BL-22, this muck begins to accumulate in the extractor side recess, around the top of the action, around the barrel face, and inside the grooves for the shell rims on the bolt face.
A portion of the muck eventually becomes trapped between the extractor and the recess in the bolt, keeping the extractor just far enough out of the way to allow it to fall off the rim during the ejection cycle.
The Fix:
They need to be somewhat clean, just like any other firearm. Avoiding ammunition in it that has an excessive amount of wax lubricant on the shell from front to back is one of the greatest methods to do this.
Unburned powder, dirt, burned powder residue, and other items are all collected in the extra wax. Save your promotional ammunition for your simpler-to-clean bolt weapons.
Dig the debris out of the crevices with a dental pick made of spring steel. With a Q-tip moistened in a solvent, remove the muck from these deposits.
4. Jamming:
Levers can jam, especially if they are not used properly. That means cycling the bolt too slowly or not all the way.
There are several factors that might lead to issues. There are several other explanations, including short stroking the lever, a broken lifter, ammunition that doesn’t fit the specifications, and more.
The Fix:
Remove the ejector, bolt, and lever. Take off the screw that is holding the carrier in place. Shake the gun by turning it upside down. The bolt run will include the carrier. Turn the carrier 90 degrees on its longitudinal axis using needle tip pliers and lift it. It just takes 2 minutes.
Then, either repair the carrier or replace it, reinstall it, and double-check your work.
5. Not Chambering Rounds:
There have been claims that it would not chamber a round but would remain in the bolt approximately the diameter of a cartridge that was not going into the chamber.
Most of the time, this problem is caused by a worn-out extractor and carrier spring that can no longer handle the weight.
The Fix:
Browning’s new extractor and carrier spring will fix the problem to a large extent. If you don’t know how to replace them, seek advice from an expert.
User Feedback on Browning BL-22
There appear to be several perspectives on BL-22. For upland game hunting as well as sports clays, skeet, and trap shooting, it is an excellent firearm.
According to a user on Rokslide, the trigger pull does not fit the situation. In his opinion, fine-tuning the trigger is a difficult task because not all gunsmiths are capable of doing so. There are some worries about this gun’s other issues as well.
There are also users who will really love the fit and quality. Additionally, this shotgun outperforms every other lever 22 in every manner. Here is an illustration of one of these users on RimfireCentral.
There seems to be a range of opinions on BL-22. While some believe it is trouble-free and seamless, others assert that problems just can’t be avoided.
Top 3 Alternative Guns of Browning BL-22
Winchester 1894
The jacketed bullet, high-velocity rifle cartridges, and smokeless powder age were all introduced to America by this firearm.
Henry American Eagle
The Henry was made between 1860 and 1866. This.44 Rimfire caliber weapon revolutionized warfare, and B. Tyler Henry’s rifle laid the foundation for all subsequent lever actions.
Marlin 39A
The Marlin 39, which debuted in 1922, and its several offspring established the benchmark for excellence in a lever-action rimfire rifle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does Browning still make the BL-22?
The BL-22 was first made available in 1969, and it is being manufactured today.
Is the Browning BLR a good rifle?
A bolt action rifle can shoot more accurately, and a semi-auto rifle can shoot more quickly, but the BLR provides a fantastic blend of both.
Are 22 lever actions good?
This well-balanced rifle may be used to hunt small animals all day long.
What does BLR stand for Browning?
Its name refers to the Browning Lever Rifle.
What is the most accurate lever-action rifle?
The most accurate is the Winchester. Lever-action on the market is 30-30.
Conclusion
It is a lot of fun to fire and test each different load. Both muzzle report and recoil were unimportant. A decent middle ground might be the Quiet load.
If it meets your requirements and you feel comfortable using it, this BLR firearm could be exactly what you’ve been looking for. You will be less likely to have these typical problems if you go through the issues and solutions discussed in the article above.
