Browning BLR

T

troutmaster

Inactive
I am new here, so hello, and thanks in advance for any help....

I recently acquired a Browning BLR and I am trying to figure out the basic history of it, specifically the manufacture date. My search of serial numbers doesn't match any format I have seen.

It is an older BLR, straight stock, in .308. It has no manual safety or hammer safety (hammer is solid). It is stamped "made in Japan" but has a black trigger, not a gold one. The magazine is not flush, but rather hangs down a half inch or so. SN is 04407 K47 It shows Patent number 3377731

Personally, my theory is it was built shortly after the manufacturing was moved from Belgium to Japan.

I am not much into lever guns, This gun was a impulse buy from an old timer selling off a few guns he had tucked away because his kids didn't have any interest in them. It now has my curiosity peek.
 
1974 - Nipponese number stamper cross-eyed, often reversed numerals in the early 70's.

"K" = (Model) BLR

"47" = 1974 (should have been stamped "74""

So, SN 04407K47 should have been SN 04407K74, but wasn't.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda...........................

.
 
Thanks for the explanation......The way I was reading it I knew the "47" should be the year code but I knew it was late 70's build. Didn't occur to me it might be transposed. I assumed machine stamping.
 
question for one who owns a BLR

do the screw holes on the receiver where it is tapped for a scope go all the way through into the chamber? That is, is you look into the top of the chamber can you see where it was tapped for a scope or rings? There aren't any around here for me to even look at. Thanks.
 
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