The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
CowboyTutt
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3712
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:27 pm
Location: Mission Viejo, CA

The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by CowboyTutt »

Well, I first came into contact with this rifle in 2008 according to my articles on GunBlast. I was sponsored that year by the lovely Esmeralda O'Sheehan, gun grip maker par excellence. We became friends as customer to professional dealer often happens. She made me a great set of hand-cut, custom grips with stabilized burled buckeye blanks from Carey at CLC grips for my 1911 Kimber Custom Eclipse in 10 mm. She is still in business and you can read about her and Jeff' Quinn's first meeting here:

https://gunblast.com/Esmeralda.htm

After I got home and after seeing the beautiful "SHOT SHOW" special BLR in 358 Winchester, which was a predecessor to the stainless take-down versions that for a time, and after my limited production run of my rifle, would come later. They are now discontinued.

Once I had possession of said rifle, I immediately sent it off to McPherson for the same work, more or less, that he did on my Puma. Special thanks to Jeff Quinn here as it was he that put me onto what a great cartridge the 358 Win is if you handload. Some of the best advice Jeff Quinn ever gave me. So off it went to McPherson for the upgrades I could afford. As you will see in the PDF file below, BLR's are notorious for poor triggers. Mine breaks at 2 1/2 lbs give or take and historically it has always been an agonizing decision for me, for which trigger is the better, my McPherson Puma, or his BLR? You can see what he did to it in the file below. This is the only BLR he ever did with NP3 plating on the internals and all the stock and forearm bedding techniques.

Regards,

-Tutt
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)

"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel
User avatar
CowboyTutt
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3712
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:27 pm
Location: Mission Viejo, CA

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by CowboyTutt »

Sad to see Browning discontinue the "take down" versions of this rifle, based upon my "Shot Show Special" version that came out earlier. The triggers are a monumental problem in the BLR. Not sure who can do them now. Once upon a time "Z-Hat" maybe, not sure now. Not hearing good things.

Regards, -Tutt
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)

"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel
User avatar
2ndovc
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 9302
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:59 am
Location: OH, South Shore of Lake Erie

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by 2ndovc »

Always thought the takedown BLRs were pretty neat package, but like you said the triggers were awful. I had a very nice Belgian BLR in .308 Win. that was very accurate, even that trigger was horrendous.

jb 8)
jasonB " Another Dirty Yankee"


" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
User avatar
2ndovc
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 9302
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:59 am
Location: OH, South Shore of Lake Erie

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by 2ndovc »

Didn't say it did not shoot well. All I said was the trigger sucked.
jasonB " Another Dirty Yankee"


" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
User avatar
CowboyTutt
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3712
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:27 pm
Location: Mission Viejo, CA

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by CowboyTutt »

OS, with all due respect, a better trigger always helps. Maybe not in groups, but ease of shooting them, repeatedly, yes. -Tutt
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)

"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel
User avatar
CowboyTutt
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3712
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:27 pm
Location: Mission Viejo, CA

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by CowboyTutt »

That is awesome accuracy for sure. With a scope I take it? -A-
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)

"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel
User avatar
CowboyTutt
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3712
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:27 pm
Location: Mission Viejo, CA

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by CowboyTutt »

Old Savage wrote: Tue May 24, 2022 7:01 pm Yes 4x. First group I shot with it with iron sights was 1”.
I can believe that. We had no difficulty shooting a Coke can at 100 yards with iron sights with my rifle. A golf ball would probably need a scope as I figured! I'll be down your way end of July I think, permanently. Look forward to more beer and pizza with you, maybe some plinking. You could shoot my 45 caliber air gun just fine with no health issues, it has almost no recoil. Have it sighted in to 100 yards, might be able to squeeze out a bit more than that with it's front DW Battle Sight (now defunct) and 2 apertures.
Old Savage wrote: Tue May 24, 2022 7:16 pm A curious one is a Ruger 77R in 7x57. Initially it was like 2 1/2 - 4 1/2” groups. Then a friend helped me bed the recoil lug and the tang. Then it would shoot any weight 100 - 160gr into an inch or better but again curiously 100 gr varmint target looking bullets gave me a 1/3” group. ;-) the trigger is 8 1/2 lbs.
Sometimes a heavy trigger works OK if it has very little travel and a crisp break. -Tutt
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)

"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel
User avatar
CowboyTutt
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3712
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:27 pm
Location: Mission Viejo, CA

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by CowboyTutt »

Credit the shooter and knowing his weapon. A better trigger is always that, a better trigger! Since I own a 71/84 Mauser as you know, let me tell you how I work with it. It has a long pull relatively speaking. It also has a rough spot when pulling it back, just before let-off. It does not have a trigger job that I remember at least, and I slowly pull it back until I feel the rough spot just before let off. I know at that point, I am just above the let off, so it becomes a set trigger for me then. Your correct, a good shooter can master the trigger of his rifle and "God fear the Man with One Rifle!" for sure as he will know it intimately. That being said, a nice trigger is very nice to have. Here, hold my beer and I'll show you next time with the Mauser! You could probably shoot the Mauser OK too! :D -Tutt
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)

"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel
User avatar
CowboyTutt
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3712
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:27 pm
Location: Mission Viejo, CA

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by CowboyTutt »

I've always wanted to do that. Hopefully we can make it so in the future at 100 yards. Beyond that at Los Angeles Shooting range, its all steel. -A-
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)

"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel
User avatar
CowboyTutt
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3712
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:27 pm
Location: Mission Viejo, CA

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by CowboyTutt »

I'm guessing off of a bench rest, with a scope? Where's your portable bench rest in the field? Do you lug that around too? -A-
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)

"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel
User avatar
CowboyTutt
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3712
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:27 pm
Location: Mission Viejo, CA

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by CowboyTutt »

Now, ;-) shooting at Volkswagen sized steel at 600 yds is a relatively useless game to entertain with no crossover to the practical.
Fred, you are digressing into the realm of complete and utter BS. You have shot with me at the LA Shooting Range many times. The targets are likely 2 to 2 1/half feet tall and maybe 2 feet wide at 600 yards. Your already know this, you have shot there with me many times. Seen Jim Williamson hit the target with iron sights, off hand, at that range, with a 71/84 Mauser in the past. Hardly "Volkswagen" sized targets and very hard to hit with iron sights. Maybe easier in your comfy recliner chair, on a bench, with a scope!
-A-
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)

"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel
User avatar
Griff
Posting leader...
Posts: 20803
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:56 pm
Location: OH MY GAWD they installed a STOP light!!!

Re: The MicPherson 358 Winchester BLR Lightning "Shot Show Special"

Post by Griff »

Old Savage wrote: Wed May 25, 2022 5:20 am...In the field the limitations I see are not accuracy as such but range estimation and wind drift. Particularly out west here with winds at various angles over open terrain drift is an issue.
Although I always seem to have more trouble with the winds in"not-quite-flat" ground. Range estimation for sure.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93

There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Post Reply