The Rimfire Report: Browning Should Bring Back the (Rimfire) BPR
Hello and welcome back to another edition of The Rimfire Report. This week, we’re checking out another discontinued rifle (or rifles) – the Browning BPR (Browning Pump Rifle). In my opinion, the BPR was probably the best example of a pump-action rimfire from the 1970s that was chambered not only in .22 LR and .22 WMR but also a select handful of centerfire cartridges. While this rifle was discontinued decades ago, its unique design and practical performance have made me dream of this rifle coming back into the market. So today I’ll give you guys a brief overview of the rifle, where you can find them today, and of course my reasons for wanting to bring it back.
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The Rimfire Report: Browning Should Bring Back the (Rimfire) BPR
The Browning BPR rimfire series stood out in an era when cheap bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles like the 10/22 dominated the rimfire market. It could still be argued that the 10/22 dominates the market today, even if it’s not what it once was in terms of quality. Pump-action rimfire guns have historically not done so well and have been relatively short-lived products. Currently, your only new factory options come from a handful of companies with questionable build quality and are generally less expensive firearms aimed at those looking for a cheap and fun plinking experience. The BPR was better and much more than that. Browning only produced the rimfire variants of the BPR 22 rifle between 1977 and 1982 all under one serial number style.
A Brief Look at Its Bigger Centerfire Brothers
While the rimfire BPR stole the show for me as a kid, Browning, unfortunately, discontinued the rimfire line entirely in 1982 and only revived the BPR lineup in 1997 with the release of centerfire BPR rifles chambered in calibers like .270 Winchester and .30-06. These rifles retained the pump-action charm but were designed for hunters pursuing larger games and were also magazine-fed as opposed to feeding from an underslung tubular magazine. The centerfire BPR could actually share magazines with the similar-looking but semi-auto Browning BAR MK II. While the centerfire variants of the BPR didn’t achieve the same popularity as the rimfire models, they did manage to create another popular collector’s item over the two or three short years they were manufactured.
The .22 WMR version of the BPR remains one of the most popular versions of the rifle. With its higher velocity, flatter trajectory, and greater terminal energy compared to .22 LR, it seemed like it was a good choice for small-to-medium game hunters looking for a slide-action firearm instead of a bolt-action or semi-auto – 30-06 out of a 22” barrel is no slouch. Its .22 LR sibling, on the other hand, was a favorite for plinking and small game hunting, and is almost universally praised by those who have had the chance to shoot it myself included.
Why They Should Bring Back the Rimfire BPR
Right now from what I’ve observed there’s a growing appreciation for classic firearms with more traditional designs, and the BPR fits that trend perfectly. Browning’s modern lineup lacks a true pump-action rimfire rifle, leaving a gap that the BPR could fill again. A modernized BPR with updated materials, improved ergonomics, and compatibility with today’s extensive selection of optics would help flesh out the category with more than a few cheaper and featureless options that already exist—chambered in .22 LR, .22 WMR, or even the new .21 Sharp cartridge could appeal to a wide range of rimfire shooters—from nostalgic enthusiasts to varmint hunters looking for something different.
With the resurgence of manually operated firearms like lever actions, especially in hunting and recreational shooting, the BPR could do very well in today’s market. The pump-action mechanism would set it apart from the vast sea of bolt-action and semi-automatic options, offering shooters a unique and versatile alternative. If you want proof of this trend, just look at Henry’s latest creation – a magazine-fed lever action firearm.
Rare and Expensive
Both the centerfire and rimfire variants of the rifles are discontinued which automatically makes them very hot collector’s items – more than I’m used to seeing from discontinued rimfire firearms. The original BPR is now a collector’s item, with pristine examples commanding premium prices. Original pricing for the rimfire variants of these rifles in the ’70s sat right around $180-$190 MSRP. Today you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $2,500 or more for a rifle in working condition which includes the rimfire variants. One of the more recent auctions I’ve seen for a 22WMR version in almost brand-new condition went for $1,250 while a pristine centerfire example went for a whopping $2,550.55. There’s even a .22 Mag version going for $6,500 right now on GunBroker.
The near-astronomical price for these discontinued rifles is just another reason I think they need to be brought back, however, given how most of these things go, I’d estimate that the minimum MSRP we’d be looking at for a new production BPR would probably be around $600 or so.
Final Thoughts
I think the Browning BPR was ahead of its time in a roundabout kind of way. Its absence is felt by those who really appreciate manually operated firearms and I think that a modernized version could capture the hearts of the next generation as it did for me when I was a kid. It also gives some of you more seasoned shooters a chance to relive the glory days of pump-action rimfire rifles. Browning, if you’re listening: Pretty please bring back the BPR?
As always, thanks for stopping by to read The Rimfire Report. What do you think? Should Browning bring back the BPR? Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!