Law enforcement responsibilities cover a lot of territory, both literally and figuratively. Duties may vary widely, but from the small town, part-time cop on through the rural deputy and game warden to the big city SWAT operator, firearms are obviously required equipment for all. Ideally, that equipment includes a long gun in a configuration and caliber realistically dictated by the tasks it may be called on to perform. The semi-auto .223 may be perfect for urban use and high volume applications, while a different caliber may be more efficient for certain uses in open territory or in certain animal control applications where power and range may be more important than high magazine capacity.

Most of us automatically envision either an AR-15, a shotgun, or a bolt-action sniper rifle when the subject of police shoulder guns comes up, but it never hurts to look outside the box for other systems with features that may meet more specialized needs or preferences. Browning’s BLR (Browning Lever Rifle) is a prime example of outside-the-box thinking for certain uses.