Your Browning BAR Experiences/Opinions.

D

DaisyCutter

New member
I'm in the market for a new rifle. Believe it of not, I don't have a respectable hunting rifle... Only my FAL, SKS, and M44.

I'm considering getting a Browning BAR. I am left handed, left handed bolt-action rifles feel strange to me, right-handed ones are a pain to operate when there's a scope in the way.

This is why I'm looking at auto-loaders.

I have a Browning Gold auto shotgun which works beautifully, and really like it's feel and function.

The BAR I'm considering is probably going to be .308 Win. Primarily because I'm considering the possibility of using 7.62 Nato mil-surp in a pinch for milk-jug shooting. I have a stash of 7.62 for the FAL. The 7.62 Nato does have a looser tolerance than .308. Is this a bad idea? I've frequently put .308 hunting rounds through my FAL. I'm not so cheap that I won't buy .308 for the BAR, but I like the caliber and it seems convenient to me to stick with it. Or would you try a different caliber like the 7mm Rem mag?

Also, I seem to remember seeing 10 round mags for the BAR, which would make it a decent additional homeland defense rifle.

Last question, some of the BAR's have aluminum receivers (similar to my Gold shotgun), others have steel receivers (like the Safari model). Would you have a preference of one or the other?
 
DC--308 is an excellent caliber choice for whatever you get. I must tell you though, I'm not a big fan of rifles that must be cleaned from the muzzle end, especially auto loaders. If it's any consolation, the BAR is way ahead of the Rem 7400 though.--2MG
 
My BAR experiences? Pretty fair I'd say:
230725.jpg


If you do a search you should get a ton of info regarding BAR rifles, we've discussed them many times here. I have two a steel frame 06' and my predator calling rig a Synthetic Stalker Lwt. .243. The target above is from the alum alloy receivered .243, but the steel frame 06' does as well with my handloads. Both have several loads which cut under the magic one inch mark @ 100 yards from the bench. They've both been flawless and I don't baby my rifles, they're hunting guns regardless of weather or conditions. I clean them once a year whether they need it or not. If I planned on running a lot, and I mean a LOT, of rounds through the gun I'd choose the steel frame. Otherwise for strictly hunting I don't see it as much of an issue. Another look at my predator calling rig:
239109.jpg
 
I had an old friend, Verne Waterman, that lost two elk with one in different years. Now It was not the guns fault, Verne got his coat in the way of the bolt handle, he caused it to jam.
I never owned one but they seem to work good. Just keep yer coat out of the way!!!!LOL
Carl
 
Man, I did a search for "BAR" and got nothing... and there it is in the subject line of a 2-day old post.

I must not be working the new format right.

Thanks GC, for the link and info. That group of yours would be a once in a lifetime for me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I have a few Brownings myself. Since I reload I don't mind staying with one caliber unless I want to change a fair amount. That brought me to having 3 308's & 4 223's. I recently got a 243 for in-between stuff. A popular round has it's benefits. I just got a few 1000 once fired 223 cases free & have a bunch of 308 ammo & components.

I got a BAR Stalker 308 this winter for the going price of $700. I went with the slightly lighter version(stalker) to save a little weight. I held the 22" Safari version but liked the shorter for the hunting I do. I gave it a good cleaning but with plenty of arms around I'm sorry to say I have not shot it yet. I may pass it towards my son in the future. For a semi-auto platform I've always gravitated towards a short action round. For some reason it seems more natural than cycling that extra half inch of case. I know that may be a totally unfounded concern.

I also have a Gold 12 Browning & I'm sure you would like a BAR just as much. Just factor in your style of hunting & terrain for caliber & weight.
 
Back
Top