BAR discussion

[Journey]

I have noticed a few BARs posted in the classifieds and were snapped up quickly. So I thought I would start a discussion thread. Here are a couple 338 win mag BARs that my father has in his collection.

I have not jumped down the rabit hole on these, this is what i have been told about these rifles. Pls correct me if I got anything wrong.

Post up your BARs and info about them as well for general education.


1. BAR was bought used in missoula montana ~40 years ago, I was told it was field grade and made in Belgium. The made in Belgium models are supposedly better made.

2. Rocky mtn elk foundation model (belive it was acquired in 1996), the more premium models do not come with irons. Would love to know if it is a grade 4 or 5 or?

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

I have one in .300WM. Pick one up, they are SUPER light and the muzzle kick can be significant. Besides two buddies having to get stitches from being scoped on it, it is an absolute tack driver and always cycles. Great guns but hold on tight cause the muzzle is gonna jump big time.

 

[deewayne2003]

Just don't like them, too light and the boss muzzle brakes made them like a flashbang going off.

 

[Daryl S]

Had a 7MM REM. MAG back in 1972. Bought it new in Moosejaw, Sask. I bought one box of 175gr. Corelockt Rem. ammo and proceeded out yo my cousin's Ranch, South of Moosejaw. It would load the first rpund from the magazine but would not feed the next upon fireing. It jammed every shot. I took it back.
Might have been an annomoly, but that is what happened.
As I recall, the recoil was quite mild.

 

[Buckums]

.270 BAR was my first rifle (and only rifle for 15 years) new in 1989, and I have my dad's 30.06 BAR he bought from a Western Auto store in 1969. Still have both to this day and both have functioned flawlessly and have been hunted hard. I haven't noticed any higher recoil with either, both have plastic butt plate, no pad at all. They are on the light side, but I'm sure the auto action absorbs some recoil. Neither have the boss system, so I can't comment on that. These days I prefer a bolt gun, but after many hundreds of rounds through these BARs, they have always been accurate and reliable and if being honest probably didn't get the maintenance or care they should have over the years.

 

[Nyati]

In Spain the BAR is highly appreciated by "driven hunt" hunters, many will prefer it over modern semi auto rifles for their reliability and ruggedness.

 

[Flbt]

I know it was popular here in fl especially with dog hunters.
If people could afford it they would get them over the Remington jam o madics
Most of them I saw were 30-06 and 270
I saw 1 in 338 and a few in 7mag.
I like leaver actions better for a fast shooting rifle.
But would have no problem with a good bar

 

[Rafiki]

Mine is a 7mm Mag Grade II made in Belgium in 1972. This rifle has not and should not be modified in any way, Belgium made Browning’s are somewhat special, probablu folklore.

I bought this rifle because I was hunting Mule Deer in South Dakota with my 303 British. I’d been using the 303 successfully for years but the distances were long enough to suggest a scoped rifle that it could not easily accommodate. I really didn’t know what to get but one day I was at the Frontiersman Gun store in Minneapolis and over heard a conversation about them selling BAR’s for a very reasonable price; I bought it that day. I took it to South Dakota the next season and shot a nice Muley buck from my cliff top perch near the Wyoming boarder, a good 300-yard shot. Took forever to recover that deer.

Since then it’s taken several deer out west but I missed a very nice Montana Pronghorn. It doesn;t get out much anymore but it's always been a great shooter.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

My dad bought a BAR new in the early 70s. It was in 338 WM. When my dad passed, I got it and used it for several years. A couple years ago I sold it to another AH member, who seems very happy with it.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I have never owned one; it doesn't have a lever. (haha) But I had a hunting buddy who only had 3 rifles: an all weather 10/22 magnum, a Ruger 1 in 6mm, and a BAR in .300 WM. I saw him do magical things with that BAR.