Browning BAR .30-06 questions

[Twraska]

Anyone have experience with the BAR in .30-06? I’m thinking of getting one, putting a thermal scope on it and use it for hog hunting. (Currently have AR-10’s in .308 and AR-15’s in .223, just wanting something different). What kind of reliability and accuracy can I expect? Do I want to look for an older model or is there any real difference between the series?
Thanks
Tim

 

[Russ16]

I have a brand new one in .300 Win Mag that I'm trying to sell. Never fired new in box. I won it in a raffle and have no use for it. Happy to discuss if you're interested.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

You can't go wrong buying a 30-06!

My dad bought a BAR in 338 WM around 1970. He hunted with it for years and it was accurate, well built and reliable. I inherited it and used it for several years. The one thing I didn't like was how the magazine worked. Flip open the door and the mag attached to it. It's awkward.

 

[coreydb]

The BAR is a wonderful and accurate platform, and perfect for hogs. Because it's semi-auto you can't take hunt with it in Africa or Europe.

 

[mark-hunter]

What you need to check in BAR is not accuracy. It is maintenance.
Many times I have seen BARs and their owners entering my gunsmiths workshop - for main reason, cleaning and maintenance, and twice for broken forend stock.
I stop by at my gunsmiths frequently for coffee and small talk.

In the same time owners having benelli (argo, or R1), coming rarely to never.
I took Benelli (for same purpose you itend to take a BAR).

I cannot say for BAR any more than above, but Benneli works, no issue, accuracy around 1 moa at 100 meters. I can attest to that.
Compare the rest. Check maintenance and cleaning practices. Do the research.

I personally never had the need to go to gunsmith to do the cleaning and regular maintenance in my firearms. So, this is something to check.

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

Our group of south TX hunters have 3 BAR's in 30-06 and I personally have a .300WM I bought in 1989. They all are incredibly accurate, mine being a sub moa gun. We have not had issues with cycling.

I will say the BAR is light out front. The 30-06 isn't bad recoil but the .300WM is shockingly stout for the round (and semi-auto nature) and will scope someone if not properly held while firing it.

We love them. Have decades of use and abuse in them and continue to sing their praises.

 

[Miletic]

Hi Twraska,i was shooting for sure over 15-20com Brow bar. Everyone was ok. there were also different lengths of pipes. The most common cals were 3006, 9.3x62 and 300wm. As far as I remember, the most accurate of them is the 3006. I remembered that, it was always the most accurate. Maybe he once packed certain grains in 1moa. Since the carbines that I was shooting were not mine, but at the customer's shooting range, I could not test the accuracy with different grains. I know they are very reliable and you can expect them not to jam bullets. That happened to me too, but very rarely. If you allow me to recommend a caliber, I think the 3006 and 9.3 are better choices. Mag 300 is not a good choice. With these two mentioned calibers and with a thermal sight, you will have an excellent night carbine, and when you remove the optics, you can hunt nicely in the forest during the day. I also believe that you know that it is not a weapon for long distances, so I would choose a shorter barrel, so that I would have a more dexterous rifle. I did not notice differences in accuracy in series (older-newer).

 

[steve white]

They certainly have a niche following. One of my uncles had several in different calibers and it was the only rifle he chose to shoot. He could afford more lucrative hunts than I could, so I never got the opportunity to witness performance, or really discuss virtues of the BAR.

 

[Flbt]

Anyone have experience with the BAR in .30-06? I’m thinking of getting one, putting a thermal scope on it and use it for hog hunting. (Currently have AR-10’s in .308 and AR-15’s in .223, just wanting something different). What kind of reliability and accuracy can I expect? Do I want to look for an older model or is there any real difference between the series?
Thanks
Tim

They were very popular with the dog hunters I grew up around.
For the people that liked autos the ones that could afford them went with the bar vs the Remington.
And from whatvi remember the bar guys had a lot less problems than the Remington owners.

 

[analog_peninsula]

I'll simply say that it's best to avoid the Remington 742. I've got a Short-trac in 7mm WSM, and I prefer it to the original BAR because it's lighter and more ergonomic. Mine is adequately accurate, say about 1.25-1.5" at 100 yards with my current load, and it dispatches hogs quite effectively.

That said ...

I bought the Short-trac for opportunities when an AR didn't feel appropriate for whatever reason. An AR is much more flexible in terms of optics mounting options. I believe that I've also read that the Browning factory specifically recommends against suppressor installation on the BAR, so that might be an additional consideration.

 

[Twraska]

What you need to check in BAR is not accuracy. It is maintenance.
Many times I have seen BARs and their owners entering my gunsmiths workshop - for main reason, cleaning and maintenance, and twice for broken forend stock.
I stop by at my gunsmiths frequently for coffee and small talk.

In the same time owners having benelli (argo, or R1), coming rarely to never.
I took Benelli (for same purpose you itend to take a BAR).

I cannot say for BAR any more than above, but Benneli works, no issue, accuracy around 1 moa at 100 meters. I can attest to that.
Compare the rest. Check maintenance and cleaning practices. Do the research.

I personally never had the need to go to gunsmith to do the cleaning and regular maintenance in my firearms. So, this is something to check.

Thank you for your reply. I may have to look at Benelli. I hadn’t considered one because my son had nothing but problems with a brand new shotgun a few years back. Couldn’t (maybe word should be wouldn’t) fix it so it would quit dropping two shells from the mag tube.

 

[Twraska]

Hi Twraska,i was shooting for sure over 15-20com Brow bar. Everyone was ok. there were also different lengths of pipes. The most common cals were 3006, 9.3x62 and 300wm. As far as I remember, the most accurate of them is the 3006. I remembered that, it was always the most accurate. Maybe he once packed certain grains in 1moa. Since the carbines that I was shooting were not mine, but at the customer's shooting range, I could not test the accuracy with different grains. I know they are very reliable and you can expect them not to jam bullets. That happened to me too, but very rarely. If you allow me to recommend a caliber, I think the 3006 and 9.3 are better choices. Mag 300 is not a good choice. With these two mentioned calibers and with a thermal sight, you will have an excellent night carbine, and when you remove the optics, you can hunt nicely in the forest during the day. I also believe that you know that it is not a weapon for long distances, so I would choose a shorter barrel, so that I would have a more dexterous rifle. I did not notice differences in accuracy in series (older-newer).

I’m thinking it would be a little longer range than a .308 AR-10 platform, but certainly not anything long range. Too hard to ID targets out past 3-400 yards. In fact I like to keep it under 200 unless I know there are no cattle in the area.

 

['68boy]

Would disagree re.300 wm BAR. I had one. Loved it. Recoil tame compared to bolt .300 wm. Very accurate and reliable. More than adequate for any N American animal. Ammo plentiful. Stocks always beautiful. Ballistics superb. I gave mine to young friend just getting into hunting and to help him along the path. He broke my heart by never getting into hunting. He never even shot it. Wish I had it back. I would go with the .300 over the .30-06 because sometimes bigger is simply better.

 

[Miletic]

I’m thinking it would be a little longer range than a .308 AR-10 platform, but certainly not anything long range. Too hard to ID targets out past 3-400 yards. In fact I like to keep it under 200 unless I know there are no cattle in the area.

I'm not sure that he can hit at 400y. I have to admit that I have not tried to shoot at longer distances than 100m. I think that this type of weapon is not suitable for longer distances than 200m. I'm not saying that it won't hit the animal, but I think that some serious precision is impossible. In Europe, Bar is most often used for hunting in the forest with dogs chasing wild boars. Rarely anyone uses it for other hunts

 

[dchum]

I get the idea of semi auto thermals for hogs. But me personally, I just have not seen the benefits of semi auto for hog hunting.
(completely understand that makes me in the minority!)

Maybe it’s just me not being a proficient shooter with semi autos. But I’m not much faster than with a bolt gun ( In terms of placing accurate kill shots on big game).
I think knowing it’s semi auto I take to fast of follow up shots?

Here’s my friend I took out. Just a nice spotlight and good Zeiss. He Smashed this group of pigs. Some nice boars

 

[Miletic]

Would disagree re.300 wm BAR. I had one. Loved it. Recoil tame compared to bolt .300 wm. Very accurate and reliable. More than adequate for any N American animal. Ammo plentiful. Stocks always beautiful. Ballistics superb. I gave mine to young friend just getting into hunting and to help him along the path. He broke my heart by never getting into hunting. He never even shot it. Wish I had it back. I would go with the .300 over the .30-06 because sometimes bigger is simply better.

Hi ‘68boy.
I agree with you. But ….
Bro Bar barrel is usually shorter and the 300win simply won't shou what it can. Simply, a certain amount of gunpowder will burn outside the barrel causing a rocket effect with a big flash and recoil. The muzzle velocity of a barrel with the same grain will not differ significantly between the 3006 and the 300

 

[coyote wacker]

Back in 1973 may first trip out West hunting my partner had a 30-06 BAR. He took his antelope at 600 yards one shot, took a very large 6x6 at 300 yards one shot using 165 gr. Sierra's. His gun shot good. My wife uses a 7mm RM in a BAR it a very limited gun aluminum receiver and has a factory 20" barrel. She has shot many deer and bears with Barnes 150 gr. all with one shot each. Her gun has no problem shooting around 1" 3 shot groups.
I even shot one buck with her gun and I'am left handed. We kept our rifles outside during deer season, I walked outside and a very nice 8 point was moveing threw the woods behind the house. I just grabbed a rifle it was hers got up to the fuel tank for a good rest and shot him at 150 yards. Wife was happy I got a buck but was furious I used her's to do it.

 

[Hififile324]

I had two BAR rifles. One in .270 and one in .338WM. I did not like the triggers and there isn't a whole lot you can do for them. I also don't like rifles you can't clean from the rear, and they did not handle well for me. That said they worked just fine. They can be good hunting rifles!

 

[Twraska]

I get the idea of semi auto thermals for hogs. But me personally, I just have not seen the benefits of semi auto for hog hunting.
(completely understand that makes me in the minority!)

Maybe it’s just me not being a proficient shooter with semi autos. But I’m not much faster than with a bolt gun ( In terms of placing accurate kill shots on big game).
I think knowing it’s semi auto I take to fast of follow up shots?

Here’s my friend I took out. Just a nice spotlight and good Zeiss. He Smashed this group of pigs. Some nice boars
View attachment 738560

Yes, fast follow up shots. It’s more hog killing than hog hunting. They are tearing up our crops something terrible. We probably shoot 1-2000 rounds a year all together.

 

[Flbt]

I get the idea of semi auto thermals for hogs. But me personally, I just have not seen the benefits of semi auto for hog hunting.
(completely understand that makes me in the minority!)

Maybe it’s just me not being a proficient shooter with semi autos. But I’m not much faster than with a bolt gun ( In terms of placing accurate kill shots on big game).
I think knowing it’s semi auto I take to fast of follow up shots?

Here’s my friend I took out. Just a nice spotlight and good Zeiss. He Smashed this group of pigs. Some nice boars
View attachment 738560

Remember a lot of places hogs are not hunted they are pest control