Browning BAR .30-06 questions

[SafariCurious]

My favorite hunting rifle is my Browning BAR in .308.

Soft shooting, quick handling, looks like a traditional hunting rifle, but capable of super fast follow up shots with it being a semi.

It's like the "Glock of rifles" as it has NEVER jammed on me and I have put numerous cases of cheap bulk .308 and 7.62 ammo through it at the range.

The only cleaning or "maintenance" I ever do is spray it all over with Ballistol and run a bore snake through after a range trip, and then wipe it down, that's it.

Mine is accurate to 500 yards and I have so far successfully harvested a Black Bear, Mule Deer, and wild boar with mine.

Anywhere I can hunt with a semi I want to take my BAR.

 

[Tgood1]

I have a BAR 25-06, very accurate, hardly any recoil at all

 

[Hillcountry63]

I have two, a Belgian made 30-06 and a Stalker 308. Great rifles for what they are designed for. As a side note I keep a couple of spare mags for each for quick reloads when hog hunting.

 

[Finprof]

I still have the BAR 30/06 I bought in 1972. Back then we did small man drives and got shots at moving deer although they were not running full tilt so a semi-auto was useful. In PA semi autos are forbidden for deer hunting so there were a lot of Remington pumps.
My BAR shoots 1 to 114 MOA, which is better than many of the bolt action rifles of the time. Recoil is very mild. The downside is that semi-auto triggers are not as good as bolt action triggers. The BAR trigger is heavy and spongy but not so bad that it impedes accuracy. I have been spoiled by Timney triggers.

 

[Bynotic]

I have a bar mk II in .270 Win that was hunted with in the lowcountry of South Carolina for many years, not shooting past 100yds ever and then I came in to possession of it a few years ago. Tough old rifle shoots inch size groups out to 200yds when i took it to the range the other week was the first time it didn't cycle, and the first time i have ever seen a BAR not cycle so i will need to figure that out, add it to the list of things I need to do.

Bar mk II are awesome rifles they feel very good in the hand and are on the heavier side but in the .270, and the 30 calibers it makes them pretty pleasant to shoot as a semi-auto the recoil is greatly reduced. They are much better than Remington's version the model 7400, 742, 740 AKA the "JamMaster" I have never seen one of those cycle. if you were to head down this path of semi-auto hunting rifles I wouldn't want to waste your time and money on one.

 

[Gaj356]

The Browning BAR in .30-06 is a classic semi auto hunting rifle tons of owners love it for hogs cause the quick follow ups shine when pigs run or you get a group. It's different from your ARs gas piston, wood composite stock, more traditional feel, and the .30-06 hits harder than .308 at distance with good loads.

Mixed bag many guys say keep it clean especially the gas piston regulator and it runs like a champ for decades, no jams in years of hunting. But some report occasional feeding issues, floorplate problems, or sensitivity to mud cold tender compared to ARs. It's not as bombproof as an AR 10 in rough conditions, but for hog hunts not extreme abuse, it's solid if maintained.

Accuracy Expect 1-1.5 MOA with good ammo often sub MOA with handloads or select factory like Core Lokt 150-180gr. Plenty take hogs deer at 200-300 yards clean. Thermal scope works fine many run Leupold or similar on them, but the gun's heavier 7.5-8 lbs so it's not as handy as an AR for quick swings.

Older vs. newer: Pre 1976 Belgian made Type 1 often get the most love for build quality and accuracy. MK2 1993 and current MK3 improved trigger gas system for better reliability light recoil, but some say older ones feel smoother. No huge differences in function pick a clean used one in good shape over brand new if budget matters.

If you want something fun different for hogs with fast follow ups and don't mind a bit more maintenance than your ARs, it's a winner. Test one if possible many swear by am for exactly your use.