I've owned two BAR's. Both rifles the bolt got sluggish when then temps were in the teens and below. Also if you carry with an empty chamber, its going to make a bit more noise than a bolt when you load one in the tube. You can get around the first problem by using a different lube. As the temps where I used to hunt were usually in the 30's and 40's this wasn't much of a problem, once or twice a year. But say a 4th season hunt it can be a factor. As for the empty chamber, there is no way to do it quietly and be certain that the rifle will go off when you hit the trigger. At least not the two BAR's I had.
