Or naysayers?
I'm talking about the modern Browning semi-automatic rifle, not the bad-ass military BAR.
I'm considering getting one in .243, 7mm-08 or .270. Does anyone know if there is any difference in dimensions between the short-action (.243 and 7mm-08) and long action (.270, .30-06, etc)? The Browning website doesn't show any difference in dimensions or weight, but y'all know how websites are....

The rifle will be used primarily for southeastern whitetail deer. Help me pick a caliber.😊

Of all the Browning rifles I’ve always had a love affair with the BAR in all of its iterations. My love for the civilian BAR harkens back to its big daddy..the military BAR of WWII. My buddy hunted with a BAR in .300win mag and loved it…well, he loved it when he remembered to bring the magazine for it, he didn’t like his accidental single shot BAR as much as he liked the semi auto version. 😁

They’re a little heavy imho but they are still a good semi auto for hunting.

I have one in 243 I received from my dad 40 years ago. its ok, trigger on it is terrible

I've got the bar hells canyon model. I haven't gotten around to firing it yet but I think I'm going to love it. I will take some pictures of it. Mine is 308. I went with the semi because the know on the bolt whacks my nub where my finger used to be and it doesn't tickle

Brother-In-Law had an 06. He's a fan. I had a Win 100. The clip took some work on the Winnie to get it feed consistently. Never an issue on the BAR. Going from memory here, but I believe the BAR had a shorter action for the 243/308 models back in the 60's (Belgian). Now I'm thinking they're all the same with the longer action.

Growing up in the 80’s their were two rifle that set you apart from everyone else that was a browning BAR or weatherby mk v.

Speaking of the MKIIs or whatever the big steel ones were called, no experience with the new short and long trac models.

But for the old ones my experience is they’re heavy, have horrible triggers, and so so reliability.

“Mine has always been flawless”, we’ll hear from someone soon. Well, I worked in a Browning service shop for a good while and they are not all flawless. They’re overly complicated too IMO, and sometimes issues can be hard to diagnose.

I have never owned one but have hunted with people that had them and have watched people sight them in. And all of them I have seen shot good groups and functioned well. I almost bought one once. Bought a Benelli R1 instead. It shoots good as well. I like it because you can take it apart without tools. It functions well too. Bars are probably more accurate.

I like the Monitors , myone self.

Only Browning rifle I ever liked was my Belgian.22 auto. I just got rid of it. If I still had the farm and went walking out back with a light, open sighted.22 I’d have kept it, but…

A couple friends have had the BAR’s over the years, a 7 RM and a .30-06 that I can recall specifically. I always felt they were over-sized and awkward; maybe it’s just the styling I don’t like.

I feel the same about the BLR. My brother has a couple of those as do a couple friends. I’ve had to work on them. Overly complicated and delicate mechanisms IMHO. They do shoot well.

All those newer Browning rifles look to me like something designed by an interior decorator who doesn’t hunt.

I bought a new bar in 308 a couple months back. It shoots good, fits me well and has a pretty decent trigger. I like the looks of the older ones/Safaris better, but like the weight savings the mk3 offers. I don't know if the long action weighs any more than the short action. I just looked at the specs like you did.

I had a 7 mag years ago. It was OK.

From what I understand, Browning brought in the BOSS system to improve accuracy specifically for the BAR model.

My buddy has one in 300 win, his dad has one in 30-06, another guy in our group has one in 270 all Safari's another guy that hunts with us bought. A new one last year in 30-06, all see to shoot well. I'd like a Safari in 243 some day!

The 308, 7mm 08, and the 243 are shorter actions. The 270 will be longer action and thus heavier. I had a 308 BLR that my son has now and loved it. Very accurate. Had to clean with a snake so I wouldn't have to take the lever and bolt out. It has to be on the exact gear to close properly if you take it apart. A long time ago I had one in 3006. Wasn't that heavy, but longer than the shorter actions.

Yep , Belguim made .
30/06 , the only BAR I have owned .
This one never jammed and shot better than a lot of bolt guns .
Growing up hunting with bubba military guns , the BAR trigger was no problem to manage .
Estate 150 gr , blue box 180’s ,and core lokt 220 gr shot exceptionally well in it .
So well reloading was pointless as it was a hunting rifle , not a target gun .
My mag swung open .
Wanted one for years , but culling of the collection became a priority and was one of the chosen .
Kenneth

I have owned several, 06,7mag and 300 win and they all shot very well. They are on the heavy side but accurate. Probably the softest recoiling 300 I have ever shot.

.30-06. 180Gr SGK RN. Probably over 4064.

If I find the right MK 3 on sale I'll grab it.

I think they're cool. In theory.

I had 2, the first was a 300 win mag (late 80’s early 90’s). The second one was the MKII Safari with the BOSS chambered in 30-06.

The 06 would shoot 3 shot cloverleaf groups. 165 Hornandy BTSP’s.

When I was in high school, it was a holy grail to me.

My BF has a Belgian made in .308.

It was beat down largely and had no condition to it, inside or out. But he knew more than I did about firearms in general, at the time. We were in college with no money, and it was a wise (cheap) grab on his part.

I love shooting that gun.

So much so it made a huge impression on me in Terms of the Chambering and hunting where I’m at.

Ditched a wonderful Jap browning 7RM medallion to get into a .308, but not a BAR. Though I’d love to have one. Talk about easy to shoot. Just fun and functional.

BLR’s are clunky pieces of scheit. Lever actions should be nostalgic. The BLR, Winchester 88/100, Sako Finnwolf, Ruger 96/22 type guns have zero attraction for me.

I have a older Belgium BAR in 270 Win. and have owned 2 different ones in 300 Win., shoot very well and I have never had a issue with them...heavy but that doesn't bother me.

You forgot to mention the Savage 99.

Thanks for sharing.

We’re talking BAR’s, not BLR’s, but whichever…

Lol. Touché

Top of the list, and I assumed a given. It’s only saving Grace is the lack of a detachable magazine.

I would have to add, I’m not aware of anything made by savage during any period of time that I’d admit to owning. They are the firearms version of a fat girl after a case of beer.

We are talking BAR here, not a BLR lever action.

I might add, the hinged magazine was handy. Drop it down and top it off.

If your used to a fine trigger of a Remington or something, you’ll be a little disappointed with the BAR trigger.

Jack, you're in the wrong thread, dude.

The C's have detachable magazines.

I don't think firearms are your strong suit.

LOL

By five country miles.

LOL

I never could understand why dudes got to jump into a conversation and not add anything positive.

I've owned several. The Jap 300 I had was heavy but was easy to shoot and shot good. I also had a beautiful Belgium 308. I loved that gun. I bought it about 10 years ago for less than 1K.

I'd still have it today if somebody hadn't offered me 2300 for it about a year ago.

If I was going to buy another I'd get another Belgium 308, but the price of them has gone through the roof in the last few years.

BARs used to be insanely popular around here, but now that every woods hunter believes he has to have a 1/2 MOA capable rifle, you just don't see that many anymore, it the woods or on the racks. New ones are pretty hard to get when we attempt to order one. My one and only BAR is the ShortTrack version in .325 WSM. It shoots well enough for my purposes but isn't the track driver that some report with their BARs. One day I intend to play with hand loads for it, but if I feel the need to reach out with a .325, I'll reach for the 1885 single shot.

I have an old BAR 270 from about 1988 that I loved back in the day. but I rarely pick it up. I love my Savage bolts too much. Accuracy is everything.

I'm usually drunk.

How accurate is your "BAR 270?"

I had a late 60s BAR in 300 win mag .it shot real well.

The originals were oversized, awkward and heavy.

In high school my uncles hung up after the first shot I got at a running coyote. 30-06.

My first hunting rifle was a BAR .270. Heavy but accurate. Sold it.

Never owned an older BAR. I always thought, in the right chambering for hunting in dark timber, it would be a good choice.

I did buy a used MK3 in 300 WSM. I actually love the lightweight rifle more than I thought I ever would.

Shockingly, it is damn accurate with Federal 190 grain box ammo. I haven’t killed anything with it though. Kinda telling, I hate hunting dark timber.

🦫

20'?

I was obsessed with my dads BAR 300 win mag as a kid. I can’t tell you how many miles I hiked behind him on elk hunts looking at that rifle slung across his back. And I can’t even begin to guess how many elk and mule deer that rifle has taken. He killed his first one with it in around 1968 and his last one with it in 2018 the week of his 84th birthday. I saved every penny I could and bought one in 270 when I was around 17 and thought I was king of the world. Both rifles are in my safe still to this day. I’ve got dozens of other ones now but those two hold a special place in my heart.

7’ft...Almost kissing the muzzle.

🦫

I really dislike the long action heavy "big" ones but i used Sandbillys BAR ShortTrack in 308 after tracking up a buck that went into heavy mesquote bedding cover knowing any shot would be at a jumped, running buck.

I dry fired the gun a couple of times and found it of nice weight and well balanced.

We jumped this buck from his bed in.heavy cover a though i was a bit slow deciding if it was big enough due to the thick, big mesquite and hard to class the rack i was able to hit it 2 out of 3 shots running.

It scored 260 gross and 250 net and was the No3 Desert Muley registered for SCI in the world at the time it was initially measured.

I really like the Browning Short Track rifle needless to say. It would be hard to beat for someone who likes to sneak hunt in woods or sit and watch feeding or travel areas.

Love the rifle, hate the chambering.

They balance great but kinda heavy overall.

Imagine how depressed that deer felt after being shot by Corky with Corky's deer rifle that Corky never seen before.


LOL

You were right, Beav, as usual.

Hey, if you're good, you're good. You can get it done with the tool at hand. You'll really just have to take my word for it.

Was that a paid hunt or was Sandbilly just being a great friend?

BADASS!!!

👍🏼

Speaking of paid hunts...

LOL

Jealous Much ? And I seriously doubt Doc’s ever been on a paid hunt in his life. And he always brings the correct caliber ammo for the gun he’s hunting with. 😂😂😂

I like mine. MK2, aluminum receiver, 20.5” bbl, 270 Win.

Kills Texas whitetails and hogs dead.

Bought it used, with unknown round count. I’ve run 600-700 rounds through it, and never had a FTF or FTE.

Shoots a couple of different handloads at <1/2 MOA, and Hornady American Whitetail 130s at 0.75 MOA.

I’ve got a 130gr load over RL26 that shoots sub MOA at almost 3200 fps.

Note: This gun does not like slow burning powders, as the timing is off with the fixed gas block - which beats up the brass.

Shot one for years dog running deer in Mississippi. Use a ghost ring for a back sight. 30/06.
Hasn’t been babied at all. Feed it core locks whatever grain you choose from 150 to 180. I guess I’ll be one of those that’s never had a problem yet.

It’s not a range gun, and I bought it used. I have no idea how many rounds were shot through it before I got it, and I’ve shot it less than a 100 times for sure. Honestly, I don’t know if it’s ever been taken down and cleaned. I’ve wiped it off with oil….that’s it

Whoa. I took you for a joker, not a liar. I really took you for above that. HE knows.

Choot man, go buy one be if you like them. For advice, get a 7/08. It’ll kill anything in North Carolina for sure. And the recoil should be like a mother’s kiss. I still have the 30/06 I got for Christmas 1968. Only problem is it tends to not extract. The product of don’t take it apart you’ll never get it back together training on the part of my well meaning daddy. What decades of not cleaning the gas system did is pit and corrode. Maybe one day I’ll replace the parts and hunt with it one more time. Probably not.

Had one in 30-06 about 25 years ago. Sold it to buy a wedding ring. Best trade I ever made.

G23

I have a BAR Safari with BOSS in 300 WSM. I have both ported BOSS and the solid BOSS. Shooting that thing with the ported BOSS without ear protection will definitely ruin your day. I leave the solid one on especially when hunting.

It shoots great.



I bought a 300 WSM Browning ShortTrac a few years ago, but I could never get the accuracy I was hoping for, traded it .

I'll put in a plug for the BAR. I have personally owned two, an older steel frame 06' and a newer alloy MKIII .243 Lwt. I hate to sound cliche but both of those rifles easily break under 1" groups at 100 yards with loads they like. And, get ready for it... neither has ever malfunctioned. The .30-06 uses my handload of a 180 gr. Sierra SBT GK over H4350 at 2735 fps and kills deer and hogs easy peasy. It's a little heavy, the trigger is light but mushy, but it is a solid hunting rifle. The .243 has the alloy receiver and a 20" barrel and is one of the least fussy rifles I've ever owned. Pretty much whatever I stuff in the magazine shoots well, some of it shoots really well. Deer and predator calling is what I use it for most often. It gets the job done...

This might still be available in our classifieds.

Last price on 9/17/22 $1300 shipped

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/17553970/1


🦫

why do they have such bad triggers? Like the concept. Does trigger tech make a trigger for a BAR?

Really about all anyone needs, a 243 and 06.

Still have mine and it shoots well, no jams and MOA plus. I'm looking for one in 308.

I had a .30/06, about a gazillion years ago. I think I bought it in 1980, so it was the all-steel model. I kept it clean, and it shot 1.5" regularly, with any ammo I cared to shoot in it. No issues whatsoever. I sold/swapped it for something or other, probably a 1911 of some sort, but it was a nice rifle, although a bit heavier than I really like. I wasn't much of a rifle shot in those days, but it shot 1.5 regularly "all day long", as they say. I usually shot 165s in it.

I have owned a dozen at least and I never had one of these "bad" triggers. I looked at a MK3 yesterday and it had an excellent trigger . No one makes an aftermarket trigger for them.

Lots of dog hunters here in the 80's, my neighbor brought his BAR to me with the trigger locked up. Got it apart to find a stick jammed inside. He won't afraid to use his!

Geez, I just took a little trip over to gunbroker. Those Browning’s have sure went up.

I remember I paid $525 dealer cost on the 300 win mag. I’m thinking 1989ish.

What has not gone up ? Lot of used ones on the market and most are not abused.

Triggernosis, have you quit work yet?

You'll have plenty of time to cruse the shops looking for a BAR safe queen!

I bought 2 more 1911's last week, I think some of the free money guns are showing up now.

One of the 1911's was unfired,

Never had one they are heavy. Allways wanted the 1918 model it served the US mighty fine for years , shrapnel says they work on elk fine. The Garand would be more practical, wished I would have kept one of mine. The M1A really would make more sense though in a 308 but a scope needs a high mount then a cheek riser to use it. Which brings us to a AR-10 which you can build to suit with magazines that offer other uses and solidly mounted scopes . Trigger choices for all the trigger whiners. Come to think of it a guy could allways use fingernail polish on the buttstock and write " the BAR I NEVER HAD" if you need that support of course. Triggernosis you were one of the first users of Ivermectin for covid 19 on the 24hr campfire, don't get f'ing stupid now..mb

I have BARs from 1969 to 1990 in 300WM and 338WM.

The gas system is not adjustable..... or is it?

If FALs have adjustable by pass gas, BARs have fixed jets.

With an FAL one can tune the gas bypass with a turn of a knob. This adjusts the rifle to the ammo. Enough gas to operate without jamming[small enough bypass hole], not so much gas the bolt hammers the frame [big enough bypass hole]. The recoil buffer helps a little with frame hammering. Check out the condition of that part.

But a BAR regulator is fixed. I like to load really hot [11 gr more H4350 for 140gr than Hodgdon says is max], and tune the rifle to the ammo.

The regulator in a BAR is just a 9/16-24 ultra fine thread bolt with a hole in
it. If FALs have adjustable by pass gas, BARs have fixed jets.

It is easier to modify a different cartridge regulator than to fabricate a regulator from a piece of steel. I have done both. [Look for a lack of bluing to spot the one I fabricated from scratch]

a) 7mm Mag is .066" hole
b) 300 Mag is .077" hole [p/n B3176146]
c) 338 Mag is .059" hole
d) My home made is .078" hole
e) recoil buffer [p/n B3176065]



https://www.midwestgunworks.com/browning-bar/parts.html

"Though shalt never take apart a Browning A5 or it will never work 100% properly again" was good advice my father gave me. I'm betting it applies to the BAR and BLR also.
Pulling a bore snake through the barrel of a BAR or BLR is probably all they need.

I'm kinda on what we called "terminal leave" in the military, meaning I'm burning vacation time and only go into the office about 1 day a week now until I officially retire in April.

Where are some recommended shops to look for guns in our area?
Keep your eyes open for me, brother!

Dat's some funny sheet right there. 😄😄😄😄

Will do!
I stump around in them all, pawn shops LGS, mostly around Goldsboro.

I've purchased several from 4 seasons on Ash st Goldsboro, typical help but they price used stuff reasonable an will order anything and not rob you too bad. They keep some powder on hand even some 8 lb jugs.

Not sure if they still offer this service or not but years ago you could send the BAR trigger group to Timney triggers and for $70 they would smooth, lighten and give the trigger a crisper break. Timney would also do that for the Remington family of shotguns and rifles like the 870, 1100, 760 and 742. Knock the pins out of the receiver, drop out the fire control group and send it to Timney with $70 payment and return shipping cost. In a couple weeks it would come back home much improved.

My Dad bought one for my Mother. Belgium made 270. Real accurate with WW 130 Power Points. I liked it so much I bought one. Mine was made in Belgium assembled in Portugal. When I bought mine I didn’t know the difference. Not made as well or not near as accurate as the Belgium model.
Sold mine when I inherited the Belgium model. It sets in my safe now. Hasbeen

I have taken apart every BAR I have owned with zero issues. It is simple. I would not dare to touch an Auto 5 or BLR.

It's good to hear that they are not as complicated as the A5 and BLR.

I just take the piston out every year or so and dip it in solvent and reassemble.

Same. Parts from Belgium assembled in Portugal. I was never real wild about it so I sold it. My wife was mad at me because she could shoot it well.

about 2 inches at 100 yds.
I've killed deer with it at 180, but I have some 300 yd shots occasionally now and just don't like a 6+ inch circle

One of Browning's better designs, as long as you kept the gas system clean they worked fine. I shot quite a few during my tenure in Browning's gunsmithing shop, most were pretty accurate for an autoloader.

I have a .338 BAR & this custom one in .458 Win mag, made in 1974:

Caliber/schmaliber - at least you're getting a semi-auto that's actually worth a hill of beans... It's the only one I'd recommend to anyone; they just plain WORK.. Only a couple very, very minor issues and 99% of users will never have a problem..

Congrats on your choice.

Yes, it's the only semi auto rifle I would even consider. I've decided I'm going to get the Mark 3 in 243, so if any of y'all see one for sale anywhere please let me know.

308 Winchester ....... It was made for a semi-auto.

I'm going to get it's little brother, the .243 Win. I need a soft shooter due to shoulder injuries.

Love mine. Got my bull a couple days ago with my Safari in 300 Win Mag

Did you change outfits and weapons for a second photo session?

LOL, I rarely wear camo, but next time gonna put on some makeup so I can be just like Burns.

I like my BAR's.I've owned them since 1983.The first was a 30-06 which was made in Belgium and assembled in Portugal.The second one was an all Belgium Grade II in .308.The third one was a Lightweight Stalker in 30-06.It had a fiberglass matt finished stock,matt finished aluminum receiver without engraving .When one of our sons graduated he asked for that as present,so I gladly obliged.

I currently own two,one in .243 and the other in 30-06.Both are Limited Editions called BAR MK II Satin.They have satin finished wood and a steel matt finished receiver without engraving.The accuracy is good enough for the close range for which I use them.The triggers have been worked over by a friend and they've more than acceptable.

They've accounted for many deer,a few coyotes and more than a few fox.

This is a stock photo of the Satin model.

Indeed!

Saw a clean one today at the local lgs. Older model 300 win wanted 795 for it...mb

My brother had one of those in 7mm Mag. It shot beautifully.