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11-17-2017, 09:25 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rocky Mountain House
Posts: 227
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New vs older BAR''s perspectives
Hey all,
I've always been a bolt guy with very limited interest or knowledge in semi-autos. Recently I bought an older Browning BAR MKII w/BOSS 243 and only now gained interest and seek knowledge. Browning has made BAR''s for quite some time and several changed in appearance over the years.....but my question is what's your thoughts on pro's vs cons of the BAR''s and older vs newer? Thought maybe a friendly discussion from past/present owners might be quite educational😊. Thanks.
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11-17-2017, 09:28 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 45,164
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I have only owned one BAR, a Mark II in 7mmremmag, and after having it jam in the field, I have no interest in owning another one.
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Only accurate guns are interesting.
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11-17-2017, 09:36 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rocky Mountain House
Posts: 227
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Is jamming common?....or do they require more attention /cleaning? I'll always be a diehard bolt guy....though to beat a quality bolt, but might try this for varmints....maybe early season deer....
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11-17-2017, 09:39 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 45,164
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waterboy
Is jamming common?....or do they require more attention /cleaning? I'll always be a diehard bolt guy....though to beat a quality bolt, but might try this for varmints....maybe early season deer....
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My rifles are cleaned and lubed after every use, and I had no issues at the range, but the rifle did fail to feed in freezing rain on a hunt. Luckily a second shot was not required. The next owner had a similar experience on a moose hunt.
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Only accurate guns are interesting.
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11-17-2017, 09:43 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rocky Mountain House
Posts: 227
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Always good to know weaknesses on the front end😊. Thnx
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11-17-2017, 10:43 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 239
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I have 2 older BAR,s 300 WM and 7RM and 2 new model 7-08
Never had any issues
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11-17-2017, 11:27 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,875
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I have always had a couple around and never had any major problems,i have a newer bar in 7mm wsm and it shoots very well,low recoil. I also have one in 300 wsm but have not fired it yet it's a new one.
I had one in 243,270,308,30 06 7mm rm ,300win and all cycled well. I was telling a guy once about an HK 770 I use to own that never jammed while out shooting with him,sure as heck it jammed,once in 8 years.Polished clean them always using very little oil.,oiling them to much can give you big problems and things get sticky from the cold and then they will jam or not even cycle right.
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11-18-2017, 07:21 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 220
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JD848
I have always had a couple around and never had any major problems,i have a newer bar in 7mm wsm and it shoots very well,low recoil. I also have one in 300 wsm but have not fired it yet it's a new one.
I had one in 243,270,308,30 06 7mm rm ,300win and all cycled well. I was telling a guy once about an HK 770 I use to own that never jammed while out shooting with him,sure as heck it jammed,once in 8 years.Polished clean them always using very little oil.,oiling them to much can give you big problems and things get sticky from the cold and then they will jam or not even cycle right.
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I bought a new shortrac in 308 about five years ago.never had any problems cycling.from what ive heard/read the key seems to be running them dry with very little oil.
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11-18-2017, 07:30 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Manitoba
Posts: 1,529
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elkhunter11
My rifles are cleaned and lubed after every use, and I had no issues at the range, but the rifle did fail to feed in freezing rain on a hunt. Luckily a second shot was not required. The next owner had a similar experience on a moose hunt.
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The lube statement would be a reason you possibly had an issue. Understanding how they function would have been an asset.
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11-18-2017, 07:39 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 45,164
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gtr
The lube statement would be a reason you possibly had an issue. Understanding how they function would have been an asset.
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I understand how they function just fine, which is why lube was only used on certain components, and very sparingly. If you are suggesting that no lube of any kind should ever be used on BAR , then perhaps it is you that has no understanding of how they operate?
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Only accurate guns are interesting.
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11-18-2017, 07:40 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Manitoba
Posts: 1,529
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waterboy
Is jamming common?....or do they require more attention /cleaning? I'll always be a diehard bolt guy....though to beat a quality bolt, but might try this for varmints....maybe early season deer....
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I have several all in short action. I have never had an issue with failing to fire. I Keep them as clean as my other guns. I use Brownings Winchesters and Benellis. I use mostly levers and semi auto rifles.
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11-18-2017, 07:53 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Edm.
Posts: 4,931
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First riffle i bought in the 80s was a 30-06 auto.
It would jam if I used a lead tipped bullet ,as the lead would peal off on entree.
This was fixed with bullets with plastic tips.
I sold the riffle because they are not safe.
Always had a loaded gun after the first shot.
I find the tang to pull back to load or eject was way to small on cold days if you are wearing gloves.
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11-18-2017, 07:54 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 45,164
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gtr
I have several all in short action. I have never had an issue with failing to fire. I Keep them as clean as my other guns. I use Brownings Winchesters and Benellis. I use mostly levers and semi auto rifles.
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Perhaps you should reread my previous post a little slower, the rifle never failed to fire, it failed to properly chamber the next round. I was hunting in freezing rain, and the ice build up was likely the reason for this, but this has never been an issue for me with a manual action. With a manual action it would take more effort to cycle the action, but I could still have properly cycled the action. And as I posted previously, my BAR was chambered in 7mmremmag, so it wasn't a short action.
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Only accurate guns are interesting.
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11-18-2017, 08:22 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rocky Mountain House
Posts: 227
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Thanks guys ...great info and insight😊
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11-18-2017, 09:13 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Manitoba
Posts: 1,529
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waterboy
Thanks guys ...great info and insight
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Glad to pass on my experience with BARs. Have used the 1970's models as well as the new Shortrac ones. As with any tool they work well if looked after, and will shoot as accurate as most people that use them. I have one with the BOSS system on a 243 as well. It is worth calibrating to the round your using. They handle nicely, and fit me well. The new ones are quite a bit lighter than the early ones. I have some Belgium made as well as Japan made. Felt recoil on the early models is lighter than the new ones. They are all fun to shoot. They work well for shooting coyotes, when you can get more than one coming in at a time.
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11-18-2017, 10:25 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Northern Alberta
Posts: 1,704
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New
I have had two new aluminum framed BAR semi auto's with unsecured scope thread inserts. This problem is serious and one of the poorest decisions incorporated into a modern rifle. The fix is often not reliable. I would never own one of these newer rifles, but the prior versions why the heck not.
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11-18-2017, 10:54 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rocky Mountain House
Posts: 227
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Awesome guys😀....what type of rounds did you use in your boss equipped 243 ? Ive tried several types in my bolts from Hornady to nosler to Barnes and found the blue box federal to fly the best lol. I'm looking forward to trying this unit out....like I said I've never got into semi''s in the past.
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11-18-2017, 12:08 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Manitoba
Posts: 1,529
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waterboy
Awesome guys....what type of rounds did you use in your boss equipped 243 ? Ive tried several types in my bolts from Hornady to nosler to Barnes and found the blue box federal to fly the best lol. I'm looking forward to trying this unit out....like I said I've never got into semi''s in the past.
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I have used the federal blue box 100 grain with good results. I reload so I have used a variety of powders and bullets. Seems I come back to Win 760 powder. I have found good results with several different combinations. Good luck to you.
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11-18-2017, 12:11 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Manitoba
Posts: 1,529
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Full Curl Earl
I have had two new aluminum framed BAR semi auto's with unsecured scope thread inserts. This problem is serious and one of the poorest decisions incorporated into a modern rifle. The fix is often not reliable. I would never own one of these newer rifles, but the prior versions why the heck not.
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That is something I have not experienced, and with any luck I hope I don't.
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11-18-2017, 03:46 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Ontario
Posts: 1,405
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I was given one to use when I was too young to own my own rifles, I got a couple deer with it, but it did jam once on the followup shot. It didn't lockup properly.
Stick with the bolt guns, especially when you like them.
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11-18-2017, 04:21 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: WMU 214
Posts: 1,817
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Browning
I have an old Browning BAR in .338 Win Mag. I bought it used, and it was in pretty poor cosmetic shape due to riding around in a scabbard. Blueing was pretty thin or gone. Took it in and had the exterior Teflon coated and redid the wood myself.
Fired a lot of factory rounds and my own reloads over the years. Never a fail to feed or fire. Used two mags in it and never an issue with either. I think the original Brownings were a pretty well made firearm.
Dont use it much anymore as I moved up to a .375 H&H mag for the big stuff.
Last edited by Puma; 11-18-2017 at 04:26 PM.
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11-18-2017, 04:28 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Bonnyville
Posts: 183
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Browning BAR
I have 2 browning BARS, 7mm longtrac and a 338 safari, 7mm is 7 years old about 20 boxes down the barrel with 0 issues, I have only had the 338 safari for 1 year with about 6 boxes down the barrel with 0 issues, I don't clean my guns nearly enough but they work flawless.
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11-18-2017, 05:49 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rocky Mountain House
Posts: 227
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Awesome😊. I'm very particular so I'll probably go through it thoroughly and being a bit older Safari I hope it treats me good!
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11-19-2017, 12:48 PM
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Grande Cache
Posts: 667
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Family member has a 1969 Belgium made one in 30/06. It will feed anything with no loading issues but it can be a bit picky about ammo choice accuracy wise
The bolt lugs need to be kept clean. If they get gummed up the bolt will not seat fully and you will get failure to fires. This is the only issue he has ran into with it.
Recoil is very light, I had no problem with it as a 12 y/o.
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