Can anybody testify about the best expected accuracy of a Browning BAR?

V

VaniB

New member
While I don't expect 1/2" MOA accuracy with a Browning BAR semi-auto rifle, I was wondering if anybody has any experience with it out of the box and can tell me if they think a rebarrel would have potential for tight accuracy.

I was probing google, searching for info about the 7mm Rem Mag or the 284 Shehane for a proposed bolt action rifle project. Well, off on a tangeant the Browning BAR in 7mm WSM caliber and the 7mmMag cal got mentioned, and then a wild-hair of an idea immediately entered my mind :) ;

"Hmmmm....Just how accurate can the Browning BAR semi-auto rifle be?!! " Wouldn't a BAR with a slightly heavier and longer custom smithed stainless barrel look different and be something different and interesting to play with at the firing range?..... Especially if I can get it to shoot handloads off of my rest into tight 1/2" groups!!! :cool: Man would I just love that!

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I don't know if Browning still makes them ,but the Boss C/R can help with your groupings. A friend has an A Bolt with the Boss option and it does work.
 
Thanks anyway, but as explained, I wouldn't be interested in the original barrel or the "boss" that can be had with it.

I realize the BAR is not a typical benchrest shooters rifle, and I may get little or no feedback about it.
 
The reasoning behind my post was to say that the Boss or Boss C/R (non ported) option on the Brownings does work. Therefore maybe a tuner may help in your endeavour.
 
Bar

Any Rifle can benefit from the addition of a nice custom barrel.

My brother in law has a BAR, in 30-06. It has the BOSS system on it, and we were able to tune it, with the 180 grn Factory Ammo he had, to shoot about 1 inch 3-shot groups.

I wish I knew more about these Rifles. Being a gas operated action, it is probably sensitive to a specific load. You really should consider adding a tuner when you get the new barrel............jackie
 
My BAR 7MM Mag had no problem shooting sub MOA groups with 130 and 168gr Sierra MK bullets. Those were the only two I ever shot, I used them for hunting loads also since white tail deer was the biggest thing to shot. I use the past tense because I haven't pulled the trigger on it in 30 years.
 
BAR has one of the worst gas operation systems design for accuracy work; dual independant cycling rods,left and right that are loosely attached to a large inertia block hanging way out on the forend of the forearm, carbon collecting piston that slaps against the inertia block in varying degrees of force, low off center mass gas system that causes tremendous verticle barrel up lift and therefore verticle shot spread, etc., etc..................system design is great for reliability and manufacturing but terrible for accuracy...........Don
 
Don said:
BAR has one of the worst gas operation systems design for accuracy work; dual independant cycling rods,left and right that are loosely attached to a large inertia block hanging way out on the forend of the forearm, carbon collecting piston that slaps against the inertia block in varying degrees of force, low off center mass gas system that causes tremendous verticle barrel up lift and therefore verticle shot spread, etc., etc..................system design is great for reliability and manufacturing but terrible for accuracy...........Don
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No great loss I suppose. If you look at my thread in the "Gunsmith corner" where I'm searching for a gunsmith to do the barrel replacement, there's 127 hits and not a single reply about it.

If it's not going to be a Browning BAR, then it will not happen. I don't think any other manufacturer makes a semi-auto in 7mmMag.
 
Bar

Ive got a 300 win. mag with the boss. It will shoot half in. groups if you get the boss set for the load. Mine shot .5 in groups with nosler part. not a real accurate bullet. I had more trouble finding a powder that would work the action. Tried 4350,4831 had a single shot tried 4064 had an auto again.
 
Doug Casner said:
Ive got a 300 win. mag with the boss. It will shoot half in. groups if you get the boss set for the load. Mine shot .5 in groups with nosler part. not a real accurate bullet. I had more trouble finding a powder that would work the action. Tried 4350,4831 had a single shot tried 4064 had an auto again.
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Doug,

If I could be assured that a custom barreled BAR is capable of giving me 1/2" 5 shot groups with my hand loads, I'd proceed in a heartbeat. (Ok...I can settle for one flyer to 3/4" occassionally)

The problem is that most folks are reporting groups like Doug Kennedy, or Jackie, or others that I've read and researched; 1" to 1 3/4" or worse!

I don't hunt, and so my only satisfaction is to put tight groups on paper. A customized rifle that delivers 3 shot 1" groups for me would be a major disapointment....especially after 6 months and $2,000
 
VaniB said:
Doug,

If I could be assured that a custom barreled BAR is capable of giving me 1/2" 5 shot groups with my hand loads, I'd proceed in a heartbeat. (Ok...I can settle for one flyer to 3/4" occassionally)

The problem is that most folks are reporting groups like Doug Kennedy, or Jackie, or others that I've read and researched; 1" to 1 3/4" or worse!

I don't hunt, and so my only satisfaction is to put tight groups on paper. A customized rifle that delivers 3 shot 1" groups for me would be a major disapointment....especially after 6 months and $2,000
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I would hope for 1.5" groups at BEST, expect 2moa.

Really....... it's a complete waste of hard-earned money.

Speaking of money......If I a nickel for every "I wish't I'd never sold it" gun that could "shoot on a dime all day long"..... I could afford another benchrest rifle.

:rolleyes:

al
 
Very few benchnrest or varminter rifles use two piece stocks. It's not impossible but a lot more difficult to make an accurate rifle if the action has to provide the coupling between a fore stock and a butt stock than if the action is cradled in a strong single piece stock. Accuracy never hurts but for many hunting, self defense, and combat applications a 1 or greater moa rifle is adequate. It may be blasphemy on this group but accuracy isn't always the most important requirement for a rifle.

The BAR's design is not not conducive to exceptional accuracy and a new barrel alone won't fix that. Most lever actions, single shots, and semi autos are difficult to make accurate for the same reason.
 
I had one about 30 or so years ago in 7mm mag. and it didn't shoot for beans, and was like packing a ball and chain around.
 
Bar

Vanib, I m not lyin about the .5 in. groups with the BAR. I think the boss has made it accurate. There 3 shot groups though. I shoot 3 shot groups with my hunting rifles. That boss is like a small tuner. Id get the boss if I was going for accuracy. Its one of the old 300 win. mags the long one. I tried Hornady interbonds in it they shot an in. I didnt play with the boss though. If yuo played with the boss it would probably shoot .5 in. too.
 
Me and my friend have 3 BARS between us & I reload and test them all. I recently shot a 3 shot group @ 100 yards that measured one half inch in 270 win shooting 110 grain VMAX. I shot my bud's 338 BAR and looked at the groups from a couple of years ago and shot a inch and a eighth @ 300 yards with accubonds. They key for my 270 is fouling and hand cycling the first round. It takes 4 shots to foul, and let the gun cycle itself. Not all the time, but I can have flyers if I hand cycle. First thing I did was have a gunsmith hone the trigger assembly and sent my leupy to premier reticles for the dot job for coyotes. Furthest was 350 yards, but a crow @ 200 yards in a 20 mrh cross wind with a 20 mph dot & nothing but feathers. Use locktite on the BOSS because I had it always work loose. Somtimes you can see the vapor trail and it is one of the coolest thing I ever saw! The muzzle break allows you to see wear you hit the animal, or where you are hitting with a miss. Harris 25c & a monopod for the stock. Pro ears predator muffs and away you go!
 
Clark said:
I have (3) BARs.
300WM, 300WM, and 338WM
It took them to the range once.
They are 2 moa rifles.
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I had a bar in 338wm for awhile. It shot more patterns than groups. I could not hold the sucker tight enought to shoot it well. Plus even with ear plugs and head phones it was very loud. I think I shot it 40-50 rounds before I said no more kick and noise for me.
 
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