Question for Browning BAR owners

All the bar's I've shot have been moa capable with a load the gun likes.

My bar we'll hold about an inch and a quarter with decent quality ammo, haven't done a bunch of load development or testing on it yet but I expect it to hover around an inch.

Mine would do about 1-1/4 on a good day. I learned that letting the front sling swivel touch the bag would open up the group.

I bought that exact gun last fall. Finally got to testing some loads and I can tell you it's a shooter. Definitely sub MOA. One of my 165g SGK H4350 loads will even do 1/2 MOA with a three shot group.

About 15 years ago, I splurged and bought a brand new BAR Safari grade in 25-06 and that damn gun was all over the paper no matter what ammo I tried. I had a friend that just had to have it and I told him about the terrible accuracy and he was convinced he knew how to make it shoot. He spent a lot of time and money on that gun and he never could get it do better than 5 or 6 inches at 100 yards. He gave up and sold the gun also.

I had another gorgeous Browning that would not shoot worth a damn and that was an exhibition grade maple Browning T-Bolt in 22LR I bought new. Best looking gun that wouldn't shoot worth a damn. Between the BAR Safari and the maple T-Bolt, I completely gave up on Browning rifles altogether. My opinion now is that the new stuff is overpriced considering what you get. Lot more plastic than the old guns and the X-Bolt design is too funky for my taste. Considering the price for a new Browning these days, you can buy TWO Ruger or Savage rifles that will shoot just as good or likely better.

I think the new ones are made by FN are are pretty good. Not sure.

I did some checking. The newer Mk3 models are just a dressed up FNAR so they are better than the tradition BAR as far as accuracy and reliability. I hear about 1.5 MOA. I am not sure if the Safari is FNAR based or not. Probably depends on the year.

Mine is super accurate when bench resting at 100 yards.

Dane R. Marley said:

Mine is super accurate when bench resting at 100 yards.


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Thats cause yours has the heavy barrel!

A long time ago my dad got one in .270 and he was just not fond of it. I took it and decided to try it out. That thing cost me a nice buck. I always hunted out of tree back then. I climbed the tree and pulled the rifle up with a string I had, unloaded of course. I eased the slide back and loaded a round easing the slide forward to not make any noise. Well I did not realize you had to let the bolt slam home. Buck came out and click. Sold the damn thing after that and went back to my bolt gun.

JDeere said:

A long time ago my dad got one in .270 and he was just not fond of it. I took it and decided to try it out. That thing cost me a nice buck. I always hunted out of tree back then. I climbed the tree and pulled the rifle up with a string I had, unloaded of course. I eased the slide back and loaded a round easing the slide forward to not make any noise. Well I did not realize you had to let the bolt slam home. Buck came out and click. Sold the damn thing after that and went back to my bolt gun.

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You can do that with the BAR, and most semis with the reciprocating bolt handle, But you have to seat the bolt completely with the palm of your hand after letting the bolt come to rest on the back of the cartridge.

A friend of mine borrowed my lightweight 6.5 Grendel AR build which used a slick side upper, he did pretty much the same thing with lowering the bolt on a cartridge but not seating it completely (Which is impossible without dropping the bolt on that gun because of the slick side upper). He missed a nice ram in an area that we don't usually get them because of it.

Mine is .30/06,. thirty years old and groups 3/4 inch at 100 yard with plain old Remington 180 Grain soft points. A couple dozen Whitetail will swear to it's accuracy..

LoonWulf said:

You can do that with the BAR, and most semis with the reciprocating bolt handle, But you have to seat the bolt completely with the palm of your hand after letting the bolt come to rest on the back of the cartridge.

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Yep, but what I know now I didn't know then...

I had a Belgian made one in .270. It had a ridiculously short throat. Only 130 grain factory ammo could be used, 140s and 150s I tried would jam the bullet into the rifling and not allow the bolt to fully seat resulting in the Browning click. I was able to safely load 140 grain Hornady BTSP at a reduced COL.

The rifle was extremely accurate, rivaling any bolt action. Never did extensive load work with it, but was able to surpass 1 MOA groups at 100 yards easily with handloads and one factory load.

Rifle was reliable in warmer temperatures, but had a tendency to not fully lock the first round even when slammed home in temperatures below 20F regardless of careful cleaning and minimal lubrication with proper cold weather lubes. Always required a few good palm slaps on the bolt handle to ensure first round would fire in cold weather. I didn't like the headaches, so I happily sold it.

My Belgian made 30-06 will do 1 to 2 inch groups reliably. A better shooter could probably do better but it's good enough for hunting and ALWAYS goes bang.