BAR 338 and 30-06 reliabilty?

[Malamute]

I'm wanting to learn some about the BAR rifles. Due to a shoulder injury, it has become somewhat painful to shoot much in these calibers in bolt guns. I live near and hunt in grizzly country, the 338 would be my first choice because of the chance of running into a bear with a poor sense of humor when hunting elk or anything else up on the mountain. Reliabilty is very important to me.

So, I guess the main questions are, how is the reliabilty of the BAR's in 338 and 30-06 cal?


How has accuracy been for anyone that has had one?


How much are they on todays market in used but excellent condition?


Anything to look for when seeking a BAR? IE are Japanese and Belgian guns equally reliable? Japanese doesnt bother me, the experience I've had with other Japanese Brownings has been outstanding.


Thanks for any useful information.


I'm not interested in Remington autoloaders.

 

[30-06 lover]

So, I guess the main questions are, how is the reliabilty of the BAR's in 338 and 30-06 cal?

Reliability of 7mm I had was excellent. No failures of any kind.


How has accuracy been for anyone that has had one?

The 7mm would shoot 1.5" at 100 yards, but the weird thing was that when shooting three shot groups, two would be almost touching, the thind about an inch away. This happened with several different types and brands of ammo, with all people that shot the gun. I checked the scope rings and bases several time and all tight. Even replace all three at one point. Still got the same type of groups.


How much are they on todays market in used but excellent condition?

I personally don't know, but if you look on gunbroker you could probably find what a reasonable price would be.

Anything to look for when seeking a BAR? IE are Japanese and Belgian guns equally reliable? Japanese doesnt bother me, the experience I've had with other Japanese Brownings has been outstanding.


Mine was a belgian and a fine weapon, but that is all I can say as I have not owned or used a Japanese model.

 

[Andrewsky]

My dad has one in .270. He never cleans it yet it is perfectly reliable and shoots well under 2moa.

 

[dogrunner]

I own three BARs. Two lightweights and an older steel framed '06. The alloy framed guns are in .338 and '06 and both have proven utterly reliable and will group with most bolt guns, that lightweight '06 will actually hold well under an inch for three shots, really surprised me!

I've hunted with a BAR for years here in Fla. as I use dogs and require the capability for quick follow ups as it can be damned hard to make a killing shot on a fast moving whitetail every time. For that reason autoloaders are quite common here in every area that permits dogs and rifles, without exception the BARs are considered the cream of the crop.

Recoil is light with all three but follow up with the .338 is just a little slower due the longer recoil thrust........but not by much! All are really easy guns to shoot altho the longer bbl on the .338 tends to slow things down some.

I lived in Alaska for three years and were I to return I would absolutely take that .338 along....it shoots as flat as any '06 and has a lot, lot more energy on arrival. But, back then I used an old pre '64 '06 with excellent results and took a lot of caribou with it plus one bear.

By the way, I handload for all my rifles and use the 165 Sierra gameking in the '06, pushing it with 57 grs of 4350 (yeah, I know, thats supposed to be a bolt gun load) and use the Nosler 225 accubond in the .338 over 70 grains of the same. That '06 load is lightening on deer, but I believe if I was shooting caribou again I'd pick up something a bit more strongly constructed....perhaps Noslers partitions or the like. As to the .338 if I was using it in AK I'd likely do the same but move the bullet weight up to 250...and I repeat that if I was going to float the Mclaren river again, that .338 IS the rifle I'd have with me.

Truly you can't go wrong with either.

This has turned out to be a lot longer than I intended, but I'll add that the ONLY malfunction I've ever had with those BARs was my own fault. I stupidly tried some ultra hot loadings a friend suggested (which I won't repeat) that lead to gas leakege into the bolt face and subsequent damage to the ejector spring.....other than that spring no damage occured but the rifle would "stove pipe" on ejection. Guess the moral is to stick with what you know works.....like I said, that was my own dumb fault.

Pricewise....dunno what to tell you as I strongly suspect it'l vary by region...I got both the lightweights in trade with a friend and the old steelframed job was an "at cost" from a dealer friend.

I'll add that if I was gonna do AK again I'd stock that gun with a composite set and have a good polymer finish applied to the metal.......as I remember I just about destroyed that M/70 waybackwhen!