BAR sniper rifle

[cookhj]

i saw in a magazine about 2 or 3 years ago where some company had taken a BAR in .300 WM and put it in a full stock (not a two piece like it nornmally has) and put a heavy barrel on it and turned it into a long range semi-auto sniper rifle. i was wondering if anyone knows who does that or if anyone has any websites on it. my buddy found a BAR in .300WM for a good price and i think i might do it if i can find out who does it or how it's done.

 

[Gewehr98]

The company that built them was Arms Tech, LTd. in Phoenix.

It was built for a very short government run, perhaps a dozen rifles total in military service.

Army units were using this modified BAR as an Interdiction Rifle, in .300 Winchester Magnum. It's heavily reworked, with a 10-round detachable magazine, McMillan one-piece stock, and heavy contour stainless steel barrel. They used the steel-receivered BAR, not the alloy lightweight variant. It's seen limited use in Bosnia and Serbia, spanning the gap between the .308 bolt guns, and the .50 caliber Brownings. Supposedly, it worked quite well as a counter-sniper rifle against the local snipers shooting from the apartments.

Arms Tech has always been tight-lipped about these rifles, and no longer builds them. I've approached them on several occasions to rebuild an older magnum BAR I bought for the conversion - no reply. Some of these rifles were made for commercial purchase, and show up in the blue book description:

SUPER MATCH INTERDICTION POLICE MODEL
- .243 Win., .300 Win. Mag., or .308 Win. (standard) cal., features 22 in. free floating Schnieder or Douglas air gauged stainless steel barrel, gas operation, McMillan stock, updated trigger group, detachable box mag., 13¼ lbs. Limited mfg. 1996-98.
Grading 100% 98% 95% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%
$3,950 $3,650 $3,300 $3,000 $2,750 $2,350 $2,000

Last MSR was $4,800.

 

[cookhj]

so basically you'd have to figure out how to do it on your own, or not do it at all?

that kinda sucks, it would make an interesting addition to my collection.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Wasn't there a picture in one of Peter Senich's book of a soldier/marine with a scope equipped BAR? It would have been in the original 30-06 configuration though.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

the ones for the government contract were the commercial BARs. not the WWII BAR.

 

[cookhj]

thanks for the info Gewehr. does anyone know how they put the barreled action into the mcmillian stock? i would assume that it would have to be double lugged on the bottom of the receiver. i'm trying to see if it would be worth trying to build one on my own just for the hell of it (yes, i am hard-headed )
also, i've been trying to find pictures of the rifle online, but the only thing that i've found that has anything on it is the jane's online and you have to pay over $1000 for a membership.

 

[cookhj]

Gewehr, you wouldn't happen to remember which magazine featured an article on the rifle, would you?

 

[Al Thompson]

I remember reading about those in either The Accurate Rifle or it's predecessor. Gary, do you have your old copies?

 

[Gewehr98]

I saw it in the now-defunct Tactical Shooter.

They highlighted the specimens owned by the 82nd and 101st.

The McMillan A2 stock designed for that gun may have used the through-bolt receiver attachment, or some other unique method for keeping things secure.

I have Jane's on Intelink in my squadron, if I can get an unclassified printout I'll try to scan it in, albeit black and white. McMillan doesn't even offer that stock anymore, although if one paid through the nose, they might be persuaded to assemble another one.

 

[cookhj]

yeah, i was looking at mcmillan's website, and it would probably cost about $600 or more just for the stock. then to get a heavy barrel put on and finding some way to attach it to the stock (lugs i guess), i would probably end up spending close to $2000 on the darn thing; and i don't think i could do most of the work myself either. i think i would have an easier time just trying to find someone that has one and trying to buy it from them (which would be damn near impossible). well, i reckon i'll just go for building my own .300WM bolt rifle!