Browning Auto

[Geordie]

What are the pros/cons of thr BAR hunting rifle? I am looking at a used Safari in 338 Win mag. Anyone have an opinion?

 

[Abel]

People who are used to a professionally tuned $100 trigger will probably find issue with the OEM BAR trigger. Otherwise, a great rifle.

 

[returningfire]

They are a little heavy. But for a 338, heavy is good. They seem to run better clean and dry.

 

[dogrunner]

I own one of the aluminum framed rifles, got it as new in a trade for an HK300 .22 mag.. Recoil is mild and second shot capability is very fast compared to the same caliber in bolt guns I've fired. Accuracy is excellent. Overall it's a well done piece that'll serve you well.

Incidentally, I use only handloads in mine and have had excellent results with Accubond's in 225 gr. and Hornady's 200's.

Bit much of a caliber for the whitetails I hunt, but all you gotta do is touch one with it!

 

[DM~]

Bit much of a caliber for the whitetails I hunt, but all you gotta do is touch one with it!

Geeeeze, i HOPE no one actually "believes" that statement!!

DM

 

[RainDodger]

I have a Safari II in .243. It has a steel receiver. It's quite accurate for hunting, and a soft-shooting action. Easier on the shoulder than a bolt, that's for sure (though .243 isn't exactly a heavyweight). Others are right that it's a bit heavy, but the BAR is a very nice rifle. My rifle was made in 1993 and the trigger is excellent.... I don't know what the newer ones are like, but mine is clean, crisp, and quite light.

Note: when re-assembling a BAR after cleaning, it IS possible to put the small piston in backwards... and then you'll be the special guy at the range that has a single shot, until you put the piston back in the correct direction! Of course it wasn't me; it was my buddy.

 

[adelbridge]

I have a longtrac .30-06 I bought new from a member here. The trigger is extemely good for a semi auto rifle but not bolt gun good. Mine shoots legitimate 1" groups when it is cool with most quality ammo. It will string shots vertically when it gets hot but for a hunting rifle that is a non issue. They are a PITA to disassemble the gas system but they are supposedly self cleaning for what ever that claim is worth. I have put maybe 150 rounds through mine with no problems at all. My buddy had a 7mag BAR and he never cleaned it for 17 years!!! I ended up cleaning it and I swear blue soup came out of the barrel and the thing still ran like new.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Recoil is less than a .300 bolt gun. They are good guns.

 

[browningguy]

They are accurate enough for hunting, and often look quite nice, no downsides I can think of with the two I have.

 

[firstshot425]

Pros:
MOA or better accuracy
Quick follow-up shots
Reduced recoil
Quality, Quality, Quality

Cons:
You have to chase brass at the range (unless you make a brass catcher like I did)

 

[dakotasouth]

I once had a Safari in .338 win mag with the BOSS muzzle brake on it... plenty accurate, kinda heavy, amazingly loud. Definitely did more than touch a few deer with it and all of them went down pretty quickly... anywhere from down at the place of impact to as far away as probably 40 yards or so.

Ultimately, when a .300 Wby Mark V came home to roost, the Browning went away. Nothing wrong with it, it just quit getting used and looked lonely in the back of the safe.

Really no down side to owning one that I can think of.

 

[Kachok]

I recently bought my first Browning rifle, I had absolute FITS trying to get it to group, tried four kinds of factory ammo and 40 or so handloads before I could keep it on paper (yeah it was that bad), by far the hardest rifle I have ever tuned, now I got it in the 1/2" range even pulled a pretty little one hole group last time out, but unlike my Tikka an Savage I really had to work for it. Oh and while the Browning trigger is OK it is a LONG way from being on par with the Tikka.