Lever-action vs. 7400 vs. BAR?

[Brass Balls]

By cheygriz
The 7400/742 are excellent, well made rifles.

However, the Browning BAR MKll is head and shoulders above it.

My BAR in .338 WinMag recoils like a .308, is as accurate as any out of the box bolt gun, and has been 100 percent reliable.

The Browning BAR MKll is the "Rolls Royce' of hunting rifles.

I'm a little late to this party but I just wanted to say thanks to you all for the information you've presented on the Browning BAR. After reading this thread and others I found by searching, I pulled the trigger on the purchase of a BAR Safari in .338 Win Mag with a BOSS.

I'm taking it on a bull & cow elk hunting trip in CO in a couple of weeks where it will get a chance to prove its mettle. If the timing works out I'll get to swing over to Wyoming after the elk hunt and harvest a buffalo with it as well.

This will be my third Browning rifle. The other two also have the BOSS system which works really well for me particularly because I don't reload. However the other two are both A-Bolt stainless stalkers. One is a .270 and the other is a .300 Win Mag. I'll be bringing the .300 along too as a backup just in case.

What would be good to use to take some of the shine off of this rifle for the elk hunt that would be easy to remove after the hunt is over?

Sure is a sweet lookin' rifle.



clic pic



I bought it from Tom & Becky Harris owners of Sporting Arms in Lewisville, Texas for $799. This will be the sixth gun I've bought from them. They have been terrific to deal with and offer very competitive prices.

Thanks again folks, I think I'm going to like it here.

 

[Art Eatman]

I've seen ads for a sort of camo-sock thingummy that you could use.

My Wby Mark V is sorta on the shiny side. I've never noticed that it spooks critters, though. If I'm actually stalking, I tend to hold it down around waist level, anyway. If I'm sitting, it's in my lap until I'm ready to shoot, and I don't move except when an animal is looking away from me...

, Art

 

[kentucky bucky]

Why don't you split the difference and combine Browning AND lever and get a Browning Lever Rifle (BLR). They are great guns and accurate also. The lever is as smooth as glass and has a very short throw because of the "gearing" if that's what it's called. My hunting buddy has one in .308 and loves it.( they're purdy too)

 

[LeonCarr]

Had a roommate in college with a Browning BAR in 7mm Remington Magnum with a 3x-9x Redfield. With factory 150 grain Remington Core-Lokt ammunition it would shoot three shot groups under an inch off the bench at 100 yards. Beautiful and deadly.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[BusMaster007]

I took the nice wood off of my BAR/BOSS in 7mm Rem.Mag. to save it.
The Bell&Carlson stock set isn't shiny, but the metal still is.
You might see if you can get a B&C stock from Cabela's or your dealer ASAP before you go on your hunt, but the shiny metal would be hard to 'dull' up without a total refinish.

I wanted to get the BAR in .338 a few years ago, but they only started making the Stalker recently, just like I would've wanted the gun - dull black.
Oh, well.

Nice rifles. Good luck on your hunting venture and enjoy that BAR.

 

[litman252]

My feelings on the 7400:
Most people here will not have problems with them. My fellow gun junkys ( you guys ) usually know how to handle a rifle. Most problems that I have seen/heard of is when someone slams a mag into one repeditivly and bends the lips. Sorta like any semi. the mags are the most important part to the whole mechanizim.

Yesterday I could'nt spell MECH-A-NIC today I is 1.

The BAR's are great, and I love lever actions.

I've been up for way to long, sorry for the poot writing.
Tony

 

[treeprof]

Re Marlins vs. Winchester lever guns, the extreme ease w/which the bolt can be removed from the Marlins makes it far EASIER to clean, in my experience. My 4 Marlins have never jammed, FWIW.

 

[David4516]

On the lever gun subject, I have to agree with Sarge. I'll take a Winchester over a Marlin any day. The Winchester is much more "handy".

 

[Tomac]

For any kind of "social" use the top of my list is 100% reliability followed by ease of maintenance/repair. For that reason original military designs make more sense for my needs. The AK action (in its various forms) has always been extremely reliable and easy to work on. For short to midrange use an AK action in 5.45x39 or 7.62x39 fits the bill nicely. If you're worried about "PC" looks then the newer Saiga sporter is very nice but won't work w/hicap mags w/o installing a feed ramp plus the addition of US parts for legality. With SP ammo it's as effective as the 30-30. For longer ranges the Saiga .308 or the 7.62x54 Romak-3 w/8x42 scopes do very well out to 500m+. Other designs w/military origins (AR, M1A, CETME/HK-91, etc) can also be very reliable and easier to work on. Remember, sporting/hunting firearms aren't designed to withstand the use/abuse that military designs can. Just my $.02 worth...
Tomac

 

[seeker_two]

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the Browning Pump Rifle or the Remington 7600 (esp. in Patrol Rifle configuration)....

 

[Drjones]

Tomac:

I agree, but in my communist-controlled country, they do not allow us serfs to own military-style weaponry.

Seeker: Could you please tell me more about the two rifles you mentioned, and provide links to pics please?


Thanks!

 

[Tomac]

Drjones, Jeff Cooper once mentioned that he felt he could "adequately" defend his life with a lever action 30-30 and seemed enthusiastic about the shorter "trapper" models for home defense use in areas w/stricter gun control laws.
Tomac

 

[cma g21]

seeker_two: I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the Browning Pump Rifle or the Remington 7600

I can't comment on the BPR, but I have a 7600 and like it. It's fairly accurate (1.25" groups a 100 yards), and legal for hunting in states that don't allow semi-autos.

Links:

7600 with synthetic stock (the one I have)

7600 with wood stock

A few 7600's on Gunbroker:

http://gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=12952933

http://gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=13077406

http://gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=13054512

http://gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=12856932

http://gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=13069798

 

[BIGR]

I once had a Remington 7400 in 30.06 and hunted with it a few years. Not a bad gun but I decided I wanted a Browning MK II Safari in 30.06 I bought the Browning and like it better than the 7400. It has done a great job in the woods on large game.