new 7.62x51 EBR, for those who does not know yet

[max popenker]

FN AR, apparently a tactic00lized version of the Browning BAR Light hunting rifle.

 

[ugaarguy]

How will they price it? How much will spare mags cost? The Browning BAR is already pretty expensive. If they price it too high folks will probably buy AR-10 and M1a rifles instead. My gut says this thing will scrape by like Remington 7615 pump rifle which priced too close to ARs to really compete in the market. I know all we have at this point is a picture, a short description, and part numbers for 4 versions, but I'm curious. The rifle doesn't appeal to me...yet. Hopefully we'll get some answers after SHOT.

 

[crazed_ss]

Shoulda left it with a traditional rifle grip so Californians could buy it. The pistol grip looks out of place there anyway. Oh well..

 

[max popenker]

Another issue that might bother the future owners of this EBR could be maintenance. I browsed through the user manual for Browning BAR II and it looks like the basic disassembly is a major PITA, and requires tools and lot of care. Hope FNH engineers improved the design in this regard, otherwise this might be somewhat problematic, IMHO.

 

[Frog48]

That is one ugly rifle. The pistol grip looks like it was added as an afterthought, totally out of place.

 

[Ash]

Well, it was added as an afterthought if this is the BAR reconfigured.

Ash

 

[JWarren]

It looks like an afterthought idea from someone who wanted to capitalize on the EBR market as easily as possible.

A pistol grip stock doesn't magically transform a sporting rifle into a battle rugged rifle.


Sadly, someone is going to buy this thing and then discover later what they have. Then they will realize they have ZERO aftermarket parts or support. They will contact FN in a couple years when something breaks only to find out that FN really doesn't want to support this thing.


-- John

 

[Ash]

You mean if I put mud-grips on my Dodge Caravan I won't have an off-road king???

Ash

 

[HorseSoldier]

They're advertising it as a one MOA rifle -- my guess is that it is primarily going to be marketed to law enforcement agencies, with a price tag that makes it more affordable than other semi-auto .308 sniper/DMR sort of rifles.

 

[JWarren]

Probably.

But it makes me feel like I adapted an AK stock and slapped it onto my Dad's Remington 7400 and shoved a BAR magazine in it.


-- John

 

[30 cal slob]

ugleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

 

[kfranz]

Folks have been professionally "sniperizing" the BAR since the late 80's, and maybe earlier. This is just a factory version. I've got a first or second year BAR that shoots better than I do, so the accuracy is there. More complicated to tear down than I'd like though, and this doesn't seem to address that.

 

[strangelittleman]

Looks fragile to me....An EBR w/o BUIS?? Not for me.

 

[H2O MAN]

No iron sights!

Interesting, but I think I'll stay with my M14s

 

[Spot77]

Shoulda left it with a traditional rifle grip so Californians could buy it. The pistol grip looks out of place there anyway. Oh well..

I thought the same thing as soon as I saw it; It would look, and probably feel better without the pistol grip.

 

[Bitmap]

My suspicion is that if you take one of those and an M1A, AR-10, DPMS .308, a good FAL, or agood clone of an HK-91 and 10K rounds of ammo and start shooting both of them, one of them will fail a LONG time before the other.

 

[trbon8r]

I have a safe queen Browning BAR in .300 Win Mag that was my first centerfire rifle. I don't fire it much anymore since my interests are now geared more towards military type weapons. The BAR is a good gun for what it is, a nice accurate, reliable for civilian use, sporting arm. A military grade weapon it is not. Bad idea by FN.

 

[casio02478]

IMHO it looks like it will fit the role of a DMR, but only if it is proven reliable in the field. Although I like to test it first but I don't think it can really match up to AR-10s and M1As in that role.

 

[elmerfudd]

I think I'd rather just have the original and a few high cap mags.

 

[esq_stu]

There's a lengthy cover story on this weapon in Shotgun News (shiny cover issue) from about 2 weeks ago.

Based on features, sounds great. But is there a market?

 

[ckay]

I'll stick with my AR10T

 

[fireflyfather]

Have you ever read a review ibn a gun mag that DIDN'T sound great?

 

[cracked butt]

I think its a good move to conspicuously put a pistol grip on a hunting rifle. That sort of move has caught on big time with shotguns used for turkey hunting. You get more fence sitters trying it out and thinking "oh yeah, this is nice" instead of the common misconception that the pistol grip is for spraying fire at a playground full of children from the hip.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

It looks like an afterthought idea from someone who wanted to capitalize on the EBR market as easily as possible.

Complete truth right there^

Same thing with most guns, if you paint it black and put a pistol grip on it, it will sell.

 

[Andrewsky]

How many of you have actually held or fired a Browning BAR?

They're extremely accurate and reliable.

The one my dad has does not require maintenance or lubrication. It just works. And it shoots 1moa easily.