Looking at a braowning bar

[69daytona]

Found a nice bar safari grade Belgian made with heavy barrel in 30-06, would like to know if any that has one has had any problems and what kind of loads will work safely in it?
If I get it will loads for the M1 work with no problems.

[Texas by God]

I have fired two of them in my lifetime. Both were 7 mm magnums. They were quite accurate but I felt they were too heavy to carry around all day hunting. Whether or not it will share loads with your M1, that's anybody's guess. Most people that use the bar are not Reloaders.

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[tazman]

The BAR I owned was a 280 Remington. It shot fine but as TBG said, it was heavy and made a long day in the field. It handled my reloads perfectly but I never shot cast in it.
This would have been in the late 80s early 90s.

[kaiser]

I own a BAR in a 30/06 and also an M1 Garand. The BAR will shoot any load that is recommended for the Garand that is a medium burn rate powder charge; some loads are very accurate. The "reverse" (BAR loads to Garand) is not good because slow powders can and will bend an operating rod in the Garand unless you have an adjustable "gas port". My BAR does not like military brass and will occasionally "stove pipe" a round, where my Garand "gobbles them up like candy". If you find the right ammo, keep the chamber and gas port clean, the BAR will work reliably. The 30/06 IMO is about the "right" cartridge for the BAR where it weighs about a pound less than the "Magnum" models (7mag etc) and performs on par with most "out-of-the-box" bolt action rifles. Mine (1970 model) has a decent 3 1/2# trigger, but later models seemed to have gotten heavier with each passing model update. My favorite powders for this gun is IMR or AA4064 with Varget in close running; coupled with any brand of 150 or 165gr bullet.

[69daytona]

Thanks guys. I won't be going in the field anymore due to health problems but will enjoy shooting it off the bench.

[pietro]

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Anybody who wants trouble-free handloads for a Browning BAR or BLR should use a set of small base sizing dies and always full-length resize ILO only neck sizing.

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[Duckiller]

I have a BAR in 338 Win Mag. Works good and really blows up pumpkins. Am told I can't take it to So. Africa to hunt. There are states here that won't let me hunt with it. They are good guns,m better than the politicians who limit their use.

[Harry O]

I also have a 30-06 BAR (the second model with the BOSS) and a couple of Garands. I have used Garand loads in the BAR without problems.

The small base dies were mentioned above. When reloading, I could tell the cases that were fired in the Garand and the ones that were fired in the BAR. The ones from the Garands were larger and took a lot more effort to resize. I surmised that the chamber was looser in the Garands. Then I had a few reloads fail to fully chamber in the BAR.

I got a Wilson case gauge and went through ALL of my 30-06 brass. There were a number that would not fully seat. I separated them for a closer look. The ones that fully seat in the case gauge have absolutely no problem seating in the BAR when using standard dies. I eventually tossed about 5% of the cases I have for being way to big. The remainder of those that are slightly (they almost seat) too big still fire without problem in the Garands. I still compete in a Garand shoot once a year.

Also, if you get a case gauge, a large number of them will drop into the gauge up to the rim and stop there. I have a magnifying glass that I use to check them. Almost all the time, it fails to seat fully because of a gouge on the rim from the extractor. File it off and it will fully drop in.

They are a heavy gun, but that does not mean much from an elevated stand.

[MT Gianni]

I have owned two BLR's in 308 and 358, friend has one in 243. We have never needed to use SB dies on reloads.

[Petander]

I used to have a BAR in 300 WM. FL resize worked normally,it was (is) a good gun. I just prefer a bolt for my 300 WM , didn't need two.

A friend of mine used a 30-06 BAR in practical competitions,he fired an insane amount of ammo with it. Basically outshot the gun. So he bought another one,it was so reliable.

[AnthonyB]

My 30-06 BAR is from the 80’s and has always been more accurate than I am. I never needed SBD’s and used 50 gr. 4064 with any 150 gr. jacketed bullet. Ready to try cast in it now.
Tony

[hc18flyer]

My brother carried one for several years in 7 Rem mag, used sb dies to reload. Got tired of a 10# rifle, now has a Winchester Featherweight in 7-08. Nice shooting, but a lot of rifle to lug around. hc18flyer