Browning Bar accuracy
- Thread starter TSchwab25
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Poper
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I, too, had a love affair with the BAR. Beautiful gun. Shot ok and was perfectly acceptable accuracy for a hunting rifle out to 250 yards or so. My biggest gripe was having to clean it from the muzzle or using the ubiquitous Bore Snake.
I finally let it find a new home as it took up space in the safe of something else I would shoot more often.
I finally let it find a new home as it took up space in the safe of something else I would shoot more often.
My late wife bought me a Safari mk2 in 270 quite a few years ago. I went into the then new gander mtn in eau claire, and since it was the week after deer season, they had ammo on sale I grabbed a box of federal blue box in 130gr and 1 in 150gr. Figured would be good to sight in. I mounted a Leopold 2.5-7 and headed to the range. after getting the scope dialed in the 130 gr was averaging just a hair over 1" at 199rayrds. the 150 looked like a shotgun pattern. So I went back to gm and bought all the 130 they had. I have a half a box left. I have sot more deer than I can count with that rifle some out to 250 yards. Last year my middle granddaughter shot her first deer with it. It is not my most accurate but is the one I grab when deer are the target.
I had a Browning Bar in 338 mag. I had several hand loads that would group into 1 1/8" at 100 yards off sandbags. This was for 3 shots. As I shot more the point of impact would rise.After 20 rounds the impact might rise over a foot. This was without waiting for the gun to cool between shots. If you were going to wait for the barrel to cool you could wait a long time.
Had three of em, gave one to a good friend............both the remaining are lightweight versions, one in '06 & the other .338. The former is a 20" version and it loves my 165/4350 loads........yeah, I know that's a bolt gun powder....but my view is that if it works it ain't dumb! That little piece will hold right at an inch at a hundred. The .338 is much the same, but with a notable longer recoil recovery time....That said, if I was going back to Alaska, THAT is the rifle I'd haul along. But these aren't intended as target rifles, they're hunters and in that guise they are hard to beat. The only malfunctions I have ever experienced were of my own doing with faulty loads. Properly fed and properly prepared for the environment they are to be used in they are, in my experience, utterly reliable............unlike that abortion of a design Remington marketed! Insofar as application, yeah I agree they are somewhat heavy compared to my featherweight 70, but that gun will really spread a group after a couple of rounds......and the bbl will get your attention if you grab it after a few quick shots.
My use these days is as a primary piece for deer and as I run dogs I can state with some authority based on experience that a couple of extra rounds are not out of the question.....course with Mr. Remingtons product you'll spend some extra time clearing that jam and cussin......but not with a Browning.
Far as the comment on the Alaska experience with jamming............frankly if one is DUMB enough to leave his rifle full of oil in that climate, regardless of action type, it's gonna malfunction..............I know, I lived there for three years in the 60's, and when it bottoms out damn little machinery of any sort works well..............my criticism of that event is that they had a lousy guide that failed to inform 'em.
My use these days is as a primary piece for deer and as I run dogs I can state with some authority based on experience that a couple of extra rounds are not out of the question.....course with Mr. Remingtons product you'll spend some extra time clearing that jam and cussin......but not with a Browning.
Far as the comment on the Alaska experience with jamming............frankly if one is DUMB enough to leave his rifle full of oil in that climate, regardless of action type, it's gonna malfunction..............I know, I lived there for three years in the 60's, and when it bottoms out damn little machinery of any sort works well..............my criticism of that event is that they had a lousy guide that failed to inform 'em.
Grunt0311.!
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I just picked up my BAR MARK 3 in .243. Mixed up a nice load and it shoots 1/2” MOA. Took awhile to find a load she likes. Shooting hornady100 grn SPBT. i was worried reading post about 2&1/2” MOA. WHEW, HAPPY
browningguy
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I've had 3 over the years in 270 & 30-06, the best they ever shot was 1 1/2", and that was for 5 shot groups. After that they would open right up. That's plenty good for a hunting rifle though.
Grunt0311.!
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I loaded up accurate 2700 powder 39.8 grains. Seated to specs. Also a load of VV N160 45.1 grains shot about the same. 1/2”@100 tight silid groups
I wouldn't count on one to be MOA accurate, probably closer to the 2 moa mark from what I have seen. There was a write up showing the short barrel 308 version to be about 2 moa accurate with so.e vertical stringing. I thought about one, but there are too many other 308, 7mm 08 that are 1.5 or better MOA rifles.
My Browning BAR 308 Win. does good with SGK 165 gr. also!!
The Happy Kaboomer
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I've been deer hunting with my 30/06 Bar for a number of years. Killed probably 3-4 pickup loads of deer with. Mine shoot s around 1 1/2 " @ 100. With my Federal 150 gr Fusion hand loads. Which is good out to 300 or so. I also deer with bolt/lever/AR rifles too. When I kill a deer with one it goes in the safe and another comes out. Some seasons I get to rotate through all 8 of "em".
someguy2800
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I think people use the wrong accuracy standard for this type of gun. Shooting groups is somewhat helpful to develop a load with some ballpark consistency but it’s irrelevant to hunting. What matters is first round impact.
The way I like to really test hunting rifles is to shoot 1 shot on paper on 4 or 5 consecutive days. I also like to do this when it’s cold out and leave the rifle and ammo in the garage overnight so it’s cold like when I’ll be hunting. You might find that your rifle which struggles to shoot a 5 round group because of the barrel heating up and moving shoots very consistently day after day on the 1st shot.
My favorite hunting rifle is my 444 marlin handi rifle. If you sit and shoot strings, the 2nd shot will be about 1/2-1 moa higher and shots will continue to walk vertically about 3-4 moa and then stabilize. Shooting a 3 round group over consecutive days though it will print within an inch of POA, and that’s what really matters.
Side note, I also do this with all my hunting rifles when it’s -20 deg F out. You’ll sometimes find that your load that shoots perfectly at 40 deg is not so hot at -20.
The way I like to really test hunting rifles is to shoot 1 shot on paper on 4 or 5 consecutive days. I also like to do this when it’s cold out and leave the rifle and ammo in the garage overnight so it’s cold like when I’ll be hunting. You might find that your rifle which struggles to shoot a 5 round group because of the barrel heating up and moving shoots very consistently day after day on the 1st shot.
My favorite hunting rifle is my 444 marlin handi rifle. If you sit and shoot strings, the 2nd shot will be about 1/2-1 moa higher and shots will continue to walk vertically about 3-4 moa and then stabilize. Shooting a 3 round group over consecutive days though it will print within an inch of POA, and that’s what really matters.
Side note, I also do this with all my hunting rifles when it’s -20 deg F out. You’ll sometimes find that your load that shoots perfectly at 40 deg is not so hot at -20.
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d2wing
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One should be aware that they were redesigned in the late 90's, and the newer version are substantially more accurate that the old design. Not sure which model is a version of the FNAR. I wanted to buy a Winchester branded version when they were on sale but they only had 300 Win Mag in stock. I would consider a new one for the less recoil and fast follow-up but they are heavy. Many years ago I was able to get 1.5 MOA with handload out of a Remington 742 but that is a very different rifle.
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Terry G
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My Wife bought me a BAR .30/06 probably 30 years ago. It shot sub 1" groups with plain Jane Remington 180 Grain at 100 yards yesterday at my sighting in. I've never once had to track a Whitetail with this combination. My Son's Browning X bolt will shoot a one hole group at 100 yards with the same ammunition, but a Deer is bigger so I don't care.
.38 Special
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I think these "running groups" are a very good idea. With hunting rifles, I like to keep a target with the gun, and whenever I take the gun out I put the first cold, clean shot into that target and then put the target away. Over the years I've gotten a very good idea of what to expect - and it's never as good as advertised. A rifle that sometimes will print 1" three shot groups after it's settled down can turn out to be a five MOA gun in the real world.
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.38 Special
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On a more general note, I suspect that online, "MOA" often means "Occasionally puts three shots into one inch" or even "Did that one time, if you didn't look at the tape measure too hard". Which explains why there are so many old milsurps, random AK47s, and grandad's old hunting rifles touted as "MOA" around these parts.
For my money, MOA is defined as "Can pretty much be guaranteed to land the next shot within half an inch of the bull", and those are actually fairly rare, at least off the rack. I've never personally seen a Browning BAR do that, with one exception. In my experience, the BAR is at best capable of reliable 1.5" groups, with 2+" being more common - and that sort of thing really ought to be considered perfectly acceptable for a general-purpose hunting rig. We make far too much of "MOA".
The exception, by the way, is the Browning BOSS system. These are annoying and ugly, in my view, but they can be almost miraculous. If the OP is dead set on both a BAR and MOA, buying and then learning the BOSS system is the only realistic way to get there.
<edit> And before I get yelled at, I have no doubt that some BARs are true MOA guns right out of the box. I just wouldn't count on winning that particular lottery.
For my money, MOA is defined as "Can pretty much be guaranteed to land the next shot within half an inch of the bull", and those are actually fairly rare, at least off the rack. I've never personally seen a Browning BAR do that, with one exception. In my experience, the BAR is at best capable of reliable 1.5" groups, with 2+" being more common - and that sort of thing really ought to be considered perfectly acceptable for a general-purpose hunting rig. We make far too much of "MOA".
The exception, by the way, is the Browning BOSS system. These are annoying and ugly, in my view, but they can be almost miraculous. If the OP is dead set on both a BAR and MOA, buying and then learning the BOSS system is the only realistic way to get there.
<edit> And before I get yelled at, I have no doubt that some BARs are true MOA guns right out of the box. I just wouldn't count on winning that particular lottery.
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someguy2800
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Yeah I do that as well sometimes where I track the POI movement over like half a year by shooting it once a month or so. Some of the wood stocked guns I've done this with move POI dramatically as seasonal conditions change despite shooting nice groups if you just shoot a 5 shot string. Its very peculiar to me how obsessed people are with group size, while ignoring how well it holds its actual accuracy relative to the point of aim. For my standby hunting rifles I really want to be able to take it out of the safe any time of the year and shoot within an inch of my POA on the first shot. Of a little over a dozen rifle I own there are only two that I can confidently say will do that. If I have to chase the POI around with the scope turrets it doesn't impress even though it may be able to shoot a good grouping.
Nice, but that BAR is a different rifle from today's version. Produced out of different materials and in different countries.
cowboy77845
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My 270 Weatherby MKll BAR shoots MOA with 140gr factory Accubonds. Does not like 130 gr at all. I bought it used. Had hardly been shot. Wanted it because of caliber. Stock has been shortened so as to be used with winter clothing. Got a good deal I could not turn down. A great rifle to use from a stand. Very pleased with it.
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