BAR Users

Autoloader accuracy

Hay acearch: You mentioned 1.5" groups at 100 yds and that you weren't satisifed with the accuracy.

A number of years ago I worked over a buddy's new 7400 autoloader in 06. One of my favorite cartridges. I have had some bolt and M1 garand experience with the 06 but had to do some research on the 7400 before I could get it to group respectably.

I tried a whole bunch of accuracy loads for autoloaders - they differ from bolt accuracy loads in that you need to use the faster burning powders to maximize powder burning efficiency in the autoloader. I also tried a whole bunch of different bullets. But, both my buddy and I are/were sold on the 180 grain bullets.

There are a couple of things you can do to close up the groups for that BAR. The first is to check the fit of the forestock to the action, especially where the forestock butts up to the action. That needs to be flat and as 'square' as it can be so there is no stock shifting left to right or up to down. Then, you need to look at the front of the forestock to see what part of it, any spacers or end caps are impacting on the barrel. You need to relieve those so none or nothing impacts on the barrel at the far end. Also, you need to look at any screws or bolts that mount the forestock to the barrel - if they tighten down too much or put tension on the barrel your groups will open up. You basically have to 'free-float' that barrel as much as possible.

And, of all the crazy things. You said your BAR (or your Dad) prefers the old WW round nose 180 grainer. The 7400 preferred the Rem 180 round nose. There were some better groups with the handloads but not by enough to go crazy about it. But, after the stock work the groups closed to an inch at 100 yds. My buddy takes the thing out every year, groups three at the 'x', takes it huntin', cleans it and puts it away for next year. Your BAR should be able to do the same.

This is Mikey and I hope this helps.

Rick

When I came back from Nam in.....70, my Bro-In-Law had just put the kiss of death on all of the current remington autos and had bought up a BAR in -06. Of course he jammed the bageez out of that too :wink:

Being as I had just wrapped up a tour with the m14 and 16 I thought I knew enough about the gas autos to "fix" his problem. To this day, he's still got it, and it NEVER jammed again!

In the BAR -06, 54 grains of H414 under a 165 spitzer flatbase of about any manufacture, and with a Federal 215 primer, that will get a man sub MOA in 99% of the Browning autos. They shoot!

Myself, I carried one, a 7 mag BAR up in Vermont one year deer hunting. I was a lot younger then, but that gun near broke me. For whatever reason, I never did warm up to the older BARs, the newer ones seem to "feel" a little better, but I still don't cotton to em.

The Rem autos always seemed to fit me better. I took more than one deer out when none of his feet were on the ground with those old rems.

Like anyone else, I like hoss power, and fire power. But these days the hoss power busts me up, and the fire power wears me down as most of the rifles are just plain to danged heavy.

I have a new BLR in 308 which I love, it's on the books at 6.5 pounds. Man it sure don't feel like it weighs no 6.5 pounds! Maybe because the Wby UL -06 weighs 5.5 and I got spoiled. But if Wby can do it, why can't Browning build a 5 pound auto or lever????

We gotta carry these things for miles in order to get a shot at something, why so heavy? Never could figure that one out :wink:

Hmmm, a fluted ss bbl on a BAR with a slimmed down reciever, light synthetic stock.....in 308, with a pachmeyer decelerator, ported, 20 in bbl... MAN I could lay down some lead with that puppy!

Around these parts we call the BARs timber choppers :wink:

Coug

Rick Teal all I can say is you got a 742 and it didn't jam or hang up the first week, you must have gotten a good one. Most of them were junk and ended up having more problems than Congress in 10 years meeting on the hill. I had bought a new one back in the 60's and it had a bad barrel on the gun, wrong height sights from the factory on it, as well as having a clip that was flimsy for reloading. That rifle would not keep 4 shots on a 2 x 2 piece of plywood at 75 yards. A real joke of a gun.

Now the Browning Bars are the best in a semi auto hunting rifle on the market. Saying that I don't like the way the clip swings down for reloading. Yes, they are a bit on the heavy side. I bought my wife a .270 model about 3 or 4 years ago (just couldn't pass up the burl walnut stock) this rifle shot 5 shots into a nickel size hole at a 100 yards. It was just plan to heavy for her carrying.

I also owned a 300 win mag in the Bar and it would throw the 3 and 4 shot off by 2 inches every time out the gate, no matter what kind of factory ammo you feed the rifle. Figured it must be something besides the stock and bedding causing the problem and unloaded it for another bolt action. I tried some reloading for the rifle, but no dice just didn't respond to the changes. I got rid of the rifle!

Last year I bought another BAR in a 338 mag, beautiful again stock wise, it is the Cats Meow no question what so ever. It shoots just about anything I feed it without a hang up and is accurate also with everything no matter of bullet weight in factory loads, it will shoot under 1.6 inches every time out the door at 100 yards off the bench. I have worked up several hand loads for the rifle and that made a big difference in the MOA group size, down to under .750 MOA shooting 210 grain Barnes blue X bullets. :grin: