Newer Browning BARs

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PRoT0Col

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Hey everyone,

Has anyone else had issues with the new Long and Shortrack versions of the Browning BAR. Ive finally gotten out to shoot them and they print nowhere near a MKII version in the same caliber. Could it be just two "off" rifles or is it that the newer stock just doest print as well?

Thanks,
P
 
I had a .270WSM 2012 BAR. Bought new.
I sold it because it was unacceptably inaccurate and the build quality is inferior.
I'm not the best shot but I was embarrassed to own it.
The thumb tang release is a cool feature.

My 1970 BAR shoots with better precision. The build quality is superior.
The European craftsmanship is evident - cycles like a Swiss clock.
It's a rifle I'm proud to own.
 
Fudge Monkey said:
I had a .270WSM 2012 BAR. Bought new.
I sold it because it was unacceptably inaccurate and the build quality is inferior.
I'm not the best shot but I was embarrassed to own it.
The thumb tang release is a cool feature.

My 1970 BAR shoots with better precision. The build quality is superior.
The European craftsmanship is evident - cycles like a Swiss clock.
It's a rifle I'm proud to own.
Click to expand...

I agree! Those Belgium build BAR's in 60' and 70' are better build than currently sold "CNC quality" ones.
I guess nothing can match a profesional and highly skilled hand. I have couple of oldies and b/c their reliability and accuracy I will stay away from the new stuff even when being a lefty I would prefer that empties weren't flying in front of my nose....
 
I have a Longtrac 270 and a winchester sxr (same as a longtrac or FNAR) 30-06 that shoot just as good as my BDL's. I like them better than the old safaris (not that there's anything wrong with the safaris, I just like the feel/fit of the new ones...and the Mag system).

I let the "Bolt actions are More accurate" guys at the range shoot them as much as possible, and they pretty much gag when they see their targets.
 
To add, the trigger is crisper on my 1970 than on the 2012.
The new gun, I'd pull through varying degrees of resistance, the pull seemed to vary. I'm talking slight variations. But inconsistent nonetheless.
 
oh shoot! I had my hopes up to get a new Shortrax s/a in either 7mm-08 or 308 in the European style stock with the super short length of pull. Are these ones not so good? Please tell me it isn't so!
 
It seems that the new BAR's are a hit/miss, (pun intended), when it comes to accuracy. As far as functioning, I haven't heard of any problems,..they seem to work flawlessly. I have a Shorttrac oilfinish in 7mm-08,... craftman ship and finish is excellent, functions excellent and reliably, sholders very good, recoil is almost non existent with the 7-08, and carries well. Now,.. as for accuracy,..it is accurate enough for hunting but not a 100yrd MOA shooter with factory 140's. I am going to work on some handloads in the 140, 150gr range and see if I can get it to shoot tighter groups,....I think it will do better with hand loads.
 
Well, I couldn't stand it any longer, I had to take my 7-08 Shorttrac to the range today. I just put a new VX1 3-9X40 Leupold on it and was going to wait until I got my reload order and rolled a few loads before I took it to the range, but I had some older blue box Federal 150gr Sierra Pro Hunters, so I grabed them and off I went.
Well I am pleased to say that the rifle seems to love them. The first three shots,(25yrd), were just to foul the barrel which were a little spread out,.....I let the barrel cool for a few minutes and the next three were a 1 hole group about the size of a 45-70 bullet hole in the center of the bullseye. Then I moved the target out to 60yrds. Before I go any futher I must say that our range facility here realy sucks and it is hard to get a good solid rest,....I had a folded gun case under the front of the gun and a balled up fleece blanket under the rear,...not very stable. Any way the next 2 shots I fired were a little high and about an inch apart,...I knew it was me ,not the gun, so I adjusted my make shift rest and the next three I can cover with a dime, 0.575" group. So I moved the target out to 100yrds. The first three were a little high and right but in a 1 inch group,...the next three were a little low and right, but also in a 1 inch group,...so for the last three shots I decided to aim just left of the bullseye to allow for pulling the gun to the right when I fired, but that didn't work out to well, lol, and was the largest group of the day, but I did fluke one in the bullseye with that group, lol. So,..as you might guess, I am very pleased with the 150gr out of this rifle,....I never got that kind of grouping with the 140gr. I think with a good rest like a Lead Sled and taylored hand loads this rifle bullet combo would shot MOA all day. Here's a couple pics.

60YRDS,...

150gr708003_zps2bf6c24c.jpg
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100YRDS,...The reason the groups are in different places on the target is because each time I got up from my pillowy rest I could never get settled down in the same place/way twice, and I am no sniper so it ended up I was pulling the gun in a different way each time I settled in for the next group. But even so I only spread the whole 9 shoots a bit over 4.5". I think I am going to get a lead slead for working on my hand loads,..that way I know group size won't be affected by my poor markman ship, lol.

150gr708009_zps6706dd6c.jpg
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Anybody know how hard it would be, or if it's possible, to change a 30-06 barrel to a 270 barrel on one of these new ones?
 
two-dogs said:
Tabacco Brook, thanks for the info, I'll continue to save for the shortrax oil finished 7mm-08 or 308.
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No problem two-dogs,..glad I could ease your mind a little on geting a Shorttrac. I don't think you will be disapointed with one. 7mm-08 or 308 are both good choices. These BAR'S are fun to shoot, and IMO are a very nice looking rifle.
 
I had a Shorttrac in 308 and sold it. It shot 2 MOA and I hand loaded it down to just over 1” with a flyer once in a while. It was a good rifle except that it wasn’t consistently accurate.

I took it hunting one time and missed a deer at 30 yards. It ran without blood trail and the deer was never found. Given that I had all the time to aim and shoot. I could never understand why I have missed. That was the first and only time I missed in all these years hunting.

I lost confidence in that rifle and finally sold it. All my hunting rifles are now bolt guns and shoot under 1 MOA.
 
Danny Boy said:
I had a Shorttrac in 308 and sold it. It shot 2 MOA and I hand loaded it down to just over 1” with a flyer once in a while. It was a good rifle except that it wasn’t consistently accurate.

I took it hunting one time and missed a deer at 30 yards. It ran without blood trail and the deer was never found. Given that I had all the time to aim and shoot. I could never understand why I have missed. That was the first and only time I missed in all these years hunting.


I lost confidence in that rifle and finally sold it. All my hunting rifles are now bolt guns and shoot under 1 MOA.
Click to expand...


There's no dollar sign on piece of mind and agree that being confident with a gun makes all the difference.

But that being said how many moa is a deer at 30 yards? Everyone misses, could've hit a branch or something, can't blame a rifle for misses.
 
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