what happened to Browning BARs? the semi-auto hunting rifle ?

dukecrab

dukecrab

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I am lucky that I am living in a city with both Whole Sale Sports and Cabeles.
I remember there were Browning Bars in these stores around 2 years ago....
this year, I did not see any...... in the two of the biggest giant outdoor hunting stores... (not to mention the other small stores here...)

I am just afraid, according to the trend, is this country beginning to secretly restricting semi-autos ?
 
As above , they're a decent rifle . my late father had a Belgium made 06 , but there isn't a huge following . Add the fact that they're a fairly expensive rifle competing with less expensive bolt guns , that are usually more accurate , and you end up with low sales figures . If they don't sell , they won't be ordered .
 
Nothing against a semi in a hunting rifle but over the years I've only had one hunting buddy that used one and it was a Remington. His jammed on number of occassions and he had commented that it had to be really clean to shoot reliably...!
 
anglia2 said:
As above , they're a decent rifle . my late father had a Belgium made 06 , but there isn't a huge following . Add the fact that they're a fairly expensive rifle competing with less expensive bolt guns , that are usually more accurate , and you end up with low sales figures . If they don't sell , they won't be ordered .
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This is where I see the main shortfall of the BAR. You can get a more reliable, more accurate bolt gun for less. There just isn't that many people using semi-auto hunting rifles, most people seem to prefer the simplicity and reliability of bolts or levers, and there are quite a few semi-auto options out there, so the BAR has to compete with all of them too.

That said, I've always wanted a BAR in something silly like 338WM. That would be one fun gun... But I dont know if I'd trust a semi for the sort of hunting I would want a 338wm for (grizzly, or hunting in grizzly country), so even if I do get one some day it probably wont get used much for hunting...

Scotty454 said:
Nothing to do with semi vs manual. SKSs are selling by the hundreds.
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People dont buy SKS to be a hunting rifle though(not saying it can't be done, but the vast majority of SKS sold dont get used for hunting). Conversely, people dont buy BARs to be cheap plinkers. Hard to compare the two because they appeal to different markets.
 
I've owned and shot BARS in multiple calibres, from 243 to to the 338 win mag.
I'm down to the one 3006 that I've owned since I was a teenager, and can say I've never had that gun jam on me if it wasn't my own doing aka babying the bolt.

I can tell you they sit forever on the used market, generally bought by guys shooting pushed or driven deer who want want multiple shots at running game (leave your judgment of this to another thread, it's merely my own anecdotal conclusion)
They're a heavy gun for walking with I find, and thus it often stays at home.
 
I understood that Browning made stores that want to stock their product, take packages of various models. So to have the good, you were stuck with the bad...slow selling.

The reality is that a retailers version of a good vs bad firearm is completely different than a anti gunner, a waterfowler, a hunter...etc. Firearms that have the most profit qualify.

Someone earlier in the thread equated these to Remingtons. Apples and Oranges. IMO the bar is the best of the affordable hunting autoloaders. Function, price, and aesthetics. But they are pricey, and heavy.

I put one up once and eventually sold a nice Mk1 in 30-06 for $600, which is low end bolt rifle territory. They just don't carry their value, and are undervalued.
 
I have 2

A Browning BAR Hog Stalker in 308 with a polymer camo stock and a 5 shot removable box clip, unfortunately its no longer offered by browning on either side of the border'

I also have Browning BAR White Gold in 7mm mag beautiful gun but not cheap
 
Suther said:
People dont buy SKS to be a hunting rifle though(not saying it can't be done, but the vast majority of SKS sold dont get used for hunting). Conversely, people dont buy BARs to be cheap plinkers. Hard to compare the two because they appeal to different markets.
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Well aware, I was just commenting on the OPs comment "I am just afraid, according to the trend, is this country beginning to secretly restricting semi-autos". :)
 
I sure like my 35 Whelen Remington 7400. Accurate with the Timney trigger fix and cycles reliably. Just the rifle to be carrying when multiple targets need to be dispatched in a hurry. :p

Remington%207400%2035%20Whelen_b_zpscpqda6eg.jpg
 
The browning BAR MK3 in 30-06 weighs 7.2lbs....that is not to heavy of a rifle to carry and is on par with a lot of bolt action hunting rifle.

I've owned a BAR in 300win mag for many many years (since the 80's)....has never jammed and has taken a pile of moose and deer.

Having said that, bolt actions are a lot more popular and retailers tend to stock what sells the most...you can buy 2 or 3 budget rifles for the price of a BAR.

I've seen more BAR's on dealer shelves than I"ve seen Winchester m 70's lately....whats up with that?
 
BAR's are very much a personal taste sort of firearm imo, but then I suppose that same concept could be applied to most/all firearms??

If Browning were to reduce the weight a bit and bring out something along the lines of one of their Micro X bolts in a BAR 223 I would be all over that like a fat kid on a Twinkie. But it is highly unlikely Browning would bother trying to compete with the horde of semi-auto 223's currently on the market.

I would still like to own a BAR in 243 and if Browning ever produces a 6.5x55 in the BAR I would sell a kidney to buy one!! :runaway:​
 
I have a BAR from 1975 that belonged to my wife's grandfather. The first time it's ever been apart for a cleaning was six months ago, when I bought it from my wife's brother... and it has never jammed, not once. Real nice rifle, but as far as shooting goes, it's strictly a deer gun...2" group is the best it will do, with any kind of ammo I've tried, even shooting from a lead sled dtf.
 
The only hunting situation where I would consider a semi would be for hogs south of the border and in that case, I would just gravitate toward an AR. (15 or 10, depending)
 
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