VAhuntr

I have a hunting partner that has a 6 year old BAR. It is a great gun, accurate(although not sub 1/2" accurate) and has taken many deer. But, he found out that the BAR can break as his gun sat in the gunsmiths shop for the last two weeks of firearms season. Seems something broke causing the gun not to eject. I realise a bolt rifle can malfunction too, but it is much less likely to do so.

Todd1700

My father has a Browning BAR in 7mm magnum. I can't speak for it as a bench rest competition gun but it is more accurate than you could ever need a rifle to be for hunting purposes. If you miss a deer even at 350 yards with a BAR, I promise you it will be operator error not equipment malfunction.

Big Guy01

I keep a reloading/shooting binder for all my guns with my shot targets and crony results . Just to see how well my Bar did as compared to my other guns here are the results. Note these are my best groups on a good day at the range, I use front and rear sand bags and shoot from a sturdy bench, no gun vise ,targets at 100 yds 3 shot groups.
.223 Rem 700 BDL bolt,with a 6x24 tasco =0.75"
6.5x55 Mod 96 custom mauser bolt with a 3x9 Bushnell = 0.75"
30-30 Marlin 336 lever with a 4x Tasco =1 3/8"
.300 Win m70 bolt with a 4x12 Lepould =0.50"
444 Marlin lever with a 1.5x4.5 Bushnell=0.52"
all above are handloads.
7.62x39 m56 SKS semi with a 4x chinese scope =1.25"
with surpluss ammo.
It appears that my BAR in 30-06 is my best shooting gun at 0.43"
I never really compared.I reload and try to get the best I can out of each gun. I bought my BAR Grade 4 in 1971 and haven't had any problems with it, still shoots great.
The moral is a BAR will shoot as good as any hunting gun out there if you do your part.

stubblejumper

Those are impressive groups Big Guy but my preference is not to use my best groups to evaluate the accuracy of a gun.Instead I shoot several groups and take the average as it provides a better representation of what you can normally expect from both the gun and the load.I have seen people at the range bragging about their 1/4" gun and waving around a target with a 1/4" group, but when they tried to duplicate it their average group was double or triple the size.After all the bragging they couldn't back up their claims.My most accurate hunting rifle has shot a few groups under 1/4" but it averages 1/2".As such when someone asks how accurate this gun is I tell them it is a 1/2" gun.

Big Guy01

I agree with you 100 % these are my best groups. under ideal conditions. I have yet to have any game animal wait until I have set up a bench , sandbags etc. control my breathingand heart beat, site and squeeze off a shot. My point was that the BAR as a hunting rifle of big game surrenders very little in the way of accuracy to any hunting bolt rifle. I can't seem to get my pictures to post properly. If you want to see my target in the last post. right click on the red "x", highlight the entire url and copy it. then paste it into the address bar. that should work.

skeeter 7MM

Both are fine guns and quite frankly provide better groups than most guys shooting them. However the fact of less moving parts the Abolt would be my choice. Also (I am not saying this you or any other BAR owners that posted) but some use pumps, auto's, etc for fast follow up shots which really makes me scratch my head as quite often your first shot is your best so make it count.

stubblejumper

The first shot is almost always your best chance.

Big Guy01

The first shot is the most importent, but instead of a follow up shot I like the bar because it allows me a quick second shot on another animal. Quite often moose and deer travel in groups,(we can party hunt for big game here) the bar allows me to take two "first shots" quickly. For the ultimate in non moving parts you can't beat a single shot, I don't see to many in the field. Bolts,levers,pumps, and semis are the hunters choices probably in that order.

.358

Not trying to ruffle anyone's feathers here, to each his own,I say. But, I just don't understand why every one is so hot on the first shot your best shot. Maybe out of a tree stand, perhaps we all should use singe shots ?

Here is the deal, now be honest have you evr shot at a running buck in the timber or going across a field or about to go on some other property ? That first shot doesn't always go where we want, darn deer dodges behind a tree when you pull the trigger, a 100 things can go wrong ! so a second or third quick shot may be necessary. I once asked a seasoned hunter why he carried an semi- he said oft times if you miss the deer willl stop and get it's bearings before dashing off again and you have one in the spout ready to go. Any other type of action the deer will hear and bolt before you get the action cycled. I've seen it dozens of times. Now don't get me wrong, I use lots of bolts and I'm quick with one. But in the field I take my semi- Last year my brother in law had a huge buck run under his stand in heavy timber near a field edge, he shot four times, when the buck hit the field edge he hesitated for a moment and his last shot did the trick ! I have jumped many bucks in timber when caring a bolt rifle and never had a chance, just watched them bound through the timber.

stubblejumper

I have to say two things in respose to this post.The first being that if it takes a person four shots to get his animal he needs more shooting practise not faster follow up shots.Unlucky events can occur to any of us that could cause a missed first shot but missing three shots is not bad luck it is simply poor shooting.If you jumped bucks in the timber but had no chance for a shot a faster follow up shot is not a factor.If you have missed many shots then shooting practise is again in order.

I am not saying that I don't miss shots myself because I have missed my share over the last 30 some years.When I did miss I checked over my rifle ,accepted the fact that I screwed up and put in some more practise time.When it comes to shooting accuracy quantity will never replace quality..