OMG!, a BAR

[blucher]

That was my reaction to finding a Browning Automatic Rifle (semi-auto in this case) at my local pawn shop. It's in mint shape from a quick glance but the greatest part is it's caliber; .338 Win/Mag.

I thought all BARs were .30 al. but if the owner is correct my Browning and the BART use the same round. Nice to know but too much money for me.


I believe I've read the ,338 Win/Mag Lapua is the finest round made. Seems a hard category to say that about on caliber round but they do. That means you sort of have an axe in the shape of a rifle that can chop up most things it encounters.
$785.00 read the tag.

[MRB]

The Browning Auto Rifle now is not exactly the same as the BAR of many years past. It's a damn good hunting rifle though. Also the 338 Win. Mag. and the 338 Lapua are not the same cartridge either. The same caliber and bullet selection but no where the same brass cartridge. It has been said that the 338Lapua is near the perfect round for distasnce and accuracy.

Nice find.

[blucher]

Also the 338 Win. Mag. and the 338 Lapua are not the same cartridge either. The same caliber and bullet selection but no where the same brass cartridge. It has been said that the 338Lapua is near the perfect round for distasnce and accuracy.

You've gotta help me on this.
same caliber & bullet but a different brass cartridge? I know something had to be different but the idea of the brass being a factor on more than extractors is new. What's up with that?

My current Browning is for distance & accuracy.


The BAR on the other hand while doubtless a fine hunting rifle can also blast the crap out of doors & walls and most other things it encounters.Taking a BAR hunting is a bit like carting a small cannon into the woods. For that matter taking my FN ain't much better but I'd intended it for bench shooting.

US Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) Colt Monitor (R80) 1931 with a Cutts Compensator.


Clyde Beatty liked his BARS.

[MRB]

The parent case of the .338 Lapua is a .416 Rigby. Basically a .416 Rigby necked down to .338 diameter. The .338 Lapua was introduced in 1989 and is a rimless bottleneck type cartridge. It measures out to 8.58X71mm. The base diameter is 0.587".

The parent case of the .338 Win. Mag is the .375 H & H Magnum. Basically a shortened and necked down .375 H&H Magnum cartridge. It was introduced in 1958. It is a belted bottleneck type cartridge. It measures out to 8.58X64mm. The base diameter of this cartridge is 0.513".

The .338 Lapua is primarily a military long range round. However it has been used for hunting larger dangerous game (usually Afirca) where this smaller caliber is allowed. Certain African countries have a 9.53mm or 0.375" minimum bullet diameter rule.

The .338 Winchester magnum is primarily a hunting round used mostly in North America and is fairly common for the larger North American game.

This ammunition will not interchange with each other as you can see by their dimensional differences. Also, they perform quite differently from each other.


As for the rifle, the original BAR had detachable magazines and had a full auto feature. Pretty much a military only weapon. The modern day BAR's do not have detachable magazines. They are fixed and hold only a few rounds as to be legal capacity for hunting. They also have been changed up internally so as they cannot be made so easily to full auto mode. They come in quite a few different calibers in long action and short action from .243 Win. to .338 Winchester Magnum.

http://www.browning.com/products/cat...ng-short-track

[blucher]

It is a belted bottleneck type cartridge

belted so it doesn't blow up the rifle?

Not interchangeable I can now understand but wouldn't either fit? Better not or others like me might blow up their gun.

I used to think if it fit properly it was fine. Thanks for the headsup.

Pawn shop price is $785 but new is;
031001231 338 Win. Mag. 24" 45" 13 3/4" 3/4" 1 1/8" 8 lbs. 3 oz. $1,320

I chanced on a pretty decent thread on a fellow's procedures refinishing his Mosin Nagant. Good reference.
http://operatorchan.org/st/
It's in their "Strip Club Review" section.
photo: http://operatorchan.org/st/src/st10451_IMG_2429.jpg

[MRB]

Originally Posted by blucher

belted so it doesn't blow up the rifle?

Not interchangeable I can now understand but wouldn't either fit? Better not or others like me might blow up their gun.

I used to think if it fit properly it was fine. Thanks for the headsup.

No, either won't even fit. Heres some belted cartridge info:

Belted magnum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Heres a pic of a .308 Win. cartridge (left) and a 300 Win. Mag. cartridge (right). The 300 Win. Mag is a belted magnum cartridge. Notice "belt" a few mm's above the head.

[HiHood]

HA!! I was about to add that the BAR was the weapon of choice for Clyde Barrow, He would cut them down and make a "WHIPPIT gun" so he could whippit out when the law was around, then there was his picture of him holding one in front of an old Ford V-8.

YouTube

YouTube

[blucher]

10 characters.

Originally Posted by MRB

Notice "belt" a few mm's above the head.

here?

[MRB]

Originally Posted by blucher

10 characters.



here?

Yep..........

[mrmurdoc34]

OK here is the 338 Lapua Mag.
http://stevespages.com/jpg/cd338lapuamagnum.jpg

Here is the 338 win mag.
http://stevespages.com/jpg/cd338winchestermagnum.jpg

The Belt is what a belted mag cartridge headspaces off of. Where as a a regular bottle neck cartridge like the 338 Lapua headspaces off of the shoulder of the case.

I believe it was because the orginial H&H cartridge had such a shallow shoulder angle it couldn't headspace off of it.