The WAR

[Bob Wright]

Interesting article i the current American Rifleman about the Winchester Automatic Rifle (WAR) which might have replaced the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) M1918A2.

A comment made was that the magazine of the BAR was of poor design that led to frequent stoppages. I was not a BAR man, but had some experience with one, and stoppages were non-existant in my experience. My only complaint was that the BAR fired from an open bolt.

In my study of weapons, I've often argued the difference between an automatic rifle and a light machine gun was that ARs are magazine fed, while a machine gun is self feeding. The English considered the BREN gun a light MG, but I differed with that as it was magazine fed,,hence an automatic rifle.

But then I classifed the M-1 and M-2 Carbines as light rifles, not true carbines. But then, what'd I know.

Bob Wright

 

[Armybrat]

Prior to WW2, Browning licensed FN in Belgium to manufacture the BAR.
FN modified it a bit by adding a true pistol grip and made it in 7.9 mm, IIRC.
When my dad returned from France after V-E Day in 1945 he brought back three firearms: Two Mauser 98K rifles and one FN Browning BAR like the one in the photo.
I guess the Germans had captured it when they overran Belgium early in the war.
My grandpa blocked the breech with a brass plug to make it "legal", and got a letter from the FBI stating its status as a DEWAT.

Later in the mid 1950s when we were stationed at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, I used to drag it outside when we neighborhood kids played Army in the wooded area behind our quarters.
That dang thing sure was heavy for a little 10 year old kid to haul around.
Nobody batted an eye.

My brother donated it to the Camp Mabry Military Museum in Austin about 20 years ago where it has resided in their vault ever since without being put on display as far as we know.

 

[kmoore]

I also read that article and had never heard that the BAR was known for stoppage problems. Disclaimer: I never fired one or know anyone who used one in combat. Held one in the OSP crime lab inventory. It is stored next to a Johnson rifle (machine gun). I had to handle that also. Of course the BAR is much heavier.

 

[contender]

I've been lucky enough to have fired (2) BAR's. No issues at all in my experience.

 

[DeletedMember275]

I have read that even John Garand couldn't make his rifle work with BAR magazines, because the rifle operated faster than the magazine could feed a new cartridge. Personally, I think that the Army generally uses the M249 SAW in the Automatic Rifle role currently. Even though it is (normally) belt-fed, it is usually employed without the tripod.

 

[Snake45]

Here's an excellent thread on BAR on another forum, started by a fellow who just bought a (very spendy) semiauto one. LOTS of great BAR stories and lore in this thread--WELL worth reading!

I paid more for this rifle than I have any other single gun in my life, and I've bought a bunch of nice rifles in the past decades. I ended up liquidating 4 or 5 very nice rifles to finance this extravagance, but I have zero regrets.

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/thats-not-a-rifle-thats-a-rifle.1290019/