Browning BAR caliber question

[jmoyer2]

My wife asked if she could start going on a hunt with me every year. Awesome! the plan is to have one hunt every year with my buddies and then do another hunt with her. We scraped enough money together for a rifle and she really likes my buddies BAR 270. Since this is primarily going to be an elk gun, I would like to see her get the 30-06, or even better 7mm or 300 mag. I guess my question is is how bad is the recoil for these calibers in a semi-auto? She has absolutely no problem with the 270 semi auto, my 280 bolt is borderline, and the 300 win mag bolt gun is way to much for her. Do you think the gas operation would reduce the recoil enough to where the 7mm or 300 would be tolerable for her? thoughts, opinions, or facts would be appreciated. thanks

[carpsniperg2]

I would go 270 for her. Lots of elk have been killed with the 270. I have shot a couple of them one in 300win and a 243win. The 300 didn't seem to bite to bad. You don't want to get something she can't shoot because it hurts or make her pick up bad habits. 270 or 30-06

[bobcat]

A 30-06 won't kick bad at all in a BAR. But I agree with carpsniper- the 270 will do just as well. The main thing I'd be concerned about with a BAR is the weight. Are you sure she is able to pack a heavy rifle like that all day?

[jmoyer2]

A 30-06 won't kick bad at all in a BAR. But I agree with carpsniper- the 270 will do just as well. The main thing I'd be concerned about with a BAR is the weight. Are you sure she is able to pack a heavy rifle like that all day?

The one we were looking at is the lightweight stalker. Its synthetic and runs about 200 buck cheaper. It weighs in a bit over 7 lbs. She has packed my Ruger M77 280 all day and has not had a problem. They should weigh about the same.
 
I know the 270 will take elk, I have seen it done, but I really like the idea of a 180 gr bullet, especially for elk sized game.

[rtspring]

my dad has the BAR in 30-06 he is 70 years old and packs it around all day long. One of the best semi auto's I personally have ever shot. Sweet gun, I have nothing but compliments on this rifle, topped with a great scope it is a for sure deadly combination........ Love the fact that it has the detachable magazine....

Oh did I mention his rifle will be mine one day........

[bobcat]

I used to always like the 180 grain out of a 30-06, but with the premium bullets we have now, especially the all-copper bullets, I've been going to lighter bullets. A good elk bullet for the 30-06 is the 150 grain Barnes, and in 270 you can do just as well with a 130 grain Barnes.

But yeah, I definitely can't, and won't, argue against the 30-06. I think it's a great choice. I forgot about the lightweight models they have now. My dad has a BAR in both 270 and 30-06, and I know they are relatively heavy guns.

Of course, being lighter, recoil will be greater, so I'd either go with the 270, or get the 30-06 but use 150 grain Barnes bullets. There's a huge difference in recoil between 150's and 180's.

[bhylton]

"Of course, being lighter, recoil will be greater, so I'd either go with the 270, or get the 30-06 but use 150 grain Barnes bullets. There's a huge difference in recoil between 150's and 180's."

no kidding! do the 30-06. idk if you hand load. but it you do, load up some 165gr nosler accubonds. i think the 165 is ballisticly suppoir to the 150 and past 250-300yds.. to the 180. the 165 will give good velocity/energy "plenty" and should not kick to hard at all. shot from a model 70 featherweight it is fairly plesent to shoot. best of luck!

[JimmyHoffa]

You can look into the BOSS muzzle brake that Browning designed and includes (optional) for the BAR, if you are concerned that 'too much' about the .300 Win Mag is regarding recoil.  The standard cartridges also give one extra round for the standard set-up. 

[Alchase]

You can look into the BOSS muzzle brake that Browning designed and includes (optional) for the BAR, if you are concerned that 'too much' about the .300 Win Mag is regarding recoil.  The standard cartridges also give one extra round for the standard set-up. 

 The BOSS can and will reduce felt recoil quite a bit, be advised though this is at a cost of dramatically increasing the noise of the shot. They are loud!! If she has no problems shooting a certain caliber, i would forgo the BOSS. If the increase in loudness does not bother her, the BOSS makes shooting the BAR's recoil extremely manageable.
I love the BARs, it is one of those guns that should be in every gun safe, lol