Browning BAR: After the phenomenal diffusion of magnum calibers deemed necessary for all kinds of hunting, we are witnessing a more rational repositioning of the various cartridges with re-evaluation of those unduly put aside.
di Emmanuel Tabasso
Over the last few decades there has been a very particular phenomenon in the choice of cartridges: in the post-war period, the overseas magnums had carved out a substantial part of the market by putting many valid previous solutions in the corner, especially those created by the Germans. Wars, as is well known, are not won only for glory and for ideals (very similar to those that in artillery are defined as "false aims"), but with a keen eye and interested in commercial implications. However, after several years some good things are rediscovered and, in the midst of everything and more that we are used to, we begin to evaluate with greater caution the whole series of prerogatives of a certain product. A good number of non-exasperated charges have thus been seen to rise again in rifled gun cartridges, flanked by new ones of the same address, a clear sign that not always where the most is the least, or to be more precise, sometimes the most it's just a nuisance, like walking in shoes size 46 when you usually wear a 43. This ideal movement is fully found in the striped semiautomatics and the bores chosen in the Browning BAR offer a clear example of this.
First of all, let's consider the use of this type of rifle in the specific hunting environment of our home, therefore in the wild boar hunting; the availability of calibers offered by the House of Herstal was immediately very large starting with the .243 Win. to get to the .338 Win. Mag. Offering a valid solution even to those who threatened much greater prey than ours. The two medium options of the .30-06 Sprg. and the .308 Win. they have always been a choice shared by many hunters, especially the first who easily tolerates ball weights between 180 (the favorite) and 220 grams without showing disturbing overpressures. There is a lot to write about the history of weights: between 150 and 168 gr there are several positive characteristics, but it is perfectly useless to try to undermine what one has in one's heart with technical data, so it is good that everyone relies on what they deem right. . Alongside these calibers, the .300 Win was later very popular. Mag. Excellent multipurpose cartridge, it is also used with satisfaction on moose, and therefore it was thought that it was good to have it not only on long-range rifles, but also on semiautomatics. At the time the steel castle acted as a tranquilizer, not too much though, and the subsequent passage to the ergal castle had definitively convinced that the measure of things is a sign of intelligence and careful evaluation. In a nutshell, if we really need all the kgm or joules expressed by the magnum together with the related jolts, that's fine, but if they turn out to be just an excess, then it is good to brush up on the value of a medium size that it brings with it, together with a equal energy, a less tiring way of expressing it with a lower pressure peak, a decidedly more diluted recoil, a contained detection of the barrel, a more acceptable stress for the shooter: all to allow you to shoot well not only the first shot, but those which follow, often equally important and decisive. The weight of the weapon then seems to have become a determining factor and therefore the rifles are much lighter than in the past, but the measures adopted actually offer favorable results.
Browning BAR: Another school of thought
Leaving aside the magnums, considering the mids as the .30-06 Sprg appropriate. and the .308 Win., another idea has touched the lovers of the rifle and caliber pairing: an old glory is dusted off like the 9,3 × 62 designed by the Berlin technician Otto Bock in 1902 and we can see how the large caliber is reveals appropriate for the wild boar, even of considerable tonnage and how the reactions to the shot are well manageable even with rifles of low weight. The Browning BAR Long Trac with synthetic stock, it has the characteristics appropriate to the needs thanks to the gas-operated repetition system with long movement rods connected to a carefully sized carriage and to the rotating head with seven wings: the extended movement dilutes the energy of the recoil and the resulting movement allows the shooter to maintain the line of sight with discreet ease and thus to successfully double the shot. The good functioning of the weapon also owes a lot to the extraction system entrusted to a solid nail embedded in one of the front flaps and registered by an indestructible wire spring positioned above all in such a way as to avoid operational anomalies. The magazine adopted here has three shots: others are available with different capacities in compliance with laws and regulations in force. The barrel is offered in many length and shape options, and a 51cm short one with stiffening grooves is adopted here which also promote heat dissipation. The open sights with half batten rib and integrated notch with white trace, together with the red fiber optic viewfinder, offer the best for visibility in all conditions, but there is no shortage of threaded holes for the bases of a variable telescope, a red dot or holographic that facilitate target acquisition even for those who wear glasses. The two-piece stock, made of synthetic in the specimen viewed, is very ergonomic with the addition of the plates at the junction with the castle to optimize fold and deviation according to the shooter's arm; furthermore, the grip areas are equipped with soft and corrugated rubber inserts, where the hand remains firm even when wet. A large part of the recoil is dissolved on the butt pad made of similar material; the pegs for the quick release shirts are part of the convenient equipment provided.
Browning BAR: So on shooting
The structure of the current BARs, the Long and Short Trac models, remains unchanged from the originals, albeit with the pleasant modernization of the lines. The consistent weight reduction makes their use much more comfortable and, despite this choice, the reactions to the shot are very well controllable and allow you to quickly realign the rifle on the target by repeating the shots successfully. The choice of the 9,3 × 62 cartridge should not lead to thinking of a solution to throw the bullets a little haphazardly: it is always necessary to choose the balls according to the average size of the target game and the engagement distance. Then there is the obligation to place the shot in vital areas because it is not enough to have a 9,3 mm in place of a .30 "to guarantee the shot down. Even the bullet of a .500 N / 3 ”of over 900 kgm if it passes close has no effect and if it draws a leg it slows down without stopping. It is true that the injury is usually greater and allows a few more centimeters in waste, which never hurts.
In the tests we appreciated once more the completeness of this semiautomatic striped: having exceeded one million units sold since 1966, the year of the first presentation, represents the goodness of the shotgun and customer satisfaction, the best advertising vehicle for each product.