Thank God this rifle belongs to my brother in law. I have not been able to make it shoot waorth a darn and have never ever seen a worse crown on a factory rifle. The real problem though is that it doesn't want to function with loads which are at a starting level or lower, just factory ammo. When shooting reloads in new brass the action becomes mushy and will not cycle? Rods bending or what? Any experiences which may be similiar? HELP PLEASE

I've been shooting BARs for a couple of years now, one in 270 and one in '06. I talked to a ot of people about reloading for them and everyone gave the same answer, stick vry close to factory loads. They are apparantly somewhat sensitive to both peak pressure and the pressure curve. My guess is since you are using low piwer loads it's just not enough to make the action stroke reliably.

Also make sure everything has been cleaned well, the one time I had a couple of hiccups with my 270 the bolt had some crud in it. Hold the bolt partially open and really spray it down well. I used gunscrubber then followed up with CLP and that seems to keep mine running.

I will agree with Browningguy in that you need to keep the operating pressures around that of factory ammo because of the gas porting. Low pressure loads cause "short stroking" and can be a source of frustration to those unfamiliar with the symptoms caused by such a malfunction.

I'm not inclined to recommend spraying heavy amounts of cleaner and clp into the action of these weapons unless you have a way to blow the stuff back out. While loading it up with lube might provide a little assistance in getting things moving, an excess amount will only attract more dirt, muddy up the works and cause other unintended problems. Not to mention having all that stuff flow back into the stock, destroying the wood.

Find a gunsmith who will show you how to remove the stock and trigger group so that you can perform light maintenance on your weapon, and then take it into his shop once a year or as needed, for a detailed teardown and cleaning.

The convenience of having a quick second and third shot without removing your eyes from the target or finger from the trigger is what makes the semi-autos shine. But for this convenience, they can be a little finicky if not properly cared for.

Good luck,

Malm

. . . or you could have a partially blocked gas port or some other problem that is a result of neglect or improper maintenance (since it is your brother-in-law's rifle, I won't be offending you to suggest this.) The gas port is a little hard to check, so you might want to take it to a trusted gunsmith and ask for a thorough cleaning -- at your B.I.L's expense, of course. You COULD be suffering from inadequate pressure with "starting" loads, but the most frequent problem with autoloading rifles is excessive port pressures caused by powders with a burning rate that is slower than they are regulated for.

Gentleman, thanks for the advice. I am still not sure what causes the rifle to act this way, but do agree that port pressure and powder selection must be near the heart of it. And by the way, it really is my brother in laws rifle!

While I don't use it much anymore I have a BAR in 308 that is about 12 years old. I have only reloaded for it starting 3 years ago. The Brownings have fairly tight tolerances and require duplication of factory loads to function correctly due to spring tension. If you load used brass you should use a small base dies to ensure proper cycling. Another thing that may be causing an incomplete cycle could be an excessively dirty gas piston and port. If you can find the manual that came with the rifle, or any other BAR manual for that matter, it will give you instructions aon how to dissassemble the forearm and clean the piston. Don't oil the piston. I have had great luck with Remington DriLube as the burnt powder residue won't stick to it also works in the action area(don't put it on the gas piston). As Mr. Malmborg stated these rifles require a lot more maintenance to keep them functioning correctly. My suggestion for your BIL is to buy 4 or 5 boxes of different factory ammo and see which one groups best then buy 5 or 6 boxes of the same lot. The barrels are fairly whippy and they should be thoroughly cooled between groups. Hope this helps.
Ralph

I had (key word HAD) two of these in 280 and 338. Accuracy was acceptable, and I never had much of a problem with the action not cycling when it fired. I used all reloads (max loads) and standard reloading dies. Just make sure the die firmly contacts the shellholder to full length size the case.
I had problems with the firing pin spring freezing up one year. 40 yard shot on a nice deer, and "click". So, I switched to bolt actions, and no further problems. I think the firing pin springs are pretty weak on the BAR's.

I was approached by a man I knew who had a father-in-law that had purchased a new BAR. Can't recall the cal. He fired it with upen sights to make the adjustment then had a scope mounted by the dealer that sold him the rifle. The rifle started action up by jambing. The bolt would fall but not fast enough to close. He had to give it a rap to get it to close. When I asked about changes to the rife the guy told me about the open sight and the scope. I told him to check over everything on the scope including the screws. It was a hunch. The problem was the scope screws: too long. They reached in and just touched the bolt as it functioned. You might check the screws. That may or may not be the problem. It just an experinece I had.

Once again fellows thanks, I have checked the scope screws as I have seen this be a common problem with many a rifle. The slow closing of the bolt almost feels like a binding, but it is sporadic! I agree the the port pressure should match the factory type loads, but it woulsd also appear to have a screw adjustment which has not and will not be touched. Unfortunately a manual didn't come with the rifle, so I'll persue one over the net. Thanks again.

Contact Browning Arms Co. Morgan, UT and ask for the BAR Manual. I got a used BAR with out the booklet and when called them , they sent out within a few days. Tell# 801-876-2711 back then. Have fun--