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BAR Mk I

eagle rider

By eagle rider,
in Rifle and Gun Hunting

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eagle rider Newbie

eagle rider

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My family lived in Mt. Kisco from the 1930's until 1980's.  In 1968 my Grandfather was promoted to Deputy Inspector in the Bronx.  He bought a Browning BAR Mk I in 30-06 as his new deer rife.  It was a gift to himself. No glass, just iron.  He had only one box of Silvertips run through it. He hunted with it one time in Fleischmann's and then joined a club in Duchess County and bought an 1100.  The BAR from that time on sat in a sock in his safe.  He moved to Florida in 1980 and it stayed in his safe.   Cleaned well, oiled and slid into a sock.  When my grandfather died in 1996 I asked my mom, aunt and uncle about it.  They decided that what was fair was that it would go to my uncle as he was the only son.  He lived in Florida, also retired from NYPD and I knew he'd never look at it.  It would stay as it had since 1968.  It killed me, but I respected their wishes.  No other grandkids deer hunt and in fact I am the only one who still lives in NY.

 

My uncle is now 77, he is loosing his sight to macula degeneration.  Awful disease.  He called me in April and said he'd be sending me the BAR.  Well he did and it was all I remembered from the few times I saw it as a kid.  Absolutely beautiful specimen of a Slab Side Grade I.  I ripped the rifle down and replaced the recoil spring and nylon buffer plate pad as they were 47 years old.  $12.50 from Numerich Arms for parts.  I added glass to it, a Zeiss Terra straight plex 3-9 and used Leopold hardware to mount it. I also bought a bunch of magazines from a guy on GunBroker since these Mk I mags are becoming the hen's teeth.   

 

The rifle is a shooter and a 1/2, sub MOA.  In fact .75!!!  BAR's are difficult to load for based on everything I am told.  Everyone recommends quality factory loads that aren't super high speed, once I got it on paper at 100 yds I switched from Federal Fusions to Barnes Vortex 168 gr.  A few dial in clicks and a clover leaf within six shots.  

 

I will be hunting with this rifle this year and for years to come.  I have to, this rifle has been in the family a year longer than I have.  

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Edited by eagle rider
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Pygmy Experienced

Pygmy

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That things a shooter! Oh how I love a beautiful auto!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah,  7600, but you just want to hacksaw the barrel off right in front of the  gas piston !.....<<grin>>...

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wolc123 Grand Master

wolc123

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Nice gun, great shooter and best caliber for deer hunting in NY state.  The family history adds a lot to the deal and will add even more after you kill a few deer with it.   My two largest-antlered bucks have fallen to my grandad's old Ithaca, model 37, featherlight, 16 ga, deerslayer.   Even today, I can't look at those mounts without remembering him.  My largest bodied buck fell in his tracks a couple years ago to my 30/06 however, and I can testify to the effectiveness of the Federal Classic 150 gr round at approximately 300 yards.  That is all I use now in the rifle zones but grandad's old Ithaca still sees occasional service at home in a shotgun-only zone.

 

 

 

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ants Newbie

ants

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Very nice!!!!

 

Several years ago a friend of mine was hard up for cash. He agreed to sell me his old Belgium BAR (308) for a crazy cheap price. We had a deal, but I was going out of town for 2 days. I called him as soon as I got home and guess what……YeeeaaHH!!!   GONE!! …….What a D!#K move!!!

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Buckmaster7600 Mentor

Buckmaster7600

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Yeah, 7600, but you just want to hacksaw the barrel off right in front of the gas piston !.....<<grin>>...

It's like we have been friends for life the way you know me! That six inches of extra barrel can buy an extra bullet with today's scrap prices :)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Lawdwaz Grand Master

Lawdwaz

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I called him as soon as I got home and guess what……YeeeaaHH!!!   GONE!! …….What a D!#K move!!!

 

LOL........I've been close on a few deals before that got flushed for one reason or another, painful, huh?

 

:)

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eagle rider Newbie

eagle rider

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Thanks, he was a great guy,.... but we'd have to add to that video him teaching a kid to play poker and read a racing form..... LOL.  He liked his cards and loved his ponies.  Somehow he always came back from the hunting club with more cash than he had when he went.  Anyways.... I spent a lot of time with him as a kid.  Tough as nails with a big heart, he'd crawl across broken glass for someone he loved.  He had a great life story, came up from nothing, he was the oldest kid raising his two sisters.  They were orphans by the time he was 11 living in the north Bronx in a church basement.  A NYPD Sgt. took them in with his wife and raised them as their own, they weren't able to have children.  When he was 20 (just back from the Navy) he took the NYPD test and was hired that year.  Made Sgt after 5 yrs, then Lt. 3 yrs later in the Mounted detail where he spent 11 years total. Somehow got a detectives shield after that.  I don't recall the rest of the path but his last 5 years he was Dep Inspector.  He retired just short 30 years.  He died two days after my son was born in 1996.  Exactly a year and a half after my grandmother died.  They were married for 65 years.

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Pygmy Experienced

Pygmy

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.....Hehehehehe.....

 

Just this morning at coffee I talked to a guy who described meeting a gnarly old gentleman.

 

My friend asked the old fellow where he lived.

 

His answer...... " I live on TOUGH Street.    The further down the street you go, the tougher they get.   My house is the last place on the right..."

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airedale Grand Master

airedale

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Back in the late seventies I purchased a Browning BAR in 270 Win, it was a very high quality rifle, a rifle that when you look it over just can not help to admire. I mounted a 2X7 Leupold on her and she would shoot very tight groups with 130 gr Winchester factory stuff of the day. If I remember right all the parts of that rifle were made in Belgium and the assembly took place in Portugal. Back in those days I was a wheeler and dealer and I traded the BAR for something I liked better. I just for the most part prefer bolt actions.

 

I get the family connection, I have several of my Dad's rifles and in recent years I have been hunting with them quite a bit, there something special when I take game with those rifles.

 

Al

 

 

 

 

Edited by airedale
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