Browning BAR not feeding rounds correctly

Dirty_Harry · October 25, 2011, 07:09 PM

I have a BAR in .308 and for the life of me I cannot get it to cycle round after round. I have had it to a local gunsmith, and they fix it......for about a couple of shots. Any suggestions? I would like the possibility of hunting with it this year, as I dont have a scope on my M1A.

Thanks.

James K · October 25, 2011, 08:25 PM

First, I assume you mean the sporting rifle, not the light machinegun.

When that happens to any gas operated rifle, the two things to check first are the gas system and the ammunition.

I am also going to assume that the rifle worked OK for the gunsmith, so ask him how many rounds he fired and what ammo he was using. Was it different from what you are using?

If the ammo is OK so far as functioning the rifle goes, could it be fouling the gas system? That is rare with modern factory ammo, but could be a problem with some milsurp or handloads.

Lastly, when you got the rifle back, did you try it immediately, or did you take it apart? That is not a complicated rifle, but it does have to be assembled right.

Jim

603Country · October 27, 2011, 05:18 PM

James K covered it pretty well, but you didn't say whether or not you or the gunsmith did a thorough cleaning of the gas system. I kept my BAR pretty clean, gas system and all, but my Dad NEVER cleaned anything. His would foul up and quit cycling and he'd call me to come over and clean it up for him. It was almost always just a real dirty nasty gunked up gas system. And once I had to replace his buffer (small rectangular shaped soft plastic thingie that acts to absorb shock in the action as it cycles). I don't think that a worn out buffer would cause the problem. So..I'd clean the gas system really well and then clean and lightly grease the action rails. If that doesn't solve the problem, then I'd figure that you have a crud accumulation on and around the bolt body that's causing a drag as the action cycles - or fails to cycle.

Slopemeno · October 28, 2011, 12:35 AM

What ammo are you using? Factory? Reloads?

We had very few BARs come through the shop with feeding issues. The only one that comes to mind was a .300 WM that was a treat to test fire indoors.

603Country · October 28, 2011, 12:35 PM

There's one more possibility that I just remembered. I had one rifle that was giving me problems with cycling, and I think it might have been the BAR, where one scope mount screw extended into the action far enough to touch the bolt. I no longer have the BAR, so I can't go look and see if it was that rifle. Whichever rifle it was, I took the screw out and filed it shorter, and the problem went away. If the 'problem rifle' of mine wasn't the BAR, I just can't think which one it might have been. That was the only semi-auto centerfire that I've owned. If I remember correctly, the bolt wasn't that hard to remove. Once that's done, just run your finger along the inside top of the receiver. I hope that's the answer to your problem.

October 25, 2011, 07:09 PM	#1
Dirty_Harry Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2006 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 1,484	Browning BAR not feeding rounds correctly I have a BAR in .308 and for the life of me I cannot get it to cycle round after round. I have had it to a local gunsmith, and they fix it......for about a couple of shots. Any suggestions? I would like the possibility of hunting with it this year, as I dont have a scope on my M1A. Thanks. __________________ "The only purpose for a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you never should have laid down." "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them." -John Wayne

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October 25, 2011, 08:25 PM	#2
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	First, I assume you mean the sporting rifle, not the light machinegun. When that happens to any gas operated rifle, the two things to check first are the gas system and the ammunition. I am also going to assume that the rifle worked OK for the gunsmith, so ask him how many rounds he fired and what ammo he was using. Was it different from what you are using? If the ammo is OK so far as functioning the rifle goes, could it be fouling the gas system? That is rare with modern factory ammo, but could be a problem with some milsurp or handloads. Lastly, when you got the rifle back, did you try it immediately, or did you take it apart? That is not a complicated rifle, but it does have to be assembled right. Jim

October 27, 2011, 05:18 PM	#3
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	James K covered it pretty well, but you didn't say whether or not you or the gunsmith did a thorough cleaning of the gas system. I kept my BAR pretty clean, gas system and all, but my Dad NEVER cleaned anything. His would foul up and quit cycling and he'd call me to come over and clean it up for him. It was almost always just a real dirty nasty gunked up gas system. And once I had to replace his buffer (small rectangular shaped soft plastic thingie that acts to absorb shock in the action as it cycles). I don't think that a worn out buffer would cause the problem. So..I'd clean the gas system really well and then clean and lightly grease the action rails. If that doesn't solve the problem, then I'd figure that you have a crud accumulation on and around the bolt body that's causing a drag as the action cycles - or fails to cycle.

October 28, 2011, 12:35 AM	#4
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	What ammo are you using? Factory? Reloads? We had very few BARs come through the shop with feeding issues. The only one that comes to mind was a .300 WM that was a treat to test fire indoors.

October 28, 2011, 12:35 PM	#5
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	There's one more possibility that I just remembered. I had one rifle that was giving me problems with cycling, and I think it might have been the BAR, where one scope mount screw extended into the action far enough to touch the bolt. I no longer have the BAR, so I can't go look and see if it was that rifle. Whichever rifle it was, I took the screw out and filed it shorter, and the problem went away. If the 'problem rifle' of mine wasn't the BAR, I just can't think which one it might have been. That was the only semi-auto centerfire that I've owned. If I remember correctly, the bolt wasn't that hard to remove. Once that's done, just run your finger along the inside top of the receiver. I hope that's the answer to your problem.