Browing BAR High-Power Rifle

B

Billybee

Inactive
A local gun dealer brought me this 1967-1976 era, made in Belgium BAR, with a jamming problem that had made the rounds of all the store-front gunsmiths and still malfunctioned intermittently. It is in almost unused condition with 100% original blue and slight original finish dings. 30-06 caliber.

Of course I cleaned the complete gas system and disassembled the bolt to inspect the extractor and ejector. Nothing amiss. Ditto for magazine lips. Then, just for drill I loaded four rounds of handloads, sized with RCBS small base dies that I have used for 20 years in a Remington 742 without a jam. The BAR fed the round into the chamber but the Extractor did NOT engage the cartridge. Considering the condition of the gun, this is highly unusual. Next tried a Foster NO-GO gage. Well, it closed on the gage like butter. No wonder it was jamming. The previous owners and dealers must have been using factory loads and only the marginally oversized brass was being engaged by the bolt.

Any idea why a "like new" Belgian would have excessive headspace? :confused:
 
A few questions I would have:
* Is it actually a 30-06, or did someone modify it? There are wildcat cartridges that use the 30-06 as base brass. A chamber cast would tell you. If it has been chambered for .30 Gibbs, for example, you could have a lot of headspace.
* Is it in factory-new condition? I would say it got chambered wrong. It does happen, you know. If so, you could set the barrel back one turn and re-cut the chamber. You would need a smith that is familiar with BARs to do this properly.
 
It has "30-06" factory stamped on the barrel. This sounds like a job for Browning Factory Service. I haven't used them in years and then only for Warranty repairs. Without the McDonnell Douglas machine shop at my disposal any longer, it's way out of my league.

It is in factory-new condition.
 
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