I am buying new rifle and I would like your input .

Which rifle

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J

jangles

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I am going to buy one of these two rifles . Any input except to get another caliber or different action is welcome .

The rifles in question are the Benelli R1 in 30-06 and the Browning BAR Safari II in 30-06 . I have shot neither of these guns but I want a semi and this is my only choice as Ive read the Remington semi is junk . So what say ye ?

Thanks in advance .
 
Welcome.
I recommend trying each out first. The better one for you will be obvious.
Try the Remi also, as there is significant gaming with online reviews. Otherwise it's an expensive crapshoot.
 
Thx but not an option. There is no where in Tucson that has either one so I will have to buy it from buds or another online .
 
Look at backpage.com, (Obama's favorite gun site) more options there for all of AZ. Take a trip to PHX and BassPro / Cabelas.
 
Heavy SCAR (FN SCAR 308)

Not heavy, not ammo sensitive.
1" groups with several types of ammo and completely reliable with all I've tried. Approved and adopted by many military special forces including our own.
 
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In all honesty I'm not a fan of any semi-auto big game rifle. I owned one Remington years ago and steering clear of them is a good idea.

I really have no personal experience with either, but the Browning does have a good reputation among those who use semi's. The Benelli is a fairly new design. But based on my experience with Benelli shotguns and looking at the specs I like the Benelli best.
 
My experience with large caliber semi automatic rifles have been very mediocre shooters when it comes to accuracy. Flip a coin and buy bolt action.
 
Yea, that was what I was trying to get at while trying to be a little more subtle.

For a lot less money you'll get a lot more rifle in a bolt gun. Even the best semi's require a quite narrow pressure range from the ammo to function properly. Even some factory loads won't function all the time and you can hand load ammo to greatly improve performance in a bolt gun that won't function at all in a semi.

The only advantage is increased rate of fire, and from anything larger than 223 the difference is very small A 30-06 is gonna kick some, it takes a few moments to get back on target regardless. The difference just isn't that great if someone learns how to work a bolt rifle fast.
 
I like the Benelli, and I've shot the Benelli more.

But... they're like a high-maintenance woman. If one tiny little thing isn't just perfect, it's going to throw a temper tantrum and ruin your day.


I'd buy the BAR.
 
To those who say they aren't very accurate, unless you are a schuetzen shooter, I will bet $100 that you won't be able to shoot offhand more accurate than what the rifle itself is, I'd say less than 5% of the shooters out there are capable of it.
I have a 1968 BAR Grade 2 that has taken deer at over 300 yards with iron sights. Offhand shooting requires more accuracy from the shooter than it does the rifle.
 
Never shot a Benelli. Have shot several Browning BAR's. One was in 30-06 and a tack driver. The other in .338 Win. Mag. with BOSS. Accuracy was very god and between the semi-auto action and the BOSS, recoil was more than tolerable. The BAR is a bit on the heavy side but that does help with dampening recoil. As I recall, the one in 30-06 was fairly easy one the shoulder as well.
Paul B.
 
I have shot many BARs in my life. Most were accurate and reliable
I own a Benelli R1 in 270 short mag.
I like it a lot, but to be 100% honest it's not as reliable as the BARs and it is super finnicky about ammo. In fact every load I have tried in it was between s0-so and terrible except one.
I load my pet load of H100 powder and a 160 grain Nosler and it shoots about 1.2" at 100. WW Factory loads would not stay inside 10" at 100.
I tried about 8 different hand loads and the 2nd best shot about 3"

Only my pet load does well enough for me to be satisfied.

Not a tack driver, but clearly good enough for elk, which is why I own it.

I got the rifle in a trade. If I were to spend my hard earned cash on a sporting auto I would say I like my Benelli, but I would opt for the Browning.

I know a man in Nevada that has a BAR 270 Win that shoots 3 different loads into 1 MOA.
I have a friend in Riverton Wyo. that has a BAR in 308 that holds about 3/4 to 7/8.
I know a man in Idaho who has a 30-06 that shoots about 1.25" but it will shoot that size with several loads.

Yeah...........go with the BAR
 
I own a Benelli R1 in 270 short mag.
I like it a lot, but to be 100% honest it's not as reliable as the BARs and it is super finnicky about ammo. In fact every load I have tried in it was between s0-so and terrible except one.
I load my pet load of H100 powder and a 160 grain Nosler and it shoots about 1.2" at 100. WW Factory loads would not stay inside 10" at 100.
I tried about 8 different hand loads and the 2nd best shot about 3"

Only my pet load does well enough for me to be satisfied.
Click to expand...
That pretty much sums up the R1 in .30-06 that I've shot a bit.

It belongs to my uncle, and he had quite a time getting it to shoot well AND function properly at the same time.
I don't think he ever found a factory load that worked satisfactorily.

In the end, he pretty much gave up on any hope for an "elk load" or "moose load", and reverted to the antelope load he used in his old Springfield: 125 gr Ballistic Tips on top of a ludicrous amount of powder (a 4895, I believe).
 
I had a buddy with a BAR in 30-06, nice gun, shot well. But what's with the hatin on Remington? I have an 80's vintage 7400 in .280, I keep it clean and it has never failed me once, plenty accurate with Hornady ammo and quite a soft shooter.
 
Thanks for all the reply's . I have made my decision and ordered a Benelli r1 . I didn't like the Browning when I had it in my hands and it reminded me of the A5 , M48 shotguns which I can't stand . I may live to regret this but it is what it is , whatever that is ? ! Thx again .
 
I recently shot a friend's older Browning BAR in 300 Win. Short Mag, with Boss tuner/compensator. It was very accurate, making a 1" group at 100 yards and it was very smooth in operation.

At the same outing, a Rem 742, 30-06 that was not as nice, in fact, it had two failures to feed.

Although I'm not a fan of semi-autos in general, since I'm an avid handloader, former gunsmith, and bolt-action aficionado, but the Browning was impressive, albeit heavier than most hunting bolt guns.
 
I don't like semi's either, I had a Rem 742 years ago, kinda like a bad women never knew what to expect. I was issued a a Garand in basic training at Fort Polk which was my first center fire rifle to shoot and loved it.. I've had nothing but bolt or lever actions after I left the Army!! I'm kind of partial to Winchester and Ruger Hawkeye which have claw extractors which I love.. William
 
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