Mike Irwin
Staff
The Browning BAR was unpopular with American soldiers in World War II because it was heavy, prone to jamming, and the magazine only held 20 rounds...
According to Battlefield Detectives on the History Channel...
- Thread starter Mike Irwin
- Start date
I think it's misinterpreted info...
They didn't like to CARRY it... 20 pounds
They didn't like to carry the AMMO... at lot more than 20 pounds
They loved the damned thing because it kept the enemy "busy" while the grunts "advanced".
Malfunctions were rare... the tests proved that when "they" fired many rounds until two of these BAR's were red barreled and starting to sag. They tapered off the test until the barrels "cooled" to a tolerable HOT and then stopped... There was no residual damage and it remained in service until the M-14 was made general issue... thus ending the distinguished carrier of the BAR.
NOTE: The BAR of WWII is a totally different weapon from the BAR of today, which does have a reputation for MF's.
They didn't like to CARRY it... 20 pounds
They didn't like to carry the AMMO... at lot more than 20 pounds
They loved the damned thing because it kept the enemy "busy" while the grunts "advanced".
Malfunctions were rare... the tests proved that when "they" fired many rounds until two of these BAR's were red barreled and starting to sag. They tapered off the test until the barrels "cooled" to a tolerable HOT and then stopped... There was no residual damage and it remained in service until the M-14 was made general issue... thus ending the distinguished carrier of the BAR.
NOTE: The BAR of WWII is a totally different weapon from the BAR of today, which does have a reputation for MF's.
They had a really good reputation for reliability as most things John M Browning designed...yes they were heavy, most every thing was back then
but the firepower they put out made it the heavy artillery of the infantry squad...a lot of folks said the M1 rifle should have been made to use the BAR magazines as well. Many folks didnt like to carry it UNTIL the caca hit the fan
then it was the meanist issue small arm we had. The prohabition gansters loved the BAR far more than the tommy gun...because it could shoot through cars,walls, telephone poles etc that would stop the pistol bullets of the thompson. while in the small details, the Bren was better....but the BAR was
very respected by its foes (every times one fires, an axis soldier gets his wings) and if you ditched the A2 bipod it knocked 3 pounds off the gun...
it was never really made for a bipod anyway.
but the firepower they put out made it the heavy artillery of the infantry squad...a lot of folks said the M1 rifle should have been made to use the BAR magazines as well. Many folks didnt like to carry it UNTIL the caca hit the fan
then it was the meanist issue small arm we had. The prohabition gansters loved the BAR far more than the tommy gun...because it could shoot through cars,walls, telephone poles etc that would stop the pistol bullets of the thompson. while in the small details, the Bren was better....but the BAR was
very respected by its foes (every times one fires, an axis soldier gets his wings) and if you ditched the A2 bipod it knocked 3 pounds off the gun...
it was never really made for a bipod anyway.
We fire the Model 1918A2 variant, and the FND every time we have a Class 3 shoot in Maryland. Our FFL holder there was a BAR gunner with the Marines in Korea. The bipod works quite well from the prone position. On slow-fire rate, you can shoot into the firing slits of a bunker at 100-125 yards.
The FND is an improved version, made by FN, that used a quick-change barrel.
The FND is an improved version, made by FN, that used a quick-change barrel.