Browning BAR Grade II rifle

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rchall

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I have a chance to buy a Browning BAR Grade II rifle in 30-06. This gun was made in the late 1960's and doesn't look like it was used too much at all. It has the animals hand engraved on the receiver along with scrollwork. Also, it has a Redfield 3-9X Widefield scope in Weaver mounts and a quality leather sling. What kind of $$$$$ would we be looking at for a package like this?? The only thing that is missing on the gun is the cover for the front sight, probably not a big deal. Thanks for any input on this post!
 
The salt problem was largely with 1960s bolt action rifles. I've never seen a BAR with that issue. The nice BARs I've seen lately, Grade I not Grade 2, with scopes are in the $700-$1000 range; nice all Belgian (not Portugal assembled) examples. The Grade 2s are around, and 30-06 seems to be the dominant caliber, but I haven't seen a nice one for less than $900 in some time. I have one that I haven't gotten around to firing yet, wouldn't take less than $1k for mine with no scope. Use to be quite a fan of the BARs, bought my first one in 1967 (the year they came out) and have had quite a few. Accurate rifles for being semi-auto. Good luck.

Jeff
SWCA #1457
 
The nice BARs I've seen lately, Grade I not Grade 2, with scopes are in the $700-$1000 range; nice all Belgian (not Portugal assembled) examples. The Grade 2s are around, and 30-06 seems to be the dominant caliber, but I haven't seen a nice one for less than $900 in some time.
Click to expand...

This^^^^.

Personally, I'd leap at a Belgian BAR GradeII in excellent condition with a good scope and mounts for $700-$900. If you're in the market for a Grade II, $1,100 today is a good number.

Even w/o the BOSS System, a BAR in .30-06 is a 1 MOA or very slightly larger grouping rifle for five at 100 meters with ammo it likes. The only downside for these rifles is that they tend to be a touch heavy. If you hunt from a blind or treestand as many do it's a non-factor.

Bruce
 
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BAR find...

As some have noted that's a bit high. But if it's the one you want, the extra couple hundred $$ won't mean much over the next 20 years.

Not to scare you into buying it but several years ago I began looking for a Belgium BAR in decent shape for a hunting gun. All the ones I found were pricey so I kept looking. 6 years ago I found one in a small gun shop for a good price about 2 hours away. I didn't have any cash on me at the time....it was in a down time of year when guys were selling their guns instead of buying guns for the next season. I figured I could get back there within 2 weeks to buy it. It was gone when I returned :(:(

I continued looking for the next four years until I ran across another one. Put a deposit on it and paid the balance the next day! :D :D

It has been even better than I've been told & read about.

Maybe see if the seller will keep the scope to knock some off the buying price.

Good luck...
Lad
 
I know its kind of pushy, but go look again and ask the seller to remove the action from the stock. Just to be sure. Then you might as well pay the piper.

Mine is a grade I, and its very nice. When you start moving up in grades you don't always get more of anything but gold flash plating. Higher grades can have some pretty nice engraving, particularly from back in the 1960s.

We see these fine guns at shows all the time. The price being asked is at the upper end of fair pricing. Its always easy to suggest the seller take a little less. But if he won't its time to decide. Folks laugh at the .30-06, but its still stronger than the .308 and you can get some really good rounds for it. Big heavy loads of 220 grains, short magnums, you name it. And even some milsurp appears (but at $1 a round.) A bunch of us reload for it, too. Components are all over, too.
 
Thanks for all the comments and advice on this rifle. I may attempt to get the asking price down some. He did say he didn't want to undercut himself since he was in the off-season as far as the demand for guns.
 
Unfortunately around here BAR's are not in demand and few even ask about them. A grade II here might bring $750 even tho sellers are asking big bucks. They just stay on the table at GS or on the rack at LGS.
Be sure to take the stocks off before buying.
 
Really can't remove the stocks as he is in Massachusetts and I'm in WV. I will ask him about it, though. Don't want to buy it if there's any problem like that.Thanks for the heads-up!
 
If it was salt wood, and I have yet to hear of salt wood on a BAR, it would be very ugly by now
I have a salt wood TBolt Real shooter but has pits at wood / metal line
I have a 308 BAR made in 1968 and love it
 
rchall - I owned a 60's BAR years ago in 30-06. Nice rifle, but as said, a little heavy. Most of the "salt cured" wood problems were limited to the bolt actions, but not all. Ask the dealer to remove the forend, and send you a pic of the barrel. If there is no rust where the wood touches metal, then its not salt cured.

The Redfield scope was a nice scope in its day, but a modern $200 Leupold or Nikon will have better optics today, and a warranty. Maybe ask him if he is willing to knock off a few more bucks if he removes the scope from the deal? Anyway, I don't think $1100 is out of line. Not a lot of rifles being built with that level of quality anymore, especially for around a grand.

Larry
 
Owner said he had seen absolutely no signs of oxidation either in or on the rifle. He knew the owner and said it had been in his safe for years being used sparingly. Just going on what he tells me. Hope I can work on the price a bit, too!
 
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