Some years, more likely decades ago, my now deceased father in law bought this first generation Belgium BAR in 243, from the gun store in his small town in SE Nebraska. I am pretty sure his wife never knew about it, nor several others he bought and stashed away, to be found when we helped clean out his back closets.
Gerhard carried a BAR with the 32nd Infantry Div, when they and the Aussie's took back Buna Station, on the coast of New Gineau. It was an awful battle, huge losses and near complete annihilation of the Japanese Garrison. I suspect that Gerhard wanted to have a BAR again, although he told me he could not keep it operating in the mud, and gave his BAR up for a Garand.
He put an old scope on it, zeroed it with three rounds, shot one more to kill a deer on the edge of town, and cased it ever since. I have the box of Sivertips with 4 rounds gone. I reload and shoot several different bullets in it, with a different scope, and off a sand bag, it is an incredibly accurate rifle.
It is a first generation BAR, without a bolt hold-open ability without a mag in it. Beautiful bluing and stock, easy on the recoil as it is a gas gun. I have sourced three more magazines for it, just in case they someday become hard to get.
When I lay it on a sandbag and click three rounds into the mag, and snap it in, and line up behind the reticle, I remember Gerhard, who was a great father in law, and who treated me like his own son.
So, here it is....
Stay Safe, SF. VET
Gerhard carried a BAR with the 32nd Infantry Div, when they and the Aussie's took back Buna Station, on the coast of New Gineau. It was an awful battle, huge losses and near complete annihilation of the Japanese Garrison. I suspect that Gerhard wanted to have a BAR again, although he told me he could not keep it operating in the mud, and gave his BAR up for a Garand.
He put an old scope on it, zeroed it with three rounds, shot one more to kill a deer on the edge of town, and cased it ever since. I have the box of Sivertips with 4 rounds gone. I reload and shoot several different bullets in it, with a different scope, and off a sand bag, it is an incredibly accurate rifle.
It is a first generation BAR, without a bolt hold-open ability without a mag in it. Beautiful bluing and stock, easy on the recoil as it is a gas gun. I have sourced three more magazines for it, just in case they someday become hard to get.
When I lay it on a sandbag and click three rounds into the mag, and snap it in, and line up behind the reticle, I remember Gerhard, who was a great father in law, and who treated me like his own son.
So, here it is....
Stay Safe, SF. VET
