The BAR and I

[pmanton]

This month's American Rifleman contains an article on the Browning Automatic Rifle or BAR.

I have to share with you the tale of just how the BAR could have made me an occupant of Ft. Leavenworth.

In 1955 I was a young Marine at Camp Pendleton California attending Infantry Training. All Marines were required to attend infantry training after boot camp regardless of what your ultimate duties would be.

Since my folks lived in Burbank, as soon as I had my first liberty I obtained my car and registered it on post.

I was assigned to carry the BAR during the week's training. On Friday after cleaning, the BAR would be turned into the arms room since it was a unit weapon, unlike the M-1, which being a personal weapon, was kept in one's locker.

To my dismay, when I finished cleaning the weapon I found the arms room locked up. Being young and stupid, I was in a quandary. Would I somehow get in trouble? Would the guy in the arms room get in trouble? What to do with it?

No way was I going to put it in my locker. Although my own M-1 was there, it was spotlessly clean while the BAR had been oiled and lubed when cleaned. It would soil my uniforms.

I'll put it in the trunk of my car until Monday. Smooth move PFC Anton, you solved the problem. I'm broke and not going anywhere, it can stay in the trunk.

Saturday Evening arrives. A couple of buddies approach me, "Let's go to town" they say "I'm broke" said I ""We'll pay" said they.

While on the road I break out in a cold sweat remembering the BAR in my trunk.

For whatever reason, the MP's didn't inspect my trunk leaving the base. What happens if a Cop pulls me over? What happens if I'm inspected entering the base?

I don't remember if I told my buddies what I had in the trunk. I don't remember where we went, nor what we did. I do remember to this day sweating out the BAR in my trunk.

 

[Skeet 028]

I got to shoot one again a year or so ago. I had to supply ammo. I had some Mil match ammo from about 1959 or so. Boy it was fun..as much fun as in the 60s.

 

[Richard Simmons]

I'm a fan. Large Marge doesn't have a fun switch but I love her just the same.

 

[CLASSIC12]

That's a good story.

There's a FA BAR for sale at the LGS (in Switzerland) for 1600. I need to ask them to take it our of the display cabinet and take some pictures.

 

[BC38]

That's a good story.

There's a FA BAR for sale at the LGS (in Switzerland) for 1600. I need to ask them to take it our of the display cabinet and take some pictures.

Seems like I've heard that there was also something called a FU BAR?
Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

 

[DWalt]

My only BAR firing experience was in 1960 during an indoctrination visit to Quantico when I was in Navy ROTC at Ohio State. Some fun, the first time I ever fired anything in full auto. But not the last.

 

[SLT223]

That's a good story.

There's a FA BAR for sale at the LGS (in Switzerland) for 1600. I need to ask them to take it our of the display cabinet and take some pictures.

You continue to annoy me

Any chance you can take pics of what some of these Swiss gun store showrooms look like for some of less fortunate ones?

 

[Drm50]

A BAR is surprisingly accurate, before extensive full auto fire. I
never hankered for a GI BAR, but one of the Colt Monitor models
would be neat.

In RVn there were a lot of them floating around. They were given
to ARVINs early on and civilian contractors security teams. The
only ones I saw in use by US were some Artillery units on FBs
and they weren't issue. Guys just had the habit of scarfing up
extra fire power if they were in static positions. They didn't replace the issue M60s, they were want was called unaurthorized
weapons.

 

[Skeet 028]

That's a good story.

There's a FA BAR for sale at the LGS (in Switzerland) for 1600. I need to ask them to take it our of the display cabinet and take some pictures.

The one I got to shoot sold for a LOT more than that. I think it was north of 25 grand. It did have some extras with it though. Yes it shot great. But like most full auto firearms it turned a lot of money into a lot of noise in a short period of time. Man...it sure is fun though!

 

[kevin in nh]

A friends dad was a local WWII decorated hero and over the years he was featured in the local newspapers. One day towards the end of his life his son and I came out of the woods late after deer hunting and we stopped in to see his dad. His son says its only the woods, nothing to be scared of.....like you have ever been scared! He said son I have been plenty scared, pretty much all of the war! I brought up the picture of him with his BAR and he said even though I was the smallest guy in my squad they stuck me with it, but it saved my *** more than once

 

[Richard Simmons]

You hear the "shortest guy" thing a lot with regards to the BAR. In the military you line up based on height, tallest to shortest. If you pick the last guy in a rank/squad to be the BAR man he's always going to be the shortest unless everyone is the same height.

 

[milton6x]

I took advanced infantry training at Fort Ord in 1958 . It featured a lot of use of the classic BAR . The thing was hell to carry in the California heat , an assistant usually helped carry ammo . I found it very, very accurate . There was a post rule against double timing with BARs , but out of sight of command , we double timed every where . Back in the Guard and Reserve , carrying the BAR was the path to a promotion .